ISOM SYMBOLIC ART

Monday, February 7, 2022

Asemic patterns. Snow, water, ice salt, crystals. February 2022

Saturday, February 5, 2022

Views of my apartment at the Benedictine.

Apartment front door

Living Room open to kitchen

Living room side table

Vinyl collection cabinet.

Friday, February 4, 2022

View of my patio

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, ‘Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.'” — Lewis Carrol

Drawing sketchbook 2022

Just finished my first 2022 sketchbook. 100 drawings with Pentel rolling writer.

Thursday, February 3, 2022

Henri takes a turn in the dryer

I think we all have stories about the life and death of family pets. It can be very traumatic and I feel a little guilty that I have used the death of family pets as fodder for stories that I told to my children and students.

Pets were an important part of our family and now my children are carrying on the tradition of finding the right pet for their families. We tried all sorts of pets, rodents, a few reptiles, spiders, a bird, a rabbit and of course cats and dogs.

How to handle the death of a pet was something we did learn about in parenting class and I am sure it is not in my copy of the parent handbook. Explaining the death of a pet to small children often results in a barrage of questions that challenges a parents creativity.

The Henri the cat story was mostly true. The frantic phone call I received from my wife was the start of this tale. I rushed home from school to find my wife seated in the rocking chair with a lifeless Henri the cat on her lap and could not help but notice that the cats tongue appeared to be extraordinarily long hanging out of his mouth light a limp pieces of raw bacon. Gathered around her were four little mourners in obvious distress. I quieted the group and tried to understand what had happened. Each child tried to tell me between the crying and whining what happen. I finally realized that the cat had made several turns inside the dryer. Evidently, he was sleeping in a basket and got tossed into the drum of death. My wife thought is was just tennis shoes banging around in the dryer but shoes do not make cat sounds as they bang around in the dryer.

I quickly scoop up the cat and sped off to the vet. I rushed him into the office and they quickly tried to revive Henri. Slowly his temperature returned to normal and he regained consciousness. He was a bit lethargic after his surprise turn in the dryer. He stayed overnight at the vet and the next day he arrived home and all was well. Of course he would not get close to the laundry room for the rest of his life. He lived for a few more years and the cat trauma become part of the Isom folklore. Over the years the story has been told hundreds of times. I used to regale my students with Henri's story and other outlandish tales about other events in the Isom household. I did have a method to this story madness; It was an attempt to foster creativity. Turning everyday events into art is a hard task for most people. They seem to be searching for some great Epiphany that will provide the creative spark. However, most of the time they wait for that moment of inspiration that never appears. The edited story told to my grandchildren and students included a description of Henri's strange demeanor due what I called a brain injury. There was no evidence of brain damage, but it was a great addition to the story. I added that he spent most of his days on top of the living room curtain, with a wild look in his eye, just waiting for someone to enter the front door. He would then ponce on them an quickly scurry away. Great story but Henri's did not do a lot of scurrying after the life altering event.

Saturday, January 29, 2022

Hand decorated items

Artist Ron Isom's "Symbolic Journey" Mary Shapiro Oct 2, 2017 Updated Oct 12, 2018

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.

Friday, January 28, 2022

First Television

I have been fascinated by electronics all my life. I never had the computational or science skills to peruse a career in science. I seemed to be more fascinated about science fiction and as a child I would dream of robots and magical machines. Art can be a wonderful blend of science and image making. Many of my works today are metaphors about the intersection of science and art.

This interest stems from my grandfather Isom and my dad. Grandpa was always tinkering in his workshop. He had stacks of popular Mechanics magazines in his workshop that I read voraciously. His work bench was piled high with early electronic devices scavenged from his job as signal maintainer for the Illinois Southern Railroad.

My dad background was similar. He was an electrician and always wanted to have the latest gadget on the market. I remember how he was constantly trying to get better reception on the radio and television. He had a small collection of electronic tools that fascinated me and I would dream of how I could make a great scientific breakthroughs if could learn how to use them. He had a tube tester, oscilloscope and signal generator. Unfortunately, he did not let me help him or share his knowledge. He always felt I was not bright enough to do such complicated work. I still watched from afar and continued to dream.

