Michelle Wilson

Michelle Wilson is a Lecturer at Stanford University and San Jose State University, working as an interdisciplinary artist focused on papermaking, printmaking, book arts, installation, and social practice. Her work explores intersections of environmental justice, colonialism, and personal narrative through collaborations like the Rhinoceros Project (with Anne Beck) and BOOK BOMBS (with Mary Tasillo).

• Universities: Stanford University, San Jose State University
• Artistic Mediums: Papermaking, Printmaking, Artist Books, Installation Art, Social Practice

Her research and practice emphasize environmental change, sustainability, and the materiality of paper as both medium and metaphor. She integrates invasive plant fibers into her work, using papermaking to critique ecological systems and human-nature relationships. Her narratives often feature non-linear storytelling, where landscapes act as catalysts for transformation and historical commentary.

Recent publications include Entanglements #3 (2024) analyzing the 1524 Map of Tenochtitlan, and Book Art Theory Blog (2022) on archival metaphors. Her 2016-2020 works address guerrilla art, urban ecosystems, and collaborative paper interventions.

Scientific & Artistic Awards:

• Lenore Edelman Award for Book Arts (2007)
• Creative Capital 'On Our Radar' designation (2015)
• Barbara Deming Foundation Grant (2020)
• Puffin Foundation West Grant (2016)
• ArtsCatalyst Awards (2021-2023)
• Artistic Excellence in Programming Grant, San Jose State University (2021)

Wilson's teaching extends to workshops at institutions like Haystack Mountain School of Crafts and Kala Art Institute. Her artworks are held in collections including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Yale University, and the National Museum of Women in the Arts.