You could call the codex compiled by Webster Groves artist Ronald Isom Sr. the book of his artistic life. For the more than 25 years since he retired in 1994 as a high school art teacher, Isom, 82, has been using Sharpie pens to do a kind of automatic writing on Bristol paper (smooth art paper), mannequins or anything else, including found objects."I draw until I fill the paper up. There's nothing preconceived about it," he said.
Isom lives with his wife of 55 years, Anita, in The Rockwood retirement apartment complex in Old Webster. The couple has five children and eight grandchildren.
His art exhibit, "Symbolic Journey," continues now through Nov. 4 at Grafica Fine Art & Custom Framing, 7884 Big Bend Blvd. in Webster Groves.Isom taught art from 1962 to 1994, first at Niles Township High School in Skokie, Ill., for four years, then at Belleville East High School until he retired in 1994. He also taught evening art appreciation and drawing classes for 30 years at Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville.Born in Belleville, Isom graduated from Belleville High School in 1957, always having been interested in art.
"I was always kind of a scribbler. My teachers always told me to stop doodling," he said. "Now I'm retired and can doodle all I want!" som's father, Lowell, was an electrician in a steel mill. His mother, Louise, had an artistic bent."She encouraged me. She kept one of my grade school drawings until the day she died," Isom said.He was the first in his family to go to college."An art teacher took interest in me in junior college and encouraged me, so I went to Illinois State University (then Illinois State Normal University)," he said.Isom comes from a classical art background. However, toward the end of his teaching career, Isom was teaching graphic design using computers.
"That helped morph my art into its own style. A couple years ago I had a collection of my work exhibited at Southwestern Illinois College called 'Codex Isom.'"He does about one drawing a day, and has 3,000 of them collected in boxes."They're like notebook pages, with symbols I've developed, like writing a book. I call the whole thing my codex," Isom said. "I'll scan my drawings into my computer and alter them there. When I draw, I have no conscious idea what my works are. I'll put key words into Google about them, to make connections. I try to find relationships between my art and what's out in the world."
Over his career, Isom has compiled the codex, a body of symbols he calls his "life's encyclopedia.""It's writing that looks like it means something but may not have any context," Isom said. "I've done this over many years, with art filled with images and symbols I've created over a period of time, which is why the exhibit is called 'Symbolic Journey.'"
It was about five years ago that Isom moved to the area to be close to his son, Lowell, who lives in Webster Groves."Webster is really an art community, and I started a conversation when I walked into Grafica. Lynn Bozzay, the owner, got excited about my work," Isom said. "Art has become such a big part of my life. I let my mind kind of wander when I draw, as if an eye is on the end of my pen, so I can do it for hours. I sometimes watch TV while drawing and don't even know what I'm doing. I feel art relieves a lot of anxiety."
He hopes "Symbolic Journey" — unlike gallery shows which he said are very neat, with artwork in rows — will immerse people in his symbolic world."I gave Lary and Lynn Bozzay, with Grafica, the ability to hang things on top of each other, in cubby holes, above the doorway, anywhere to get rid of the formality of art," he said.
For more information about the show, visit www.graficafinearts.com.
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