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Events

Work at Sawtooth: Registrar

Sawtooth is seeking a Registrar to join our staff. To apply, please send letter of interest and resume to amyjordan@sawtooth.org. The Registrar is a full-time, salaried position. This position reports directly to the Executive Director and is expected to work in conjunction, and collaboratively, with all the directors, administrative staff, marketing staff, contract teachers and […]

Sawtooth School Hires Two New Program Directors

Sawtooth School for Visual Art recently hired two new program directors: C. Stephen Hurst as Director of Photography and Josie Vogel as Director of Woodworking. Executive Director Amy Jordan says, “Steven and Josie bring such a wealth of experience as both artists and educators. We are thrilled to welcome these two incredible artists to Winston-Salem […]

Sawtooth's New Online Shop

We are excited to announce our new online shop just in time for the holiday season. With new artists added weekly, we hope you will return on a regular basis to support local and read about our featured artists. Shop now

COVID-19 UPDATE

Dear Sawtooth Community, Thank you for your support and understanding of our protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic. Continuing in full transparency and a desire to exercise extreme caution, I have some news to share with you. One of our staff members has been exposed to COVID-19 by a family member but has tested negative themselves […]

Safety in our Studios

Safety in our studios looks different these days, but the experience is still wonderful! In response to COVID-19, we’ve created a great environment in our studios with small class sizes, plenty of room and access to tools, and lots of individual attention. Come see for yourself this fall! Our safety protocols include:  Abiding by state […]

COVID-19 Update: Summer Camps

Due to COVID-19, Sawtooth will not hold Youth Summer Camps for 2020. This was a difficult decision, with many factors to consider, but one that we feel is in the best interest of our students, faculty and staff.  We are very appreciative of the support and encouragement that we have received from our Sawtooth community […]

Message from the Executive Director

On March 18, amidst the uncertainty we are facing, I was reminded of the power of the arts. I accompanied Seth Charles, our Director of Ceramics, as he opened up the studio for students to collect projects, tools, clay, etc. More than 100 students came by. It was moving for Seth and myself to see […]

Metals at Home

I hope everyone is still pursuing creative projects at home! This is my latest distraction, or should I say attraction?! Handmade dichroic glass cabs will be bezel-set in sterling silver to create pendants. I like creating a simple drawing of the pendant then placing different cabs on the drawing to see which one(s) I like […]

COVID-19 Update

Due to the Governor Roy Cooper’s “stay at home” order and the unfolding of the pandemic, Sawtooth will remain closed until June 1, 2020. As we continue to monitor the situation we will keep you updated on our website. Thank you for your support of Sawtooth. We look very forward to seeing everyone again in […]

"In Studio" with Leslie Smith

Dear Sawtooth friends, If I am working on my artwork, then I am “in studio.” It is a very expansive place. So, I am trying to spend a lot of time in studio. I walk in my studio and find my sketchbook asleep. Oh dear! I have got to wake it up. I have started writing […]

Creativity as a Refuge

During these times of uncertainty, connecting to our creative selves can help ease the anxiety or stress that many of us are feeling. Studies have shown that art making, even for a short period, is connected to decreased levels of stress (Kaimal et.al., 2016) and can have a positive impact on our overall wellbeing (Stuckey & Nobel, 2010). […]

Spring & Summer At Sawtooth

The sun is out and creativity is blooming at Sawtooth! We are excited about another session of art and possibility. + Visiting Artists Jason Stockman is a ceramic artist and educator currently based out of Florida. He is currently an assistant professor of ceramics and 3-D program head at State College of Florida in Bradenton. […]

Q & A with Visiting Artist Katie Baldwin

Tell us about the workshop that you will be teaching. Participants will learn how to achieve multiple colors in a woodblock image with perfect registration through the traditional technique of Japanese woodblock printing. This workshop will be an introduction to the printing process mokuhanga, which uses water-based pigments (or sumi ink), a kento registration method, […]

