New asemics by Nancy Bell Scott (Old Orchard Beach, Maine, USA)

[De Villo Sloan]

Mail-art by IUOMA member Nancy Bell Scott (Old Orchard Beach, Maine, USA)

May 25. 2014 - This month I was excited to receive new asemic writing from Nancy Bell Scott in Maine. She has developed her own highly recognizable asemic style. The piece above (approximately 5 x 8 inches) is particularly rich in her cursive, organic, highly expressive deep-structure language explorations.

Nancy Bell Scott’s gorgeous work never fails to lead me to consider the relationship between asemics and automatic writing, as each of her pieces seems to bring to the surface texts that originate in the unconscious. Much contemporary asemic writing is generated digitally and invokes both the technological and industrial, essentially composition and even algorithmic generation via machines. Yet another strain is firmly based in more directly human activity as it is hand-drawn and calligraphic. Nancy Bell Scott is firmly rooted in the latter category as well as self-reflective meditation upon the Age of Print and literature as opposed to the post-literate. Here is the reverse side:

As this scan indicates, Nancy Bell Scott favors antique paper and book pages as a foundation for her work. This contributes to a consistent tonal quality and allows for an interplay of asemics with the conventional- textual. At times, even a cut-up element is present; yet the work remains grounded in the materiality of language and the printed page.

This amazing work (above) was also included. The ghost of the printed page is an unobtrusive presence beneath the paint-over.

The legendary mail-artist CrackerJack Kid has noted that Nancy Bell Scott’s work strikes him as being rooted in abstract expressionism, which makes a great deal of sense.

Above is another great piece Nancy Bell Scott included in the package which emphasizes the integration of the verbal and visual. Here is the reverse:

The envelope remains consistent with the aesthetics of this mail-art package:

Note the Carl T. Chew stamp immediately above.

Great Trashpo stamps! Nancy Bell Scott is an asemic writer and artist with whom I always seek to remain current. Many thanks for sending this new work for the growing collection.

[Nancy Bell Scott]

Adrenaline may have helped Marie at that point (but her work is always inspired, no matter what). Next I may try putting all but 10 art supplies in storage--less may be more when in limbo.

[De Villo Sloan]

Welcome back, Nancy. Glad you found the blog & thanks for sending this great work.

Think of it this way: Being uprooted can be a source of artistic inspiration. Do you remember when Empress Marie fled to the countryside during one of the recent Japanese reactor accidents? She didn't have much more than a few personal belongings & a notebook. Through the whole thing, she kept writing & making art. Some good work came from that not-so-great experience.

[Nancy Bell Scott]

A first visit to IUOMA since mid-May and here is this nice blog. Thanks very much, DVS, and Rebecca. The inspiration of your comments is needed, as most of my supplies are in moving storage and I am lost! Asemic writing may save this day. And there is always something to learn from the Martha Stuart School. :--}

[De Villo Sloan]

Great observation, Rebecca. The Martha Stuart School of Asemic Wallpaper did suggest that asemic writing can become extremely boring in the wrong hands. Those hands would not be the hands of NBS. Each work is an excursion into an original mind - thus my suggestion that perhaps this is a kind of automatic writing. The Surrealists valued automatic writing.

[Rebecca Guyver]

Every time I see Nancy's pieces I am astounded.  She has her handwriting but says something unique and meaningful each time - so original and beautiful!