I first saw Alicia Starr Ryan’s work on the Facebook page, Asemic Writing: The New Post Literate. I instantly stopped scrolling down the page, caught by the tension and beauty of the image. Alicia does this, she creates art that is both perfectly balanced yet unsynchronized, she draws the viewer in as we concentrate on the contrasting elements, each detail adding another thought to the image. I’m honored to present her here with her own words and paintings. The following four pieces are from Poisonwood Bible Notes.
In Alicia’s Words:
I found a photograph in an album my mom put together as I grew up. One photo stood out among countless others. Looks to be first grade. I was sitting in the first row. The class was making what appear to be Valentine cards. The entire class was facing the camera while I was busy focusing on my masterpieces. My art journey began.
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| When We Were Close |
Some of us--poets, musicians, visual artists--begin our works with one word, one chord, a scrap of paper, a mark, a stroke of color that carries us on a journey, an adventure. It is as if we dare ourselves to take a chance to make something work. Most often this is my jump-off into the project at hand.
Looking back through the years of “art” it became apparent it was often the media directing the outcome, not so often an idea. The various collections are obviously period pieces and easily identified as such. Whether a painting, collage, performance art, they all have a period and memory associations.
Eleven years ago a friend introduced me to IUOMA (International Union of Mail-Artists), an eye opening connection to the international art community. After eight years of college majoring in art, this community revealed a newfangled world - mail art. I have met outstanding creative people through these exchanges. Artists who introduced arty slides, artistamps, rubber stamping, book making, and the official word for scribbling, “asemic writing”. Cheryl Penn, to name one of the people from the early group I exchanged with, offered encouragement and inspiration. Her art calls led to what I consider my best work. She pulled me into making books.
(Many thanks to Sylvia Van Nooten for her invitation to take part in this project.
And Picasso Gaglione for the kick in the bum to follow through.)
Alicia doesn’t necessarily have preferred medium. She uses mostly mixed media, collage and paint. She writes, “Painting over images enables an ownership of sorts.”
On her process, “Collage altered by scratching with an Olfa knife because it is difficult to control the end result. With that said, some types of paper allow writing words, mathematical equations by using the scratching method. I enjoy the surprise of what may be considered mistakes. Just painting. I tend to paint over almost everything. Add, cover, add, cover, add.”