Summer Art Honors

This program is designed for students who are artistically gifted and passionate about art. Students will select one medium in order to deepen their skills and critical understanding. During the 3-week concentration, students will learn from lecture and demonstration, study and critique, and will strengthen their portfolio as they move their work towards the conceptual. […]

Work at Sawtooth: Registration Coordinator

Sawtooth is seeking a part-time registration coordinator to join our staff. Please send letter of interest and resume to alexklein@sawtooth.org to apply. Job Brief The Registration Coordinator is an administrative support team member that acts as the first point of contact to students seeking information or assistance with registration and student services. This position is […]

Valentine's Day at Sawtooth

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with art! Join us February 14th. Enjoy wine, chocolate and a Taste of Art class of your choosing. February 14th Taste of Art Classes Heart Bokeh + with Greg Dailey | 6 – 8 PM Fused Glass Valentine Suncatcher + with Betti Pettinati-Longinotti | 6 – 8 PM HANDMADE MEMORY BOX + […]

Myself Seeing / The Book

For the past month, I have been busily working on the letterpressed book that will be part of the Myself Seeing/Seeing Myself, an exhibit that recently opened at Sawtooth. Large 3×3′ images of the 7th-grade girls showcase their personalities, while the book gives the viewer a more in-depth look. As the girls teamed up and […]

Metal Clay at Sawtooth

This is an exciting time for Metal Clay art at Sawtooth. Read below to learn more! Metal Clay Artists Symposium (MCAS) Registration is now OPEN for the third Metal Clay Artists Symposium (MCAS) at Sawtooth School for Visual Art. This international gathering of all things metal clay will be held August 27-30, 2020. MCAS features […]

Explore Metal Clay at Sawtooth

Sawtooth is excited to bring attention to beauty of metal clay. If you are interested in this medium, we have two great options available i this year. MCAS (Metal Clay Artist Symposium) Registration is now OPEN for the third Metal Clay Artists Symposium (MCAS) at Sawtooth School for Visual Art. This international gathering of all […]

New Year, New Classes

Ring in the new year with our selection of new classes, workshops and events! Use code “WINTERDEAL5” for 5% off Winter Class Fees. Offer ends December 13th! NEW ! Introduction to Virtual Reality Illustration Workshop (age 13- adult) with Meghan Tankersly A, Sat., 1/18, 10 am – 12 PM B, Sat., 1/18, 1– 3PM NEW! […]

Lea Lackey Zachman & Amy Jordan's #SawtoothStory

When Amy Jordan was a Summer Art Honors student a Sawtooth Instructor inspired her and changed her life.  

Nannette Davis's #SawtoothStory

Hear Nannette Davis, Sawtooth Metals Instructor, talk about her history with Sawtooth and why she just can’t stay away!  

Winter Catalog Online

We can’t wait to ring in the new year with new innovative art classes, exhibitions, and events. Here’s a taste of Winter 2020! + Visiting Artists: We are excited to bring four new visiting artists to Sawtooth in 2020! Katie Baldwin will join Sawtooth in February for a Mokuhanga: Japanese Woodblock Printing Workshop. Katie is […]

That Time We Made A Camera Out of A Pumpkin

“I wanted to do something special for Halloween and hit upon the idea of turning a pumpkin into a pinhole camera obscura. I hollowed out a pumpkin, spray painted it black and cut out a square for the pinhole lens. After several attempts of fixing light leaks and figuring out what the pinhole could see […]

Q&A with Visiting Artist Lou Krueger on Building Cameras

Artist Lou Krueger will be at Sawtooth as a visiting artist for a “Build Your Own Camera” workshop on Oct. 18 & 19. During this 1 ½ day workshop, students will build their own wooden camera, create black-and-white pinhole photographs and learn darkroom printing. The camera that students will be building is a new design […]

Try Something New

When I worked as a photojournalist, my failure, then success, stemmed from boredom. I often found myself at events with hundreds of other photographers. I found it tedious to bring back the same photo as everyone else to the newsroom. So I found new places to stand to find different angles. Sometimes I failed, because […]

