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 Wordgathering, 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 2025, she was awarded a national ASAP scholarship and 1st place for her work of flash fiction, Maybe it Was, from CWC Marin. 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 for educators. Recently, she 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.