About
Melissa Oresky is a visual artist whose practice is rooted in painting and collage. She also makes artist's books, prints, objects, moving image, and organizes curatorial projects.
Her early work could be described as bodily or cognitive landscapes: constructed spaces populated by nerve cells, brains, eyes, and other elements drawn from biology and found image fragments. Since 2014 her work has looked beyond the human, focusing on consideration of plants as living beings and as kin. This work explores the aliveness and awareness of plants, speculating on their capacities for communication and interiority. While looking at plants as direct subject matter for artworks, she also enacts what could be considered a plantlike process in the studio by “growing” paintings or collages through iterative processes over long periods of time. The studio functions. as an ecosystem, with by-products and scraps from one work providing material for the next. Her most recent work presents plant forms as writing, with leaf and stem structures repeating through horizontal landscapes as letters and words across a page.
Oresky has shown her work nationally and internationally, with recent shows at Color Club, Chicago, Boundary, Chicago; Tripod Space Project, Busan, South Korea; Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago; Elmhurst Art Museum, Elmhurst, IL; Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN; and K. Imperial Fine Art, San Francisco. Oresky received a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an MFA from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has attended residencies including Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Maine and The Santa Fe Art Institute, New Mexico. Originally from Maryland, she lives and works in Normal, Illinois where she is a Professor of Painting and Drawing at Illinois State University.
Curriculum Vitae
EDUCATION
2000 The University of Illinois at Chicago, MFA, Chicago, IL
1996 The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, BFA, Chicago, IL
1995 Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem, Israel
SELECTED SOLO and TWO PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2023 Color Club, Thicket, with Judith Mullen, Chicago, IL
2022 Boundary, Of Leaves as Tongues, Chicago, IL
2021 Open Space Art, Chromophyll, with Gina Hunt, Ottawa, IL
2020 McLean County Arts Center, Growing Time, Bloomington, IL
2018 Tripod Project Space, Busan, South Korea
2017 DEMO Project, Succulent Succulent, Springfield, IL
K. Imperial Fine Art, Cultivar, San Francisco, CA
2016 Minnesota State University, Foliage, Mankato, MN
2013 Heavy Brow Gallery, Solar Anvil, Bloomington, IL
2012 Hyde Park Art Center, Trail, Chicago, IL (catalogue)
2011 Elmhurst Art Museum, Tangled Grounds, Elmhurst, IL
2009 Western Exhibitions, A Wildness of Edges, Chicago, IL
Proof Gallery, Streaking, Boston, MA, with Carrie Gundersdorf
2008 VONZWECK, Germinator, Chicago, IL
2007 Ada Gallery, Richmond, VA
Western Exhibitions, Brittle Flow, Chicago, IL,
2006 Van Harrison Gallery, Groundcover, Shapeshifter, New York, NY
Western Exhibitions, Observatory, Chicago, IL
2005 Van Harrison Gallery, In the Shallows, Chicago, IL
2004 Riverside Art Center, Hive Minds and Other Drawings, Riverside, IL
2002 Standard Gallery, Extra Terrestrial, Chicago, IL
2001 Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago,12x12: New Artists, New Work, Chicago, IL
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS and SCREENINGS
2025 The Plan, Sanaa, Chicago, IL, curated by Diana Gabriel
2023 The Hyde Park Art Center and The Mayfield, Amuleto, Chicago and Oak Park, ILm curated by Edra Soto, Alberto Aguilar, and Madeline Aguilar
