Jeanne Ranz

To me asemics represents ambiguity in the meaning of words, ideas and emotions, … like peeling the layers of an onion of understanding, but never knowing the meanings beneath. These abstract meanings are expressed through technique . . . mark making, smudges, erasures, stamping, collage and the overlapping of all these elements together. Color is often not essential, pure markings and design evoking a pleasing reaction.

I was recently asked, “Where did you come from?” It was a question about who I was in the world of Asemics, as if I had materialized from thin air. I suppose I did.

As a midwesterner, mother, wife, volunteer, post art education graduate from 1969, I was relatively busy my entire adult life. Art took second place, although interior design and the love of hunting down the right primitive antiques was always at the forefront of my life.

One day the desire to draw a landscape from a friends art photo sparked a strong urge to begin to paint landscapes with pastel and to do charcoal drawings of interest. I took several local classes in pastels. This creative outlet led me to Asemics as I described and has taken over my spare time. You could say I am an aberration. I am completely at peace with that. — Jean Ranz