Dear Subscriber First Name,

Spring has sprung here in North Texas! Finally, and at last!

After my five-week residency at Oaks Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF) last year, I spent a whirlwind of a week visiting friends in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area. During that week, I visited fellow book artist and most gracious host, IBé Crawley in Richmond, Virginia. IBé greeted me with Welcome! All roads lead to Richmond, did you know that? She proceeded to share some of the deep history of the city that resulted in my most recent book, A Day in Richmond.

The train station where I arrived is located in Shockhoe Bottom, which was the center of Richmond’s slave trade and there are several historical sites nearby, including the African Burial Ground and Lumpkin’s Slave Jail. Two brass plaques marking the Richmond Slave Trail were embedded in the ground at the jail compound, and I mentioned offhandedly that I’d take rubbings had I thought to bring some paper and crayons. Well, IBé later produced some clay from her studio, and we returned to the site to roll the clay over the markers.

Taking impression of a site marker. Main Street Station is in the background.

Throughout the day, my history lesson continued with IBé pointing out other landmarks in the city. That evening, we wrote on the back of our clay tablets, which IBé had fired:

Fired clay tablets

Fortunately, I took lots of notes that evening, which came in handy for the text, which incorporates some of the writing on both tiles. Each page takes the reader along a tour of the city, starting with the train station and ending at IBé Arts.

Text, detail

Collograph printing plate

Collograph plates were made from the images on the plaque, which were relief printed onto the front pages of the accordion:

My intention was to use the tablets as both printing plates and inserts in the work, but I ended up breaking both while experimenting. So, I made plaques of portions of the plates using air dry clay, and attached them to the covers:

Inked clay used as frottage plate

Impressions made of the text we wrote onto the back of our tablets were frottaged onto paper and affixed to the inner covers of the wrap around case:

Interior of case covers with protection quilt

I visited IBé’s studio, a historic building built by enslaved men, which she lovingly restored. From her art center we walked one block, to the former Appomattox Plantation and General Grant’s headquarters at City Point in Hopewell, Virginia. On the grounds grew wild grapes, figs, ginko, and pear trees, among others.

After I returned home, IBé kindly gathered and sent plant samples, which I collographed onto board and frottaged onto the back of the accordion.

Collograph printing plate

As I painted watercolor onto the backs of the accordions, my application became freer and more saturated in color, with the blue granulating in pools. It seemed a shame to add additional paint - watercolors often have other things in mind - so I let them be. Five books have full color backs and five have only blue bands.

The leaf collograph plate was reverse frottaged onto the back sides of the accordions and onto separate pieces of paper.

Frottage in progress

The frottaged leaves were colored and then cut out and collaged onto the back sides of the accordions. I was even treated to an impromptu visit from hubby and daughter, who aided in the effort.

Back, detail

IBé and I managed to catch the Frida Kahlo exhibition at the Virginia Museum of Fine Art:

IBé (left), Alisa (right)

I had no plan on making a book about any part of my stay, anticipating only good fellowship, which was had in abundance. Thanks to IBé, my day in Richmond ultimately inspired this and another works, which I am looking forward to sharing with you in future issues.

 A Day in Richmond is an edition of 11 and it is also a travelogue. The techniques and materials used in this project reflect my goal for the books to have an immediacy about them - as though they were created (almost) that day in Richmond.

Ancestors’ Hopes and Dreams, reverse (detail)

I will be giving a talk, Working the Remanent, Saturday, May 2, 2026 at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art. Learn more here.

History of a People, a conceptual artist’s book that traces African American history and culture through scent, is in Who is America at 250? Artists' Books on the State of Democracy. Learn more here.