SAAM Stories

A black case that is open to reveal smaller compartments and utensils mounted in the lid. Boxes wrapped in brown paper are stacked on the side.
Metalsmith David Harper Clemons creates art that gives new meanings to everyday objects
SAAM
Four people sit around a table playing a game with large cards. The cards have images of artworks on them.
02/03/2023
SAAM educators highlight the collection with a new art-based card game
Kelly Skeen
Detail of brown ceramic jar with writing and the signature "Dave" inscribed around the top.
Craftsman David “Dave” Drake, enslaved for most of his life, produced uncommonly large ceramic jars in 19th-century South Carolina adorned by his poetic verses
A detail of stained glass with a figure, in a fetal position, at the middle
Artist Judith Schaechter uses the labor-intensive medium of stained glass to capture a singular moment in time
SAAM
A white man wearing a dark blazer stands leaning on a balustrade. He has a slight smile.
01/17/2023
A tribute to the Renwick Gallery's Founding Director, Lloyd Herman, a man whose name was synonymous with studio craft
A black  and white photograph of the artist Philip Pearlstein. He is wearing glasses and has a big smile.
SAAM remembers the towering twentieth-century figurative painter, Philip Pearlstein.
SAAM
A black and white illustration of a African American woman. She is shown in 3/4 profile.
12/27/2022
In addition to her own success, Harlem Renaissance sculptor Augusta Savage dedicated her career to creating opportunities for Black artists.
A white Christmas with a homemade box.
Joseph Cornell, who was born in 1903 on Christmas Eve, often created handmade objects to give as gifts during the holidays.
A black and white photo of a man sitting looking away from the camera, his artwork in front of him
An archivist looks at the important art and objects in the Joseph Cornell Study Center
Anna Rimel
Artist Joseph Cornell standing at worktable with materials for his artworks around him
12/15/2022
A closer look at Joseph Cornell's work and his continuing influence, even 50 years after his death
Detail of quilted portrait showing three African American soldiers
SAAM’s video series, American Art Moments, takes a closer look at the monumental quilt The Harlem Hellfighters by Bisa Butler
A explosion of yellows and reds in a scene from WWI
11/30/2022
Taking a closer look at Claggett Wilson’s watercolor paintings that depict his experiences as a combat marine in World War I 
Kelly Skeen
Ceramic bowl with ceramic spoons hanging all around its perimeter.
Artist gwendolyn yoppolo focuses on creating meaningful relationships through a shared dining experience
SAAM
A tight crop of an illustration showing a girl with her hands on the face of a horse. She is smiling.
11/17/2022
Jaune Quick-To-See Smith (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nation) was born on the Flathead Indian Reservation in western Montana in 1940. Throughout her long and distinguished career she has used her art to powerfully express her support for Native American communities
A view of the tree-lined Kogod courtyard
For centuries humans have been bringing the outside in, brightening up interior spaces by incorporating plants into homes and offices. Twice a year, horticulturists at the Smithsonian mimic rain and wind to help keep the trees in the Kogod Courtyard happy and thriving.
Virginia Thaxton