Nicole Sara Simpkins

Nicole Sara Simpkins serves as Visiting Assistant Professor of Art in the Art & Art History Department at Macalester College, where she teaches Drawing and Printmaking courses. An interdisciplinary artist, her practice spans printmaking, drawing, writing, and installation work exploring cultural-ecological entanglements and healing processes.

Her research interests include:

• Interdisciplinary Printmaking Techniques
• Eco-Art and Environmental Consciousness
• Healing Through Artistic Practice
• Book Arts and Material Culture
• Grief Processing and Memory Studies

Simpkins' artistic trajectory reveals deepening engagement with ecological themes and embodied healing. Recent work emphasizes large-scale, time-based projects like her decade-long 'GRIEF' drawing series (2019-2029) and the Mississippi River-focused 'THE LAY OF THE LACK OF THE LAND' book project. Her practice increasingly integrates traditional printmaking with textile arts, found materials, and organic elements to create immersive installations.

Notable achievements include:

• 2024 and 2019 Minnesota State Arts Board grants
• 2022 Mcknight Fellowship in Printmaking
• 2023 Diverse Intelligences Summer Institute fellowship
• Residencies at Women's Studio Workshop, Mass MoCA, and Vermont Studio Center

As an educator, she has taught at Macalester College, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, University of Wisconsin—Stout, and Indiana University. She shares professional expertise through workshops like 'Applying to Artist Opportunities,' helping emerging artists navigate funding landscapes and develop resilience.