SAAM Stories

A painting of a soldier looking at a strolling woman.
Celebrating Pride with paintings by two artists whose lives intersected and whose artworks explore similar themes
Detail of sculpture of a little girl
Online volunteers learn the basics of how to edit Wikipedia by creating or updating articles related to the history of fifty women sculptors in the United States
Kelly Doyle
Sonoe Nakasone
An illustration of a person wearing a black coat and top hat.
Pride Women Artists 06/01/2022
Celebrating the renowned artist with a comic about her life and work
Close of up of clay statue with painted face
Sculptor Wanxin Zhang explores history, politics, and culture through clay
SAAM
Gallery view of sculpture
New exhibition celebrates the 50th anniversary of SAAM’s Renwick Gallery
SAAM
Gallery view of quilt and ceramic sculptures
Contemporary Craft 05/12/2022
SAAM’s director on the exhibition This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World
 Stephanie Stebich, Former Margaret and Terry Stent Direction in the museum's Lincoln Gallery. Photo by Gene Young. 
Stephanie Stebich
Former Director, Smithsonian American Art Museum
Detail of quilted portrait showing three African American soldiers
Learn more about artist Bisa Butler's vivid portraits of African American heroes from World War I
SAAM
The four members of Broke Royals stand in front of a leafy green background.
SAAM's Luce Foundation Center is teaming up with DC local music podcast Hometown Sounds to bring you music and conversations from your favorite artists.
Anne Wilsey
Program Specialist for the Luce Foundation Center
Detail of abstract painting
From the Collection 04/21/2022
What happens when poet Frank O'Hara walks into Mike Goldberg's studio while he's working on a painting?
Conservator pulling a print from the sink of water
SAAM conservator Kate Maynor explains the delicate process of washing paper
Kate Maynor
Black and white photograph of a woman holding a monkey that is swaddled like a baby
From the Collection 04/07/2022
An unexpected email reveals more about the subject of one of Diane Arbus’s celebrated portraits
Photography of John Jacob by Friedrich Nill.
John Jacob
McEvoy Family Curator for Photography
Roman glass bowl
Go behind-the-scenes with conservators who make a fascinating discovery about a rarely seen Roman glass bowl
Katya Zinsli
A holographic figure in a dark room behind a velvet rope and drapes.
On the multimedia installation, Lincoln, Lonnie, and Me, recently acquired by SAAM
This is a photograph of curator Saisha Grayson
Saisha Grayson
Curator of Time-Based Media
Bubble graph with interconnected data points.
This Women's History Month, learn how SAAM is using open data platforms to increase the visibility of artists represented in the collection
Sonoe Nakasone
The two members of Astra Via sit on a couch wering matching black turtleneck sweaters.
SAAM's Luce Foundation Center is teaming up with DC local music podcast Hometown Sounds to bring you music and conversations from your favorite artists.
Anne Wilsey
Program Specialist for the Luce Foundation Center
Three women sitting side-by-side preparing food
A look into the daily lives of women living in one close-knit Baltimore neighborhood
Headshot of a woman with brown hair wearing a gray jacket
Krystle Stricklin
NEA Curatorial Fellow
Artist Augusta Savage with her sculpture
Women Artists 03/18/2022
The Drawn to Art comic series continues to share the lives of women artists you should know
Gabrielle Ching
An illustration of an artist weaving at a loom with a vivid blue background with winding orange lines.
Women Artists 03/10/2022
Celebrating the renowned artist with a comic about her life and work