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Anika Smulovitz

Anika Smulovitz headshot

Professor, Art Jewelry & Metalsmithing

MFA University of Wisconsin-Madison (2003)
MA University of Wisconsin-Madison (2001)
BFA University of Oregon, cum laude (1997)

Anika Smulovitz’s scholarly and artistic work draws on the rich history of the field of Art Jewelry & Metalsmithing. Her work confronts the concepts of beauty, power, and cultural value, while bringing insight to the discourse between material culture and contemporary society. Smulovitz’s current research is focused on the body, loss of innocence, ritual, and social activism.

Smulovitz’s work is exhibited nationally and internationally, and appears in numerous publications. Her work is also included in the permanent collection of The Israel Museum in Jerusalem, The Jewish Museum in New York, NY, the Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA, and the University Permanent Art Collection at Boise State University in Boise, ID. Smulovitz holds a US Design Patent for her Lip Liners. In 2018, Smulovitz received the prestigious honor of becoming an Idaho Arts Commission Fellow and being juried in as an Artisan Member of the Society of American Silversmiths. Smulovitz served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Society of North American Goldsmiths and Board Liaison for the Editorial Advisory Committee for Metalsmith magazine for three years.

Visit Anika Smulovitz’s website

Publications include:

  • American Craft (Dec/Jan 2016, Feb/Mar 2010, June/July 2005)
  • Metalsmith Magazine (EiP 2017, Su 2011, EiP 2010, EiP 2006, Sp 2006, Su 2004, Sp 2004)
  • Jim Cohen, Modern Judaica : Today’s Makers, Today’s Sacred Objects, Schiffer Publishing, 2023. ISBN: 9780764364471
  • Paper Jewellery (Design and Make), A&C Black Publishing Co., Inc., 2012
  • 21st Century Jewelry: The Best of 500 Series, Lark Books, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 2011
  • 500 Plastic Jewelry Designs: A Groundbreaking Survey of a Modern Material, Lark Books, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 2009
  • The Art of Jewelry: Fabric (Lark Books, 2009)
  • Art Jewelry Today 1&2 (Schiffer Pub., 2008 and 2003)
  • The Art of Jewelry: Plastic and Resin (Lark Books, 2008)
  • The Art of Jewelry: Paper Jewelry (Lark Books, 2006)
  • 500 Necklaces (Lark Books, 2006)
  • The Art and Craft of Jewelry Making (Lark Books, 2006)
  • 500 Baskets (Lark Books, 2006)
  • Fabulous Jewelry from Found Objects (Lark Books, 2005)
  • 1000 Rings (Lark Books, 2004)

Exhibitions include:

