$n@¢K/t!m£ Series
MOTION & NEW MEDIA
$n@¢K/t!m£
DIGITAL COLLAGE SERIES
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TEXTPOP
MOTION DESIGN
EVERYTHING IS GOING SO WELL
MOTION & PRINT SERIES
THE GLITCHKEEPER
DIGITAL COLLAGE SERIES
KEEP RUNNING
ANIMATION
THESE TRUTHS 1.21.20
DIGITAL PRINT
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BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL INTERACTIVE WALL
XR EXPERIENCE
AUGMENTED REALITY LEARNING LABS
XR EXPERIENCE
CLASS OF 2032
MOTION & DIGITAL MEDIA
GRIT & GRACE
ART DIRECTION & TITLE DESIGN
STRENGTH
DOCUMENTARY ANIMATION
STAND WITH UKRAINE
MOTION DESIGN
MINDFUL MIRROR
XR EXPERIENCE
THE TROUBLE
VIDEO
CREATIVITY IN EDUCATION
ART DIRECTION & MOTION DESIGN
LITTLE MINUTES
VIDEO SERIES
MY HEART WILL GO ON
MOTION DESIGN
ART OUT WITH YOUR HEART OUT
PROJECTION MAPPING
SPEED RACER: THE NEXT GENERATION
ANIMATION & COMPOSITING
MYSTERIEUSE
ANIMATION
TRI
ANIMATION
IN THE FAMILY
DOCUMENTARY ANIMATION
VISUAL COMMUNICATION
STAMFORD DATA SCIENCE INITIATIVE
CREATIVE DIRECTION
RAYA SUNSHINE
CREATIVE DIRECTION
XOXO ELLIE
CREATIVE DIRECTION
THE LAW UNMASKED
ART DIRECTION
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EASTON TOWN SIGNS
ART DIRECTION
MONKEY SPOTTER
CREATIVE DIRECTION
GREENHOUSE STUDIOS
CREATIVE DIRECTION
4STAMFORD
CREATIVE DIRECTION
SUNDAY WITH SHAKESPEARE
ILLUSTRATION
DARDEN / RED LOBSTER
NESTLE / STOUFFERS
FX / SONS OF ANARCHY
FX / ITS ALWAYS SUNNY
ELEMENTARY.TTF
TYPEFACE DESIGN
SHORETHING.TTF
TYPEFACE DESIGN
COFFEESHOP.TTF
TYPEFACE DESIGN
SAMO.TTF
TYPEFACE DESIGN
CHARACTER ANIMATION
WORKSHOP
CAMERALESS ANIMATION
WORKSHOP
MGFX BUCKS
LEARNING AID
PHOTOSHOP HERO
EXERCISES
LATERAL THINKING
EXERCISES
MEDIA & CONTENT CREATION FOR EDUCATION
SPECIAL TOPICS COURSE
TRADIGITAL CHARACTER ANIMATION
COURSE & WEBSITE
MOTION DESIGN & ANIMATION 2
COURSE & WEBSITE
EXPERIMENTAL ANIMATION
COURSE & WEBSITE
NARRATIVE WORKSHOP
COURSE & WEBSITE
DESIGN LAB 1
COURSE & WEBSITE
MOTION DESIGN & ANIMATION 1
COURSE & WEBSITE
3D MOTION 1
COURSE & WEBSITE
TRANSMEDIA STORYTELLING
COURSE & WEBSITE
MOVING IMAGE & SEQUENCE
COURSE & WEBSITE
ANIMATION LAB
COURSE & WEBSITE
GOLDEN TICKET
IMMERSIVE SYLLABUS
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE
IMMERSIVE SYLLABUS
HOGWARTS EXPRESS
IMMERSIVE SYLLABUS
TEACHING INNOVATIONS
TEACHING PORTFOLIO
ABOUT
AWARDED- GOLD MEDAL
UK ANIMATION & MUSIC VIDEO FESTIVAL
TEXTPOP
EXPERIMENTAL ANIMATION
London, UK
February 2025
AWARDED- BEST ANIMATION
EXPERIMENTAL DANCE & MUSIC FILM FESTIVAL
TEXTPOP
Toronto, ON, Canada
August 2024
AWARDED- BEST IN SHOW
THE HAL PRIZE
$n@¢K/t!m£ (I SAID HI)
PHOTOGRAPHY, DIGITAL COLLAGE
Door County, WI, USA
2023
LONG LISTED
WOMEN IN ART
EMERGING ARTIST PRIZE 2024
$n@¢K/t!m£(I SAID HI)
PRINT CATEGORY
London, UK
2024
NOMINEE
KINODROME FILM FESTIVAL
TEXTPOP
BEST ANIMATION