The Plan, Materiality, Chicago, IL, curated by Diana Gabriel
2022 Field Projects, Zoonotic Hex, New York, NY
2021 Terrain Biennial, Fern Fever, Springfield, IL
Illinois State Museum, Reports of a Living World, Springfield, IL
2020 Catherine Edelman Gallery, Photography & ___, Chicago, IL, collaboration with Jin Lee
Tufts University Art Gallery, Public Intimacies, Medford, MA, exhibited with COVIDtv
Terrain Exhibitions and CNL Projects, Art-In-Place, artworks presented in satellite locations and visible to the public
COVIDtv, Sensiphilia: Small Material Events to Ease Anxiety, live broadcasts organized by The Franklin, Chicago, I
Contemporary Art Center of Peoria, Negotiating Space, Peoria, IL
2019 Elmhurst Art Museum, With a Capital P: Selections by Six Painters, Elmhurst, IL, selected by Leslie Bau
Art on Paper, with K. Imperial Fine Art, New York, NY
Guenzel Gallery, Peninsula School of Art, The Future of Collage, Fish Creek, W
2018 K. Imperial Fine Art, Summer in the City, San Francisco, CA
2017 The Painting Center, Unearth, New York, NY, curated by Shona Macdonald
University Galleries, Illinois State University, Subdivision, Normal, IL, project by Jeff Robinson and Allison Lacher
2016 Roman Susan, No Diving, Chicago, IL, project by Jeff Robinson and Allison Lacher
Comfort Station Logan Square, The Wheelhouse 2, Chicago, IL, screening organized by Leslie Baum and Frederick Wells
2015 Minotaur Projects, Duck Show LA, Los Angeles, CA, organized by Ryan Travis Christian
2013 SCA Contemporary Art, System Preferences, Albuquerque, NM, curated by Shona Macdonald
65GRAND, Thru Lines, Chicago, IL
Tiger Strikes Asteroid, Angular Seduction, Brooklyn, NY, curated by Vincent Como
Tiger Strikes Asteroid, The Flat Files Year One, Brooklyn, NY
Devening Projects, The Wheelhouse, Chicago, IL, screening organized by Leslie Baum and Frederick Wells
2012 POVevolving, Where My Cones At, Los Angeles, CA, organized by Ryan Travis Christian
65GRAND, New Formalisms 2, Chicago, IL, curated by Abraham Ritchie
Northeastern Illinois University, Living By Example: work from the collection of Edra Soto and Dan Sullivan, Chicago, IL
2011 Performa 2011, A Philip Von Zweck Project via Invisible Exports, New York, NY
NADA Hudson, A Philip Von Zweck Project via Invisible Exports, Hudson, NY
Fecal Face Dot Gallery, West, Wester, Westest, San Francisco, CA, curated by Ryan Travis Christian
Elmhurst Art Museum, New Acquisitions, Elmhurst, IL
2010 OQBO Gallery, Where There Is, Berlin, Germany, curated by Dan Devening
The Engine Room, Massey University, Cut Paste, Wellington, NZ, curated by Shona Macdonald
Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art, Informal Relations, Indianapolis, IN, curated by Scott Grow
SOFA Gallery, Indiana University, Playing Fields, Bloomington, IN, curated by Tyson Skross
Soloway, Parts and Labor, Brooklyn, NY
2009 Gahlberg Gallery, College of DuPage, On Paper, Glen Ellyn, IL (catalogue)
Western Exhibitions, Of or Relating to the Sky or Visible Heavens, Chicago, IL, curated by Carrie Gundersdorf
Eastern Michigan University, Contemporary Painting, Ypsilanti, MI, curated by Chris Hyndman
2008 The Barn, VONZWECK at The Barn, Chicago, IL
Devening Projects and Editions, Paper Love, Chicago, IL
2007 Lemberg Gallery, Thinking in Color, Ferndale, MI, curated by Judy Ledgerwood
Western Exhibitions, Printed Space, Chicago, IL
2006 Northern Illinois University Gallery, Strange Fictions, Chicago, IL, curated by Chris Kahler (catalogue)
Skestos-Gabriele, Paper, Chicago, IL
The Affair at the Jupiter Hotel, with Western Exhibitions, Portland, OR
