Skylar Smith  |   ssmith@kycad.org

Education

2004                 MFA, Painting and Drawing, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.

1998                 BFA, Painting and Art History, Maryland Institute, College of Art, Baltimore, Maryland.

2008                 Certified Yoga Instructor, Eternal Health Yoga, Louisville, Kentucky.

1997-1998        Italian Language Classes, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.

1996                 Study Abroad, Temple University, Rome, Italy.

Professional Experience

2018-Current   Associate Professor, Kentucky College of Art and Design, Louisville, Kentucky.

2010-2018    Assistant Professor, Kentucky College of Art and Design at Spalding University, Louisville, Kentucky.

  • Instructor for college-level studio art and art history classes: Drawing I, Drawing II, Color and Design I, Color and Design II, Junior Focus, Painting I, Global Survey Art History courses: Ancient to Gothic, Renaissance to Modern, and Modern to Contemporary.

2010-2015         Programming Director, Kentucky College of Art and Design, Louisville, Kentucky. Establishment, management, and oversight of Visiting Artist Program and 849 Gallery at Kentucky College of Art and Design.

Visiting Artist Program Director Responsibilities:

  • Coordinated 4-6 on-campus visits by internationally recognized artists for student critiques, public lecture, and public art exhibitions.

  • Established and managed Visiting Artist Program budget, determined potential artists, and the visiting artist’s schedule of on-campus events.

  • Created and negotiated contracts with artists, coordinated artists’ schedule, travel, and lodging.

  • Primary contact for all internal and external visiting artist-related information.

  • Created marketing materials including press release, postcard, poster, and digital announcement; contacted press outlets to promote Visiting Artist Program’s public events.

849 Gallery Manager Responsibilities:

  • Coordinated 6-8 annual public art exhibitions for exhibiting students, faculty, and nationally recognized artists.

  • Determined exhibition programming and scheduling.

  • Supervised operations of the gallery: hiring, training, scheduling, oversight of work-study and other gallery assistants.

  • Managed gallery finances.

  • Oversight of the installation and de-installation of all gallery exhibitions.

  • Primary contact for all internal and external exhibition-related information.

  • Created marketing materials including press release, postcard, poster, and digital announcement; contacted press outlets to promote 849 Gallery exhibitions.

2007-2010       Founding Member, Kentucky College of Art and Design (formally Kentucky School of Art), Louisville, Kentucky.

  • Identified potential supporters for Kentucky School of Art, a new art college in Louisville, KY.

  • Scheduled individual meetings and larger gatherings with local community members to generate support and interest for Kentucky School of Art.

  • Developed and implemented strategies to start a non-profit organization (Kentucky School of Art).

  • Wrote Executive Summary and Business Plan for Kentucky School of Art.

  • Wrote Mission and Vision statements for Kentucky School of Art.

  • Developed and implemented art programming for prospective students and the public for Kentucky School of Art. Programming included visiting artist lectures, workshops, critiques, and community art classes.

  • Created marketing materials including press release, postcard, poster, and digital announcement; contacted press outlets to promote Kentucky School of Art’s public programming.

  • Initiated community partnerships and outreach programs with local organizations through Kentucky School of Art’s public programming initiatives.

  • Created new Kentucky School of Art curriculum for high school students and instructed pre-college Drawing and Color and Design courses.

  • Developed and implemented new curriculum for Kentucky School of Art’s four-year BFA degree program.

2009-2012      Founder, Cabaret Life Drawing and Art with Yoga, 21c Museum, Louisville, Kentucky.

  • Created two new public programs for 21c Museum Louisville. Oversight and instruction of weekly community life drawing and yoga classes at a contemporary art museum.

2007-2010      Adjunct Professor, Jefferson Community and Technical College, Louisville, Kentucky.

  • Instructor of Drawing I, Two-Dimensional Design and Color Theory, Painting I, Renaissance to Modern Art History, and Introduction to Art classes.

2007-2010      Adjunct Professor, Jefferson Community and Technical College, Louisville, Kentucky.

  • Through JCTC’s Prison Education Program, instructor for college-level classes: Renaissance to Modern Art History, Humanities, and Drawing I in the Kentucky State Prison System.

2007-2009     Adjunct Professor, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky.  

  • Instructor of Drawing II and Two-Dimensional Design classes.