Cleveland, OH, USA
October 2024
SEMI-FINALIST
BLOW-UP CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE FILM AWARDS
TEXTPOP
Chicago, IL, USA
January 2025
AWARDED- GOLD
CONNECTICUT ART DIRECTORS CLUB
$n@¢K/t!m£ SERIES
POSTER SERIES
Connecticut, USA
2024
AWARDED- BEST VFX & COLOUR
HOLLYWOOD NORTH FILM AWARDS
CLASS OF 2032
INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY
Toronto, ON, Canada
2019
AWARDED- DIRECTORS CHOICE
27TH BLACK MARIA FILM & VIDEO FESTIVAL
MYSTERIEUSE
THIRD PRIZE
New York, NY, USA
2008
AWARDED- GOLD
CONNECTICUT ART DIRECTORS CLUB
STAMFORD DATA SCIENCE INITIATIVE
INTEGRATED BRAND DESIGN
Connecticut, USA
2022
RECENT EXHIBITION
PLEXUS PROJECTS
$n@¢K/t!m£(I SAID HI)
GUI/GOOEY
Brooklyn, NY, USA
October 19-December 19, 2024
RECENT EXHIBITION
TSK JUMBOTRON, TIMES SQUARE
THESE TRUTHS 1.21.20
New York, NY, USA
September 2024
RECENT EXHIBITION
COLUMBUS INTERNATIONAL FILM & ANIMATION FESTIVAL
TEXTPOP
Columbus, OH, USA
April 26, 2025
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RECENT EXHIBITION
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL
TEXTPOP
Athens, Greece
September 2024
RECENT EXHIBITION
MvVO AD ART SHOW
New York, NY, USA
October 2024
RECENT EXHIBITION
KINDROME FILM FESTIVAL
TEXTPOP
Cleveland, OH, USA
November 2024
RECENT EXHIBITION
HMVC GALLERY NEW YORK
THESE TRUTHS 1.21.20
"MOMENTS" EXHIBITION
NYC, NY, USA
June 1 - June 30, 2024
RECENT EXHIBITION
ART X GALLERY
GEN AI SUMMIT
$n@¢K/t!m£ SERIES
/IMAGINE...DIGITAL SOUL" EXHIBIT
Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco, CA, USA
May 2024
RECENT EXHIBITION
EARTH SPACE GALLERY
THE GLITCHKEEPER SERIES
"DATA DREAM" IMMERSIVE EXHIBITION
Hoxton, London, UK
March 15 - 25, 2024
RECENT EXHIBITION
MARBLEHEAD ART ASSOCIATION
$n@¢K/t!m£(I SAID HI)
"VARIATIONS 2024" NATIONAL JURIED EXHIBIT
Marblehead, MA, USA
April 21 - June 16, 2024
RECENT EXHIBITION
GALLERY OMNIBUS
THESE TRUTHS 1.21.20
"PORTRAITS" EXHIBIT
Dresden, Germany
February - March 2024
RECENT EXHBITION
LAS LAGUNA GALLERY
$n@¢K/t!m£ (GOOD EVE)
OFFICIAL SELECTION, "WOMEN IN ART"
Laguna Beach, CA, USA
March 7 - March 31, 2024
RECENT EXHIBITION
TAG GALLERY
THESE TRUTHS 1.21.20
OFFICIAL SELECTION, "MADE IN THE USA: EXPRESSIONS OF FREEDOM"
Los Angeles, CA, USA
July 2023
RECENT EXHIBITION
GALLERY OMNIBUS
$n@¢K/t!m£ SERIES
"FIGURATION" EXHIBIT
Dresden, Germany
December 2023- January 2024
FEATURED ON
WOMENWHODRAW.COM
women who draw an open directory of female* illustrators
ONLINE
NYC, NY, USA
ONGOING
EXPERTISE & SKILLSETS
2D & 3D Animation / Motion Graphics / Traditional, Digital, Stop-Motion, Puppet Animation / Digital Drawing / Compositing / Graphic Design / Concept Design / Pre-Visualization / Storyboarding / Drawing & Painting / Digital Video / Editing / Print / Printmaking/ Installation Arts / Photography / Narrative Prose
.
