SAAM Stories

A close up detail of a drawn bat
10/28/2022
A look into the hilarious vampire mockumentary series that now appears to be haunting the museum halls.
A painting of a skull.
Chicano artists and activists blended cultural and visual traditions to create modern Day of the Dead celebrations in the U.S.
Marian Anderson and symbols that surround her life
SAAM educator Phoebe Hillemann reflects on creating resources to spark curiosity for learners of all ages who view William H. Johnson’s Fighters for Freedom series
A woman stands in front of a black sculpture
10/19/2022
Stephanie Stebich, SAAM's director, takes a look at exhibitions and programs and welcomes a new head curator to the museum.
Conservator wearing a head lamp, shines light on a mural.
A behind-the-scenes look at how 3D imaging helps a mural conservator preserve Judy Baca's Uprising of the Mujeres.
Wendy Rose
An illustration of a woman drawing at a table and a group of men behind her, looking on.
10/13/2022
Judith Baca is a Chicana artist, professor, arts administrator, community leader, and social and cultural activist, whose murals and paintings give voice to underrepresented communities.
Detail of a mural showing an indigenous woman at the  forefront of a scene of farmworkers
SAAM talks with the artist about her inspirations and the process of creating a portable mural
A man seated in his living room, petting his dog.
09/30/2022
Collector Douglas O. Robson offers insights into his mother’s collecting habits, her dedication to self-taught artists, and his own collecting journey.
Kelly Skeen
Detail of comic cover depicting an illustration of the artist with protest signs behind her.
Celebrating the renowned artist with a comic about her life and work
An illustration of 10 women artists
09/22/2022
The comic series Drawn to Art, published online by the Smithsonian American Art Museum, features tales of inspiring women artists.
An illustration of two hands holding a miniature portrait of a woman in an oval frame.
09/21/2022
Celebrating the renowned artist with a comic about her life and work
A woman with brown skin and short hair stands holding an African-inspired mask close to her face, covering one eye. In the background are bright, geometric shapes in red, blue, and yellow.
09/21/2022
Celebrating the renowned artist with a comic about her life and work
An illustrated portrait of a woman standing in front of a painting. She has medium brown hair, is wearing a brown jacket, and holding paintbrushes.
09/21/2022
Celebrating the renowned artist with a comic about her life and work.
Detail of quilt that says "i / i am / i am still / i am not still / i am still not free"
Artist Chawne Kimber stitches her experiences and activism in vibrant, improvisational-style quilts
SAAM
A detailed crop of a highly textured ceramic vessel. The center shows a painting of the rapper Notorious B.I.G. The side handles are busts of Notorious B.I.G. on one and Tupac Shakur on the other.
Remixing classical ceramics and underrepresented figures with a hip-hop style
SAAM
A detail of a ceramic sculpture with glaze which appears to have melted
The decadent inspiration behind Lauren Mabry's ceramics
SAAM
Detail of Renwick 50th Anniversary poster with the banner "This Present Moment"
The Little Friends of Printmaking have created posters for the Renwick Gallery including for the current exhibition, This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World