When I was about eight years old, my dad obtained a Hallicrafter television. I don’t remember where he got it, but I assume it was from Sears Roebuck. I do know that is caused many arguments between my mom and dad because its original cost was 200.00. We were just recovering from the Depression and money was tight. My dad put the television in the front room on a small table. My mom refused to watch it and did not want me to have anything to do with the evil machine. My curiosity got the best of me and I begged for permission. I remember being mesmerized by the grainy black and white pictures and the tiny figures moving inside this mysterious metal cabinet. Stations only broadcast sporadically and my dad was constantly adjustive the antenna and turning the knobs. We were able to watch Crusader Rabbit, Time for Beany and Kukla Fran and Ollie. Crusader Rabbit was the first animated produced specifically for television. The concept was test marketed in 1948, while the initial episode - Crusader vs. the State of Texas - aired on KNBH in Los Angeles on August 1, 1950. Beany and Cecil first appeared as a hand puppet television show in the late 40's created by Bob Clamped. Burr Tillstrom was the creator and only puppeteer on the Kukla Fran and Ollie show, which premiered as the hour-long Junior Jamboree locally on WBKB in Chicago, Illinois, on October 13, 1947.

My dad bought a magnifying glass for the set and the illusion was straight out of a science fiction book. We had that set for about two years. As the economy improved we had a series of televisions. My dad also built a DeForest-Sanabria television from a kit in 1950. Each new television was a wonder and sparked my interests and enchanted me.Today at eighty-two it is hard for me to resist new technology.

Hallicrafters Model 505 (T-54) Television (1948) Introduced in 1948,

Hallicrafters sold this TV in a few different cabinets. The first was model T-54, introduced in 1947. The T-54 came in the same grey metal cabinet as the popular Hallicrafters SX-42 communications radio. Raymond Loewy, the famous Machine Age designer, is credited with designing both of these sets.

Crusader Rabbit

The concept of an animated series made for television came from animator Alex Anderson, who worked for Terrytoons Studios. Terrytoons turned down Anderson's proposed series, preferrring to remain in theatrical film animation, so Anderson approached Jay Ward to create a partnership, Anderson being in charge of production and Ward arranging financing. Ward became business manager and producer, joining with Anderson to form "Television Arts Productions" in 1947. They tried to sell the series (initially presented as part of a proposed series, The Comic Strips of Television, which featured an early incarnation of Dudley Do-Right) to the NBC television network, with Jerry Fairbanks as the network's "supervising producer".[2] NBC did not telecast Crusader Rabbit on their network, but allowed Fairbanks to sell the series in national syndication, with many NBC affiliates (including New York and Los Angeles) picking it up for local showings. WNBC-TV in New York continued to show the original Crusader Rabbit episodes from 1949 through 1967, and some stations used the program as late as the 1970s.

Altered book

What sets art apart from other technological endeavors is not the innovative use of technology, but a creative misuse of it. To use a tool as it was intended, whether a screwdriver or spreadsheet, is simply to fulfill its potential. Misusing a tool by peeling off its ideological wrapper and applying it to a purpose or effect that was not its maker's intention-artists can exploit a technology's hidden potential in an intelligent and revelatory way.

Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Title page of proposed biography.

“One of the basic abilities that should be taught in our schools is the ability to discover, to search for answers, instead of waiting for answers and directions.”

Viktor Lowenfeld (1964)

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

The desire for repetition and order, forms an inherent part of my psyche. My recent work considers the creative application of repetitive processes, motifs and meticulous order. I am exploring and trying to understand why I am drawn to repeated, ritualized actions and to motifs which have become increasingly more obsessive.

“The creative habit is like a drug. The particular obsession changes, but the excitement, the thrill of your creation lasts.”(Henry Moore)

Monday, January 24, 2022

Asemic art

My work is a hybrid of asemic writing. The word asemic means "having no specific semantic content”.Traditional asemic writing does not use real words or phrases. An asemic text may be "read" in a similar fashion regardless of the reader's natural language. My work sometime include words but the meaning is left for the reader to fill in and interpret. In addition to words I use pictograms, ideograms, glyphs and symbols. The works are meant to be read as a story much like a medieval rebus. I also make use of the unconscious by spontaneously drawing with ink with no pre planning. My work is influenced by esoteric codices such as the Mayan Codex and the writings of Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell. I also have an interest in scriptorium the writing, copying and illuminating of manuscripts by monastic scribes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asemic_writing

http://asemic.net

http://www.asymptotejournal.com/visual/michael-jacobson-on-asemic-writing/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scriptorium

Saturday, January 22, 2022

The horror of horror vacui.

