JESSICA SMOLINSKI
JessicaESmolinski@gmail.com
she/her
EDUCATION
MFA, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 2001
Thesis Exhibition: A History of Being There, Advisor: Saul Ostrow
BA, Sculpture, State University of New York at Cortland, Cortland, NY, 1998
Advisor: Allen Mooney
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2024
-Ephemeral Bloom, MAPSpace, Port Chester, NY
-Kaleidoscope Eyes, Ursa Gallery: Colorblends House& Spring Garden, Bridgeport, CT
-*Nature in Flow: from print to thread, Miss Porter’s School, Farmington, CT
2023
-*Visible Mending, New Haven Lawn Club, New Haven, CT
-Open Air 2023, AVS Gallery, UCONN Avery Point, Groton CT
2022
-Completely Familiar, Entirely Free, Artspace, New Haven, CT
-A Tournament of Lies, Wassaic Project, Wassaic, NY
2021
-A Bird in Hand (two-person exhibition with Joseph Smolinski), Jennifer Terzian Gallery, Litchfield, CT
2020
-A Pattern Language, Perspectives Gallery at Whitney Center, Hamden, CT
-Everything is Different Now, Stay Home Gallery, Paris, TN
-The Takeaway, online exhibition, Stay Home Gallery, curated by Amethyst Rey Beaver
-Mill St., New Haven, CT
2019
-Group exhibition of Yale University Art Gallery Staff, Farmer Family Gallery, Ohio State University, Lima, OH
-The Arts at Yale Health, Yale Health Plan, New Haven, CT
-"Near orbit: in state, on paper," Melanie Carr Gallery, Essex, CT
2017
-Nasty Women, The Institute Library, New Haven, CT
2016
-Art of the Northeast, curated by Steven Sergiovanni. Silvermine Arts Center, New Canaan, CT
2015
-By and By…at home with Sam and Livy, The Gallery at Constitution Plaza in the Connecticut Office of the Arts, Hartford, CT
2011
-NUTUREart 2011 Benefit, Brooklyn, NY
-House, Re-Interpreted, Pardee-Morris House, East Haven, CT
-Marie Celeste, Artspace, New Haven, CT
-Alumnae Biennial 2wo, Juried by Denise Markonish, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
2010
-Sameness-Difference-Variance, West Cove Studios, West Haven, CT
-Things are Expanding, Swarm Gallery, Oakland, CA
-Cultivated Castaways, Middlesex Community College, CT
-I WANT Candy: The Sweet Stuff in American Art, traveling exhibition to Historic City Hall and Cultural Center, Lake Charles, LA, and Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI
-*Cultivated Castaways, Middlesex Community College, CT
2009
-I WANT Candy: The Sweet Stuff in American Art, traveling exhibition to Fresno Metropolitan Museum, Fresno, CA, and The Nicolaysen Art Museum, Caspar, WY
2008
-Plush!, Hello my name is Gallery, CT
2007
-Implode, Hello my name is Gallery, CT
-Conflux Festival, (trifocal projects) Brooklyn, NY
-Convergence, (trifocal projects) Akus Gallery, ECSU, CT
-I WANT Candy, The Hudson River Museum, NY
-CT Contemporary, Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, CT
-Sugar Buzz, Lehman College, NY
2006
-The Love Show, Manchester Community College, Manchester, CT
2005
-Haskins Laboratory / Artspace Flat file Show, Yale University, CT
2004
-Object Endowment, Manchester Community College, Manchester, CT
-Secret Life, Artspace, New Haven, CT
-Apples and Oranges, trifocal projects, City Wide Open Studios, New Haven, CT
-Shifting Affinities, Yale Art School Gallery, Arts and Ideas Festival, New Haven, CT
-Suspended Animation, tri-focal projects at Grand Projects, New Haven, CT
-New Acquisitions, Artspace, New Haven, CT
-*Magniflora, Creative Arts Workshop, New Haven, CT
-*Necessary Sound, Artspace, New Haven, CT
2003
-Like Life, Hygienic Gallery, New London, CT
-Xim Xim, tri-focal Projects, City Wide Open Studios, New Haven, CT
2002
-Wal Art, tri-focal projects, City Wide Open Studios, New Haven, CT
-First Time Out, University of Connecticut, Stamford, CT
COLLABORATIVE ART PROJECTS
2008
-Camera Obscura/ 2-day Project, co-taught with Joseph Smolinski, Academy of
Culture and Communication at Pleasant Valley, Elementary School, Schenectady, NY
2002–2007
-trifocal projects (Todd Jokl, Joseph Smolinski, Jessica Schwind), Collaborative
artist projects/Installation, Co-founder/artist
AWARDS
2023- Connecticut Office of the Arts, Artistic Excellence Award recipient
2022- Connecticut Innovations and The Tsai Center for Innovative Thinking Art Collaboration awardee
2021- Artist in Residence/Family Art Residency, Wassaic Project, Wassaic, NY
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Co-founder of Low Season Artist Projects, 2023-present
Low Season Artist Projects is an artist-run artist residency program located on Block Island, RI
Artist, 2001–present
Active exhibition record, working in photography, sculpture, installation, and other mixed media.
