Lillian Vargyas
NYC based artist specializing in handmade masks, acrylic paintings, collage, and performance art. Original paintings, masks, film & performance work requests available through contact section.
About Lillian
Originally from the small mountain town of New Paltz, NY, I moved to New York City in my early 20s to attend The William Esper Studio for Acting. Having a direct channel into the understanding of emotion, the body, energy, and connection with others has been essential in creating evocative images across my artistic mediums.
It was through acting school that I was first introduced to mask work, including Balinese, commedia dell’arte, blank, neutral, and larval masks. I fell deeply in love with the unique personality each mask holds, and how the wearer can take on its energy and transformative power.
I began painting early in life and was quickly drawn to surrealism. I’m most often inspired by imagery from dreams, fantasy, magic, and the mystery of the unknown. My painting medium of choice is acrylic; its quick drying time allows me to build thin layers and achieve a high level of detail and tight rendering. Learning to compose an image in paint has also translated into my collage work, where I construct complex scenes from found photographs taken from magazines, art books, and auction catalogues.
A more recent medium I have been exploring is filmmaking. I wrote, performed in, produced, and co-directed my debut short film Alouette, which premiered in Fall 2024 at Neon’s Beyond Fest and won Best International Short at São Paulo, Brazil’s Phenomena Film Festival.
Commission Information
Painting Commissions
Commissions for custom paintings are currently open, including portraits and pet portraits. To have a custom piece made, submit through the contact section below. I generally reply within a few hours, and from there we will discuss what you have in mind. Preliminary sketches can also be made for you upon request to ensure that you get exactly what you imagined. Rates are based off of size of canvas, level of detail, and creation time. 50% of fee is requested at the start of the painting, and the remaining 50% is paid upon completion. Shipping invoiced separately and calculated based on dimensions of final piece and destination.
Mask & Sculpture Commissions
My commissions are currently open for custom designs!
Whether you're starting with a clear idea of what you're looking for, or ready to let me take the reins, we'll come up with something that'll turn heads. Masks are priced based on design complexity and number of faces. Each mask is one of one, always unique and never reproduced. Shipping is invoiced separately and calculated based on dimensions of final piece and destination.
Lending & Rentals: I do lend & rent out masks for fashion, film shoots and performances. If one has caught your eye, please submit a contact form below.
Collaborations & Commissions for
Film/ Music/ Media
One of my favorite things as an artist is creating pieces with other artists. If you're looking for magical props and objects, I'm your girl. I am also available to work as a Director / Artistic Director on select projects. I specialize in creating immersive surreal worlds, if you think my eye would be a good fit to direct your piece, I'd love to hear more! For all collaboration requests, please submit through the Contact section below, and I'll be in touch.
Purchasing Info for Completed Pieces
Online shop is coming soon!
In the meantime, If there is a piece that catches your eye please reach out through the Contact section below, and I'll get back to you promptly with pricing & purchasing information.