2005 Mixture Contemporary, Into the Midst, Houston, TX, curated by Scott Wolniak
Peeler Gallery, DePauw University, Depauw Biennial: Contemporary Art in the Midwest, Greencastle, IN
2004 Wendy Cooper Gallery, Mental Space, Madison, WI, curated by JJ Murphy
NADA Fair, with Van Harrison Gallery, Miami, FL
Cedarhurst Center for the Arts, Lucky Thirteen, Mt. Vernon, IL, curated by Harold Gregor
2003 Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, Hysterical Pastoral, Chicago, IL, curated by John Neff
Gallery 312, Really Real, Chicago, IL
2002 Joymore, Realm of the Lair, Chicago, IL, curated by Ben Stone and Siebren Versteeg
The Stray Show, with Destroyer, Inc., Chicago, IL
2001 Thomas McCormick Gallery, Serendipity, Chicago, IL, curated by Anna Kunz and Leslie Baum
Hyde Park Art Center, Compound Fracture, Chicago, IL, curated by E.C. Brown
2000 The International Museum of Surgical Science, Organic Produce, Chicago, IL
1998 Dogmatic Gallery, Burned, Fried, and Set Aside: The Meat Show, Chicago, IL, curated by Paul Chan (catalogue)
SELECTED AWARDS, GRANTS and RESIDENCIES
2020 Illinois State University Outstanding Creative Activity Award
2016 The Thicket Artists Residency, Darien, GA
2013 National Park Service Artist-in-Residence, Petrified Forest National Park, AZ
2013 Illinois State University Outstanding College Researcher Award, College of Fine Arts
2011 Harold Arts Residency, Chesterhill, OH
2010 Santa Fe Art Institute, Residency and Fellowship, Santa Fe, NM
2008 Schloss Plüschow, Residency and Fellowship, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
Santa Fe Art Institute, Residency and Fellowship, Santa Fe, NM
2007 Illinois State University Outstanding College Researcher Award, College of Fine Arts
2006 Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Artist’s Residency and Fellowship
2005 Illinois Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship
2000 Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Residency and Fellowship, Skowhegan, ME
1999 Union League Civic and Arts Association Fellowship (now Luminarts)
PUBLICATIONS and EDITIONS
2020 “Composting in the Herbarium,” coauthored with Keith Pluymers, Antennae: The Journal of Nature in Visual Culture #52
Finder, screenprinted artist’s book, edition of 180, published by Kayrock Screenprinting, Brooklyn, NY
Fern Portal, five-color silkscreen, edition of 180, published by Kayrock Screenprinting, Brooklyn NY
2017 Foliate, three-color lithograph, edition of 15 arabic numeral impressions and 15 roman numeral impressions, published by NEW, Normal, IL
2016 Ghosts, artist’s book, three color silkscreen, edition of 200, published by Kayrock Screenprinting, Brooklyn, NY
2015 Solar Anvil / And the Rhythm Ace, ten video suite, edition of 300 CD/DVD sets and silkscreened packaging/poster, with Zak Boerger
2012 Forest Noise, variable edition screenprint, edition of 15, published by Kayrock Screenprinting
2008 Mineral Fabric, screenprinted artist’s book, edition of 200, published by Kayrock Screenprinting
2007 Exchange, book project by Philip von Zweck
PROJECTS and CURATORIAL
2019 The Franklin, Collage Office, Chicago, IL; Co-organized with Alice J. Lee
2017 DEMO Project, Weight of Light, work by Paola Cabal, Vincent Como, Angelina Gualdoni & Gina Hunt, Springfield, IL; Curator
2013 The Franklin, Collage on Demand, Chicago IL; Performance to benefit the Letha Rodman Melchior Cancer Fun
2003 University Galleries, Illinois State University,These Days: Drawings by Marty Ackley, John Parot & Geoffrey Todd Smith, Normal, IL; Curator
1999 Dogmatic Gallery, Cathouse, Chicago, IL; Co-curated with Kirsten Stoltmann
