Portrait of the artist who is standing in front of a window. She is white with long wavy dark blonde hair with bangs. She is wearing large copper earrings and is wearing an off-white shirt.

b. London, Ontario, Canada, 1980. 

Sarah Kernohan is a visual artist primarily working in two-dimensional media. Her work focuses on landscape, large-scale natural physical events and memory. She completed her MFA at the University of Waterloo (2015) and her BFA in Drawing and Painting from OCAD University (2008). She has exhibited her work at artist-run spaces and public and commercial galleries in Ontario and Quebec and completed residencies at Pouch Cove Foundation (Pouch Cove, NFLD), The Banff Centre (Banff, AB), and The Bothy Project (Aviemore, UK). She has received several awards, including the Arts Awards of Waterloo Region and grants from the Ontario Arts Council and Region of Waterloo Arts Fund. She has been a member of the Red Head Gallery since November 2022. She lives and works on the Haldimand Tract in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.

CV

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EDUCATION

2013 - 2015           Master of Fine Art, University of Waterloo; Waterloo, ON

2002 - 2008           Bachelor of Fine Art, Drawing and Painting, Ontario College of Art and Design; Toronto, ON       

 

SOLO AND TWO-PERSON EXHIBITIONS

2024    Snow-blind. Gallery Stratford, Stratford, ON. Solo exhibition.  (View documentation)

(upcoming) Red Head Gallery, Toronto, ON. Solo exhibition.

2023     Snow-blind. Red Head Gallery, Toronto, ON. Solo exhibition. (View documentation)

2019     At Most Atmosphere: Works by Sarah Kernohan and Sarah Walterhouse. The Front Room Gallery. Waterloo, ON. Dual exhibition. Curated by Tess Martens

2017      Dissipate. Galerie AVE. Montreal, QC. Solo exhibition. (View documentation)

2015      Sift. UWAG. Waterloo, ON. Solo Exhibition. 

2012      Field. Line Gallery. North Bay, ON. Solo exhibition.  Curated by Amanda Burk.

2009      In_scape. Rotunda Gallery. Kitchener, ON. Solo exhibition. 

2008      In This Area. Paul Petro Special Projects Space. Toronto, ON. Solo exhibition.

 Infinite Intimate. White Water Gallery. North Bay, ON. Dual exhibition.

2004      Re-print. Platform 01 Contemporary Artspace. Hamilton, New Zealand. Dual exhibition.

 

GROUP EXHIBITIONS 

2023       Node..Plan.d, Düsseldorf, Germany.

Fall Into Place. 2gallery. Picton, ON.

Again and again and again: Sarah Kernohan, Gareth Lichty, and Mark Prier. The Assembly, Hamilton, ON.  (View documentation)

2022      DTK Art Walk. Organized by Downtown Kitchener BIA and the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery. Kitchener, ON.

2021     The Artist as Curator. 2gallery. Picton, ON. 

The County Collects. 2gallery. Picton, ON. 

2017      Faux Êveil / False Awakening. Galerie AVE. Montreal, QC. 

Works Selected: Clyne, Johnston, Kernohan, Lexier, MacFarlane and Urban. Gallery Stratford. Stratford, ON. 

Desire Lines. Art Spin. Toronto, ON. Curated by Layne Hinton and Rui Pimenta. (View documentation)

2016      Plexus. DNA Artspace. London, ON 

2015      The 2nd Terrain Biennial. Terrain Exhibitions. Waterloo, ON. Curated by Lauren Weinberg.

Fresh Paint/New Construction - 11th edition. Art Mûr. Montreal, QC. 

Drawing 2015, John B. Aird Gallery. Toronto, ON. Curated by Carla Garnet.

2014      Graduates of the University of Waterloo. Capital One North York Campus. Toronto, ON. Curated by Tracey Capes.

Selected works at Hallway and Vitrine Galleries. Artscape Youngplace. Toronto, ON. Curated by Karie Liao.

Tri-City Stopgap. 151 Weber St. S. Kitchener, ON. Curated by Mike Ambedian, Nadine Badran, and Sheila McMath.

The Elements. The Artery. Waterloo, ON. 

Imaginable Spaces: Op-Art Re-imaged. WARC & Trinity Square Video. Toronto, ON.  Curated by Madi Piller, Kate Wilson, and Corinna Ghaznavi.

