Eliza Fernand

Eliza Fernand is a Lecturer in the Department of Contemporary Practices at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). She holds a BFA from Pacific Northwest College of Art (2006) and an MFA from Sierra Nevada University (2021). Her work has been exhibited at institutions including the Roman Susan Art Foundation (Chicago), Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts (Grand Rapids, MI), and Sweet Pass Sculpture Park (Dallas, TX). Her research focuses on interdisciplinary art practices, blending traditional and contemporary methods across 2D, 3D, and 4D media.

• Education: BFA 2006, Pacific Northwest College of Art; MFA 2021, Sierra Nevada University

Her teaching emphasizes hands-on studio practice, with courses like Core Studio Practice II and Research Studio I: Transfers, which explore material experimentation, critical thinking, and research methodologies in art. She has received notable awards, including grants from ArtPrize and The Frey Foundation, and residencies at Wassaic Project and Ox-Bow School of Art.

Key exhibitions and projects include Watery Ghosts, Eating Sharp Fruit, and 1-833-NATR-XXX. Her bibliography includes contributions to Chicago Artist Writers and Chicago Filmmakers.