Sawtooth at LEAD Girls Rising Expo

At the LEAD Girls Rising Expo on Sept. 28th, Sawtooth’s focus was providing a makerspace where the LEAD principle of awareness was addressed for. LEAD is an acronym for Learning Everyday Accomplishing Dreams. As an organization, they focus on principles that will build our girls up and prepare them to RISE to their potential. Through […]

Katie Baldwin

Katie Baldwin is a printmaker and book artist who has traveled internationally as an artist in residence, including at the Nagasawa Residency in Japan. She has exhibited extensively, including at Geida University in Tokyo and the Print Center in Philadelphia. She received her MFA from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. She will be […]

Interview with artist Nannette Davis

Sawtooth Instructor Nannette Davis has just finished designing jewelry that will be at seen during New York Fashion week. She sat down with us and told us about this exciting project! What kind of work do you do? My name is Nannette Davis and I am a jewelry designer and fabricator. I also teach beginning […]

Lisel Crowley

Visiting Artist Lisel Crowley is a Senior Certified Art Clay instructor who has traveled and taught metal clay throughout the United States. Her work has appeared in magazines and online exhibits and is shown in galleries and shops internationally. She is founder and director of the Metalclay Artisan Guild in CT and creator and producer […]

Lou Krueger

Krueger will join Sawtooth as a visiting artist this Fall ( Oct. 18 and 19), teaching a how-to workshop on experimental camera-building. Krueger, professor emeritus at Bowling Green State University, has taught camera workshops at the Penland School of Crafts and other prestigious institutions. His artwork has been exhibited across the country, including solo shows […]

The Memories They Brought Home

Join us Thursday, August 29th at 6 PM for a book signing with photojournalist Martin Tucker. His book of Vietnam photos from North Carolina veterans started as a darkroom class at Sawtooth when Martin was the director of our photography department. Veterans shared 4,000+ photos and for the past 15 years, this project has become a traveling exhibition […]

Summer Instructor Spotlight

Katie Dickson Yarbrough is a full-time, photojournalistic photographer based in Winston-Salem, NC. She received her BFA in Photography from the Savannah College of Art and Design and has been perfecting her craft in the field. This summer, she will be teaching several class for Sawtooth’s Photography department! Take a class this Summer with Katie: Advanced […]

Caring for the Creative Self: A Personal Story

Coping with the loss of my mom is without a doubt the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I’ve attended one on one therapy sessions, grief writing classes, and group sessions, all have been extremely helpful in their own way. As a part-time photographer, I even used my camera as a way to grieve my mother with a […]

AMY JORDAN APPOINTED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Sawtooth School for Visual Art announces the appointment of Amy Jordan to the role of executive director. Jordan has served in the role of interim executive director for the past three months, stepping in following the departure of former president and CEO Geoff Corbin. Prior to that, she served as the vice president of arts […]

Caring for the Creative Self

At Sawtooth, we believe Art + Wellness lives in every studio. Our partnership with Trellis Supportive Care, formerly Hospice and Palliative Care, has allowed us to extend our Art + Wellness community with our pilot program, a seven-week grief support series titled Caring for the Creative Self: Support for Adults Grieving the Death of a […]

Types of Animation

Animation is really an umbrella term for a variety of different techniques of adding movement to images (or inanimate objects). Although there are more, here are the four main ones designers find most useful: 1.       Traditional animation—Each frame is created individually, and then run sequentially for the illusion of movement. This is the historical root of […]

Amy Sanders, Visiting Artist

We had so much fun with Visiting Artist Amy Sanders. Her demonstration focused on soft slab construction, ways of using stamps to add texture, as well as “terra sigillata” – an ancient method of using ultrarefined clay slip instead of glaze. Check out these photos from her two-day workshop!

