Sarah Smelser received her BA from the University of California at Santa Cruz, and her MA and MFA from the University of Iowa. She has been an artist in residence at Vermont Studio Center; Franz Masereel Center, Artica Bilbao, Kala Art Institute, Jentel Artist Residency, Skopelos Foundation for the Arts, Anchor Graphics, Ballinglen Arts Foundation, Remarque Print Workshop, Tamarind Institute, and the Contemporary Print Media Research Center at the University of California at Santa Cruz. Her work is in collections such as Readers' Digest Association, New York Public Library, Library of Congress, Hallmark Corporate Collection, Microsoft Corporate Collection, Fidelity Investments, Spencer Museum, Weisman Art Museum and Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts.

Smelser has had solo exhibitions at Bridgewater/Lustberg & Blumenfeld in New York City, Kathryn Markel Fine Arts in New York City, Urban Institute for Contemporary Art in Grand Rapids, MI, Carnegie Mellon University, Bradley University, University of Wyoming, Diablo Valley College, Luther College, Middle Tennessee State University, Montana State University, and Spencer College. Her work has been included in many invitational and juried shows, and been shown at numerous art fairs including Art Frankfurt, Estampa (in Madrid), the Affordable Art Fair in New York, Art Miami, Red Dot Art Fair in New York and Miami, Art Santa Fe, Art Chicago, EDITION Chicago, EXPO Chicago, Boston Print Fair, Baltimore Contemporary Print Fair, Editions/Artists’ Book Fair, and the Los Angeles Art Show. 

Sarah's work has been reviewed in Art on Paper: The Journal of Prints, Drawings and Photography; Abstract Art Online; Monotype, Monoprint, & Strappo Ezine and reproduced in New American Paintings. She was recently interviewed for Reflections on Color and Printmaking for Laura Berman Projects (laurabermanprojects.com). Smelser has juried such exhibitions as the 9th International Juried Print Exhibition, Remarque Print Workshop and Gallery, Albuquerque, NM; the 26th Parkside National Print Exhibition, UW Parkside Galleries, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha, WI; and the Mid America Print Council Member’s Exhibition, Lawrence Art Center, Lawrence, KS.

The 2022 – 2024 Harold Boyd Endowed Professor in the Wonsook Kim School of Art at Illinois State University, Smelser served as its associate director from 2017 to 2023. From 2006 to 2008 Sarah was president of the Mid America Print Council, a national non-profit organization of artist printmakers and educators. She later served as co-editor for its quarterly journal.

In 2000 Sarah co-founded Manneken Press with husband Master Printer Jonathan Higgins. Manneken Press is a fine art print publishing venture, currently thriving in Bloomington, IL, publishing the work of artists from around the United States, Colombia, and Spain.

 For a CV, please contact the artist