SOFTWARE PROFICIENCY
Adobe After Effects / Adobe Photoshop / Adobe Premiere / Adobe Illustrator / Adobe InDesign / Adobe Animate / Maya / Cinema 4D /Bodypaint / Dragon Frame / Frame Thief / Poser / Procreate / Red Giant / Shake / Toon Boom / Trapcode / Zbrush / Microsoft Office Suite / Google Suite
Samantha Olschan is an award-winning interdisciplinary artist & educator who works across animation, art, and design.
Her work explores the dialogue between image, typography, and culture to communicate complex narratives. Utilizing a blend of fine art and design, she establishes points of tension, challenging conventional views and enriching the discourse on awareness, compassion, and visual communication. The work investigates how these elements influence perception and response, using aesthetic approaches to engage deeply with their narratives. Through manipulating time, movement, color, photographic elements, and typographic forms, she creates layered meanings that reflect the experiences of marginalized groups and is dedicated to building empathy and amplifying the voices of underrepresented communities.
As an educator, she combines collaborative, game-based & project-based learning in the classroom with digital media as a learning aid.
Recent exhibitions and screenings include the P.O.V. Series (PBS), The ShortList (PBS), The Connecticut Art Directors Club, Tag Gallery Los Angeles, Las Laguna Gallery, Gallery Omnibus, Art X Gallery, the GenAI Summit, Hollywood North Film Awards, The William Benton Museum of Art, The Peninsula School of Art, Black Maria Film & Video Festival, New Haven International Film Festival, The Seattle International Film Festival, Boston Cinema Census, Boston Underground Film Festival, FrackFest, Visionfest, Tribeca Cinemas, Bumbershoot, The Gene Siskel Film Center, Marblehead Film Festival, The Skopelos Foundation for the Arts in Greece, and Womenwhodraw.com.
Teaching appointments in animation, design & media include: University of Connecticut, Pratt Institute, Wesleyan University, Quinnipiac University, Columbia College, New York Film Academy & The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
EDUCATION
MFA. Film, Video, New Media, Animation
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
BFA. Fine Arts, Electronic & Time-based Media
Carnegie Mellon University
AWARDS & HONORS
Resident, Skopelos Foundation for the Arts, Skopelos, Greece
2025
Winner, John Kurtich Scholarship Foundation
2025
Gold Medal Winner, UK Animation & Music Video Festival, Textpop, London, UK
2025
Semi-Finalist, Blow-Up Chicago International Arthouse Film Awards, Textpop, Chicago, IL
2025
Nominee, Best Animation, KinoDrome International Motion Picture & Screenplay Festival, Textpop, Cleveland, OH
2024
Winner, Best Animation, Experimental Dance & Music Film Festival, Toronto, Canada
2024
Winner, Gold Award, $n@¢K/t!m£ series, Connecticut Art Director Club Awards, New Haven, CT
2024
Judge, EMMY Awards, The New York Chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Ohio Valley Region, Categories: Motion & VFX, Sports Openers
2024
Winner, Best Animation, Experimental Dance & Music Film Festival, Toronto, CA
2024
Women in Art Emerging Artist Prize 2024, Long List, London, UK.
