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Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts

Sarah Smelser

Professor of Printmaking
Wonsook Kim School of Art
Office
CVA Center For The Visual Arts 121
Office Hours
vary by semester and by appointment
Office Phone
(309) 438-8535office
phone
Email
ssmelse@ilstu.eduemail
Website
sarahsmelser.comwebsite
  • 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 394.001 Bachelor Of Fine Arts Seminar

ART 245.001 Intaglio I

ART 351.001 Special Projects: Printmaking

ART 351.002 Special Projects: Printmaking

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

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
Ink and Impressions
Sarah Smelser
Housatonic Museum of Art. July 2025 - August 2025
International Fine Print Dealers’ Association (IFPDA) Print Fair
Sarah Smelser
Manneken Press. March 2025 - March 2025
Lost and Found: Better Planet Packaging Day
Sarah Smelser
Smurfit Westrock. April 2025 - April 2025
Monotype Guild of New England: 40 Years of Unique Prints, Sixth National Monotype/Monoprint Juried Exhibition
Sarah Smelser
The Art Complex Museum. April 2025 - June 2025
Printmaking as Placemaking
Sarah Smelser
The Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts (LHUCA). April 2025 - June 2025
Sarah Smelser: Sandia
Sarah Smelser
artsy.net. November 2025 - April 2026
Sixty Square Inches XXI
Sarah Smelser
Ringel Gallery, Purdue University. January 2025 - January 2025
Society of American Graphic Artists 3rd Annual Mini Gems Exhibition
Sarah Smelser
SAGA Gallery. November 2025 - December 2025
Visiting Artist
Sarah Smelser
Western Michigan University. February 2025 - February 2025
Wanderlust: The Art of Travel and Escapism
Sarah Smelser
Blue Line Arts. July 2025 - August 2025
Winter Arts and Crafts Expo
Sarah Smelser
Evanston Art Center. November 2025 - December 2025

Presentations

Artist Lecture. Monotype Guild of New England. (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)