Statement and Bio

ARTIST STATEMENT

My work is the result of my perpetual pursuit of knowledge and understanding. As a child I realized quickly that the accumulation of information far exceeded the quantity that a dedicated classroom teacher had patience or time enough to teach me. I approach my work initially as a scientist approaches their research. I first gather information from primary sources. As the search images develop I follow a considerably less linear path and am attracted by the unexpected and overlooked. The disregarded records, figures or facts merge and become the atypical moments that facilitate my knowledge of materials, technology and objects. These moments nourish intuition and lead to invention. The combination of research, information and play is the subject of my work. My recent research threads included textiles, touch, and vintage knitting patterns.

BIO

Denise Bookwalter works in a range of print media including traditional and digital processes, artist’s books, installations and dimensional prints. Her artists’ books utilize old and new print technologies to create collaborative artists’ books. Her work has been exhibited and collected in a variety of venues across the country and abroad. She received her BA from Northwestern University and her MFA from Indiana University in Printmaking. Denise currently lives in Tallahassee, Florida with her husband and twin girls. She is an Associate Professor of Art at Florida State University where she teaches printmaking and is Area Head of the Printmaking Department. She is the director and founder of Florida State University’s artists’ book press, Small Craft Advisory Press.