Instructor Spotlight: Jeanne Arzillo

“I try to expose students to a greater range and combination of media. My students are made aware of the “interconnectedness” of art and other subjects because nothing in this world is truly compartmentalized.” Jeanne Arzillo is a multidisciplinary artist and educator. She received her BFA with an emphasis on ceramics and sculpture from Georgia […]

Silvia Cordero Vega, Visiting Artist

Students will learn how to work with the ruling pen, one of the most adaptable instruments with big creative potential to develop new writing and drawing. Register for this workshop on Sat., 5/4 from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. About calligraphy artist Silvia Cordero Vega Silvia Cordero Vega, graduated from the University of Buenos Aires […]

Reflecting on JoAnne's Legacy

I remember the first time I walked into JoAnne’s house on Hutton Street. It was the spring of 2006, our second date, and I was picking her up for a drive in the country. She was upstairs getting ready, and I paced around the downstairs, trying to make sense of all that I saw and […]

Supplies for Camp Sawtooth

Did you know that Sawtooth accepts in-kind donations of artwork, tools or art materials? Currently, we are looking for art supply donations to help us with Camp Sawtooth this summer. Donation Request List: Buttons Bottle caps Washers, hinges, and other small, non-sharp metal pieces Wire (especially florist wire) Pipe cleaners Individual hole punchers Beads Sidewalk […]

Self Portraits from JoAnne & Ken

These two self-portraits hung in my office upstairs, and I often spent a fair amount of my day staring at them when I should have been working. JoAnne did her print in 1978. She would have been 21 or 22. My painting was done in 1986, when I was 24. By then, we were both […]

National Library Week 2019

In Honor of National Library Week, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite art books. Since, the 2019 theme for this week is “Libraries = Strong Communities,” many of these books can be found at a NC Library. “Six Drawing Lessons” by William Kentridge | Amazon “This book is a trusted friend. I have underlined […]

A Collector's Legacy

Join Sawtooth School of Visual Art & Piedmont Craftsmen on May 18th for a celebration & auction of selected works from the art collection of JoAnne Vernon. JoAnne was Piedmont Craftsmen’s Gallery Director in the 1980s, served as their Board Chair (2010-11), and was the late Executive Director of Sawtooth from 2012-2016. The celebration & […]

Youth Summer Internships

For almost 75 years, Sawtooth School has been the premier community arts school in the Piedmont Triad, providing art instruction for all ages and skill levels. Sawtooth offers a broad range of classes and workshops across a variety of art forms and disciplines. The school is located in the heart of downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  Positions Descriptions  High School Interns work with experienced […]

The Magic of The Darkroom

Steven Spielberg could have not made a more perfect moment. We were in the Sawtooth darkroom. I took the photo paper and put it in the developer tray as a busload of teenagers in an introductory photo class watched. The image started to emerge. “Whoa,” one kid whispered. “Magic water.” We sometimes forget how magical photography […]

Crankies: Stories that Move

At the end of the day, isn’t it wonderful to be a person who makes stories? Who among us hasn’t been moved by at a movie on a screen or a bedtime story told by a loved one. During Winter 2019, Sawtooth students had a chance to create their own engaging stories in John Bowhers’ […]

New Letterpress: The Empress

Sawtooth acquired our Letterpress in Fall of 2019. Check out our current printmaking classes for this session’s letterpress offerings.  This spring marks the first letterpress printmaking classes offered at Sawtooth with our recently acquired antique letterpress, a classic Vandercook-3 press from the 1950s. After a recent naming contest within our community, the name “The Empress” […]

The Return of Summer Art Honors

Dates: June 17 – 28, 2019 Sawtooth’s Summer Art Honors is returning after a six-year hiatus! This esteemed program is designed for students who are passionate about the arts and want to pursue degrees and careers in the arts. Classes will be held Monday – Thursday. Fridays are reserved for visiting artist discussions, portfolio reviews, […]

Summer 2019: Your Child at Sawtooth Youth Summer Art Programs

I often get phone calls from parents who talk about how much their children enjoy making art.  I love getting these calls- it’s amazing to talk with someone about their child’s passion and how taking classes at Sawtooth could further that passion.  Those conversations always make my day. At Sawtooth, we excel at meeting students […]

Lapidary Classes added to Metals & Glass Studios!

