The Society of Illustrators has elected Erick Sahler to Illustrator Membership of the prestigious institution based in New York.

Sahler, 48, of Salisbury, is an illustrator, printmaker and owner of Erick Sahler Serigraphs Co. Founded in 2011, the company produces hand-pulled silkscreen prints and stationery featuring Eastern Shore icons.

A graduate of the University of Maryland Baltimore County with a bachelor’s degree in visual and performing arts, Sahler has worked as a commercial artist since 1983.

He has created thousands of illustrations, graphics and cartoons for clients across the Delmarva Peninsula.

The society has had a distinguished history since its founding in 1901, during the Golden Age of Illustration. Over the years, it has welcomed such prominent artists as Howard Pyle, N.C. Wyeth and Maxfield Parish, and guest speakers have included Mark Twain and Andrew Carnegie.

In 1958, it named Norman Rockwell the inaugural member of its Hall of Fame. In 1959, the society published its first Annual featuring the year’s best in illustration, a tradition that continues to this day.

Becoming an Illustrator Member requires an interview, portfolio review and sponsorship by five current members.

The Society of Illustrators, located at 128 E. 63rd Street in Manhattan, houses the Museum of American Illustration, a gallery for temporary exhibits and a library devoted to illustration.