The Warrenville Historical Society is happy to announce that Warrenville artist Asia Bell will be our 2023-2024 Artist-in-Residence. Starting this July, Asia will be working with the Museum on a series of events, displays and artist demos through April of 2024.

Asia Maria Bell was born in Humboldt Park, before her family moved to Bolingbrook and then Warrenville. She has lived in Warrenville for almost 19 years. Her creative talent was discovered at the young age of six years old and she has been driven by her passion ever since.

In Asia’s own words “After practicing and honing in on my talent, I began making artwork for close friends and family members. In 2013, after my sister had her first child, I realized that I wanted to make going to school for art my major, and eventually ended up graduating college with degrees in Art and Fine Art in June 2020.” Asia has worked as a caregiver, helping her sister and cousins raise seven children. 

“My plan before graduation was to pursue a career in art full-time, but that was slowed down after losing a close cousin to gun violence in May 2020, and two more cousins in April and August 2021 to arson and an asthma attack. I was also in a car accident last year that left me with lasting effects of a concussion, whiplash and paresthesia, a form of paralysis that affects the nerves. All of these sudden changes affected my ability to create artwork for quite some time, but after months of physical therapy, I eventually began pursuing art again in the form of chalk and painting even more.” After retraining herself how to draw and paint, Asia entered a chalk art contest and with her undeniable talent won first prize.

Asia most recently showed off her art skills at the 2023 Warrenville Multicultural Festival, hosted by the Warrenville Park District. Asia also completed an Art Internship at the Douglas Park Rec Center, mentoring young people through the arts, and currently has an art piece on display as part of the West Chicago Community Art Banner Exhibit in downtown West Chicago.

Asia defines herself as “a diverse visual artist because I do not limit myself to a certain medium and I like to explore the things that I can do with creating artwork.” As the first African American Artist-in-Residence in Warrenville and the artist that will be featured as we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the establishment of the Albright Studio, Asia is proud to bring new diversity to the Studio (the Albright Studio was created by famous artists Adam Emory Albright and his twin sons Ivan and Malvin in what is now our museum building). Asia is grateful to start this new journey "with the love and support of my family and closest friends, especially of my Mother, Dad, Siblings, Grandmothers Geeka and Deborah, and Aunts Charlotte and Tracy. I strive to make creating artwork a full-time career and to make everyone around me proud!"

We are very excited to feature her and her artwork over the next few months. Stay tuned to our social media accounts and subscribe to our blog for updates. You can see Asia and her art this Saturday, July 15th at the Warren Tavern Preservationists’ Outdoor Concert from 2-5pm, at 3S540 Second Street. A rain date is scheduled for Sunday, July 16th from 2-5pm.

The Historical Society’s Artist-in-Residency Program is funded through a City of Warrenville Hotel Tax Fund Grant.