LYA FINSTON
lyafinston@gmail.com • lfinston/wixsite.com/lyafinston
EDUCATION
2024-Present MFA Candidate in Printmaking, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
2022-2024 MA in Printmaking, Secondary Emphasis in Cinema, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
2014-2018 BFA in Studio Art and German Studies, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024
My Shadow's Shadow, Levitt Gallery, Art Building West, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
2022
Honey from the Stone, Holmes Gallery, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA
2018
A New Way to Fall Asleep, Storage Gallery, Oberlin, OH
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025
Palimpsest, Gallery 1308, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
2024
Hunt of the Unicorn, Hoofprint Gallery, Chicago, IL
If Walls Could Talk, Baron Gallery, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
Wedges, Heels, Flats, Fifth Floor Gallery, Visual Arts Building, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Old Wives Tales, Southern Graphics Council International Conference, Providence, RI
2023
Uncultured, Ana Mendieta Gallery, Visual Arts Building, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
UIowa Print Open Portfolio, David Krut Gallery, New York, NY
UIowa Print Open Portfolio, Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop, New York, NY
Short Short: Jewish Short Film Festival, Havurah, Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, New York, NY
Reclaimed & Recycled, Public Space One, Iowa City, IA
Dispatches from the Fourth Floor, 5th Floor Gallery, Visual Arts Building, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Open Air Media Festival, Public Space One, Iowa City, IA
2022
Let it Grow, Co-Prosperity, Chicago, IL
Kiss Pressure, Ana Mendieta Gallery, Visual Arts Building, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Window Show, The Gallery at Greenly Center, Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA
The Tag Collective, The Art Grind, Danville, PA
PSAD International Juried Print Biennial, Paducah School of Art and Design, Paducah, KY
Four Rivers Print Biennial, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL
Print Austin: PrintExpo, The Hand Magazine, Museum of Human Achievement, Austin, TX
2021
Mid America Print Council Juried Members’ Exhibition, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Tongue in Cheek, Chicago Printmakers Collaborative, Chicago, IL
Moving On, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LO
Eternal Ephemera, Main Street Arts, Clifton Springs, NY
Field Notes, Samek Museum of Art, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA
2020
The Rite to Unfounded Fear, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO
Call to the Wilds, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO
What’s So Funny? Portfolio, Wonsook Kim Center for Visual Arts, Illinois State University, Normal, IL
2019
The Nook, Agitator Cooperative Gallery, Chicago, IL
Chicago Printers Guild 10th Anniversary Exhibition, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL
Prints United: Member Exhibition, Spudnik Press Cooperative, Chicago, IL
Selected Works, Happy Gallery, Chicago, IL
7th Annual Bridgeport Art Center Competition Exhibition, Bridgeport Art Center, Chicago, IL
37th Bradley International Print & Drawing Exhibition, The Contemporary Art Center of Peoria, Peoria, IL
Make it Work: Print Shop Posters, Southern Graphics Conference, University of North Texas, Dallas, TX
45th Annual Juried Members’ Exhibition, Frontline Arts, Branchburg, NJ
2018
Time Being, Baron Gallery, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
2017
4U Exhibition, Zygote Press, Cleveland, OH
Halftime Show, Fisher Gallery, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
2016
They Are The Now: NEO Student Art Show, SPACES, Cleveland, OH
GRANTS, AWARDS & RESIDENCIES
2022-2023
Leola Bergmann Fellowship, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Lee R. Chesney, Jr. Memorial Scholarship, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Len Everett Fund for Excellence Scholarship, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
2020
Artist-in-Residence, Main Street Arts, Clifton Springs, NY
2019
Studio Fellowship, Spudnik Press, Chicago, IL
2018
Student Travel Grant, Mid America Print Council
Undergraduate Research Fellowship, Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
Merit Scholarship, Ox-Bow School of Art, Saugatuck, MI
LECTURES & PANELS
2024
Artist Talk, Cornell College, Mt Vernon, IA
Artist Talk, YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, New York, NY
2022
Artist Talk & Screenprinting Demonstration, Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA
2021
Organizer & Moderator, Prints & Their Makers, Movers & Shakers, Mid America Print Council
Artist Talk, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA
2020
Artist Talk, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
2018
Travel Grant Presentation, Mid America Print Council Conference, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2023-Present
Instructor of Record, Basic Drawing and Intro to Printmaking, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
2021-2022
Teaching Assistant & Print Shop Technician, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA
Film Projectionist, Campus Theater, Lewisburg, PA
2018-2021
Circulation Assistant, Ryerson & Burnham Library, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Publishing Apprentice, Hoofprint, Chicago, IL
2018-2019
Gallery Assistant, LH Selman Ltd., Chicago, IL
2016-2018
Teaching Assistant & Print Lab Monitor, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
Circulation Assistant, Clarence Ward Art Library, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
Museum Docent, Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
2017-2018
Private Homeschool Art Teacher, Oberlin, OH
2017
Intern, Hoofprint, Chicago, IL
Gallery Attendant, Baron Gallery, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
2016
Intern, Frontline Arts, Branchburg, NJ
2015
Gallery Attendant, Reeves-Reed Arboretum, Summit, NJ
Intern, Chelsea Restoration Associates, New York, NY
Intern, Stonedog Studios, Asbury Park NJ
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
2023
Co-president, Iowa Print Group, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Shadow Puppeteer, Haag Cykell, Nonfiction Writing House, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Shadow Puppeteer, Haag Cykell, Open Air Media Festival, Public Space One, Iowa City, IA
2021
Secretary, Mid America Print Council
Member Engagement Committee Co-Chair, Mid America Print Council
Collaborative Printer for Eddy Lopez, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA
2018
Co-President, YeoPress Student Printmaking Collective, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
2017
Installation Assistant, Rashid Johnson, Shea Wall, Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, OH
WORKSHOPS, DEMONSTRATIONS & PUBLIC PROGRAMMING
2023
The Human Copy Machine performance, Rocky Mountain Printmaking Alliance Symposium, Central Library, Spokane, WA
The Human Copy Machine performance, Sculpture & Intermedia Open House, UIowa Visual Arts Building, Iowa City, IA
2022
The Human Copy Machine performance, SGCI Conference, Kent State University, Kent, OH
Watercolor Monotype Workshop, Geisinger Surgery Institute Wellness Day, Pine Barn Inn, Danville, PA
2021
Frankenprints: Relief-Printed Exquisite Corpse Activity, Visual Arts Open House, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA
2020
Quaratine’s Best Home Videos, Stop-Motion Animation Workshop, Spudnik Press, Chicago, IL
Linoleum Block Printing Workshop, Main Street Arts, Clifton Springs, NY
2019
Stone Lithography Demo Assistant, Grabadolandia, Instituto Gráfico de Chicago, Hoofprint, Chicago, IL
2018
Stone Lithography Demo Assistant, Grabadolandia, Instituto Gráfico de Chicago, Hoofprint, Chicago, IL
Exhibit Tours & Relief Demo, A Century of Women in Prints: 1917-2017, Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
2017
Observational Drawing Workshops & Special Collections Visits for Biology Students, Oberlin College, OH
PUBLICATIONS
2023
Verklempt! Magazine, Issue ב, Havurah, New York, NY
2022
Gashmuis Magazine, Vol 1
2021
The Hand Magazine, Issue 32, Prairie Village, KA
2020
Mid America Print Council Journal, Vol 28/29
2019
Art in Print, Vol 9, No 4, Chicago, IL
COLLECTIONS
Marais Press Print Collection, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA
Norlin Special Collections, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO