EDUCATION.
2025. Master of Fine Arts Studio in Fiber & Material Studies | School of the Art Institute of Chicago | Chicago, IL
2021. Bachelor of Fine Arts Studio in Fiber & Material Studies | School of the Art Institute of Chicago | Chicago, IL
EXHIBITIONS.
2025. WAYFINDING: Human Intervention – a group exhibition curated by Jordan Barrant | Roots & Culture Gallery | Chicago, IL
2025. THRESHOLDS – a group exhibition curated by Merryn Omotayo Alaka | SAIC Galleries | Chicago, IL
2024-2025. in passing – a group exhibition curated by Gemma Kim and Hailey Tomanicek | School of the Art Institute of Chicago | Chicago, IL
2024. Beyond The Page an Advanced Artists Books Class Exhibition | Joan Flasch Artists’ Book Collection + Archives | Chicago, IL
2024. The Black Domestic | Living & Dining Roomscapes a collaborative exhibition curated by COBRA
2024. With Every Fiber of Our Being a group exhibition | School of the Art Institute of Chicago | Chicago, IL
2023. Beneath the Visible – Program Coordinator | Center Program at Hyde Park Art Center | Chicago, IL
2023. “What Time Is It?” A Cultural & Civic Archive Exhibition Muralist | Chicago Art Department | Chicago, IL
2022. The Happening Tattoo Demonstration | This Is My House a Bob Thompson Exhibition at Smart Museum of Art | Chicago, IL
2021. Aftermath – a group exhibition at Weinberg Newton Gallery | Chicago, IL
2019. Farm Sale –Papermaking Demonstration at Hook Pottery Paper Studio & Farm | LaPorte, IN
2019. Show Your Paper – a group exhibition at Woman Made Gallery | Chicago, IL
2019. Small Works – a group exhibition at School of the Art Institute of Chicago | Chicago, IL
2019. Arnold Grummer’s 3rd Annual Paper Fest Exhibition | Greenlake, WI
2019. Asian Enough – a group exhibition & Thai Kozo Papermaking Demonstration at University of Illinois at Chicago Montgomery Ward Gallery | Chicago, IL
2017. The Sesh – a group exhibition at Surreal Chicago | Chicago, IL
2016. Express Yoself – a group exhibition at Union Street Gallery | Chicago Heights, IL
PRojects &
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES.
2025. Interim Creativity Camp Coordinator | Hyde Park Art Center | Chicago, IL
2025. Teaching Assistant for Handmade Papermaking taught by Andrea Peterson | OxBow School of Arts & Artist’s Residency | Saugatuck, MI
2025. Advanced Papermaking Teaching Assistant | Fiber & Material Studies Dept. School of the Art Institute of Chicago | Chicago, IL
2024. Pulp Processing Specialist | Fiber & Material Studies Department School of the Art Institute of Chicago | Chicago, IL
2024. Teaching Assistant for Print for Alternative Fabric | Fiber & Material Studies Dept. School of the Art Institute of Chicago
2024. Teaching Artist for Pulp Please!!! Handmade Papermaking Workshop | Chicago, IL
2024. Studio Assistant for Papermaking in the Field taught by Andrea Peterson | Penland School of Craft | Penland, NC
2023. Papermaking Teaching Assistant | Fiber & Material Studies Dept. School of the Art Institute of Chicago | Chicago, IL
2023. Center Program Coordinator for the Hyde Park Art Center | Chicago, IL
2023. Queering the Parks Steward | Chicago Park District & Chicago Public Schools Partnership | Chicago, IL
2023. Teaching Artist for Indelible Mark-Making: a Hand Poke Tattoo Workshop | Chicago, IL
2022–2023. Program Coordinator for Early College Arts | Chicago Public Schools Department of Arts Education | Chicago, IL
2022. Visiting Artist | BLK@SAIC Student Group | School of the Art Institute of Chicago | Chicago, IL
2022. Teaching Artist for Pulp Please!!! Handmade Papermaking Workshop Marwen | Chicago, IL
2021. TAT Fine Arts Teacher at Fiske Elementary School | Chicago, IL
2020. Teaching Artist for Pulp Please!!! Handmade Papermaking Workshop | Chicago, IL
2020. META Teaching Cohort at Marwen | Chicago, IL
2020. Teaching Artist at Sitter Studio | New York City, NY
2020. Studio & Education Intern at Dieu Donné Papermill | Brooklyn, NY
2019. Farm & Studio Intern at Hook Pottery Paper | LaPorte, IN
2019. Research-Artist for the Seagrass Papermaking Project at Mystic by the Sea LLC | St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.
2016–2020. Admissions Student Ambassador Coordinator at School of the Art Institute of Chicago | Chicago, IL
SELECTED PRESS.
2025. “Wayfinding: Human Intervention: Curated by Jordan Barrant” - Roots & Culture Contemporary Art Center, Chicago, IL | July 8, 2025.
2025. “Paper, Place, and Presence: Aidan Anne Frierson Threads Memory into Material” by Mello Ige, Chicago, IL | June 21, 2025.
2024. How To Make Paper From Scratch by: Amy Rutledge, Tonya Francisco, WGN9, Chicago, IL | July 16, 2025.
RELEVANT APPOINTMENTS.
2025–Present. Executive Director of North American Hand Papermakers Organization
2025–Present. Center Program Coordinator | Hyde Park Art Center | Chicago, IL
2024–Present. Manager of CHICAGO PULP: Papermill & Studio | Chicago, IL
AWARDS.
2025. World Less Traveled Student Travel Award | School of the Art Institute of Chicago | Chicago, IL
2024. New Altitudes Scholarship Recipient | NAHP Conference | Denver, CO
2024. New Grellner Scholarship Recipient | OxBow School of Arts & Artist’s Residency | Saugatuck, MI
2023. Individual Artist Program Grant Recipient City of Chicago DCASE | Chicago, IL
2022. 3Arts Ignite Fund Grant Recipient for the Indelible Mark-Making Project | Chicago, IL
2019. 2nd Place Winner of Arnold Grummer's 3rd Annual Paper Fest | Greenlake, WI