Curriculum Vitae
Education
2027
M.F.A. The University of Chicago (current)
2020
B.F.A. Art Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Illinois Professional Educator License in Visual Arts (K-12)
2019
Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute, Florence, Italy
Exhibitions
2026
Cochran-Woods Art Center, Weathervanes, Chicago, IL
Logan Center for the Arts, Regards, Chicago, IL
2025
Bridgeport Art Center, Echos of Color, Chicago, IL
Hairpin Art Center, Art Speaks, Chicago, IL
2024
Agitator Gallery, Gender Jumble Juggernaut, Chicago, IL
Phygital Art Gallery, Art is the New Kink, Chicago, IL
Wrightwood Gallery,This is What We Carry, Chicago, IL
2023
Dragonfly Gallery, Artistry Unleashed: A Group Exhibition, Chicago, IL
Tomas Weisner Gallery, Gallery of Terrors, Aurora, IL
Water Street Studios, 14th Anniversary Community Show, Batavia, IL
2022
The Holy Art Gallery, Best American Artist 2022, London.
The Studio Door, 5th Annual National LGBTQIA+ Visual Art Exhibition: PROUD+, San Diego, CA
Water Street Studios, Resident and Faculty Show 2022, Batavia, IL.
Side Street Studio Arts, Something Wicked, Elgin, IL
2021
Online, 8 to Create Live Art Show
2020
Online, Reigning Chaos, https://reigningchaos.squarespace.com/
Krannert Art Museum, School of Art and Design Bachelors of Fine Arts Exhibition, Champaign, IL
BLOC Gallery, Handheld Galleries Exhibition, Champaign, IL
2019
Catapult Creative House, Handheld Galleries Exhibition, Southeast Missouri State University
The Red Herring Restaurant, 8 to Create Undergraduate Art Gallery, Urbana, IL.
Art + Design Building, Monumental Portraits, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Art + Design Building, Jan Van Huysum Mastercopies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
2018
University YMCA, Amnesty International “I Wasn’t Asking for It: Addressing Stories of Sexual Assault”, Champaign, IL
Art + Design Building, Sculpture/Ceramics I, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Art + Design Building, Life Drawing Exhibit, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2017
512 W. High St., SAHFA Halloween Pop-Up Exhibition, Urbana, IL
Flagg Hall, Open House, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Art + Design Building, Life Study Exhibit, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2016
Link Gallery, Art Foundations Juried Exhibition, Champaign, IL
Catalogs | Publications
2022
”PROUD+ National Visual Art Catalogue”, The Studio Door
2021
“The Pride Issue” Passengers Journal, Vol. 2, Issue 6.
“Breaking Boundaries” Impulse Magazine, Vol. 18.
2020
INTERVIEW Wielgus, Apolonia “Painter Nikki Kelsay graduates with a desire to spark social change” Smile Politely - Champaign-Urbana’s Online Magazine, June
https://www.smilepolitely.com/arts/painter_nikki_kelsay_graduates_with_a_desire_to_spark_s/
Awards
2021
Visual arts PRIDE prize winner, Passengers Journal
2020
Cum Laude Graduate, College of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Dean’s List, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2019
Winner of the 8 to Create Undergraduate Art Show, Urbana, IL
Dean’s List, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
College Senior Scholarship recipient, Rotary Club of Wheaton
2018
Horowitz and Karlovsky Scholarship recipient, West Suburban Teacher’s Union, Local 571
Dean’s List, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2017
Horowitz and Karlovsky Scholarship recipient, West Suburban Teacher’s Union, Local 571
Dean’s List, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2016
Mary Wheeler Scholarship recipient, West Suburban Teacher’s Union, Local 571
2015
Continuing Studies Enrollment Scholarship recipient, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Work Experience
Instructor | Water Street Studios | Batavia, IL
Affiliations/Memberships
Order of Omega Honor Society, Gamma Chi Chapter, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2027
M.F.A. The University of Chicago (current)
2020
B.F.A. Art Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Illinois Professional Educator License in Visual Arts (K-12)
2019
Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute, Florence, Italy
Exhibitions
2026
Cochran-Woods Art Center, Weathervanes, Chicago, IL
Logan Center for the Arts, Regards, Chicago, IL
2025
Bridgeport Art Center, Echos of Color, Chicago, IL
Hairpin Art Center, Art Speaks, Chicago, IL
2024
Agitator Gallery, Gender Jumble Juggernaut, Chicago, IL
Phygital Art Gallery, Art is the New Kink, Chicago, IL
Wrightwood Gallery,This is What We Carry, Chicago, IL
2023
Dragonfly Gallery, Artistry Unleashed: A Group Exhibition, Chicago, IL
Tomas Weisner Gallery, Gallery of Terrors, Aurora, IL
Water Street Studios, 14th Anniversary Community Show, Batavia, IL
2022
The Holy Art Gallery, Best American Artist 2022, London.
