Sarah Turner

Sarah Turner is a leader-educator-artist based in Massachusetts. She also has a private consulting practice as a professional coach for leaders and doers across the country.

As a leader in studio-based education, Sarah has worked at North Bennet Street School (NBSS), Cranbrook Academy of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, the Oregon College of Art and Craft, and the State University of New York at New Paltz. Currently a critic at RISD, Sarah teaches and mentors graduate and undergraduate students in strengthening research, developing a creative position, and preparing for professional life.  

As president at NBSS, Sarah led the school in expanding programs, building enrollment, supporting students toward employment, and record fundraising. As dean at Cranbrook, she directed the Academic programs of the academy, including a public-lecture-as-variety-show series and a critical studies and humanities residential teaching fellowship, which she established. She lectures widely, regularly serves as a guest critic, and has organized exhibitions on contemporary applied art in the US and abroad. Early in her career, Sarah was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to the Netherlands to research Dutch contemporary applied art.

In addition to her work in education, Sarah maintains a low-production studio. Her work has been included in exhibitions nationally and internationally, including the Museum of Art and Design in New York, the National Ornamental Metal Museum in Memphis, Galerie Noel Guymarc’h in Montreal, and The Society of Arts and Craft in Boston. Her recent work, West Street + West Coast, was shown at the 249A Street Gallery in Boston. 

Sarah is an active board member, volunteer, and advisor for a variety of organizations, including the 249 A Artist Cooperative (treasurer), the Art Jewelry Forum (development chair), the Furniture Society (past development chair), the Michigan Fulbright Association (past co-president), and the Northeast Document Conservation Center (board member).

Born and raised in Wooster, OH, Sarah received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Smith College and a certificate in metalsmithing from the Oregon College of Art & Craft. She earned a Master’s of Fine Arts degree from Cranbrook Academy of Art. Her training in leadership and performance coaching is from Brown University with ACT.