Literally translated, Horror Vacui is the fear of empty spaces. In a more technical sense, it refers to a maximalist aesthetic in visual art in which details proliferate to fill every square inch of blank canvas. This aesthetic is associated with many different periods and places, including Islamic art and the medieval manuscripts illuminated by monks.

Detail of painted/drawn chair.

From the archives. Still life just like real life. Circa 1970.

Friday, January 21, 2022

From the Brad Wisenstein collection

Watercolor and India ink. Circa 1990

Airbrush on wood collage. Circa 1990

India ink on paper. Circa 1990

Thursday, January 20, 2022

At ubi materia, ibi Geometria.

“Where there is matter, there is geometry.” Johannes Kepler

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Acrylic marker drawings.

Acrylic markers on black canvas paper 9" X 12"

Isom symbolic Poetry

Journey

Mind is ever haunted

Time is always doubt

Purpose of my journey

Old age is now sight

Death is always near

Man in pain

Curious man and a broken watch

Time without need or relevance

Sight

Looking at stars

Eyes wide open

No rays in sight

Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Art teaching philosophy

Recently, I have been posting about my art teaching philosophy and experience as an art educator. I am very happy that the posts have generated some interest. I have always considered myself an art educator and not an artist. Simply, I am someone who makes art. Making art is not a difficult activity and does not require special training. Art teaching is about setting a condition for art to happen. As parents we buy crayons, paints, an all sorts of craft items. Children participate in countless poster and drawing contests. This burst of art suddenly starts to subside about the sixth grade and fades away for most students. This is the point at which the art baton is handed to the art instructor. Unfortunately, there is often no art teacher to assume the art leadership role. Many parents do continue to provide a creative outlet separate and apart from the school system.

Monday, January 17, 2022

Natural world

The primary influence on my work is the natural world, from the expanse of space to the microscopic view of structures. I am not interested in reproducing what I see. Instead I am seeking a way to go beyond the world of nature and into the place between what we can see and what we cannot.

My interest, at either end of this spectrum of this reality, continues to feed my imagination.

Dans l'air fermée...and innocent parody.

Plein air painting seems to be the “ art du jour”. Plein air is a term derived from the French phrase en plein air, which literally means 'in the open air'. It's a familiar concept today, but in the late 1800s when the impressionists ventured out of their studios into nature to investigate and capture the effects of sunlight and different times of days on a subject, it was quite revolutionary. However, it is not quite so revolutionary today.

My art is called “studio art” which is art produce in a studio setting. Studio art is not revolutionary today and it is a quaint reminder of an artist in his cluttered studio, lined with plaster busts and manikin models to help him in his academic studies.

I decided to describe my work as Dans l'air fermée. Dans l'air fermée is a French expression which means "in the closed air" and it is used to describe the act of painting/ drawing indoors. which is also called La peinture avec l'esprit ("painting with the mind” or what the minds’s eye actually sees”) This type of art, generally does not require a classical studio, photographs, copy devises etc. All you need is a computer, a few sharpies and the desire to draw objects, symbols and images from the subconscious mind.

Isom Symbolic Art prints

Prints of art work posted on this blog are available for purchase. Please email if you are interested.

The prints offered for sale are printed on a HP Envy 5420 in house on 8-1/2” X 11” paper. For all practical purposes the prints are artist proof’s and printed in limited numbers. The prints are not archival prints but printed on good quality bond or photographic paper. The prints are signed/dated and make my work available to a wider audience and serve as an introduction to my work.

What is important to note is that the artist proof prints are of the same quality, type, media etc as the regular edition (unless of course the artist declares otherwise). The only difference between them is the restricted quantity of prints bearing the A/P designation. Traditionally, the artist was very involved in the printmaking process. As the first “proofs” were either pulled or printed, the artist would work out the color and quality issues as they came out of the press.

