Graduate Student Speaker Series Continues With Liz Alspach

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Liz Alspach

Liz Alspach, a recent graduate of the U of A's Master of Fine Arts program, is set to discuss her artist's book 2+2=CAKE at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 9, via Zoom. The public is invited to attend, and registration is required. This event is part of the Graduate Student Speaker Series, a collaborative initiative between the University Libraries Special Collections Division and the Graduate School and International Education.

2+2=CAKE is an artist's book, which is a work of art in book form. In conducting research for the project, Alspach utilized examples of artist books and printmaking in Special Collections as models for the way the final product could be both an academic research project and an art object.

"I look forward to sharing my findings surrounding the ways artists are using organizations as creative practices and how Special Collections resources can be applied along with this work to navigate one's own container for work and livelihood," she said. 

From her website: Alspach is an artist, designer and writer who builds organizations and forges relationships as tools for imagining and building radical futures. She was educated first in the rural, small town manner of neighborly generosity and collective accountability and then in the liberal arts of academia. As the granddaughter of a Depression-era furniture maker and the daughter of a county fair champion quilter, Alspach's work is born from a deep and disciplined history of living in community and working with her hands.

​​"Special Collections is increasingly partnering with students and faculty interested in artist's books, and through this series, we've encouraged MFA graduate students to leverage Special Collections materials in their artistic research process," said Kara Flynn, research and educational services archivist. "The result of that work in Special Collections are pieces like 2+2=CAKE. The process comes full circle as Liz has donated her artist's book, which is now available in Special Collections for future students to view, experience and use in their own learning and research process."

The Graduate Student Speaker Series affords graduate students the opportunity to present research or creative work they have done using materials from Special Collections and get feedback from our community as they continue their professional development. Graduate students from all disciplines are welcome to apply.