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Cara Smelter

@carasmelter

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printmaker in raleigh, nc • micro-narrative linocuts exploring universal themes such as: sex, love, death & disappointment
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(collage & beading, too)

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i created a second edition of one of my favorite prints “mantra (empathy)” for the @piedmont_farm_animal_refuge Benefit for the Animals. You will be able to bid on this linocut on November 14 at the Annual Benefit in Raleigh, NC, with all proceeds going to the Refuge - a farmed animal sanctuary in Pittsboro, NC that provides lifelong care to rescued farm animals, educates people about the realities of animal agriculture, and promotes veganism.

Empathy is at the core of compassionate living and is one of my guiding values - my empathy informs my veganism and my whole world view.

The first edition of this print was part of “Empathy,” the 9th Annual International Exhibition at the A.D. Gallery at UNC Pembroke in Pembroke, NC.

“mantra (empathy)” - 2nd. ed.
linocut
2026
hand pulled in raleigh, nc

#linocutprint #linocuts #empathy #veganartist #protestart taken in Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge by @carasmelter

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3 days ago

Collaged a couple of mini worlds inside shells found at Carolina / Kure beach this weekend. 🐚 thank you for the shells, @cool_phil 🤍

- a lil’ ufo beamin’ things up
- two besties walking through a meadow of flowers (for @grignotine ‘s bday 🤍) .

Inspired by an amazing woman named Joan who makes beautiful works of art with shells she collects, and hides the shells along beach access boardwalks for people to find. 💖 huge shout out to Joan for gifting me one by stopping me on the boardwalk and kindly asking, “would you like a shell?”🐚 💖

#collageartists #natureartwork #shellart #collagelife #foundobjectart by @carasmelter

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2 months ago

“holy shit, i can use needle and thread on paper”
2026
collage with thread and bead elements
hand cut, glued, threaded, and beaded in schuyler, va

everytime i start a new grief journey, i find myself craving exploration and expansion within my artistic practice.

In April I attended the @projectthreadways symposium in Florence, AL and I found inspiration for expanding my artistic practice thanks to @_marlence teaching us beading, during a hands on session. I fell in love with the attention to detail and patience it required of me. I immediately purchased a jar of beads and sequins (silver fox blend featured here), thread, and beading needles from @alabamachanin @theschoolofmaking and seeing where it takes me.

This piece is only my second time beading ever (my first was during the session led by @_marlence ) and my first time beading on paper. I am looking forward to exploring, expanding, and learning during this grief journey for my WALL-E. I even chose the bead and sequin mix that I thought are WALL-E (@thepugwalle ) colors and make me think of him.

Thank you to @projectthreadways & @_marlence for being a part of this grief journey and providing me tools, space, and inspiration to make through the pain, tears, laughter, and joy, of grief.

#collageartists #collageartworks #threadart #beadart #griefwork taken in The White Pig Bed and Breakfast by @carasmelter

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5 months ago

“honestly, you guys, stumbling across this dead pope was really the last thing I needed. now i have to get creative!”

2026
collage (featuring @bejohnce )
hand cut and glued in raleigh, nc

in honor of search party 🔦 dropping on @netflix

#collage #collagecommunity #collageartists #searchparty elliottgoss by @carasmelter

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8 months ago

“i believe our children are our future”
2026
collage (with hand drawn elements and featuring photos of WALL-E’s poop)
hand cut and glued in raleigh, nc for @drawingroomnc community art show “ice/trash”

You can participate through the end of the month by making a piece of (protest) art to fill the trash bag and when you do, you get a piece of art from the trash bag. (Scroll through the photos to see the dope piece i got to take home).

About, “ice/trash” via @lump_raleigh / @drawingroomnc : “We are so excited to announce a new project/exchange initiated by Bill Thelen. ‘ice/trash’ invites drawers and non drawers to express their rage and protest against ICE’s crimes against humanity through drawing. You may follow the ice or trash bag motif/schematic or do something else. You can also make it on the spot! We will have drawing supplies, pins and tape. Feel free to take a drawing from the bag. Help us fill the trash bag

#protestart #collage #collageartworks #americanlife taken in LUMP gallery/projects by @carasmelter

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8 months ago

closing out 2025 exploring my practice of collage on the very last day of the year. looking forward to more collaging and printmaking in 2026.

“nye 2025: i saw the future and … idk… it’s kind of more of the same…but different. oh, there is also a big ass moon, too. “

2025
collage
hand cut and glued in raleigh,nc

#collage #collageartists #collageartistoninstagram #collageartist #ncartist #ncartists #ncarts by @carasmelter

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10 months ago

since taking a collage workshop with @katiaengell_ I have been playing and totally exploring in the medium. I made this piece while on a winter mountain getaway at The White Pig last weekend.

