Author: NIAD Art Center

Untitled (S0912) Samantha Kershnar

NIAD Windows Exhibition: Adornment, selected by Max Kauffman

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About the exhibition These ten artists imbue spirit into everyday objects. Facets of daily life become abstract through their methods; quilts, photographs, clay and paper become magical things through the power of repetition. The rituals of home and comfort are elevated through spiritual fulfillment. The love bestowed upon these items reveals itself. Not merely beauty, these things serve a purpose. They emanate joy, a sense of peace, and a hope of understanding one another. About the selector Max Kauffman   Meet the selector (virtually) at Thirsty Thursday, June 10, 6-7pm PT. View the exhibition.View Untitled (S0912), Samantha Kershnar.

Untitled (D9706), Karen May

Online Exhibition: Bookends, selected by Ellen Lake

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About the exhibition   Bookend (plural bookends) A heavy object or moveable support placed at one or both ends of a row of books for the purpose of keeping them upright. … one of two things occurring or located at either end of something else. For this exhibition the ceramic works of Ann Meade and Saul Alegria are the supports holding together a shelf full of treasures by NIAD artists.   About the selector Ellen Lake is an interdisciplinary artist living in Oakland, California. Her work experiments with technology, explores archives and collections, returns time and again to painting and process, and ranges Read More …

Quilt (F1343) by Ann Meade

Online Exhibition: Cat Waterfall: Artist of the Month Series, selected by Ann Meade

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About the exhibition: “Lots of workshops and places have employee of the month, and so I thought it’d be great if NIAD had ‘Artist of the Month.’ That’s how I came up with the idea for this tradition. First I picked my quilt. It has baseball players and cats. The way I made it makes it go with the other pieces in this show. I went through the pages of my work and looked for the most colorful things.”  – Ann Meade We are thrilled to present the following collection based on an AOM installation directed by Ann Meade! Ann pitched Read More …

A vertical sheet of white paper with hand painted black text. The text fills the entire page and is stacked vertically with each word representing one layer of the stack. The text reads from top to bottom: “Purple Barbara horse white.” The only word split into two layers is Barbara, with the last two letters painted under the first 5, that is: “Barba” followed underneath by “ra”. There are a few splotches of black ink around the letters.

Online Exhibition: Purple Barbara, selected by Richard Zimmerman

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About the Exhibition The works in this exhibition move fluidly between letters, lines, texts, figures, signs, symbols, and a multitude of other forms both abstract and representational. I was drawn to these works primarily for the artists’ use of line, space, and color. Upon sustained viewing of the works (alone and together), I was struck by the echoing forms and energies that emerged within and between the works in the exhibition. About the Selector Richard Zimmerman is an interdisciplinary artist whose work spans various media, including sculpture, photography, sound, and drawing. His work explores the intersection of subjectivity and the Read More …

Header of Jean's Mother's Day Spotify Playlist

Mother’s Day Spotify Playlist by Jean McElvane

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NIAD Studio Artist, Jean McElvane, has created a fabulous Mother’s Day Spotify playlist. Even though the holiday has passed, shouldn’t we celebrate mothers every day? Songs include: “If Mama Was Married,” Gypsy, Ann Jillian and Natalie Wood “Mama Didn’t Lie Jen,” Bradley “Mama Said,” The Shirelles “Mama Used to Say,” Junior “Mama Told Me (Not to Come),” Three Dog Night “Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean,” Ruth Brown “I’ll Always Love My Mama,” The Intruders “Mama’s Pearl,” The Jackson 5 “Your Mama Don’t Dance,” Loggins and Messina “Mama Can’t Buy You Love,” Elton John “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” Read More …

Thirsty Thursday Logo

Online Event: Thirsty Thursday with Make-and-Take Workshop

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Join us for Thirsty Thursday on May 13 from 6-7:30 PM PT for a virtual art-making workshop and conversation with the selected artists from the Art In Windows 2021 exhibition.  You’ll have the opportunity to meet and talk with all of the participating artists: Mireya Betances, Eddie Braught, Sarah Waite Chase, Deatra Colbert, Robin D. Lopez, Elmarise Owens, Esmeralda Silva, and Karin Turner. The first 25 people who RSVP (and live in the Bay Area) will receive a make-and-take art workshop kit. The kit includes some of materials the artists used to create their artwork. Planning to tune in from outside Read More …

