Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Kaitlin Smrcina makes ceramic sculptures referencing film, video games, and emerging digital realities, using gardens as a setting for the manicured suburban uncanny.

Smrcina received her BFA in 2015 from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with focuses in Ceramics and Fiber Arts and Material Studies, and an MA and MFA with honors distinction from The University of Iowa in 2026. Smrcina has been awarded various grants, scholarships, and fellowships during her time at Iowa including the Digital Scholarship and Publishing Summer Fellowship, and is a 2026-2027 Fulbright U.S. Student Program Social Sciences, Arts & Humanities Award Semi-finalist. Since 2012, Smrcina has exhibited across America, in Canada, and with Lefebvre et Fils in Paris, France.