Staff Profile | Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts

About
Education
Awards & Honors
Research

Biography

Sarah Smelser recevied a BA from University of California at Santa Cruz, an MA and an MFA from the University of Iowa. She exhibits her work extensively, nationally and internationally.

Current Courses

ART 245.001 Intaglio I

ART 245.002 Intaglio I

ART 451.002 Special Projects: Printmaking

ART 104.004 Visual Thinking: Drawing Fundamentals

ART 104.005 Visual Thinking: Drawing Fundamentals

Teaching Interests & Areas

intaglio, relief, monotype/monoprint, collagraph

Research Interests & Areas

monotype, woodcut, collage

MFA Photography

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA

MA Printmaking

Uniersity of Iowa

Iowa City, IA

Bachelor of Arts Printmaking

University of California Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, CA

Outstanding College Creative Activity Award

Illinois State University

2025

College of Fine Arts Service Award

2023

College of Fine Arts Service Award

Illinois State University

2022

Dean's Faculty Development Award

Illinois State University

2022

Grants & Contracts

Faculty/Staff Research and Travel Grant. Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts. Illinois State University. (2025)

School of Art Faculty Development Grant,. Wonsool Kim School of Art. Illinois State University. (2025)

General Operating Support for Normal Editions Workshop program grant FY2021. Illinois Arts Council Agency. State. (2020)

Ballinglen Arts Foundation Fellowship. Ballinglen Arts Foundation. Other. (2015)

“Color Woodcut Workshop”. College of Fine Arts. Illinois State University. (2015)

“Residency at Ballinglen Arts Foundation (Ireland)”. Illinois State University. Illinois State University. (2015)

"Water-Base Silkscreen Workshop". Illinois State University. Illinois State University.

Performances and Exhibits

111th Annual California Society of Printmakers Members’ Exhibition
Sarah Smelser
Piedmont Center for the Arts. January 2026 - February 2026

46th National Print Exhibition
Sarah Smelser
March 2026 - April 2026

91st Annual Society of American Graphic Artists Members Exhibition
Sarah Smelser
Mana Contemporary. May 2026 - June 2026

Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair
Sarah Smelser
Powerhouse Arts Center. March 2026 - March 2026

Cut, Paste, Create: A Collage Exhibit
Sarah Smelser
Ludington Area Center for the Arts. February 2026 - April 2026

Escape Artist
Sarah Smelser
Rose Netzorg and James W. Kerr Gallery, Western Michigan University. January 2026 - March 2026

International Fine Print Dealers’ Association (IFPDA) Print Fair
Sarah Smelser
International Fine Print Dealers’ Association. April 2026 - April 2026

International Paperworks 2026
Sarah Smelser
Walter Piehl Gallery, Northwest Arts Center, Minot State University. January 2026 - February 2026

National MGC Community Print Studio Exhibition
Sarah Smelser
Manhattan Graphics Center. March 2026 - May 2026

One of a Kind
Sarah Smelser
Chicago Printmakers Collaborative. February 2026 - May 2026

Printmaking: From Traditional to Experimental
Sarah Smelser
CORE Art Space. January 2026 - March 2026

38th Annual McNeese National Works on Paper Exhibition
Sarah Smelser
McNeese State University. March 2025 - April 2025

39th Bradley International Print and Drawing Exhibition
Sarah Smelser
Heuser Art Gallery, Bradley University. January 2025 - March 2025

45th National Print Exhibition
Sarah Smelser
Artlink Contemporary Gallery. March 2025 - April 2025

60 Years of NIU Printmaking
Sarah Smelser
Northern Illinois University Museum. 2025 - 2025

Artist lecture
Sarah Smelser
Western Michigan University. February 2025 - February 2025

Atlanta Print Biennial
Sarah Smelser
Kai Lin Art Gallery. June 2025 - July 2025

Bon a Tirer: An Exhibition of Contemporary Printmaking
Sarah Smelser
Arts Council of Princeton. October 2025 - November 2025

CUT/FOLD/PRESS: National Paper Arts Exhibition
Sarah Smelser
Craft Alliance. February 2025 - March 2025

Cimarron National Works
Sarah Smelser
Oklahoma State University Museum of Art,. June 2025 - July 2025

Expo Chicago: The International Exposition of Contemporary and Modern Art
Sarah Smelser
Manneken Press. April 2025 - April 2025

Hodophilia
Sarah Smelser
Ink Shop Prinetmaking Cetner. August 2025 - October 2025

Impressions
Sarah Smelser
Main Street Gallery. August 2025 - September 2025

Impressions and Exposures: A Hand Magazine Exhibition
Sarah Smelser
SPIVA Center for the Arts,. 2025 - 2025

Presentations

Artist Lecture. Monotype Guild of New England. (2026)

NA. NA. Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI. (2026)

Not All Who Wander Are Lost. Monotype Guild of New England Lecture Series. Monotype Guild of New England. (2026)

Studio Break featuring Sarah Smelser. Studio Break podcast. (2026)

Walking = Thinking = Making. Mid America Print Council Conference. Louisiana State University. (2026)

Artist Lecture. Anderson Ranch. (2025)

Artist’s Lecture. , University of Hawaii at Hilo. (2025)

Not All Who Wander are Lost. Art Complex Museum. (2025)

artist talk. NA. Western Michigan University. (2025)

Gallery Talk. Solo Exhibition: Defying the Laws. Evanston Art Center. (2024)

Residency. Remarque Print Workshop and Gallery. (2024)

Residency. Residency. Skopelos Foundation for the Arts. (2023)

Artist Residency. Artist in Residence. Remarque Printmakin Workshop and Gallery. (2022)

Research Associate. Research Associate. UC Santa Cruz. (2022)

Visiting Artist. Visiting Artist. Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. (2022)

Visiting Artist. Visiting Artist. Purdue University. (2022)

Visiting Artist. Visiting Artist. Montana State University. (2022)

Interview with Sarah Smelser. Interview. Slippery Rock University. (2021)