2024
Best in Show, Photography, $n@¢K/t!m£ (i said hi). The Hal Prize
2023
Gold Award, Integrated Branding Program, Stamford Data Science Initiative. Connecticut Art Director Club Awards. Mildale, CT
2022
Best VFX and Colour- International Documentary, Class of 2032. Hollywood NorthFilmAwards. Toronto, Canada
2019
Womenwhodraw.com, Featured Artist. Online database
2018
Official Selection, The Trouble. Frack Festival. Oklahoma City, OK
2017
Directors Choice- Third Prize, Mysterieuse. 27th Annual Black Maria Film & Video Festival. New York, NY
2008
SELECT EXHIBITIONS
The Art of Language Exhibition, The Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut, Danbury, CT
2024
GUI/GOOEY, Plexus Projects, Brooklyn, NY
2024
KinoDrome Film Festival, Cleveland, OH
2024
MvVO AD ART Show, New York, NY
2024
Experimental, Dance & Music Film Festival, Toronto, Canada
2024
ArtX Gallery @ the GenAI Summit, Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco
2024
Moments, HMVC Gallery New York, NY
2024
Data Dreams, Immersive Exhibit. eARTh Space Gallery Hoxton, London, UK
2024
Variations 2024. Marblehead Art Association Gallery. Marblehead, MA
2024
Women in Art. Las Laguna Gallery. Los Angeles, CA
2024
Portraits, Gallery Omnibus, Dresden, Germany
2024
The Hal Prize, The Peninsula School of Art, WI
2023
Color, Gallery Omnibus, Dresden, Germany
2023
Made in the USA, Expressions of Freedom. TAG Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2023
William Benton Museum of Art
2022
Connecticut Art Director Club Awards. Mildale, CT
2022
William Benton Museum of Art
2020
Hollywood North Film Awards, Toronto, Canada
2019
Amazon Prime Streaming, International
2018
Connecticut Film Festival, Bethel Cinemas, Bethel, CT
2018
The Learning Futures Network & Fogarty & EDfutures, Curtin University, Bentley, Australia
2018
Boston Children's Hospital Lobby, Boston, MA
2017
Frack Festival, Oklahoma City, OK
2016
Amazon Prime Streaming, International
2014
Marblehead Festival of the Arts, Marblehead, MA
2013
The Short List, PBS, National Syndication
2008
27th Annual Black Maria Film & Video Festival. New York, NY
2008
Boston Cinema Census, Boston, MA
2008
Annual Boston Underground Film Festival, Boston, MA
2008
Seattle International Film Festival, Seattle, WA
2007
The Gene Siskel Film Center
2007
PRESS
“MvVO ART/AD ART SHOW 2024 Showcases the Art of the World’s Top Creative Minds.” OOH TODAY - Outdoor Advertising & Billboard Industry Insights, 15 Oct. 2024, oohtoday.com/mvvo-art-ad-art-show-2024-showcases-the-art-of-the-worlds-top-creative-minds/. Accessed 22 Oct. 2024.
