Sally Wiener Grotta is traveling the United States, spending time in various artisans’ workshops, capturing the stories of their life’s work and passion. Sally's natural down-to-earth shooting style helps artisans warm to her camera, developing personal relationships that allow her to share in intensely private and often poignant creative moments, as well as spontaneous expressions of joy and discovery. Her narrative series of portraits capture both the fascinating creative processes and the individual personalities of the craftspersons. As she wanders the country, Sally will also continue to share her pictures and stories, through exhibition installations, slide-show presentations, and lectures/classes on narrative portraiture and photography.

To create her photographic essays of traditional tradespeople at work, Sally returns frequently their workshops and habitats, following the entire process of their creations. In other words, Sally spends considerable time at each location she visits for American Hands. When her schedule permits, she also accepts Artist in Residences and speaking engagements at select schools, museums and similar organizations, and will sometimes schedule her American Hands photo shoots to coincide with such invitations. Programs that Sally leads include the following::

• American Hands exhibits & gallery talks
• American Hands slide-show presentations & discussions
• American Hands study courses for grades 8 through 12, as well as for college and art school students
• American Hands programs and classroom discussions for elementary and middle schools
• Other school programs to encourage students to explore the history and stories behind American Hands, as well as to try their hands at various crafts
• Interactive programs in senior centers, to encourage older Americans to tell the stories they remember about the people who handmade everyday items