Note: Signed and numbered digital prints on archival paper are available at my gallery. They are generally printed in editions of ten.

Definition:

Modern printing methods such as laser and ink-jet printing are known as digital printing. In digital printing, an image is sent directly to the printer using digital files such as PDFs and those from graphics software such as Illustrator and InDesign. This eliminates the need for a printing plate, which is used in offset printing, which can save money and time.

Without the need to create a plate, digital printing has brought about fast turnaround times and printing on demand.

Instead of having to print large, pre-determined runs, requests can be made for as little as one print. While traditional printing techniques result in slightly better quality prints, digital methods are being worked on at a fast rate to improve quality and lower costs.

Sunday, January 16, 2022

Earth poem

The Isom Asemic Code Cipher is a cryptogram code system. This form of cipher embodies geometric and organic shapes. Because it use basic shapes it is an economical and effective method of transmitting confidential information. These devices were often employed by the ancients or by the Medieval philosophers and alchemists. The mystics of the Middle Ages used a system of cryptography which concealed the secrets of the human soul. The Isom Asemic Code Cipher can only be decoded by individuals versed in the deep philosophic principles upon which many mystics based their theories of life. Much information relating to the invisible nature of man is hidden under what seems to be mere scribbles and unrecognizable organic shapes. Every student of symbolism and philosophy should be acquainted with the underlying principles of cryptography. This art furnishes a fascinating method of developing an acute mental awareness. Discrimination and observation are indispensable to the person seeking knowledge, and no study is equal to cryptography as a means of invigorating these powers

Atemporality

Today’s Hand Mind Internet Vocabulary: Atemporality

“The concept of internet-induced "atemporality" was coined by science fiction writer William Gibson, author of the cyber/adventure novel Neuromancer. Gibson reasoned that the internet made time disappear in a way, since all periods of history (or art history) are immediately available to anyone cruising the web.”

http://www.nj.com/entertainment/arts/index.ssf/2014/12/art_review_forever_now--contemporary_painting_in_an_atemporal_world_at_the_museum_of_modern_art.html

Doodling and sketching everyday

For most of my life I did not think of myself as creative at all. Then, many years ago, I started doodling and sketching everyday. I filled countless sketchbooks with scribbles and notes. Each day in class I worked alongside my students making art and after school I worked with students constructing sets for plays. I made art with my children and grandchildren. I made art that covered the walls in our homes. I collected junk and filled the garage and studios with art. My motivation was simply filling my life with art. I found myself in a role where I needed to be creative each day, developing new ideas for class projects and home projects. Creativity is important for many reasons. It is a path and process for not getting stuck in old habits and ineffective ways of seeing yourself and the world. Creativity can help with problem solving, with creating healthier relationships, and with having a healthier and happier life.

What I learned is that creativity isn’t something that you have or don’t have. It is something that you can nurture and develop.

Saturday, January 15, 2022

First snow at the Benedictine

Todays project

Friday, January 14, 2022

“I am drawn to powerful, mysterious places... The 'creative haunting' of these locations has been imprinted on my spirit.”

J.R Baldini

I think, to some degree, science and rational thought has robbed the arts of mystery, their most powerful asset. The arts were once avenues of truth and insight. Our modern ideas of reality have changed this goal and now relegates the arts to amusements, and meaningless aesthetic games.

Artist statement

Digital drawing. I Pad pro/Procreate

My art work is personal iconography. The imagery has been developing for over sixty years. The vocabulary of icons enables me to generate hundreds of images without conscious effort. The ideas flow on the paper much like automatic writing. I generate the images in sets of 10 to 20 and have produced several series of 100 or more. The most distinctive element of my art work and teaching has always been manipulation of materials. During my youth, at the height of the Depression, any castaway item became a toy or art material. The underlying concept of my teaching years was creative problem solving utilizing manipulation of material at hand. I seldom had to worry about budgets for materials. Whatever was available was fodder for my students imagination canned and the images are manipulated with image software. An essential aspect of my work is the connection of my work to the world. The internet has allowed me the opportunity to find very esoteric connections.