ArtX Gallery's "/imagine...Digital Soul International Digital Art Exhibit" Shines at GenAI Summit with 19 Global Artists, WRBL News 3 / EIN Presswire. Jun 03, 2024
Announcing the 2023 Hal Prize Winners, Door Country Pulse, December 8, 2023
Third Student-Inspired ‘Welcome to Easton’ Sign Planned, Easton Courier, October 19, 2023
Second Student-Designed ‘Welcome to Easton’ Sign Installed, Easton Courier, August 24, 2023
Facilitating ”Artist Dates” in the Classroom with Samantha Olschan, Fueling Creativity Podcast, February 21, 2023
First of the Student-Designed ‘Welcome To Easton’ Signs Installed at 4 Corners, Easton Courier, December 20, 2022
Let's Get Digital: Benton Exhibition Showcases Digital Media & Design Faculty's Artistry UConn Today, December 5, 2022
New ‘Welcome to Easton’ Signs Unveiled, Easton Courier, July 6, 2022
E18: Women in Animation,Select+CT Podcast, December 22, 2021
The Ballard Institute Presents Puppetry, Game Design, and Digital Performance Puppet Forum, April 22, Broadwayworld.com, April 9, 2021
Creating Art in COVID-19, Daily Campus, 0ctober 20, 2020.
2020 UConn Faculty Exhibition Spotlight: Samantha Olschan , The William Benton Museum of Art, 2020
Danbury director’s film on future of education to premiere in Bethel, Newstimes.com May 26, 2018
Exploring Color Theory, DadsForCreativity.com, 2016
Mellon Grant Puts Digital Publishing at the Front-line, UConn Today, December, 18, 2015
2015 NMC Five Minutes of Fame, New Media Consortium, 2015
© SAMANTHA OLSCHAN
WORK CITED IN & BOOK MENTIONS
Worwood, Matthew, J., 2020. From Teacher to Designer: Promotion Teacher Creativity When Using New Technology. John Hopkins University.
Ceglio, Clarissa, 2019. Redesigning Scholarly Communications Workflows and Work Habits for the Digital Age: The Greenhouse Studios Proposal. Journal of Scholarly Publishing. University of Toronto Press Inc. (UTPress).
McCaw, Caroline, 2017 . Here I Am: A Collaborative Exhibition Between Technology And Art History Students Exploring Culture And Identity. AIGA Design Educators Converge Conference, Long Paper Session.
Bortolamedi, Clarisa E. Carubin, 2017. Motion graphics, una disciplina emergente del diseño vista a través del análisis de sus planes de estudio en la educación superior de los Estados Unidos. University of Barcelona.
Villaseñor, Irene, 2008. In the Family by Joanna Rudnick: A Film Discussion Guide. PBS.org.
PRESENTATIONS & PANELS
Olschan S. (2023). “Embracing Empathy & Ambiguity through Making DEIA Media”. FATE Conference 2023- Serious Play, Foundations in Art: Theory & Education.
Olschan, S. (2021). “Puppetry, Game Design, and Digital Performance”. 2021 Spring Puppet Forum Series, The Ballard Institute and Museum. Panel.
Olschan S. (2021). “Building Communities of Practice through Lateral Thinking Exercises & Play in Digital Art & Design Foundations”. FATE Conference 2021- Infrastructure, Foundations in Art: Theory & Education.
Olschan, S. (2020). "Creativity During Quarantine"., The William Benton Museum of Art Panel
Olschan, S. (2020). 2020 “UConn Faculty Exhibition Spotlight: Samantha Olschan with Hannah Lim”
Olschan, S. (2017). "Greenhouse Studios / Scholarly Communications Design at The University of Connecticut". AIGA Converge Conference
Violin, J. Olschan, S. Pejril, D. & (2017) “Animation for "Digital Visualization as a Tool to Bridge Science and Policy: Examining the Long-Term Effects of Phosphorus on the Everglades Ridge Slough Landscape". Greater Everglades Ecosystem Restoration Conference.
Olschan, S. with Worwood, M. (2016). "Class of 2032" Crowdsourcing, Visualization & Documentary Project. Creativity Con.
Olschan S. with Hunter, T. “Puppetry & Digital Performance in Boston Hospitals.” Ballard Institute Puppet Forum.
Olschan, S. with Worwood, M. (2015). "Class of 2032", 2015 NMC Summer Conference.