The Art of Words

Etymologies interest me.  We know the first use of the word blog, for instance, appeared in 1994 though it wasn't used in the sense of a web log. By 1998 the term is being used to denote personal musings in an online forum.   According to dictionary.com, the Blogger Publishing service was established in 1999 and we're now all very accustomed to the unusual little word, blog.  The internet has only fueled my interest in etymologies as I can look up things quite quickly that used to take me hours of research in the stacks at a university library.

I often wonder about the etymologies of words.  Words are such a powerful thing afterall.  Some open up new worlds and others cause controversy,  yet they are a primary tool of communication.   Some  words in English trip off the tongue.  For instance, platypus, serendipity, totalitarianism, kismet, paparazzi, susceptible, peripeteia, hitherto, monoclastic, polyphasic...they're fun to say, aren't they?   Or is that just the actor/geek in me?

I think my favorite word is serendipity--I like the meaning, the sound of it and how I feel when I say it.  But, its a mouthful...  Sometimes people are like that...nice, but sometimes too many, um, 'syllables'.   Sometimes, in other words, we don’t speak the same language.  I wonder what life would be like if we all had to draw, instead of say what we meant and everyone’s artistic abilities matched their interpersonal abilities...what interesting and surprising pictures we might see!

I especially love to incorporate words into my art.  Recycling a book, using a stencil or a ripped headline out of the paper is an interesting component of art to me.   I'm not sure why I'm drawn to art with words in it, but I am....perhaps it causes people to slow down and literally find the message in the art.   Remeber when the LOVE postage stamp came out in the 80's?   You know the stamp-- LO on top of the VE?  I rememer thinking--its a word and art all in one.  And now I'm all about the Art of Words.

Recently I saw an artist on Etsy make a great paper garland out of an old map--I thought it was brilliant!  Its the first listing at http://www.etsy.com/shop/lcgal.   I don't know the artist but I recently did a painted canvas using an old map and I thought of all the things I could do with my old road atlases.  Finding her garland on Etsy just affirmed the path I was on (no pun intended).  There is beauty in so many everyday things, including words.

Think about it:   What are some of your favorite words to hear, say or about which to think?   Do you have a favorite word?  A word that encourages or challenges you?  If you were to create art out of words, which words would you choose?

Have a creative day!

Susan

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Pinoodles