Studio News - March 2025

Dear Subscriber First Name,

Spring has sprung! Despite the troubling daily news, nature is going about its usual business with signs of unthawing and new life, and I cannot help but feel hopeful.

I am writing this issue during my post-teaching residency week at the Press at Colorado College, run by Jillian Sico, where I am working on the standard edition of History of a People.

My goal for this year is to share more frequent and meaningful newsletters. Subsequent issues will vary in size and scope, and will feature in-progress and finished works, exhibitions, and other fun things. Welcome to those who have signed up from social media.

Let me back up a minute – the last half of 2024 was such a whirlwind!

Farewell Florilegium, a book that is an ode to my former garden,  was exhibited in Grow at the Palo Alto Art Center, September through December 2024. 

Also last Fall, Inheritance was featured in Season 4 of Artists’ Books Unshelved, an ongoing (short) video series featuring selected works in the Cynthia Sears Artists’ Books Collection at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art. I am over the moon at the care and attention that was given to the presentation!

Most of my time last Fall was spent preparing for Alisa Banks: Unerased, my exhibition curated by Jillian Sico, which is currently on display at the Colorado Springs Fine Art Center. The exhibition is located in four galleries and is my largest to date. I somehow got it completed in time, but not without help from hubby and visiting daughter.

Click here to view images of the galleries.  I will introduce the new works in future newsletters.

I received a warm welcome when I arrived in Colorado Springs at the Fine Art Center. The museum staff were great to work with, and the talk was well-attended by both locals and out-of-towners, including several artists.

The exhibition includes two on-loan books – Armoire (Baylor University) and Yeene (Tulane University). It was great visiting with each after all these years.

I was interviewed for an article in the Colorado Springs Gazette, and the exhibition was the subject of a wonderful blog post by Marjorie Vernelle, a local artist I met during the talk.

During the same time of the exhibition opening, I taught a book arts course at Colorado College. It was quite a challenge to get ready for both the class and the exhibition! I enjoyed the students and am so pleased with all their work, including a collaborative project based on cotton. Each student researched an aspect of cotton that interested them, and contributed a signature that they designed based on their research.

My stay in Colorado Springs wasn’t all work. I had loads of fun attending a Yoruba indigo dyeing workshop taught by Gasali Adeyemo. Of course the workshop sparked more project ideas!

The unique version of History of a People will be traveling cross-country from its home at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C., to be exhibited in Ether, at the Craft Contemporary in Los Angeles from May 30 – September 7, 2025. The exhibition opening coincides with the Scent Week LA May 24 – June 1. 

As always, I am happy to hear your comments or answer any questions you may have. 

More to come! ~alisa

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Kind Regards ~alisa