Seating Assign­ment is a joint effort, bring­ing together two land­mark Carolina insti­tu­tions focused on commu­nity educa­tion and enrich­ment. Sawtooth has been a hub for arts educa­tion in the Pied­mont Triad for almost 80 years, offer­ing classes for all ages across many subjects. Salem College is now in its 251st year as an insti­tu­tion of higher learn­ing for women, the oldest in the south­ern United States, and is ranked among the best liberal arts colleges in the nation.

The inspi­ra­tion for this exhi­bi­tion came from another part­ner­ship: Salem’s Chair Library, a collab­o­ra­tive effort between the Sutton Initia­tive for Design Educa­tion (S.I.D.E.) and Salem College, is a unique resource not found at any other college or univer­sity in the country. The SIDE Chair Library is a growing archive of almost 50 chairs still in produc­tion and consid­ered histor­i­cally signif­i­cant in the design field. Salem students, schol­ars, design profes­sion­als, and commu­nity members can not only visit the library to study these chairs; they are encour­aged to inter­act with them — sit in them, turn them upside down, measure them, and ponder their design, construc­tion, and materials.

Salem College’s women art and design students are the primary users of The SIDE Chair Library; however, their gender is not equi­tably repre­sented by the design­ers featured. Initially conceived as a presen­ta­tion for students from furni­ture maker, craft advo­cate, and Sawtooth’s 2023 Gondring Resi­dent in Wood­work­ing Rebecca Juli­ette-Duex, Seating Assign­ment has evolved into a first-of-its-kind survey exhi­bi­tion high­light­ing contem­po­rary female wood­work­ers and provid­ing students and commu­nity members a prac­ti­cal oppor­tu­nity to see them­selves reflected in the field of contemporary craft.

“We’re proud to host Seating Assign­ment and offer visi­tors the chance to learn more about inno­v­a­tive and influ­en­tial crafts­peo­ple working today,” said Lauren Davis, Exec­u­tive Direc­tor of Sawtooth School for Visual Art. ​“Our school was founded at the onset of World War II by an inven­tive group of women with strong ties to indus­try. They recog­nized the profound impor­tance of arts educa­tion, and their early efforts paved the way for this exhi­bi­tion — one that cele­brates the signif­i­cant, but under-recog­nized, contri­bu­tions of women in the field of design.”

Featured artists include: Katie Bister, Christina Boy, Annie Evelyn, Sophie Glenn, Aspen Golann, Elsa Hoffman, Joyce Lin, Wendy Maruyama, Laura Mays, Stacy Motte + Eleanor Rose, Sabiha Mujtaba, Ellie Richards, Janine Wang, and Kimberly Winkle. While many chairs will come from personal and private collec­tions, Bister and Hoffman will be craft­ing brand-new pieces for the exhibition.

For more infor­ma­tion about Sawtooth, contact 336 – 723-7395 or visit www​.sawtooth​.org

Sawtooth is cele­brat­ing its 79th year as a multi­dis­ci­pli­nary school for visual art and craft, connect­ing and creat­ing commu­nity through the act of making. Sawtooth’s classes and events are open to every­one — no matter their age, skill level, or back­ground. Small-sized, hands-on classes range from one evening, a weekend, or three months, with even more options for chil­dren and teens. 

Check out this great inter­view with Rebecca for Pen & Chisel with Katie Thompson.