The rhythmic, grinding sound of rocks being turned into gemstones is a new emanation from the hallway of studios at Sawtooth. One of Sawtooth’s most recently added programs is off to a flying start since lapidary classes began in the fall session. Classes in cabochon-cutting introduce students to the wonder of turning a rough slab […]

Three Creative Snow Day Activities

I absolutely love snow days! Snow days are perfect for family time since everyone is home together. You have a full day, or more, to relax, create, and explore together! If you’re a working parent and trying to juggle working from home, these activities can help keep your kids busy. Here are some of my […]

Welcome to the New + Improved Sawtooth!

Sawtooth is proud to reveal our redesigned, mobile-responsive website + new registration system! Our students now have full access to their accounts, including the ability to set up a family or corporate account, add additional contacts (such as children, grandparents, emergency contacts), search and register for classes for each member of your household in the […]

Art + Wellness at Sawtooth

The benefits of using arts in healing have been well-documented over the past decade. The arts have been shown to aid in resolving grief and loss issues, promote increased self-awareness through imaginative expression, and create an overall sense of wellness, relief, and better mental health. Art stimulates dialog and creates a safe environment for self-expression. […]

Instructor Spotlight: Kelsey Brown

Kelsey Brown is a fiber artist and educator, and is the co-owner of the Village Fabric Shop in Reynolda Village, which reopened recently with a focus on sustainable fibers and apparel fabrics. Kelsey teaches sewing, natural dyes, and weaving here at Sawtooth. Passionate about sustainable materials, she creates her own natural dyes and often recycled […]

Join the Sawtooth Photo League

Are you a photographer looking for a group to meet and share ideas with? Formed in 2012, The Sawtooth Photo League is a photographic community designed to encourage continued education by offering critique, tips, and support from other photographers. In addition to sharing our own personal images each month, we offer photo assignments to help hone […]

What Is A Comfort Bird?

A comfort bird is a small wood carving that can fit in the palm of one’s hand. These sweet birds are often made as a token of affection and support for a loved one in need. Sawtooth instructor, Tim Trudgeon taught a group of students how to carve comfort birds in a Taste of Art […]

Virtual Reality Demo

Want to wander through a Van Gogh masterpiece, explore outer space, or even save the world from zombies? Come check out the latest in Virtual Reality, or “VR” from Looking Glass. Join us for this hands-on demonstration of the latest VR technology at Sawtooth School for Visual Art on March 8th! Looking Glass is a […]

Glass Bead Making

Spend a fun couple of hours learning something new, meeting new friends, and create a lovely piece of art. This class features Glass Beadmaking using a bench torch and colorful glass rods. Everyone has their own torch… make a handful of original beads! No experience necessary. Register for a glass bead making class starting in […]

Instructor Spotlight: Betti Pettinati-Longinotti

Betti Pettinati-Longinotti has had her work shown internationally. She is a multi-disciplinary artist who works in drawing, painting, mixed media and glass. She received her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art, her MA from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, in Art Education with a studio major in Glass and her MFA […]

Katy Collier, Visiting Artist

Katy G Collier graduated from Whittier College in 2006 with a BA in Studio Art and received an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2009. Before Guilford, she taught at Highpoint Center for Printmaking in Minneapolis, MN. She has also taught at Spudnik Press, SAIC, and Ox-Bow School of Art […]

Explore Creativity this Summer!

This has been an amazing summer. We are so proud of the work that our 3 – 18 year old students have been able to produce in such a short time! Summer is almost over, we do have a few summer youth camps left! If your child is interested in exploring their creativity, have them […]

Work at Sawtooth: Director of Photography

Sawtooth’s Director of Photography develops curriculum for and manages a diversified, innovative, quality arts education program in digital and dark room photography. The Director of Photography is expected to meet the challenges of changing student demands and will develop and implement coursework as appropriate to meet those demands. To meet revenue benchmarks, the Director of […]

Sawtooth School for Visual Art is happy to be hosting the third Metal Clay Artists Symposium (MCAS) August 26 through 29, 2021.  MCAS features a mix of one-day and two-day hands-on workshops by nationally-known metal clay artists, an opening evening roundtable discussion, breakout sessions, 2-hour Technique Discovery Workshops, a month-long metal clay invitational exhibit, a […]