Sarah Smelser
Professor of Printmaking
Office
CVA Center For The Visual Arts 121
Office Hours
vary by semester and by appointment
- About
- Education
- Awards & Honors
- Selected 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 104.004 Visual Thinking: Drawing Fundamentals
ART 394.001 Bachelor Of Fine Arts Seminar
ART 287.006 Independent Study
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 and Contracts
Faculty/Staff Research and Travel Grant
Sarah Smelser.
Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts. October 2025 - October 2025
School of Art Faculty Development Grant,
Sarah Smelser.
Wonsool Kim School of Art. 2025
General Operating Support for Normal Editions Workshop program grant FY2021
Veda Rives Mae Rives Aukerman, Morgan G. Price, Sarah Smelser.
Illinois Arts Council Agency. October 16 2020 - August 31 2021
Ballinglen Arts Foundation Fellowship
Sarah Smelser.
Ballinglen Arts Foundation. November 2015 - December 2015
“Color Woodcut Workshop”
Sarah Smelser.
College of Fine Arts. September 2015 - September 2015
“Residency at Ballinglen Arts Foundation (Ireland)”
Sarah Smelser.
Illinois State University. November 2015 - December 2015
"Water-Base Silkscreen Workshop"
Sarah Smelser.
Illinois State University. - July 2022
Performances and Exhibits
111th Annual California Society of Printmakers Members’ Exhibition
Sarah Smelser.
Piedmont Center for the Arts. January 2026 - February 2026
Sarah Smelser.
Piedmont Center for the Arts. January 2026 - February 2026
46th National Print Exhibition
Sarah Smelser.
March 2026 - April 2026
Sarah Smelser.
March 2026 - April 2026
91st Annual Society of American Graphic Artists Members Exhibition
Sarah Smelser.
Mana Contemporary. May 2026 - June 2026
Sarah Smelser.
Mana Contemporary. May 2026 - June 2026
Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair
Sarah Smelser.
Powerhouse Arts Center. March 2026 - March 2026
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
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
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
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
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
Sarah Smelser.
Manhattan Graphics Center. March 2026 - May 2026
One of a Kind
Sarah Smelser.
Chicago Printmakers Collaborative. February 2026 - May 2026
Sarah Smelser.
Chicago Printmakers Collaborative. February 2026 - May 2026
Printmaking: From Traditional to Experimental
Sarah Smelser.
CORE Art Space. January 2026 - March 2026
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
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
Sarah Smelser.
Heuser Art Gallery, Bradley University. January 2025 - March 2025
45th National Print Exhibition
Sarah Smelser.
Artlink Contemporary Gallery. March 2025 - April 2025
Sarah Smelser.
Artlink Contemporary Gallery. March 2025 - April 2025
60 Years of NIU Printmaking
Sarah Smelser.
Northern Illinois University Museum. 2025 - 2025
Sarah Smelser.
Northern Illinois University Museum. 2025 - 2025
Artist lecture
Sarah Smelser.
Western Michigan University. February 2025 - February 2025
Sarah Smelser.
Western Michigan University. February 2025 - February 2025
Atlanta Print Biennial
Sarah Smelser.
Kai Lin Art Gallery. June 2025 - July 2025
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
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
Sarah Smelser.
Craft Alliance. February 2025 - March 2025
Cimarron National Works
Sarah Smelser.
Oklahoma State University Museum of Art,. June 2025 - July 2025
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
Sarah Smelser.
Manneken Press. April 2025 - April 2025
Hodophilia
Sarah Smelser.
Ink Shop Prinetmaking Cetner. August 2025 - October 2025
Sarah Smelser.
Ink Shop Prinetmaking Cetner. August 2025 - October 2025
Impressions
Sarah Smelser.
Main Street Gallery. August 2025 - September 2025
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
Sarah Smelser.
SPIVA Center for the Arts,. 2025 - 2025
Presentations
Walking = Thinking = Making
Sarah Smelser.
Mid America Print Council Conference, Baton Rouge, LA, October, 2026
Artist Lecture
Sarah Smelser.
Monotype Guild of New England, online, October 23, 2026
NA
Sarah Smelser.
NA, Kalamazoo, MI, February, 2026
Studio Break featuring Sarah Smelser
Sarah Smelser.
Studio Break podcast, online, February, 2026
Not All Who Wander Are Lost
Sarah Smelser.
Monotype Guild of New England Lecture Series, onlie, January, 2026
Artist’s Lecture
Sarah Smelser.
, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo, HI, October 15, 2025
Not All Who Wander are Lost
Sarah Smelser.
Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA, July 20, 2025
Artist Lecture
Sarah Smelser.
Anderson Ranch, Snowmass Village, CO, June 15, 2025
artist talk
Sarah Smelser.
NA, Kalamazoo, February, 2025
Gallery Talk
Sarah Smelser.
Solo Exhibition: Defying the Laws, Chicago, IL, October, 2024
Residency
Sarah Smelser.
Remarque Print Workshop and Gallery, Albuquerque, May, 2024
Residency
Sarah Smelser.
Residency, Skopelos, Greece, June, 2023
Research Associate
Sarah Smelser.
Research Associate, Santa Cruz, CA, November, 2022
Visiting Artist
Sarah Smelser.
Visiting Artist, Milwaukee, WI, September, 2022
Visiting Artist
Sarah Smelser.
Visiting Artist, West Lafayette, IN, September, 2022
Artist Residency
Sarah Smelser.
Artist in Residence, Alburquerque, August, 2022
Visiting Artist
Sarah Smelser.
Visiting Artist, Bozeman, MT, April, 2022
Interview with Sarah Smelser
Sarah Smelser.
Interview, online, April, 2021