UH Hilo art department hosts artist in residence, printmaker Sarah Smelser

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While artist in residence at UH Hilo, internationally acclaimed printmaker Sarah Smelser gave a public lecture and also spent time with students, demonstrating her craft in the university’s printmaking studio.

A student watches artist produce a print in the printmaking studio. The artist rolls out orange ink onto the print.
Artist in residence Sarah Smelser engages a UH Hilo student in the printmaking studio. (Photo: Art Dept/UH Hilo)
Teacher demonstrates for student how to make print. She's rolling out the ink on the print.
Rolling out the ink, UH Hilo artist in residence Sarah Smelser demonstrates the making of a print edition. (Photo: Art Dept/UH Hilo)

By Susan Enright/UH Hilo Stories.

Last month, the art department at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo hosted artist in residence Sarah Smelser. The residency was part of the first place award Smelser received at the 2024 Pacific States Biennial North American Printmaking Exhibition, which is held at UH Hilo.

The exhibition is a world class compilation of contemporary print-works representing a broad swath of talented artists residing in North America. With the first place award comes an artist residency at UH Hilo covering travel, lodging, per diem, and honorarium.

Jon Goebel casual portrait, ocean in background.
Jon Goebel

“Having the opportunity to share the studio with a consistent rotation of visiting artists is a major strength for UH Hilo, its students, and the community at large,” says Jon Goebel, associate professor of art and master printmaker.

Smelser has been an artist in residence all over the country and the world. Some of these highlights include The Franz Masereel Center in Belgium, Tamarind Institute in New Mexico, KALA in Berkley, Anchor Graphics in Chicago, among many others. She has work in several collections including the Reader’s Digest Association, New York Public Library, Library of Congress, Hallmark and Microsoft Cooperate Collections, as well as the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts.

During her artist-in-residence time at UH Hilo last month, Smelser delivered a well-received lecture to students, faculty, and the community at large about her work, noting how her environment directly informs the development of her work. She further engaged her audience in the printmaking studio, where she completed an artist print edition.

She also engaged with students studying printmaking.

“In the studio, Sarah had many helping hands from the fall 2025 advanced printmaking seminar course offered through the UH Hilo art department,” says Goebel.

Story by Susan Enright, public information specialist for the Office of the Chancellor and editor of UH Hilo Stories. She received her bachelor of arts in English and certificate in women’s studies from UH Hilo.

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