When I was little, before I could write, I would pretend to write in cursive. I’d take a pencil and paper and draw repeated double loops like cursive f’s, and scrawl graceful wavy lumpy lines. That’s what cursive looked like. I’d pretend to write a doctoral dissertation. My parents were in grad school in Claremont at the time, and I was surrounded by kind academics and their rumpled papers, so in order to make it authentic I’d crumple up the paper as if I was experiencing frustration, then press it all out again, erasing and adding notations in the margins. I would repeat this over and over, with perfect seriousness. I thought it was a beautiful process. I didn’t grow up to write a dissertation, but I did grow up to be a writer, and I am sorry they no longer teach cursive in schools. I still love the look of cursive, and of rumpled paper.
Today, I propose an asemic writing project. Draw lines that resemble words, but without writing anything of meaning.
“Asemic writing is a wordless open semantic form of writing. The word asemic means “having no specific semantic content,” or “without the smallest unit of meaning.” With the non-specificity of asemic writing there comes a vacuum of meaning, which is left for the reader to fill in and interpret.” – Wikipedia
Thank you to the hauntingly mysterious League painter Siobhan Wilder for this idea. [image_with_animation image_url=”7858″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”]
What is Casein? Casein (kay’seen) is a quick-drying, water based medium with a milk-based binding agent. Casein has the wash capabilities of watercolor, the smooth opacity of tempera and gouache, and the richer textures of oils and acrylics. Brushes dipped incasein keep their finesse, producing clear, crisp lines. Unlike oils, casein is a clean, water-soluble medium requiring …
Today instead of “See and Respond” your challenge is to “Hear and Respond.” Check out this series by Jason Moran for inspiration. Jason Moran Pianist and jazz composer, Jason Moran is interested in the cultural and political history of African American music. You can listen to a 7 minute piano piece here. Recently, his musical …
[image_with_animation image_url=”8601″ alignment=”” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Qi Baishi (1864–1957) was one of the most beloved contemporary Chinese watercolor painters. His original name is Huang but he went by Baishi (“white stone”) as a pseudonym. Some of Qi’s major influences include the Ming dynasty artist Xu Wei (徐渭) and the early Qing dynasty painter Zhu Da (朱耷). His favorite …
The Seattle Artist League is three years old. We’ve put on art walk events, Big League Shows, art parties, and hundreds of art classes. Thanks to you, we have grown a lot in three years! We are so glad you are part of who we are as a school.
SAL Challenge Day 26: Asemic Writing
[image_with_animation image_url=”7856″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”]
Siobhan Wilder, painting in progress
When I was little, before I could write, I would pretend to write in cursive. I’d take a pencil and paper and draw repeated double loops like cursive f’s, and scrawl graceful wavy lumpy lines. That’s what cursive looked like. I’d pretend to write a doctoral dissertation. My parents were in grad school in Claremont at the time, and I was surrounded by kind academics and their rumpled papers, so in order to make it authentic I’d crumple up the paper as if I was experiencing frustration, then press it all out again, erasing and adding notations in the margins. I would repeat this over and over, with perfect seriousness. I thought it was a beautiful process. I didn’t grow up to write a dissertation, but I did grow up to be a writer, and I am sorry they no longer teach cursive in schools. I still love the look of cursive, and of rumpled paper.
Today, I propose an asemic writing project. Draw lines that resemble words, but without writing anything of meaning.
Thank you to the hauntingly mysterious League painter Siobhan Wilder for this idea. [image_with_animation image_url=”7858″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”]
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