In memory of artist Betye Saar (1926-2026) [w2uIclsLPE4]
Excerpt from the INSPIRATION episode. With a career spanning 60 years, artist Betye Saar (1926–2026) made an indelible impact on our nation’s artistic and broader cultural landscape through her prints, collages, assemblages, and installations. A lifelong resident of Southern California, Saar grew up in Los Angeles and Pasadena, where she began her career studying design at Pasadena City College and then at UCLA. After working in design, she took postgraduate printmaking classes and shifted her practice to fine arts. Saar’s early work, primarily prints and other works on paper, began her signature exploration of African American identity, spirituality and mysticism, and American social and political context. In the late 1960s, Saar began to experiment with found objects, including photographs, collectibles, family heirlooms, and utilitarian objects, to create assemblages that powerfully address racist histories and propel us into a future of reclamation and change. Saar continues to make new work, building on her celebrated practice while also engaging with evolving personal and societal influences. For more info about Craft in America, visit www.craftinamerica.org. All Craft in America episodes are viewable on craftinamerica.org, the PBS iPhone/iPad app, and pbs.org/craft-in-america Craft in America’s mission is to promote and advance original handcrafted work through educational programs in all media. Support our exploration and celebration of the handmade. craftinamerica.org/page/donate