Solo Exhibitions

2018                 Personal is Still Political, (two-person exhibition), The Huff Gallery at Spalding
                         University, Louisville, Kentucky.                    

2007                 Euphotic Zone, Gallery Nulu, Louisville, Kentucky.

2004                 MFA Thesis Show, G2 Gallery, Chicago, Illinois.

2002                 Micro:Macro, Aslans How Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky.

Selected Group Exhibitions

2018                 Feminist Expressions, Kaviar Forge Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky.

2017                 State of Time, Anne Wright Wilson Fine Art Gallery, Georgetown College, Georgetown,                          Kentucky.

2017                 Nasty Women Kentucky, juried show, Parachute Factory, Lexington, Kentucky.

2017                 Imagine, St. Francis School Invitational Art Auction, Louisville, Kentucky.

2016                 KyCAD Gala Faculty Exhibition, Kentucky College of Art + Design 849 Building,
                         Louisville, Kentucky.

2016                 State of Painting, Anne Wright Wilson Fine Art Gallery, Georgetown College,
                         Georgetown, Kentucky.

2015                 Accumulation, Patio Gallery, Jewish Community Center, Louisville, Kentucky.

2014                 13 Artists, 849 Gallery at Kentucky School of Art, Louisville, Kentucky.

2012                 With Child, The Huff Gallery at Spalding University, Louisville, Kentucky.

2010-2011        Creativity Rising, Phoenix Hill Public Art Project, Louisville, Kentucky.

2009                 Louisville Counts!, Green Building Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky.

2008                 Palmer/ Simon/ Smith, Jefferson Community College Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky.

2008                 Ordered Chaos, VonFire Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky.

2008                 Inside/ Out, Nulu Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky.

2008                 Cradle2Cradle: A Creative Re-use Project, Indiana University Southeast, New Albany,
                           Indiana.

2007                 RoarShock, Swanson Reed Contemporary, Louisville, Kentucky.

2005                 The Vagad Project, Rural to Urban/Urban to Rural Workshop. Rajasthan, India.

2005                 New Work, Sanskriti Kendra, Delhi, India.

2004                 Celebrating Women, Norton Women’s Pavilion, Louisville, Kentucky.

2004                 Delicere, LG Space, Chicago, Illinois.

2003                 Suspension, 1926 Gallery, Chicago, Illinois.

2003                 Art Hotel, Embassy Suites, Chicago, Illinois.

2003                 Wallpaper, Stray Show, Chicago, Illinois.

2002                 New Talent, Artspace, Louisville, Kentucky.

2001                 The Hangar Show, Cardinal Wings Hangar, Louisville, Kentucky.

Artist Residencies and Workshops

2016         Hand-Made Papermaking Workshop at Twin Rocker Handmade Paper, Lafayette, Indiana.

  • Private handmade paper-making workshop with Master Papermaker, Travis Becker.

2005       The Vagad Project: A Metamorphosis From Rural to Urban, Delhi, India.         

  • Invited by Director to participate in an International Artist Workshop to create a site-specific, community-engaged artwork in Rajasthan, India.

2005        Sanskriti Kendra: International Artist Residency Program. Delhi, India.

  • Selected by Sanskriti Kendra to complete a month-long artist residency.

2000       Colegio Trener Monterrico: Artist Residency and Workshop. Lima, Peru.

  • Invited by Principle to instruct art classes and develop an after-school community mural painting program at a Spanish-speaking elementary school.

 

Curatorial Projects

2012     With Child, Co-curated with Lisa Simon. The Huff Gallery at Spalding University, Louisville, Kentucky.

  • Co-curated group art exhibition examining pre- and post-child artistic practice and output with seven artists. Produced an exhibition catalog with essays, poems, and interviews with exhibiting artists further exploring the exhibition’s theme. Interactive art-making stations for all ages included in the exhibition. Public art classes for the community offered in conjunction with the exhibition, and campus symposium held in collaboration with Spalding University English Department.

2003    Suspension, Co-curated with Deirdre McConnell. 1926 Gallery, Chicago, Illinois.         

  • Group exhibition in conjunction with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago featuring twelve artists.

2003    Wallpaper, Co-curated with zeke&neen. Stray Show Chicago, Illinois.

  • Over fifty art submissions transferred into wallpaper for an international art exhibition.