New Windows Exhibition: Art In Windows, organized by NIAD + Richmond Main Street Initiative

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About the exhibition Art In Windows, the annual storefront exhibitions program pioneered by Richmond Main Street Initiative, returns this year through a pilot collaboration with NIAD Art Center. Funded by the Richmond Arts and Culture Commission’s Neighborhood Public Arts Mini-Grant, the collaboration includes two exhibitions in Downtown Richmond windows, a free online opening reception (featuring participating artists and family-friendly workshop kits to accompany the exhibition), and a small business development workshop in June for up to 25 artists. In March, the Art in Windows call for artists resulted in 34 submissions from 26 artists. Running from May 1–22, 2021, Art In Read More …

A watercolor scene with two figures standing in front of a gingerbread castle surrounded by green trees, against a blue sky.

Online Exhibition: Forest Of Fantasy, selected by Bessie Kunath

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About the exhibition This collection of objects and images meanders through the enchanted woods on a gothic quest steered by good and evil forces. The trees seem to come to life and the ground beneath is wrought with ancient Druidic wisdom. Go forth and may your travels be prosperous, meaningful and enlightening. About the selector Bessie Kunath (b. 1981, Orange, CA) is an artist and curator who lives in Cleveland, Ohio where she currently works as a nurse at the Cleveland Clinic. She has formerly worked at Creativity Explored in San Francisco and at ECF Art Centers in Los Angeles, CA. Read More …

Untitled (D1339) Halisi Noel-Johnson

From NIAD’s Director: Learning with Humility

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From our elders, youth, neighbors, sisters, brothers, and respected community members we hear: the verdict in the George Floyd murder trial is a step forward, but this verdict is accountability, not true justice. We continue to mourn lives lost. This week, we say the names of Ma’Khia Bryant, Daunte Wright, and Adam Toledo in rage and sorrow knowing there are too many more. We must shape the present and the future to be more just. At NIAD, we are continually learning what we are called to do. As an organization, we are:   Holding space for weekly conversations at the intersection Read More …

Untitled (D0443) Yuka Kobayashi

Online exhibition: Warming, selected by Good Buy Supply

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About the exhibition Warming A selection of works that embrace imperfect elements and subtle beauty found in nature. We can envision the artists admiring the natural world and what they love about it. Each work is met with a delicate thoughtful touch that can transcend beyond the page. The same mindset can be found in making sustainable choices that better people and the planet.  About the selector Good Buy Supply is Philadelphia’s first retail store dedicated to plastic-free alternatives for everyday life. Located in the grand, independent business community of East Passyunk Avenue, Good Buy Supply boasts a large selection Read More …

Terri Moore and Karen May

We’re Hiring!

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NIAD is an organization that aims to be artistically relevant and culturally inclusive. As an organization we deliver these aims through activities in our main galleries, our Artist of the Month installation run by studio artists and staff, and our off-site partnership collaborations. NIAD’s Art Marketing and Partnerships Program drives audience reach, reputation and revenue: developing and diversifying audiences; building brand visibility, and creating an outstanding audience experience; and generating income for NIAD. Our very active team aims to deliver outstanding art marketing to our audiences that is both highly creative and effective and can connect us to the widest Read More …

Untitled (F0407) Susan Wise

Online Exhibition: Other Side Of The Rainbow, selected by Stephanie Hanor

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About the exhibition After a year of shared, global trauma, in the multiple forms of a pandemic, systemic racism, economic and environmental disaster, and political turmoil, there is a small light at the end of the tunnel. While the future remains precarious and unknown, the works in this exhibition embrace the colors of the rainbow, conveying a sense of hope and optimism. Bright and expressive, these pieces are an antidote to the losses we have endured both individually and together. Their sunniness and cheerfulness raise one’s spirits and anticipates the promise of a better tomorrow. About the selector Stephanie Hanor is Read More …

Sara Malpass Untitled (D0696)