The Studio Door, 5th Annual National LGBTQIA+ Visual Art Exhibition: PROUD+, San Diego, CA
Water Street Studios, Resident and Faculty Show 2022, Batavia, IL.
Side Street Studio Arts, Something Wicked, Elgin, IL
2021
Online, 8 to Create Live Art Show
2020
Online, Reigning Chaos, https://reigningchaos.squarespace.com/
Krannert Art Museum, School of Art and Design Bachelors of Fine Arts Exhibition, Champaign, IL
BLOC Gallery, Handheld Galleries Exhibition, Champaign, IL
2019
Catapult Creative House, Handheld Galleries Exhibition, Southeast Missouri State University
The Red Herring Restaurant, 8 to Create Undergraduate Art Gallery, Urbana, IL.
Art + Design Building, Monumental Portraits, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Art + Design Building, Jan Van Huysum Mastercopies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
2018
University YMCA, Amnesty International “I Wasn’t Asking for It: Addressing Stories of Sexual Assault”, Champaign, IL
Art + Design Building, Sculpture/Ceramics I, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Art + Design Building, Life Drawing Exhibit, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2017
512 W. High St., SAHFA Halloween Pop-Up Exhibition, Urbana, IL
Flagg Hall, Open House, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Art + Design Building, Life Study Exhibit, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2016
Link Gallery, Art Foundations Juried Exhibition, Champaign, IL
Catalogs | Publications
2022
”PROUD+ National Visual Art Catalogue”, The Studio Door
2021
“The Pride Issue” Passengers Journal, Vol. 2, Issue 6.
“Breaking Boundaries” Impulse Magazine, Vol. 18.
2020
INTERVIEW Wielgus, Apolonia “Painter Nikki Kelsay graduates with a desire to spark social change” Smile Politely - Champaign-Urbana’s Online Magazine, June
https://www.smilepolitely.com/arts/painter_nikki_kelsay_graduates_with_a_desire_to_spark_s/
Awards
2021
Visual arts PRIDE prize winner, Passengers Journal
2020
Cum Laude Graduate, College of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Dean’s List, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2019
Winner of the 8 to Create Undergraduate Art Show, Urbana, IL
Dean’s List, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
College Senior Scholarship recipient, Rotary Club of Wheaton
2018
Horowitz and Karlovsky Scholarship recipient, West Suburban Teacher’s Union, Local 571
Dean’s List, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2017
Horowitz and Karlovsky Scholarship recipient, West Suburban Teacher’s Union, Local 571
Dean’s List, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2016
Mary Wheeler Scholarship recipient, West Suburban Teacher’s Union, Local 571
2015
Continuing Studies Enrollment Scholarship recipient, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Work Experience
Instructor | Water Street Studios | Batavia, IL
- Present
- Present
Affiliations/Memberships
Order of Omega Honor Society, Gamma Chi Chapter, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Member (2019-2020)
- Standards Committee Class Representative (Awarded “Excellence in Risk Management” – AOII International Convention) (2019-2020)
- Banner Chair (2017-2018)
- Student Member (2019-2020)
- Student Member (2017-2020)
- Vice President (2017)
- Team member (2018-2019)