Today, I have access to many “modern” materials. The computer has become an essential part of my “post teaching” art. It is difficult to maintain my simplistic philosophy. However, the manipulation concept is still prevalent. Photographing and scanning of my original drawings, searching the web for connections and the manipulation of the images using simple editing software provides many hours of creative problem solving.

On occasion I do get nostalgic for the days when a tin can or scrap of paper was all I needed to satisfy my creative energy.

Vita brevis, ars longa

Benefits of teaching

I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for my students who have given me a heart full of joy. Let's face it fellow teachers, students make life a lot more fun and interesting.

One of the benefits of a long life and a teaching career is the joy of seeing students grow up and take their place in society. I was particularly fortunate to teach high school. Seeing a young naive freshman grow into a confident senior is very rewarding. If you live long enough, it does not stop with high school. I am now in my twenty-first year of retirement and have seen many students graduate from college or trade schools and begin raising a family. Many did not choose an art career and are successful in a variety of endeavors. The social website Facebook has made it possible to interact with former students and marvel at their achievements. Some will soon be of retirement age and many have grandchildren.

I am truly blessed to see not only this great drama unfold before my eyes but seeing my own family’s development is a daily reminder of the joy of living and learning.

New sketchbook 2022.

View from my apartment at the Benedictine.

Wednesday, January 12, 2022

A new journey (from the archives)

We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. Walt Disney

On December 27, 2014 my wife and I will have resided at The Rockwood for two years. We entered the uncharted waters of independent living without a map to guide us on our journey. We had lived in our own homes for fifty-five years, and now we were part of a retirement community. We have come full circle. Our first residence, as a new couple, was an attic apartment in the North Chicago suburb of Niles Illinois. The four room attic space above a single family home was our residence for three years. It was sparsely decorated with mismatched furniture and a few wedding gifts. We now live in a well appointed, large two bedroom apartment in Webster Groves, a community north of another big city, St. Louis, Missouri.

Leaving the life of home ownership was not an easy transition. The freedom of your own space with a yard was the American dream. Our homes held memories of our children growing up and starting their own lives. The memories fill the senses and keep flooding the mind on a daily basis. However, new memories of the past two years now occupy our mind. The old memories will never be replaced but the new ones provide comfort on our journey. Free from responsibilities of home ownership, we are building new friendships and enjoying a new environment filled with the things we love. Music, art, and stimulating conversation, now fill our days. We have also found a new hunting ground for objet d’art and tchotchkies. My worst fear now is where will I put all of Anita’s unusual treasures.

Camping with the family

We moved to Belleville, Illinois in 1966 and I began my tenure at Belleville East high school. We had two children Victoria age three and Lori age two. Our new home was located in west Belleville behind Abraham Lincoln grade school and West junior high school. It was a very convent location for our children; no streets to cross, just go through the backyard gate and enter the school yard. We lived there for ten years. That was the time period that we started family camping. We had very little camping experience but we did visit my mom and dad a few times on their camping trip. Money was very tight and we considered tent camping but the preparations time, equipment and transportation was problematic. We decided to buy a popup camper which was easy to pull and we had lots of room in or Volkswagen van for kids and equipment. We later found out that the van was no very good on hills and we traded for station wagon. We started or camping experience on weekends and holidays and soon we were camping nearby states. We visited many camp grounds in southern Missouri. For the most part we avoided tourist traps and stay an state and national parks. It was hard to resist all the advertising signs proclaimed to be the eighth wonder of the world. The children soon began to enjoy roaming around in nature and enjoying eating outside and spending cozy nights in the camper. Our daughter Lori did not completely buy into the program but she was a great help with our youngest son Lowell who was still in diapers when we began camping. Our longest trip was our trip to Disneyland in Florida with a stop in Plains Georgia to visit Jimmy Carter’s home town and of course we stopped at Billy Carters gas station where I purchase a souvenir an of Billy Beer. When wen got to Florida we camped at a campground in Kissimmee a few miles from the park. The heat and humidity of July was bearing down on us. The tent canvas dripped water: it was like sleeping in a sauna. The children's spirits were high in anticipation of seeing the magic of Disneyland. We had three day passes and they could hardly wait for the doors to open. Buy the third day we had to drag them back to the camper because of Disney overload.