Online Exhibition: Words And Feeling, selected by Nicole Shaffer

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About the exhibition When going through the NIAD archives, I was struck by a number of works that pair text with image in ways that shift language and illustration from a familiar, functional use to something more expansive. I access a similar experience of forming unexpected and generative correlations when I observe my sensations through movement. For this online series, I selected works that opened up my thinking about language and sensory experience. About the selector Nicole is a current MFA candidate at San Francisco State University and has exhibited in Bay Area spaces such as Southern Exposure, Wolfman Books, Read More …

Saul Alegria Untitled (S2530)

NIAD Windows Exhibition: To Make Home, selected by Simon Tran and Kari Simonsen

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To Make Home is about how each of us holds a different idea of home—the city we grew up in, the people we love, a pet, the place we do laundry, or the space in which we make art. Home can mean a comforting place, a far away place, or a confusing place. Each of us carries a bit of home with us. For example, Simon Tran is influenced by the spices used in his mom’s Vietnamese cooking. Others view home as something to leave behind, such as jen stract whose art practice involves carrying mini clay washing machines with Read More …

Jean McElvane’s Playlist: Walls, Windows, and Mirrors

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NIAD artist, Jean McElvane, has created a playlist of songs about walls, windows, and mirrors for us! “The idea for this set list came from the thought of looking beyond four walls, through the window, and a good look in the mirror looking back at what’s there,” says Jean. You can view Jean’s available artwork in the NIAD Gallery Store by clicking here. Enjoy her Walls, Windows, and Mirrors playlist! #1 Off the Wall” by Michael Jackson Link to “Off the Wall” lyrics #2 “Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)” by Pink Floyd Link to “Another Brick in the Wall Read More …

Online Exhibition: Artist of the Month Series: Peter Harris

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About the exhibition “I made all of these. Pink, green, blue: it’s art.” Over the past few years, NIAD artists have been delving deeper into the curatorial aspects of their practices by participating in our Artist of the Month program, which converts a portion of the communal studio into an installation and exhibition space. Working individually or in teams, artists elect to display completed work, experiment with wall murals and site-specific installations, or perform art, poetry, and music. We are thrilled to present the following collection based on an AOM installation directed by Peter Harris. Peter selected a number of his ceramics, prints, and paintings, and continued to add new work to the space for the duration Read More …

NIAD Art Centers front windows display a series of artworks by African American artists including ceramics, prints, and drawings.

Online Event: Thirsty Thursday with Raven Harper and Shawna Kinard //

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Join us online at 6PM, Thursday, February 11! We’ll welcome NIAD Studio Artists Raven Harper and Shawna Kinard in conversation about their NIAD Windows Exhibition, “History in the Making.” In addition to curating this month’s NIAD Windows Show, Raven and Shawna join seven NIAD Studio Artists exhibiting in Richmond Art Center’s Art of the African Diaspora. At Thirsty Thursday, they will reflect on both exhibitions and their perspectives on African American History Month. Admission is free, but you must register to receive the join-in link. See you there!

A ceramic vase with cover featuring a glazed pattern of overlapping semi-circles in red, black, green, yellow, and purple

NIAD Windows Exhibition: History in the Making organized by Raven Harper and Shawna Kinard //

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About the exhibition In this exhibition, Shawna Kinard and Raven Harper are exploring their relationship to Black history through the lens of NIAD Studio Artists whose work they identify with. “Black women deserve to be heard. Often Black people don’t get to be heard and I wanted to show Black women because I know a lot about Black history. Black history is important to know about because it’s something you can teach your children about.” For Raven Harper, her curatorial direction followed the pathway of remembering. “People these days should recognize that our ancestors did it for us. Rosa Parks Read More …

Snakelike animals in colored pencil and black sharpie marker move diagonally right to left amidst a gold-leafed field in this collage by NIAD studio artist Alice Sampson.

Online Exhibition: The Absence of Evidence Is Not the Evidence of Absence, selected by Christina Hughmanick //

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About the exhibition This exhibition strings together graphic images developed by each artist to reconsider written language in relation to early human mark making. From a talk given by paleoanthropologist Genevieve von Petzinger in 2015 entitled Why are these 32 symbols found in ancient caves all over Europe?: “As you pass through the portal between light and dark, you enter a subterranean world — a place of perpetual gloom, of earthy smells, of hushed silence. Long ago in Europe, ancient people also entered these underground worlds. As witness to their passage they left behind mysterious engravings and paintings…triangles and zigzags from Read More …