Alexis Stiteler Shares Her Creative Ethos

Alexis Stiteler centers her artistic practice on ethical sourcing and shared stories.

Alexis Stiteler’s life is rooted in art, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. “I don’t think that there’s ever been anything else that I’ve really wanted to do,” she says, sitting in the center of her studio and showroom, drinking black tea from a mug made by a ceramicist friend. Her work surrounds her, hanging from the studio’s tall brick walls, tucked into cabinets and laden over tables. Each chore coat, field trouser, scarf and pillow is adorned with hand-drawn imagery—tributes to the meaningful people and places in her life.

Born in Erie, Pennsylvania, Stiteler called many corners of the country home—from Texas to New York—before settling her life and business at The Brick Alley in Stillwater, where she resides with her partner, Derek, and rents a studio space. The iconic building, redesigned by architect Michael McGuire in the 1970s with artists in mind, is a magical setting aligned with Stiteler’s practice. “I just love the quality of the building and how it feels in here. Having this space and getting to share [McGuire’s] work alongside my work feels really special,” she says

Stiteler’s heart and intention find a home in each of her pieces, which contain drawings of objects that hold meaning in her life. “Certain objects take front stage and are something that I repeat a lot, because [there are] certain people that I’m thinking about a lot in that moment or places or just different memories I’ve had,” she says. Grapes honor her grandmother’s memory. Horses celebrate her grandfather’s joy. Ceramic vessels hearken to her time at The New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. Two dogs resemble her current canine companions. Lemons are tied to the aunt who inspired Stiteler to pursue her own artistic practice.

While objects are repeated in her work, they aren’t replicated. “I read somewhere [that] every time you recall a memory, the memory changes. And so I will often draw something from an original source object—either the object itself or a photograph of it—and then after that, I just draw from my memory or from the last drawn objects. So it kind of abstracts itself over time,” she says.

As Stiteler evolves, so does her art. She has already noticed birds becoming more present in her work since settling in the Valley. At her recent exhibition, Solutio, at Calyx Studios in Brooklyn, New York, Stiteler couldn’t help but notice a difference in how she moves through the world as a Midwesterner. “They ask me what Minnesota’s like, and I say that I get to see sometimes six eagles in a day,” she says.

From the soaring eagles and towering bluffs to a handmade cup brimming with tea and the patinated wood door handles of her building, Stiteler is embracing the character of this place. It’s a slower movement, imbued with intention, that echoes in the lines of her art. “We live in such a mass-produced society right now. To be able to see somebody’s hand is so valuable,” she says.

A daybed, made in partnership with Stephanie Lunieski of Lefty Design Co., showcases this intention beautifully. Crafted from cherry wood for Stiteler’s cross-disciplinary exhibition, A Tie That Binds, at Prospect Refuge Gallery, the piece resembles the curves of The Brick Alley and is adorned with wood-burned imagery. Like the historic space Stiteler calls home, the piece will evolve. The tone of the kakishibu (fermented persimmon)-dyed, natural latex cushion will deepen over time as it is exposed to sunlight. Cherry wood is known to do the same. “It’s just this cool, beautiful, special daybed that, with time, will shift with the person based on where they have it in their home, and will, in 10 years, hit its stride,” Stiteler says.

Where an art piece lives and with whom are important parts of its character, she shares. “It almost becomes collaborative with the person who takes the thing home because it isn’t just about my work. It becomes about how they live with it, because that is going to influence the story of that piece,” she says.

This story begins before a piece is purchased and even before it is adorned by Stiteler’s hand. The fabric that she works with is 100 percent American made by growers and makers selected for their methods and ethics. Organic cotton farmed in Texas is milled in North Carolina, then woven on a historic loom and naturally dyed in Pennsylvania. A sewer in New York City works with Stiteler to design patterns, then cuts and sews each garment. When the pieces arrive in Stillwater, Stiteler adds her touch with hand-drawn imagery, using a carbon black dye sourced from wood waste pigment from sustainable furniture makers.

“In the ’40s, it used to be that you’d go to a department store, and they would sit down and tell you all of these steps in the clothing [production] process, and it’s just not a part of our conversation anymore,” Stiteler says. “Even when we’re making art, we don’t talk about where our materials are coming from. I think that our work carries a story, and every part of that story is important.”

Stillwater resident Mike Helke, a longtime friend of Stiteler’s and art department chair at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls, says he admires the ways she folds her values into her work—and how true it is to who she is and what she loves, from her beloved dogs to her penchant for old cars. (She currently drives an ’85 Nissan King Cab.) “What she’s doing—there’s really nothing practical about it. It’s the opposite of fast-fashion … This collision between that older work and this newer, wearable work, embedded with these other values, it’s really enriched what she’s doing.”

Every step of the process occurs near a place Stiteler’s family has called home, a callback to her layered artistic and personal journey. “I’m working in a way that feels really respectful of everybody whose time is involved … It’s not just me talking about my work. It’s me talking about all of this work,” Stiteler says. “It feels more like a group project, and it makes me feel less isolated in my own practice.”

Creating and refining these systems hasn’t been easy, but it’s an effort that Stiteler enjoys. “That’s my favorite part of this work, finding people who are thinking cleverly about ways to improve the world … I love getting to support projects that I think bring beautiful things into the world,” Stiteler says. “It’s like, ‘How far down the rabbit hole can I go?’”

Visit Alexis

This August, Alexis Stiteler transitioned her studio into a gallery store. Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, the shop features a curated selection of work from area creatives alongside Stiteler’s art. “I’m really excited about it. I’ve got a very cool little collection of people I’m … bringing in, and it’s going to be really fun to figure it all out,” she says.

Holiday Market

Discover The Brick Alley at the second annual Holiday Market from 11 a.m.–4 p.m. November 22, featuring a selection of artists and businesses tabling in the nooks and halls of the historic building. Curated by Alexis Stiteler, the lineup is distinctive and refreshing; from candlemakers and silversmiths to vintage collectors and knitters, the market is abundant with treasures and giftable, handmade items.

Alexis Stiteler
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