news + events




current + upcoming







The Storied Maple

A Storytelling Event at a Community Maple Sap Boil The Soil Factory, Ithaca, NY

Saturday, March 23, 2024,  1 - 4 PM rain date: Sunday, March 24

RSVP here




past






Art for Educations Sake

Art inspired by research about the natural world
Mix Gallery, Ithaca, NY

Presenting Land Medicine

Opening Reception
Friday December 1, 2023, 5-8p




over and over


Cornell MFA Creative Visual Arts Group Exhibition
Opening Reception Thursday, October 12, 2023, 4:30p - 7p

Tjaden and Experimental Galleries
Cornell School of Architecture, Art and Planning







At Home in Chinatown:
A Residence Lab Retrospective Alumni Spotlight Panel

Saturday, September 23, 2023
1:00 PM -  3:00 PM
Pao Arts Center
99 Albany Street, Boston, MA

As part of our exhibition, At Home in Chinatown: A Residence Lab Retrospective, join us for a Residence Lab artist and resident alumni panel Saturday, September 23, from 1:00 pm –3:00 pm, featuring a discussion on community-engaged public art and the future of Boston Chinatown.

Featuring: Maggie Chen, Amanda Beard Garcia, Pihua Lin, Sheila Novak, and Krina Patel, moderated by Lily Song, exhibit curator and urban planner, scholar-activist, and Assistant Professor of Race, Social Justice & the Built Environment at Northeastern University.





It’s an Open Studio Sendoff!

Sunday, July 9, 2023

As I pack up my life in Boston, I’m excited to invite you to visit my creative sanctuary in Jamaica Plain - my studio! I’ll have refreshments, treats, music, and a host of things to sell, barter, or trade.

Come by the Fenreffer Studio on Sunday, July 9 (11a-6p) to enjoy some refreshments, music, and tasty treats for this studio open house! Get a little piece of the Sheila Studio for your life, or just come get a refreshment and a hug. I look forward to seeing you!




A Ritual for New Growth

May 31-June 14, 2022; RSVP required


This project is supported by a Transformative Public Art grant from the City of Boston Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture.




inPUBLIC: REST

The Second Wednesday of the Month 12pm - 2pm throughout Boston and beyond!
This project is a collaboration between DS4Si, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, Franklin Park Coalition, Greenway Conservancy and Olmstead Now




Studio visit with Cheryl Wing-Zi Wong

Thursday, March 3, 6-7 PM on Zoom
RSVP here
In a curatorial collaboration between the Pao Arts Center and the Greenway Conservancy, we are producing an architectural installation and performance series for the Year of the Tiger. Join me and the artist for a studio visit with Cheryl Wing-Zi Wong, who will be creating the “Year of the Tiger Pavillion” on March 3 to learn more!





abundance among us

Display in Mary Soo Hoo Park on The Greenway extended until November 30, 2021
Residence Lab 2021: a partnership of the Pao Arts Center and Asian Community Development Corporation





inPUBLIC Festival

October 29-31, 2021
Downtown Crossing, Boston, MA
Design Studio for Social Intervention





Residence Lab 2021 Kick Off

Friday August 27, 2021 5:00 - 8:00 PM
Mary Soo Hoo Park on The Greenway
Boston, MA






Rural Routes: Rural Public Art Perspectives

Reedsburg Arts Link
May 6, 7-8 PM CST
REGISTER HERE

What are the particular challenges and advantages of creating art within rural settings?  How is public art in rural places impacting communities?  Post pandemic, what new opportunities do leaders in the field see for rural places?





The Cake Stand

an alternative art/project/exhibition/space based in Farmingdale, Maine
April, 20201
View here





Sun Print Banner Making Workshop

May 22, various times, Reedsburg, WI







Open Studio - private visits for COVID safety

April 3 & 4, 2021
In-person in Jamaica Plain or on Zoom








Curating for the Chinese Zodiac

January 28, 2021
A conversation hosted by the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy
watch the recoding here





From Our Garden to Yours

Urbano Project Youth Artist Virtual Showcase
September 23rd, 6:00 - 7:30 PM

watch the recording here





FLUVIAL: 2020 Farm/Art DTOUR

Fermentation Fest Sept 26 - Oct 4 2020
created by the Wormfarm Institute






Gardening for community during a pandemic

The Prosperity Garden Network in conversation with CoVictory Gardens
July 20, 2020
Hosted by theUrbano Project



Panelists
Kirk Rea, Co-Executive Director for City Repair (Portland, OR)
Michael Bernard Stevenson Jr., Artist-in-Residence for City Repair
Sheila Novak, Artist-in-Residence for the Summer 2020 at Urbano
watch the full webinar here





Women Eco Arts Dialouge

10 artists highlighted during Women’s History Month.
April 2, 2020






Let Yourself Be Lifted

collaboration with Jackie Scott, MFA TX 2020 at RISD,
I was featured in the RISD Pandemic Publishing Vol. I.






2019 emerging artists exhibition

Cambridge Arts Association
opening reception july 11, 2019 6-8p 2019 emerging artists exhibition // Cambridge Arts Association // opening reception july 11, 2019 6-8p





do you remember?

reception friday march 1, 2019 7-9p
press release

gallery 263
do you remember? gallery 263 // reception friday march 1, 2019 7-9p //  press release





collage

A R E A (SoWa) // boston // 2017
collage // A R E A (SoWa) // boston // 2017





watch

a brief interview filmed by JAMM which details some of the concepts, processes, and motivation behind my work
 watch   a brief interview  filmed by JAMM which details some of the concepts, processes, and motivation behind my work




Colgada  

Rochester, MN
news
Colgada  // Rochester, MN // news





OviOvaOvum

2016
Hopkins Center for the Arts

2016








Chait Galleries Small Works Show // Iowa City, IA // 2014
Chait Galleries Small Works Show// Iowa City, IA // 2014


2013


Held at the Weitz Center at Carleton College

Winner of the Art Purchase Prize // Iowa City Public Library
Woods, Childhood // Winner of the Art Purchase Prize. Selected works are purchased by the library for checkout by library patrons. Check out the article announcing the winners here!

 The exhibition of my series, ROOTED, wilds unseenApril 22-29, 2012


©SheilaNovak2023
Thank you for being here.