2013      Incoming Graduates Exhibition. The Artery. Waterloo, ON. 

2011      The 5th KW|AG Biennial - The Black and the White: An Allegory of Colour. Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery. Kitchener, ON.  Curated by Robert Enright.

Looking Back at the Future: 50 Years of Art at the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition. FCP Gallery. Toronto, ON. Curated by Jennifer Rudder.

2009      An Early Winter. 118 James St. N. Hamilton, ON. Curated by Ola Wlusek.

Making Scenes. Paul Petro Contemporary Art. Toronto, ON. 

Order/Chaos. XPACE Cultural Centre. Toronto, ON. Curated by Dan Rocca.

2009      It Has A Lot To Do With A Thought. Gallery Stratford. Stratford, ON. Curated by Jennifer Rudder.

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition: Best of 2008. First Canadian Place Gallery. Toronto, ON. 

2008      Art in the Fall. 401 Richmond. Toronto, ON. 

DNA: OCAD Grad Show. Ontario College of Art & Design. Toronto, ON. 

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition: Best of 2007. First Canadian Place Gallery. Toronto, ON. Group exhibition.

2007      Lineal Investigations. Housatonic Museum of Art. Bridgeport, CT. Group exhibition. Curated by Robbin Zella.

Pronto. The Great Hall – OCAD.  Toronto, ON. Group exhibition.

Zero to One Presents Gareth Lichty, Ian James Newton, and Sarah Kernohan. Zero to One Gallery. Kitchener, ON. Group exhibition.

2006      A Metá Dell'opera. Via Nazionale Studio.  Florence, Italy. Group exhibition.

51st Exhibition of International Artists. Mayday.  Florence, Italy. Group exhibition.

Canadian Collage Enthusiasts Present: Collage Party. Nuit Blanche at 401 Richmond. Toronto, ON. Group exhibition. Curated by Garett Walker.

Abominations. VMAC Gallery.  Toronto, ON. Group exhibition.

The Dissenters Club. XPACE. Toronto, ON. Group exhibition.

2005      On My Way to Mexico and Other Stories. Waikato Society of Arts Artspost.  Hamilton, New Zealand. Group exhibition.  Curated by Rosie Morrison.

Assemblage. Platform 01 Contemporary Artspace. Hamilton, New Zealand. Group Exhibition.

2003      Foxy, Red Head Gallery. Toronto, ON. Group exhibition.

 

ART FAIRS

2020      The Artist Project. Toronto, ON. 

2008      Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition. Nathan Phillips Square. Toronto, ON. 

2007      Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition. Nathan Phillips Square. Toronto, ON. 

 

FUNDING & AWARDS                                                                                                                                     

2024           Pat the Dog/City of Waterloo Microgrant

2022           General Arts Award, Arts Award Waterloo Region

2020           Pat the Dog/City of Waterloo Microgrant

Waterloo Regional Arts Fund Project Grant

2017           Ontario Arts Council. Exhibition Assistance Grant

Ontario Arts Council. Emerging Visual Artist Grant

2015            University of Waterloo ARTS Senate Graduate Scholarship    

2014            Ontario Graduate Scholarship

University of Waterloo President’s Scholarship

Keith and Win Shantz Fellowship Scholarship

2010           Waterloo Regional Arts Fund Project Grant

Ontario Arts Council Emerging Artist Grant

2009           Waterloo Regional Arts Fund Grant

spOtlight Project Grant. Ontario Arts Council. 

2008           Best Student Drawing Award (Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition)

Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour (CSPWC) Julius Griffith Memorial Prize

spOtlight Project Grant. Ontario Arts Council. 

2007           Best Drawing Award. (Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition)

Best Student Drawing Award. (Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition)

Women's Art Association of Hamilton Scholarship

2006           Sully Corth Memorial Fund Scholarship

Andre Beaulieu Bursary    

2004           Creative Communities Funding received from Hamilton Community Art Council and Creative New Zealand.

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY / MEDIA COVERAGE

Bueckert, Kate. “Open Sesame's new 3-year lease helps local artists, shop owner says”. CBC KW. January 6, 2017

Burk, Amanda. Interview in conjunction with the exhibition Field at the Line Gallery, North Bay ON, 2012.

