About

Biography

Vanessa is a printmaker and educator currently residing in Ashland, Oregon. She is the Printmaking Professor and Studio Technician at Southern Oregon University. In 2022, she founded Scavenger Studios: a traditional printmaking studio that facilitates community workshops, memberships and hosts an artist residency program. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Vanessa received a BFA from Regis University in Denver, Colorado, along with a Minor in Education and her Teaching License. She earned her MFA and an Arts Administration Certificate from Ohio University's printmaking program.

Artist Statement

My work encourages viewers to confront their interactions with the environment by reconsidering their relationship with nature. Acknowledgment of past ecological digressions can inspire a revision of our impact on the land and all its inhabitants. Art is a form of activism and land stewardship that fosters mutualism and intimacy facilitated by the reciprocal act of printmaking. I aspire to evoke deep reverence for the inherent ecological bond with our plant and animal kin before they fade into distant memories due to human negligence.

My most recent work exposes my ritualized obsession with collecting, organizing and illustrating my personal archive of found natural artifacts. Time spent intimately harvesting and working with natural materials not only bonds me to the local environment, it brings intention to the art of collecting. By reproducing these reclaimed remains in copper, I immortalize, preserve, multiply and perpetuate their existence through printmaking.

Scavenger Studios is a traditional printmaking studio located in Ashland, Oregon. The studio specializes in Intaglio (Etching, Aquatint, Mezzotint) Relief, Screenprint and Letterpress. Scavenger Studios facilitates workshops, memberships and hosts an artist residency program. It is a community art space where aspiring and experienced printmakers can come together to experiment, deepen their knowledge, hone their skills and learn new techniques to incorporate into their print practice. It is run by printmaker and educator, Vanessa Jo Bahr. Good dogs welcome!

Printmaking Studio

Curriculum Vitae

Vanessa Jo Bahr

Ashland, Oregon

Printmaker & Educator

Printmaking Professor - Southern Oregon University - Ashland, OR - 2024 to present

Printmaking Studio Technician - Southern Oregon University - Ashland, OR - 2024 to present

Founder & Director – Scavenger Studios – Ashland, OR - 2022 to present

Administrative Assistant - Natural Earth Paint - Ashland, OR - 2022 to present

Education

  • Master of Fine Art – Ohio University - Athens, OH – 2022

  • Arts Administration Certificate – Ohio University – Athens, OH – 2022

  • Bachelor of Fine Art – Regis University - Denver, CO – 2011

Organizations

  • Rocky Mountain Printmaking Alliance Board – Membership Coordinator

  • Ashland Gallery Association – Working Studio since 2023

  • Mid America Print Council Grant Committee - 2026 Conference at Louisiana State University

  • Southern Graphics Council International – Member

Residencies

  • Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts - Winter Pentaculum - Invitational Printmaking Residency (Gatlinburg, TN) 2025

Panel Talks

  • “Cultural Leadership Panel” - Langford Art Gallery (Phoenix, OR) 2025

  • “Speculative Archiving” - SGCI - Southern Graphics Council International(Madison, WI) 2022

Demonstrations & Workshops

  • “Summer Etching Workshop” - Crown Point Press (San Francisco, CA) 2026

  • “Ashes to Ink: Ink Making Demo” - Mid America Print Council - Kansas State University (Manhattan, KS) 2024

  • “Cut Copper Plate + Aquatint” Workshop - Whiteaker Printmakers (Eugene, Oregon) 2024

  • "Making Natural Oil-Based Printmaking Ink" - Online Class by Plants and Colour (United Kingdom, Europe) 2024

Curation

  • "Fibers of Appalachia" - Dairy Barn Arts Center (Athens, OH) 2026

Awards

  • Haines & Friends Visual Arts Grant Program - recipient 2025

  • Haines & Friends Visual Arts Grant Program - recipient 2024

  • Haines & Friends Visual Arts Grant Program - recipient 2023

  • “Rural” (Roseburg, OR) 2022 – Honorable Mention - Umpqua Valley Arts Association

  • "3rd Annual Juried FPG Print Exhibition" – Honorable Mention - Fresno Print Guild (Fresno, CA) 2022

Exhibitions

  • “Pursuit of Happiness” - Invitational Exhibition - The Schneider Museum of Art (Ashland, OR) 2026

  • “Printmaking Showcase” - Invitational Exhibition - Miner’s Bazaar (Jacksonville, OR) 2025

  • “2025 Members’ Juried Exhibition” - Juried Exhibition by Delita Martin - Gardiner Gallery of Art at Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, OK)2025

  • “Orignal Prints: A National Printmaking Showcase” PrintAustin - Juried Exhibition by Rigoberto Luna - Corpus Christi Art Center (Corpus Christi, TX) 2025

  • “Visionary” - Invitational Exhibition - Jack Langford Gallery (Phoenix, OR) 2025

  • “Archive the West” - Juried Exhibition by Disparate Projects - Midwest Nice Art -2025

  • “Rogue Valley Biennial” - Ford Family Foundation - Juried Exhibition - Grants Pass Museum of Art (Grants Pass, OR) 2025

  • “Wild & Scenic Film Festival” - Nevada County Arts Council - Juried Exhibition - Granucci Gallery (Grass Valley, CA) 2025

  • “Major Arcana Exchange” - Invitation Exhibition curated by Alanna Austin - Institute of American Indian Arts (Santa Fe, NM) 2025

  • “Three Portfolios” - Group Exhibition - StopWatch Gallery & Studio (Greensburg, PA) 2024