Documentation Photographer, Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, CT, 2009–present
Provide exhibition, event, documentation, and portrait photography for curatorial, archival, educational, and conservation departments in addition to all marketing collateral (including internal print publications, newsletters, and social media channels), and catalog photography. Create and enter images and metadata into the inventory system, following TMS and NetX data procedures. Consult with gallery staff including curators, registrars, educators, graphic designers, and information resources to gather information about gallery projects and develop an understanding of a project's technical and artistic objectives. Collaborate with the Director of Visual Resources to determine a photographic schedule throughout the institution and editing workflow. Hire contract photographers for events when additional support is needed, and manage digital assets.
Commercial Freelance Photographer, 2009–present
Provide installation and studio photography, digital asset management, and photographic editing using Adobe Photoshop, Bridge, and After Effects for non-profit and commercial art organizations such as Artspace New Haven, CT; Bortolami Gallery, NY; New Haven Museum, New Haven, CT; Lyme Academy, Old Lyme, CT; Williams College Museum of Art, Williamstown, MA; Yale University, New Haven, CT.
Museum Technician, Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, CT, 2004-2008
Prepare art objects for exhibition, transportation, and archival storage. Work closely with conservators and curatorial staff to determine the safest ways to handle and install things for professional, museum-quality exhibitions. Proficiency in museum database system (TMS). Proficiency in driving warehouse equipment.
Guest Lecturer, Lyme Academy of Fine Art, Old Lyme, CT, 2012-2019
Taught Photography Workshops, including skills in professional studio photography and lighting to document artwork, photographic editing using Macintosh computers and Adobe Suite software, asset management
Adjunct Professor, University of New Haven, West Haven, CT, 2008 and 2012
Taught Introduction Studio Art, which featured essential elements and principles of art and design through drawing, painting, and sculpture
Adjunct Professor, Gateway Community College, New Haven, CT, 2006-2008
Taught 3D Design, which featured an introduction to form, volume, mass, scale, and materials of sculpture
Adjunct Professor, Mercy College, White Plains, NY, 2004-2006
Taught 3D Design, which featured an introduction to form, volume, mass, scale, and materials of sculpture
Adjunct Professor, Albertus Magnus College, New Haven, CT, 2007
Taught 3D Design, which featured an introduction to form, volume, mass, scale, and materials of sculpture
Adjunct Professor, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 2000-2002
Taught Introduction to Sculpture and Figure Drawing, which featured an introduction to form, volume, mass, scale, and materials of sculpture and an introduction to the human form through gestural drawing, long-pose studies, and portraiture
Independent Curator, 2005
Conceptualized, organized, and planned installation for Thread, Curated by trifocal projects, Artspace, New Haven, CT (2005) with artists Christina Ayala and John Morris, Eudald Lerga, Eva Lee, Hayes Raffle and Amanda Parkes, Scott Snibbe, John Slepian.
RELATED SKILLS
Technical: Exhibition, event, documentation and portrait photography video capture and editing, photography database management; TMS, NetX, photo editing software Adobe Suite including Photoshop, Bridge and After Effects, Macintosh computers; Museum: art object handling, strong organizational, administrative, and communication skills
PRESS
-“Studio Visit | Jessica Smolinski.” Connecticut Art Review, October 4, 2021.
-“Stay Home, A Curatorial Study of Womxn Practicing Social Distancing in Consideration of Feminism and Domesticity During a TIme of Staying Home.” Edited by Kaylan Buteyn & Pam Marlene Taylor, 2020.
-“A Contemporary Showcase at Wadsworth Atheneum.” Written by Genocchio, Benjamin. The New York Times, June 3, 2007.
-“Hanging by a Thread.” Written by Doherty, Donna. New Haven Register, May 21, 2006.
-“Love, Without Makeup.” Written by Genocchio, Benjamin. The New York Times, April 9, 2006.
-“A Forest from a Flower.” Written by French, Alex. Hartford Advocate, July 29, 2004.
COMMITTEES, LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
Committees
-Social Media Working Group, Yale University Art Gallery, 2019-present
-Diversity Equity Inclusivity Access Committee, Yale University Art Gallery, 2019-2021
Leadership Positions
-Vice President, Parent Teacher Organization, Edgewood Magnet School, New Haven Public School, New Haven, CT, 2018-2019 and 2019-2020
INVITED LECTURES, PUBLIC CONVERSATIONS
Invited Lectures
-” Quilted Photographs: Artist Talk with Jessica Smolinski”, Litchfield Historical Society, Litchfield, CT, (Virtual) November 4th, 2021
Public Conversations
- “Studio Tour, Jessica Smolinski”, Ely Center for Contemporary Art, Virtual, March 31, 2021
- “Artist Talk and Reception, A Pattern Language”, Hosted by Debbie Hesse, Ely House of Contemporary Art, New Haven, CT, Virtual December 9, 2020
- “Artist and Curator Dialogue”, Alumnae Biennial 2wo, Curator Denise Markonish with artists Rachel Vaters-Carr, Valerie Garlick, and Jessica Schwind (Smolinski) UCONN, Storrs, CT, January 24, 2011