We're thrilled to announce the 2025 Saint Peter Art Stroll Guest Artists, Cory Knedler and Young Ae Kim.

In addition to their work being on display, they will also be making collaborative art during the Stroll, and invite guests to join in. Bring in something you've started or find something on hand, then roll up your sleeves, get creative and try some collaborative printmaking, collage, painting, etc.

BIO

Cory Knedler is an artist, educator, and arts leader based in South Dakota. He earned his BFA in Printmaking and Art Education from Fort Hays State University in 1994 and completed his MFA in Printmaking at the University of South Dakota in 1998.

From 2000 to 2025, Knedler served as Chair of the Department of Art at the University of South Dakota, where he continues to teach as Professor of Art and Art Education. Knedler dedicated his tenure at USD to furthering the resources and technologies for students and faculty. State-wide, he founded the South Dakota College Art Association, served as the South Dakota Affiliate for Scholastic Art & Writing Awards and regularly adjudicates exhibitions across the region. He is a member of numerous arts organizations including the College Art Association, National Art Education Association and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), where he continues to serve as a visiting evaluator.

Since 2010, he has served as Director for the Oscar Howe Summer Art Institute; a summer residency program that offers high school students intensive workshops in contemporary Native American fine arts, with an emphasis on Native culture, history, and traditions. Under his leadership, the Institute has received major support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation, the South Dakota Arts Council, and numerous private donors.

Knedler’s contributions to art and education have been widely recognized, including the South Dakota Governor's Award in the Arts for Outstanding Service in Arts Education in 2023.

As an artist, he often works collaboratively with other artists and has exhibited his print and mixed media works in over 100 juried and invitational exhibitions, including the Mid-America Print Conference, the Brussels National Museum, Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, Sioux City Art Center, Washington Pavilion, Dahl art Center, South Dakota Art Museum, Museum der Stadt Ratingen, and Tulane University.

ARTIST STATEMENT

My work explores how education, memory, and identity shift over time through layered printmaking and mixed media processes. I am drawn to repetition—not only as a visual strategy but as a reflection of cycles in behavior, history, and personal experience. Using texture, mark-making, and transparent layering, I aim to create compositions that invite viewers to pause, reflect, and resonate with what they see.

Collaboration is central to my artistic practice. I believe shared creative experiences foster meaningful dialogue, especially across cultural and generational divides. Many of my collaborative works are made through an exchange process: two or more artists contribute to the same piece by responding to one another’s marks, symbols, and choices. These layered interactions create visual conversations rich in contrast, connection, and surprise. The resulting work often reflects ideas and discoveries that none of us could have reached alone. There is a spirit of play and generosity in these collaborations—qualities I bring into both studio and classroom settings.

As an educator and arts leader, I am deeply committed to nurturing the next generation of artists through mentorship, access, and inclusive programming. I view teaching and studio practice as deeply intertwined: my work in the classroom sharpens my perspective as an artist, and my creative research informs how I teach. At the core of both is a belief in the transformative potential of art to foster curiosity, dialogue, and collective understanding.

BIO

Young Ae Kim is a UX & UI researcher, graphic designer, educator, illustrator, painter and international speaker originally from Seoul, Korea and currently based in South Dakota. With more than 18 years of global professional experience in graphic and product design, she has collaborated with major clients such as Samsung, LG, Hyundai, Nike, Belvita, Citi Bank, Baskin Robbins, and Sanford Health. Her work bridges design innovation with human-centered research, specializing in information architecture, wayfinding systems, and emotional UX/UI design.

Kim is a Professor of Graphic Design at South Dakota State University where she oversaw the establishment of South Dakota’s first and only MFA in Graphic Design. As a leader in design education, she has developed cutting-edge curriculum, mentored faculty and students, and chaired multiple committees, including NASAD re-accreditation teams.

Kim holds an MFA in Graphic Design from the Savannah College of Art and Design, a Ph.D. in Human Factors Psychology (UX & UI Design) from the University of South Dakota and a BFA in Industrial Design/Art Education from Sookmyung Women’s University in Seoul, South Korea. Her academic research explores how design can evoke and sustain positive emotional responses throughout the user journey. She has presented her findings internationally, including at the Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics Conference, the Hawaii International Conference on Education, and design summits across Asia, Europe, and North America.

A recipient of numerous design awards and research grants, Kim is a member of AIGA, HFES, AHFE, and other professional organizations. She also serves on advisory and review boards for global design foundations and research initiatives. Her creative and scholarly work continues to explore how design shapes perception, empathy, and engagement across cultures and media while her paintings pair Asian pop culture with contemporary newsworthy events.

ARTIST STATEMENT

Children are naturally drawn to these characters. They enjoy the playfulness, develop early visual literacy, and are inspired to create. However, beneath the surface lies a deeper narrative: each painting's title is pulled directly from contemporary news headlines. This duality invites adults to pause, reflect, and engage in dialogue about urgent social issues, filtered through a deceptively sweet, storybook aesthetic.

My body of work functions on two levels: accessible to children for its whimsy and beauty, yet deeply resonant for adults willing to look beyond the surface. I want my paintings to open space for conversation, empathy, and critical thought, to challenge viewers to explore what lies beneath “cute” and how visual narratives shape our perception of the world.