  • “Smoldering Matches” - Group Exhibition - Institute of American Indian Arts (Santa Fe, NM) 2024

  • “Smoldering Matches” - Group Exhibition - University of Kansas (Manhattan, KS) 2024

  • “Memento Mori” - Solo Exhibition - Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center (Ashland, OR) 2024

  • “Motley Multiples” – Invitational Exhibition curated by Dennis McNett (Wolfbat) – Paradigm Gallery (Philadelphia, PA) 2023

  • “Engulfed” – Juried Exhibition - Artworks Center for Contemporary Art (Loveland, CO) 2023

  • "Connect: Collect" – Juried Exhibition – Oklahoma City University, Hulsey Gallery (Oklahoma City, OK) 2023

  • "Next of Kin" – Solo Exhibition – Central Art Gallery (Medford, OR) 2023

  • "Contemporary Linocuts" International Survey of Linoleum Block Printing Today - Invitational Exhibition - Kingsborough Art Museum (Brooklyn, NY) 2022

  • "Transcending the West" - Juried Exhibition - Artworks Center for Contemporary Art (Loveland, CO) 2022

  • "3rd Annual Juried FPG Print Exhibition" - Juried Exhibition - Fresno Print Guild (Fresno, CA) 2022

  • "Juried Print Exhibition of the Americas" - Juried Exhibition - Full Court Press / Art Center of Corpus Christi (Corpus Christi, TX) 2022

  • "Bobcat Print Club Presents: exchanges organized by Ohio University Alumni" - Invitational Exhibition - ArtsWest (Athens, OH) 2022

  • "Life is Fucking Weird Exchange" - Invitational Exhibition - Columbus Printed Arts Center (Columbus, OH) 2022

  • "Rural" - Juried Exhibition - Umpqua Valley Arts Association (Roseburg, OR) 2022

  • "WILD LIFE" - Juried Exhibition - Los Angeles Printmaking Society / Citizens

  • for LA Wildlife / Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock (Los Angeles, CA) 2022

  • "Vestiges" - MFA Thesis Exhibition - Ohio University Art Gallery (Athens, OH) 2022

  • "Paper & Clay" - International Juried Exhibition - Utah State University (Logan, UT) 2022

  • "Foraging Ahead" - Juried Exhibition - Pittsburgh Print Group / Brew House Association (Pittsburgh, PA) 2021

  • "Small Works Show" - Juried Exhibition - Labyrinth Studios (Tampa, FL) 2021

  • "Litho-Lino-Mono-More" - Juried Exhibition - Dayton Society of the Arts (Dayton, OH) 2021

  • "Women of Appalachia" - Juried Exhibition - Dairy Barn Art Center (Athens, OH) 2021

  • "Silver Lining" - 2nd Year Graduate Exhibition - Ohio University Art Gallery (Athens, OH) 2020

  • "Breaking Ground" - Juried Exhibition - Wild Goose Creative (Columbus, OH) 2022

  • "Precipice" - 1st Year Graduate Exhibition - Trisollini Gallery (Athens, OH) 2020

  • "Imbricated" - Invitational Exhibition - Arts West (Athens, OH) 2019

  • "Reincarnation" – Solo Exhibition –O'Sullivan Art Gallery (Denver, CO) 2013

  • "Six Degrees of Separation" (Denver, CO) 2011 – BFA Thesis Exhibition– O’Sullivan Art Gallery 2011

  • “Mile High Rock Poster and Art Expo" – (Broomfield, CO) 2011 Juried Exhibition - Aloft Hotel

Collections / Portfolios

  • “Ohio University Alumni Exchange” - Ohio University (Athens, OH) 2026

  • “Major Arcana Exchange” - Curated by Alanna Austin, Institute of American Indian Arts (Santa Fe, NM) 2025

  • “Smoldering Matches” - MAPC Mid America Print Council (Manhattan, KS) 2024

  • “Wandering Woodcut” - MAPC Mid America Print Council (Manhattan, KS) 2024

  • “Connect: Collect” - Oklahoma City University, Hulsey Gallery (Oklahoma City, OK) 2023

  • “Life is Fucking Weird" - Columbus Printed Arts Center (Columbus, OH) 2022

  • “Found, Reclaimed, Reformed" 2022 MAPC Mid America Print Council (Kent, OH) 2022

  • “Seams - Falling Apart" - Curated between Ohio Univ., N. Illinois Univ., Univ. of Iowa – Mid America Print Council (Kent, OH) 2022

  • “Ohio University Alumni Exchange Portfolio" - In honor of Art Werger's Retirement - ArtsWest (Athens, OH) 2021

  • “Remote Contact" - University of Tennessee - Printmaking Symposium (Knoxville, TN) 2020

  • “Heart’s Desire” - Dead Matter Press (Portland, OR) 2019

  • “Divine Interventions of Nature” – Installation purchased by Regis University’s Chemistry Department – Permanently installed in Felix Pomponio Science building (Denver, CO) 2011

Publications

  • “Life & Work with Vanessa Jo Bahr” - Canvas Rebel - January 2nd, 2025

  • “Meet Vanessa Jo Bahr” - Canvas Rebel - October 10th, 2024

  • “Hauntingly Beautiful: Top 10 Artists to Watch this Halloween” - Create! Magazine – October 10th 2023

  • "Fire Season" - Artist Book - 2nd edition – 2022

  • "Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation" - A United Plant Savers Publication – 2022

  • "Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation" - A United Plant Savers Publication – 2021

  • "The Hand Magazine" - Issue 32, April 2021