Meet Sasha Schwartz | Art Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sasha Schwartz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sasha, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
I think many businesses are born out of a dissatisfaction with the status quo and a belief that you can create something better. Art education, as I had seen it, was either completely process-based, allowing young artists to freely explore art materials without considering what they were creating OR completely product-based, where artists are all making the same thing; usually something “inspired” by a famous artist. Our organization seeks to give artists (even our youngest ones!) the opportunity to fully and authentically experience the artistic process; from conceiving of an idea to realizing that idea to ultimately sharing or selling that idea to the world. Our artists not only create complex work through the use of various artistic media (including sculpture, painting, drawing and printmaking); they show their work in the greater community to gain an authentic idea of careers in the arts and the role of art-making in our greater community.

What should our readers know about your business?
We are an intergenerational art studio providing classes, camps and workshops to students starting at 18 months and continuing into adulthood. Our classes focus on painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, and fiber arts. While we guide our artists through the creative process, all of their art-making experiences end in culminating public events where they share their finished work. We have 2 studio locations in New York, one in NYC and the other in Westchester. Soon after we opened our first studio in 2013, we were awarded NY Magazine’s Best Young Artist Incubator Award. A little later, I was awarded the first Excellence in Art Education Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. However, my most proud achievements have undoubtedly been the swaths of students who have been changed by their exposure to the arts via our studio. We are opening up our newest studio location in Boulder in August and cannot wait to work with a completely new community. Our focus in Boulder will be a print shop that allows all our artists to design and print their own work for sale in markets and exhibits.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Being a transplant from the east coast, the mountains are my favorite part of living here! Driving around here was challenging at first because I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing from my car! Aside from hiking in them, I’d say go to Chautauqua for a meal (great food and views), the New Local (amazingly curated local artwork) and coffee shop hop: we have plenty of great ones with different vibes and products.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
-The Reggio Emilia approach for providing inspiration and confirmation for what I know to be right in art education
-Harvard’s Project Zero for reinforcing the value of artistic habits for children and naming those habits for educators
-Dr. Barbara Salander, my professor, mentor, and friend, for exposing me to the world of art education

Website: https://www.scribbleartworkshop.com

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Image Credits
Uriel Tlamaxco for studio shots
Steven Schwartz for headshot