I have found myself drawn to building out landscapes / physical spaces in my collages.

“rat tails”
collage
2025
hand cut and glued in raleigh, nc

#carasmelter #collage #collageartist #collageartists #collageartistsoninstagram #collaging #collageart #collageartistoninstagram #newyorker #collagearts #collagemaker #landscapecollage #collagelandscape #raleighartist #ncartist #ncartists #raleighncartist taken in The White Pig Bed and Breakfast by @carasmelter

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10 months ago

limited ed. prints carved and pulled for Gay for Cuntry karaoke 🎤 🤠 fundraiser for @siembranc & @gallon__jackson birthday celebration, TONIGHT, Sunday, Nov. 23 @neptunes.parlour 8pm - 12am

“my holy trinity”
(Varieties include: cock, cunt, and. cock n’ cunt)
linocut with collage, ink, and marker elements
2025
hand pulled in raleigh, nc for Gay for Cuntry Fundraiser for Siembra NC

#linocut #carasmelter #linoprint #linoleumprint #linoleumblockprint #blockprinting #blockprint #blockprintmagic #printmaking #print #printmakersofinstagram #prints #printmaker #reliefprinting #get_imprinted #printpower #justprintmaking #ncartist #ncart #ncarts #ncartists #northcarolinaartist #northcarolinaart #ncprintmaker #ncprinting #workersrights #sexpositiveculture #sexpositiveart #queercountry #laborrights taken in Neptunes by @carasmelter

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a year ago

finally delivered the fuzzy pickle print of @cool_phil ‘s dreams, for his 37th birthday. happy birthday, pickle.

“fuzzy pickle.”
2025
linocut
hand pulled in raleigh, nc

#linocutting #linocuts #linocutprint #linocutprints #linoprinting #linocutart #blockprinted #blockprints #blockprintlove #blockprintmagic #printmakersofinstagram #printmakingart #printmakers #ncartist #ncart #ncartists #raleighartist #pickle #pickled #pickleart #fuzzypickle by @carasmelter

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a year ago

it’s pi(e) day, bbs. 🥧 ❤️ ♾️

illustration
2019
ink on paper
hand drawn in raleigh, nc

pie by P, 2025

#carasmelter #ncartist #ncart #ncarts #ncartists #northcarolinaartist #northcarolinaart #ncprintmaker #illustrarion #illustrator #illustrationartists #pie #piday #piday2025 #pieday #foodartist #loveart #romanceart #romanticlove #friendshiplove #deeplove by @carasmelter

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2 years ago

“some career choices are easy”
2025
linocut
hand pulled in raleigh, nc

Nearly 4.5 years ago a severed tendon in my left pinkie brought me the gift of meeting a god damn angel on this earth. Andrea Leuken, is the Occupational Therapist of my dreams- she saw me through 4 surgeries on my pinkie, 2 surgeries on my wrists, and 1 surgery on my trigger finger thumb. She is masterful in her work, hilarious, compassionate, and has been a guide on my physical healing journey and in major life decisions during this time. I have estimated that I have spent nearly 200 hours with her in these almost 4.5 years and thankfully, for this bum bod, I hope to get 200 more. She is a real one through and through. Given the opportunity to choose- I would always choose that my tendon got severed if it means I got to meet Andrea.

All of this to say, I made her this print. Because she is simply, the best.

@raleighhand2shoulder

#linocut #carasmelter #linoprint #linoleumprint #linoleumblockprint #linoleum #blockprinting #blockprint #blockprintmagic #printmaking #print #printmakersofinstagram #prints #printmaker #reliefprinting #get_imprinted #printpower #justprintmaking #ncartist #ncart #ncarts #ncartists #northcarolinaartist #northcarolinaart #ncprintmaker #ncprinting by @carasmelter

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2 years ago

my kind of religious iconography.

visited an expressive arts therapy group today - The theme entering into this autumnal season for the group’s work ahead is “finding light in the darkness.” WALL-E was my first thought. My light. My higher power. My compass. So, obviously I drew him in the form of the images I was raised to look to, pray to, for strength and guidance. I have not practiced Catholicism since childhood, but damn if that imagery is not iconic and WALL-E looks cute as fuck with a halo around his perfect lil gremlin face.

Will return to regular print programming soon.

#drawing #expressiveart #expressivearttherapy #religiousiconography #religiousicons #sainthood #petart #petartist #lightinthedarkness #lightinthedark #higherpower #art #arttherapy #arttherapylife #arttherapist #ncartist #ncarts by @carasmelter

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2 years ago