  • Oct. 24, 2023 – Jan. 5, 2024, REFINED (international juried exhibition, Cole Art Center, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX.  Juror: Frankie Flood
  • Nov. 16 – 20, 2022 (in-person), Nov. 16, 2022 – Jan. 1, 2023 (on-line), Here & Now (international juried exhibition; catalogue), Adorn Axis, New Your City Jewelry Week in-person exhibition, NY, NY. Jurors: Debra Adelson, Ayala Naphtali
  • Mar 24 – Aug. 14, 2022, The Guiding Hand: The Barr Foundation Collection of Torah Pointers (exhibition of artwork in permanent collection of The Barr Foundation), McKinnon Galleries, Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA
  • October 6, 2018 – April 21, 2019, Uneasy Beauty: Discomfort in Contemporary Adornment (invitational exhibition; catalogue with essay by fashion designer/curator and Director of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology Valerie Steele) Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA. Curator: Suzanne Ramljak
  • October 2018 – July 2019, Idaho Commission on the Arts Fellowship Exhibition (juried fellowship with regional traveling exhibition) Boise, ID; Idaho Falls, ID; Lewiston, ID; Twin Falls, ID
  • November 2018 – December 2020, Future Room Exhibition (invitational exhibition) Museo Del Gioiello, Vicenza, Italy. Curator: Olga Noronha
  • Sept. 8 – Oct 27, 2016, Shadow Themes, The Gallery at Reinstein/Ross, New York NY. Curator: Marjorie Simon and Biba Schutz
  • Sept. 2, 2016 – Feb. 5, 2017, Metalmorphosis: BAM Biennial 2016, Bellevue Arts Museum, Bellevue, WA (juried regional exhibition). Jurors: Lloyd E. Herman, Jennifer Navva Milliken, Suzanne Ramljak, and Cindi Strauss
  • May 23 – Sept. 21, 2015, Food, Shelter, Clothing, Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, Louisville, KY. Curator Aldy Milliken
  • June 30, 2012 – Jan. 19, 2014, Transformation 8: Contemporary Works in Small Metals, the Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize (national juried traveling exhibition; catalogue), Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA, Little Rock Art Gallery, University of Arkansas, Little Rock, AR, and Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausaw, WI.  Jurors: Bruce Pepich, Natalya Pinchuk, Catherine Raphael, Margaret Raphael, Alexandra Raphael, and Kate Lydon.
  • Dec. 1, 2012 – Jan. 26, 2013, Body Language: Contemporary Art Jewelry, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA. Curator: Suzanne Ramljak
  • Sept. 2009 – Sept. 2010, Reinventing Ritual: Contemporary Art and Design for Jewish Life, (international exhibition; traveling; catalogue), The Jewish Museum, New York, NY, Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco, CA. Curator: Daniel Belasco
  • Jan. 21 – April 30, 2006, The Edges of Grace: Provocative, Uncommon Craft, Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA. Curator: Gail M. Brown
  • March 3 – April 7, 2006, More than Adornment: Anika Smulovitz, Appalachian Center for Crafts, Smithville, TN
  • Sept. 30 – Oct. 23, 2005, Cheongju International Craft Biennale 2005, National Cheongju Museum, Korea (Honorable Mention).  Jurors: Ock Soo Lim and Won Gyo Choo
  • Jan. 2005 – March 2006, Hanging in Balance: Forty-two Contemporary Necklaces, Mobilia Gallery, Cambridge, MA, Southwest School of Arts and Craft, San Antonio, TX, Visual Arts Center, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, Adair Margo Gallery, El Paso, TX. Curators: Kate Bonansinga and Rachelle Thiewes
  • Nov. 16, 2001 – May 16, 2003, Transformation: Contemporary Works in Metals, The Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Traveling Exhibition, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA, Ohio Craft Museum, Columbus, OH, The National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, TN. Jurors: David Revere McFadden, Bruce Metcalf, Alexandra Raphael, Catherine Raphael, Margaret Raphael, Janet L. McCall

Grants, Fellowships and Awards include:

  • 2023 Alexa Rose Foundation Grant, ID
  • 2023 American Guild of Judaica Art Working Artist Grant
  • 2023 Idaho Commission on the Arts Project Grant
  • 2018 Idaho Commission on the Arts Fellowship
  • 2017 Alexa Rose Foundation Grant, Boise, ID
  • 2015 NICHE Award, Judaica Professional Category
  • 2015 Alexa Rose Foundation Grant, Boise, ID
  • 2014 Honorary Mention Fellowship, Idaho Commission on the Arts
  • 2011 Honorable Mention Fellowship, Idaho Commission on the Arts
  • 2011 Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize Finalist, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA
  • 2010 The Peter S. Reed Foundation, Inc. Grant, New York, NY
  • 2010 First Place Award, Refined VI: Back to Basics, Reavley Gallery, Cole Art Center, Stephen F. Austin State University, School of Art, Nacogdoches, Texas
  • 2008 Gesswein Jewelry Award, Craft USA ’08, Silvermine Guild Arts Center, New Canaan, CT
  • 2005 U.S. Design Patent No. D507,074 for “LIP LINER”, USA
  • 2005 Honorable Mention, Cheongju International Craft Biennale 2005, Cheongju Art Center, National Cheongju Museum, Cheongju City, Korea