Samantha Kershnar

I am a multi-material artist. I enjoy fiber, printmaking, drawing, sculpting with both polymer and ceramic clay. I have trouble with my vision when it comes to small details and I identify as she/her. 

I started out at NIAD as a new artist and over time I have tried different types of art. At NIAD I like to work with Bill Zindel in printmaking, Nan Collymore in fiber and Chelsea Smith in ceramics. The studio facilitators help me learn new things.

I like making different types of art for people in my life and myself, such as earrings, bracelets, necklaces and fashion. In fashion I learned about different sewing techniques like the knot stitch and working with different types of fabric like burlap and quilting.

In ceramics I either make things related to home life or I use my imagination. I rejoice in creating different shapes and creations in clay. I like making children’s books because children inspire me. My nephew inspires me to draw things that he enjoys such as dinosaurs and animals from across the world. I enjoy working with my nephew at home in clay and making food and animals. 

For me art means exploring my creativity through my imagination. Art makes me feel colorful, imaginative and creative. 

 // Samantha’s available work //


recent exhibition history

Into the Brightness: Artists from Creativity Explored, Creative Growth & NIAD // Oakland Museum of California // May 2023

Golden Hour, organized by Poppy Dodge // NIAD Online Exhibition // April 2023

Animal, Animal, Vegetable, Vegetable, Mineral, Mineral organized by Nick Schutzenhofer // NIAD Online Exhibition // March 2023

Holiday Gift Guide // “Between Worlds” organized by Joey Enos // NIAD Online Exhibition // December 2022

NIAD Ink: 35 Years of Prints organized by Andrés Cisneros-Galindo // NIAD Online Exhibition // December 2022

NIAD Holiday Gift Guide #1: NIAD is for Animal Lovers ,organized by Dorian Reid // Online Exhibition // November 2022

Crossover: Cedars of Marin + NIAD // NIAD Gallery Exhibition // November 2022

What’s Cookin’?! ,organized by Terri Moore // NIAD Gallery Exhibition // November 2022

Blow Like Magic In Their Face And Vanish organized by James Sterling Pitt // October 2022

Feeling Language, organized by Kate Laster // NIAD Gallery Exhibition // October 2022

Follow the String, organized by Emma Spertus, Julio Rodriguez, Felicia Griffin, Dorian Reid, and Kiesha White // MarinMOCA, Novato, CA // October 2022

I Wanna See All My Friends At Once, organized by Cone Shape Top // NIAD Online Exhibition // August 2022

A Little Bit of Everything: Fashion & Fiber at NIAD // NIAD Gallery Exhibition // July 2022

Summer Break, organized by Matthew Goldberg // NIAD Online Exhibition // June 2022

Can’t Be Shook, organized by Alex Gartelmann // NIAD Online Exhibition // April 2022

Creature Comfort, organized by Sydney Pfaff // NIAD Online Exhibition // April 2022

Innersense, ushered by Germán Herrera // NIAD Online Exhibition // January 2022

Menagerie on 23rd Street, organized by Prajakti Jayavant // NIAD Windows Exhibition // December 2021

Closing Of The Year, curated by Jean McElvane // NIAD Windows Exhibition // 2020

A Kind of Movement, organized by Jay Wehnert // Portland Art And Learning Studios // 2019 

Turn To Stone, organized by Em Kettner // NIAD Art Center // 2019