IBe’ Bulinda Hereford Crawley, a researcher, artist and retired educator, grew up knowing that service to her community would guide her life. Acts of service permeated her childhood neighborhood in Danville, where close relatives and a busy church served as a guiding force. 

“Service is teaching, mentoring and creating for me,” Crawley said. “I take from that church and neighborhood experience. It’s not about self-reward, but ensuring that our community has examples of survival and resilience that future generations will know.” 

That commitment to service led her to create IBe’ Arts Institute in 2021 after retiring from teaching history. The gallery serves as a community space devoted to visually telling untold African American stories and fostering cultural preservation. Located in a school building in Hopewell that was built in the 1830s, the institute is supported primarily through sales of her artist books. She prefers the independence of a for-profit model that allows her to work on her own terms. 

“I have a nontraditional approach to this business because it looks like social justice,” she said. “I don’t want to ask people for money.” 

Crawley has gained recognition for her artist books. Her award-winning debut, “11033,” published in 2022, chronicles the story of a Black woman in the Virginia State Penitentiary in 1921. While the book tells a compelling story, it is also a work of art, constructed from handmade flax and abaca paper with pages shaped like the silhouette of a pregnant body. The textblock incorporates a central clay figure that provides structural support for the book to stand upright and evokes the enclosure of a prison cell. 

Her latest book project, “Exchange: Shockoe, Richmond,” examines the little-known history of free Black residents in Shockoe Valley during slavery. 

“I’m not making art for art’s sake,” she said. “I’m doing this to inspire and teach and to be an example of what’s possible.” 

Crawley earned a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s in education from VCU before pursuing a career in education. She taught history in Fairfax County Public Schools for 25 years and, after retiring, she and her husband moved from the Washington, D.C., area and settled in Church Hill. 

Throughout her years in public education and now in retirement, Crawley continues to draw on her upbringing in Danville. Her commitment to teaching, creating and mentoring shapes her ongoing work to document stories of African American survival and resilience for future generations. 

What is IBe’ Arts Institute?

It’s an art space dedicated to visual and oral storytelling. It’s a repository that houses a permanent collection of original and limited-edition art — a place where I can continue to create. It belongs to the community, so we, as African Americans, can have our own spaces. We opened in 2023, and we’re located in Hopewell. 

What is IBe’ Arts Institute’s mission?

Our mission is to preserve and document stories that reflect our community’s history and culture, ensuring these narratives are passed down and celebrated for generations to come. 

How did you come up with the idea for IBe’ Arts Institute?

I’ve always been a storyteller. I started carving wood in college, but I had kids and stopped. When my sons were teenagers, they encouraged me to do more with my art. When I retired in 2016 as a history teacher, I wanted to continue being an artist, engage with kids and build community. My husband and I moved to Richmond, and I began looking for studio space. 

What inspired your vision for IBe’ Arts Institute?

It’s for women to own a space and a place where they can do their work; it’s a rare opportunity. I want women to know that it’s not always about getting a job or starting a family. I was late getting into the arts, but men seem to do it all the time. My practice isn’t based on making a living. It’s based on creating the work. 

Tell me about the building that houses IBe’ Arts Institute.

I wanted something separate from my home, so I began to look for studio space. I found the property in Hopewell, a school building built in the 1830s that served as a hospital during the Civil War. Despite its poor condition, I used some of my retirement savings to purchase and rehab the property, transforming it into a creative space. It took three years, and the renovation earned a Historic Preservation Award from Preservation Virginia in 2024, reflecting my commitment to preserving history. 

What organizations do you work with?

IBé Arts Institute works with institutions, organizations and individuals to document and preserve historic narratives, including the National Park Service at the Frederick Douglass House in Washington, D.C., and Petersburg Battlefield Park; the John C. Campbell School of Craft in North Carolina; the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C.; and Oakwood Arts in Richmond. 

How is IBe’ Arts Institute funded?

The business sustains itself. My art books do well. Having a residency allows us to pay the taxes and current bills. 

Why is this project important to you?

The way we maintain a youthful mind is by finding something meaningful and immersing ourselves in that. Art allows me to have communities, read, write, research, think and create a body of work that will live beyond my lifetime. I want to leave a legacy that will be meaningful to future generations. I don’t want it to be lost. We have to be intentional. I believe it’s important. 

Tell us more about the book you’re currently working on.

“Exchange: Shockoe, Richmond” is so exciting because I knew there were African American people who were free. The majority of free Black people lived in Shockoe Valley, where I-95 and I-64 are located. I went to the Richmond tax office looking for the Black people who were paying taxes. I found a whole community that was living there. People are literally driving over these Black communities. It’s the power of research, and it will be on display at CODEX [a biennial international book fair] in San Francisco in February. 

Why combine your artistry with well-researched books?

I knew I wanted to create resources for young people to fill in the gaps and give them visual images that they could be proud of. Our history tells us that the only thing Black people have ever done is be slaves, but there were a lot who were free. I want to tell these stories. 

What was it like as an African American woman teaching history in Fairfax County Public Schools?

It was frustrating because I wanted to teach something about African American history, but I couldn’t add the nuances of diversity. 

How do you start the day?

I wake up and do some stretching. A good eating regime is important. Meditation. I write every day, and I write about my day. I want to be accountable to myself. 

What do you do in your downtime?

I like reading and doing research. I like being part of the community. I go to art shows. I enjoy spending time with family, as well as music, art and theater. 

What inspires you?

There are so many African American stories, particularly those of women, that haven’t been documented. I want to keep them from being lost to history. 

Who has influenced you the most in your life?

My grandfather and uncle, who were arrested during the Civil Rights struggle. 

What’s your favorite book?

I’ve read “Sula” 19 times to understand looking at African American women another way. 

What’s next?

In 2026, I’ll be speaking at CODEX. There will be a tour of books, including one of mine, at the San Francisco Center for the Book. I also have a fellowship with CODEX in the summer.