SELECTED PRESS and BIBLIOGRAPHY
2020 “ART-IN-PLACE: A Project to Connect, Inspire and Bring Hope While We Are Disconnected”; Chicago Gallery News, May 24
Kennedy, Laura, “Datebook: Artist Creates In Sync With Plants”; Radio interview, WGLT, January 11
2019 New American Paintings, vol. #143
2017 Faingold, Scott, “Keeping it Light”; Illinois Times, March 16
Kunze, Maggie, “Weight of Light and Succulent Succulent at DEMO Project”; bnacollective.virb.com
2013 Germanos, Paul, “Chicago Art in Pictures: Best of 2012”; Bad at Sports
Shepherd, Lydia, “Collaging for A Cause”; Sixty Inches from Center
2012 Harty, Kim, “Trailing Through the Psychedelic”; F newsmagazine, August 11
Isé, Claudine, “Still, yet, else, further, again: Be patient, and the art will come”; Chicago Tribune, May 30
Sampson, Lauren, “Review: Melissa Oresky/Hyde Park Art Center”; Newcity, May 15
2012 Paitz, Kendra, “And Soon the Tree Which Moves the Branch”; Trail catalogue essay, Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago, IL
Miller, Chris, “Review: New Formalisms 2/65 Grand”; Newcity, January 31
Linneweh, David, “Studio Break”; Podcast interview
2011 Sarrita Hunn, “Ruptures at Hoffman Lachance contemporary”; Temporary Art Review, May
2010 Lowrance, Christopher, “Interview with Melissa Oresky”; MW Capacit
2009 Ruiz, Steve, “Melissa Oresky@Western Exhibitions”; Chicago Art Review
Waxman, Lori; On Paper catalogue essay, Gahlberg Gallery, College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, IL
2008 “Santa Fe Radio Café”; Radio interview, KSFR, November 20
New American Paintings, Vol. #77
2006 Artner, Alan, “Visions of the future in gallery's farewell show”; Chicago Tribune, April 21
New American Paintings, Vol. #59
2005 Hannum, Terrence, “In The Shallows: Melissa Oresky @ Van Harrison Gallery”; Panel House, January
2003 “Realm of the Lair”; Bridge Magazine, October
2002 Speh, Scott, “Realm of the Lair”; Bridge Magazine, November
2002 Vandeventer, Kristen, “Chicago”; Contemporary, June/July/August
2002 New American Paintings, Vol. #35
2001 Molon, Dominic, “Before and After Science”; Exhibition essay for 12 x12, New Artists, New Work: Melissa Oresky, MCA Chicago, Chicago, IL
TEACHING
2002— Professor of Painting and Drawing, Wonsook Kim School of Art, Illinois State University
2017— Visiting Faculty, Peninsula School of Art, Fish Creek, WI
2016 Visiting Faculty, Oxbow School of Art, Saugatuck, MI
2002 Adjunct Faculty, The University of Illinois at Chicago
2001 Instructor, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
PUBLIC TALKS and LECTURES
2021 “Composting in the Herbarium: Melissa Oresky and Keith Pluymers in conversation with Giovanni Aloi”; Botanical Speculations, online
2017 Shanghai Normal University Tianhua College, Shanghai, China
2016 Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN
2011 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL
2009 University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, IL
2008 DePaul University, Chicago, IL
Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, IL
2007 Lemberg Gallery, “Thinking in Color”; Exhibition panel discussion, Ferndale, MI, curated by Judy Ledgerwood
2005 Gallery 400, University of Illinois at Chicago, “Interested Painting”; Exhibition panel discussion, Chicago, IL, moderated by Elijah Burgher
2003 The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Museum of Modern Art Library
Illinois State Museum
Elmhurst Art Museum
University Galleries, Illinois State University
U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
University of Georgia Herbarium
Joan Flasch Artists’ Book Collection