Meet the Panelists

Together, BIMA and BARN are partnering to bring audiences and makers closer to contemporary book arts through both public dialogue (at BIMA) and hands-on creative exploration (at BARN).

Leading up to this talk, Banks will have led a five-day master workshop at BARN— “Speak Your Piece: Artist’s Books with Meaning” (April 27–May 1, 2026)—guiding participants in transforming personal stories into sculptural books through bookbinding, printmaking, material exploration, and narrative development.

As part of BARN’s Handwork Week, Ruiz will lead “Portals of the Poetic Self: The Five Senses” (April 27–May 1, 2026, 1–5 PM daily), an immersive workshop exploring sensory-rich poetry grounded in lived experience. Participants will engage in close readings, peer workshops, and personalized feedback sessions, learning to approach stories with honesty and care while developing a polished portfolio of poems. This workshop offers guidance for writers at all levels, emphasizing storytelling in accessible language while honoring the raw truth of personal experience.

Kim Young Nam is a leading figure in Korea’s natural dyeing and textile arts, recognized for her ability to bridge traditional craftsmanship with contemporary artistic expression. She holds a Master of Arts from the Graduate School of Arts at Dongshin University and currently serves as the Director of Nature 愛 Natural Dyeing Cultural Space, where she continues to explore and expand the creative possibilities of natural pigments. As a certified trainee of Korea’s National Intangible Cultural Heritage in Dyeing and an internationally acknowledged master of natural dyeing arts and culture, she has established a distinguished presence both in Korea and abroad.

In addition to her artistic practice, Kim is a Special Professor in the Department of Fashion Industry at Kunjang University. She has played a significant leadership role in the field as the Founding President of the Korea Natural Dyeing Instructor Association and as a Director of the Saetgol Indigo Dyeing Preservation Society, contributing to the preservation and transmission of traditional dyeing techniques.

Her work has been honored with major recognitions, including the Grand Prize at the Korea Natural Dyeing Cultural Product Exhibition and selection as a “MUSE” product at the National Museum of Korea. Through exhibitions, publications, workshops, and media appearances, Kim continues to promote the cultural and artistic value of natural dyeing to global audiences.

George: George Lewis was born in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1944 to parents who loved gardening, picnicking in the woods, and cooking. His mother, Wilma, instilled in him an early appreciation for the arts, and George began gardening and painting in watercolors as a child. After surviving the challenges of high school and college, he developed a passion for concrete sculpture and water gardening, which led to the creation of fountains and columns as integral garden elements. After meeting David, the two began a lifelong collaboration, expanding their work to include garden mirrors, plaques, fountainheads, paintings on concrete panels evoking ancient fragments, and column fountains. George continues to thrive creatively and personally, celebrating decades of partnership with David and a supportive community of friends. He expresses deep gratitude for this retrospective exhibition and the efforts of all involved.

David: Born in Cleveland, Ohio, David grew up surrounded by beauty and adventure. At 14, he lived for a year in a small fishing village on Crete, Greece—a formative experience that sparked his lifelong fascination with archaeology and mythology. After studying Classics at Oberlin College and exploring a variety of early careers, he moved to Bainbridge Island, where he met George in 1990.

Together they founded Little & Lewis, creating concrete sculptures, fountains, paintings, and gardens over 25 years. Married for 13 years and partners for 35, David and George retired 12 years ago to focus on giving back to the community that inspired and supported their work.

Aimee Lee is an artist who makes, paper, writes, and advocates for Korean papermaking practices as an Ohio Arts Council Heritage Fellow and Midwest Culture Bearer Awardee. Her initial Fulbright research led her to establish the first hanji studio in North America, write an award-winning book, Hanji Unfurled (The Legacy Press, 2012), and create an active studio practice that includes jiseung, joomchi, paper textile, botanical paper, natural dyeing, and hanji techniques.

Her artwork is collected internationally in public and private collections that include the Smithsonian, Metropolitan Museum of Art Watson Library, Cleveland Museum of Art, Los Angeles Public Library, Bodleian Library, and Rijksmuseum Cuypers Library. In recognition of her contributions to Korean art, she has exhibited at the Korean Cultural Centers of the D.C. Korean Embassy, New York Korean Consulate, and Abu Dhabi Korean Embassy. Her Fulbright Senior Scholar research focused on bamboo screens for hanji-making in Korea. Based east of Cleveland, she travels the world to teach, exhibit, and serve as a resident artist. She is devoted to increasing capacity for papermaking worldwide, especially for hanji and East Asian methods, and to raising awareness of toolmaking in the field with her second book, As Good as Our Tools (The Legacy Press, 2025).

Learn more about Lee here.