Carte Blanche, Vol. 2: Painting. Toronto: Magenta Foundation. 2008.

Daytime, Interview with Shirly Madill, Rogers Television, Kitchener, ON, July 7, 2011. 

DeGroot, Martin. “Paying attention to where we are.” Waterloo Region Record. June 5, 2015.

“Episode 13: Sarah Kernohan, Professional Visual Artist // Finding Her Calling As A Visual Artist, Submitting Work To Shows & ALL The Advice For Budding Artists.” The Maker’s Co Podcast. 23 June 2018.

Ghaznavi, Corinna. Op-Art Reimaged. Toronto: Toronto Animated Image Society, 2013.

Haggo, Regina. “Again and Again and Again – Artists replay objects and patterns at Assembly Gallery.” The Hamilton Spectator. (https://www.thespec.com/entertainment/art/review/2023/01/22/again-and-again-and-again-artists-replay-objects-and-patterns-at-assembly-gallery.html) January 22, 2023

Latif, Anam. “Movement brings art to front porches.” The Record. (http://www.therecord.com/news-story/5810841-movement-brings-art-to-front-porches/) August 24, 2015.

Landry, Mike. “Drawing Inspiration From the Bay of Fundy.” Telegraph-Journal. 30 December 2017.

Landry, Mike. "It has a lot to do with a thought." Things of Desire.April 9, 2009. 

Pimenta, Rui. “A Review of An Early Winter.” Hamilton Arts and Letters. Spring/Summer 2011. 

Pronto. OCAD Florence. Florence: Lulu.com, 2007.

“Toronto to Hamilton.” Hamilton Press. (Hamilton, New Zealand) 20 October 2004. p.21 

Vegh, Stephanie. “An Early Winter”. Stephanie Vegh + Contemporary Art and Visual Culture. November 19, 2010. 

Vegh, Stephanie. “Top Five Hamilton Hits of 2010”.  Stephanie Vegh + Contemporary Art and Visual Culture.  January 2, 2011. 

 

Panels and Artist Talks

2023            “On Artist Residencies,” 4th Year Open Studio, University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON (Instructor: Lois Andison)

2019            “Collecting. Deposits. Processing. Making.” Inter Arts Matrix X-Camera Lecture Series, Kitchener, ON

2017            Dialogues Artist Talks with Amanda Clyne and Peter Johnston, Gallery Stratford

2012            Artist Talk, Line Gallery, North Bay, ON

2009            Panel discussion on contemporary drawing moderated by Derek Liddington, featuring Luke Painter, Sarah Kernohan, and Dan Rocca.  XPACE, Toronto, ON

 

Visiting Artist Lectures/Presentations/Critiques

2022            Guest lecture, University of Toronto Scarborough, Critical Landscapes (Instructor: Alexander Irving)

2014            Guest lecture/Guest Critic, University of Waterloo, Experimental Drawing (Instructor: Linda Martinello)

2008            Guest Critic, University of Waterloo (Third Year Studio, Instructors: Jane Buyers and David Blatherwick) 

 

RESIDENCIES                                                                                                                                                            

2022           Pouch Cove Foundation, Pouch Cove, NL

2020           Late Winter BAIR, Banff Centre for Art and Creativity, Banff, AB

The Bothy Project, Ishriach, Scotland

2018           Spark Box Studio. Picton, ON

2015           A Sense of Place - St. Jacobs. Inter Arts Matrix. St. Jacobs, ON

2013-14           Imaginable Spaces: Op-Art re-imaged. Toronto Animated Image Society, Toronto, ON

2013           Self-directed residency. Artscape Gibraltar Point; Toronto, ON

 

SLIDE REGISTRIES                                        

The Drawing Centre Viewing Program. New York, NY. 

 

SELECTED COLLECTIONS

Gowling WLG, Kitchener, ON

The Line Gallery, North Bay, ON

The Perimeter Institute, Waterloo, ON

 

BOARD WORK

2015            CAFKA - Contemporary Art Forum Kitchener and Area, Kitchener, ON

2012-13            Waterloo Community Arts Council (The Button Factory), Waterloo, ON.

Waterloo Regional Arts Fund, Kitchener, ON.

2008-10            CAFKA - Contemporary Art Forum Kitchener and Area, Kitchener, ON