2001   Hangar Show, Cardinal Wings Hangar. Louisville, Kentucky.

  • Curated art exhibition and music performance by the Rachels in a small-airplanes hangar featuring site-specific artwork by twenty artists.

Publications

James Fields, ‘Studio Visit with Skylar Smith: Her Story’, UnderMain, March, 2019.

‘21 Questions with Artist and Associate Professor Skylar Smith’, Louisville Magazine, December, 2018.

Mary Clore, ‘Personal is Still Political’, Ruckus Magazine, April 2018.

Eli Keel, ‘Huff Gallery’s ‘The Personal Is Still Political’ Contemplates Life in the Trump Presidency’, Insider Louisville, March 2018.

Lucy Pritchett, ‘What Works’, Today’s Women Magazine, September, 2016.

Sara Havens, ‘Accumulation at JCC’, Insider Louisville, January, 2015.

Holly Gregor, “Be Brave Do Your Thing’, Today’s Woman Magazine, March 2013.

Jo Anne Triplett, ‘Staff Picks’, LEO Weekly, October 15, 2012.

Diane Heilenman, ‘10 Artists to Watch’ The Courier Journal/ Velocity Magazine, April 2010.

Lynnell Edwards, ‘Front Pages’, Louisville Magazine, March 2010.

Stephen George, ‘Artist Profile’, LEO Weekly, September 2, 2009.

Diane Heilenman, ‘Do-Good Public Art Popping Up’, The Courier Journal, September, 13, 2009.

Diane Heilenman, ‘Count On It’, The Courier Journal, September 1, 2009.

Javacia Harris, ‘What I’m Into’, Velocity Magazine, April 22, 2009.

Javacia Harris, ‘The Other End of the Telescope’, Velocity Magazine, August, 30, 2008.

Jo Anne Triplett, ‘Staff Picks’, LEO Weekly, December 20, 2007.

Javacia Harris, ‘Critic’s Picks’, Velocity Magazine, September 23, 2007.

Diane Heilenman, ‘What’s New’, The Courier Journal, September 1, 2007.

Nicole Liest, ‘The Lion, The Artist and Bardstown Road’, LEO Weekly, June 12, 2002.

Diane Heilenman, ‘Gallery Gig’, The Courier Journal, September 16, 2001.

Paul Kopaz, ‘Notes From The Underground’, LEO Weekly, September 19, 2001.

Corporate Collections

Mercantile Lofts, Louisville, Kentucky

Brown-Forman Corporation, Louisville, Kentucky

Commonwealth Wine and Spirits, Louisville, Kentucky

Stockyards Bank, Louisville, Kentucky

Grants

 

 

2019 Great Meadows Foundation, Artist Professional Development Grant

2016                 Kentucky Foundation for Women, Artist Enrichment Grant

2016                 Great Meadows Foundation, Artist Professional Development Grant

2012                 Kentucky Foundation for Women, Art Meets Activism Grant for With

Child, an art exhibition, catalog, and public art classes.
                         

Honors and Awards

2011              Spirit Award, Kentucky School of Art, First Annual Fundraiser,
                      Louisville, Kentucky.

2004             Juried Show, Second Place, Celebrating Women, Norton
                      Women’s Pavilion,  Louisville, Kentucky.

2002             Juried Show, First Place, New Talent, Artspace, Louisville, Kentucky.

1994-1998    Presidential Scholarship, Maryland Institute, College of Art.

 

2012             Visiting Artist, Jefferson Community and Technical College, Louisville, Kentucky.

  • Invited to present a lecture and workshops for fine art and art history classes during the JCTC Annual Spring Arts Festival. Louisville, Kentucky.

2011              Panelist, ‘Bars to Walls’ Symposium, University of Louisville.

  • Invited by University of Louisville’s Social Justice Department to speak about teaching college level fine art and art history classes in the prison system.

Visiting Artist and Panel Participation

2017                Advisory Board Member, Art+Fm, Ground Floor Media Inc. Louisville, Kentucky.

2017                Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, Louisville, Kentucky.

2016-2017       Olmstead Parks Conservancy, Louisville, Kentucky.

2016                Louisville Film Society, Louisville, Kentucky.

2015-2017       Louisville Public Media, Louisville, Kentucky.

2015-2017       Patron Circle Member, Speed Museum of Art, Louisville, Kentucky.

2009-2013      College Art Association

Professional and Board Memberships