Erin Schalk is a professional visual artist and writer with an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her artwork has been exhibited across the U.S., U.K., Europe, and Japan, including exhibitions at the Okinawa Prefectural Museum of Art and Okiten, an annual post–World War II juried exhibition in Okinawa.
Her writing has appeared in a range of literary journals, including Stirring, Willawaw Journal, Petigru Review, Livina Press, Jewel City Review, and more. She has received multiple awards from Writer’s Digest for her poetry and memoir essays, as well as a Best of the Net nomination. In addition, she has served on the boards of Orange County Arts & Disability and the California Writers Club.
With over a decade of experience in education, Schalk has developed 75+ programs across nonprofit and higher education settings, specializing in accessibility for individuals with disabilities. She also leads professional development workshops. Most recently, she has expanded into voice narration, creating audio for museum tours, educational projects, and books, including Against All Odds: Our Life Journey with Autism by Dr. Carol Basile.
Schalk also holds a BFA in Studio Art from the University of Oklahoma, a BA in East Asian Studies from the University of Maryland Asia (now the University of Maryland Global Campus), and an MA in Art from the University of Dallas. She began her professional career while living abroad in Okinawa, Japan, working as an artist, writer, and teacher.
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Extended Media Bio:
Erin Schalk is a multidisciplinary creative professional working across visual art, writing, and voice narration. Active in education since 2011, she has served as a teacher, administrator, public speaker, and mentor in both national and international settings.
She holds an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where her studio focus included Writing, Poetry, Video, and Performance Art. Schalk also earned a BFA in Studio Art from the University of Oklahoma, a BA in East Asian Studies from the University of Maryland Asia (now Global Campus), and an MA in Art from the University of Dallas.
As a visual artist, Schalk has exhibited in the U.S., U.K., Italy, and Japan. Her paintings were featured in Okiten, Okinawa’s annual postwar art exhibition, and at the Okinawa Prefectural Museum of Art. In 2021, she was named Artist in Residence at the Muckenthaler Cultural Center—the third artist to receive the honor—and continues to serve as a Teaching Artist.
Her writing and artwork have appeared in Stirring, Livina Press, Jewel City Review, The Petigru Review, Oyster River Pages, The MacGuffin, The Woven Tale Press, Parentheses Journal, Willawaw Journal, Wales Haiku Journal, and others. Schalk has also published writing and visual art in Balloons Literary Journal — a publication based out of the University of Hong Kong. Her recent accolades include multiple recognitions in the Writer’s Digest Annual Writing Competition and a Best of the Net nomination. She has served on the Board of the California Writers Club (Orange County Branch).
Schalk’s educational practice began in Okinawa, Japan, where she taught visual art, writing, and English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Since then, she has worked in higher education and nonprofit sectors, designing and leading more than 75 programs for diverse learners, including adults, seniors, individuals with visual impairments, and neurodivergent students. She has served on the Board of Orange County Arts & Disability and currently provides professional development workshops on accessibility through the Muckenthaler Cultural Center and the Coast College system.
Most recently, Schalk has expanded into voice narration, creating audiobooks, educational media, and virtual museum tours. She is currently recording Against All Odds: Our Life Journey with Autism by Dr. Carol Basile, and she partnered with the Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA) and UCLA grant funding to create and narrate an accessible, image-described virtual exhibition tour.
For more information, please reach out to Erin at: erin [@] themuck [.] org