STACEY MANDELL

“A Defence of Poetry” is an essay, written by Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1821 but not published until 1840, long after his death. Shelley (1792-1822) wrote the Defence in response to Thomas Love Peacock’s satirical 1820 article, “The Four Ages of Poetry.” Shelley wrote a sincere and thoughtful essay on the history and development of reason and imagination. He assigns the poet to the highest calling of revealing the truth about life and promoting universal betterment. Here is (excerpts from) Shelley’s “A Defence of Poetry,” in Gregg Shorthand. Acrylic on linen canvas, 84”x168” (213cm x 426cm).

After 234 years, is it time for a new Constitution? I’m saying yes, and here it is. The entire Constitution, including the amendments, transcribed into Gregg Shorthand. Acrylic on linen canvas, 5’x7’. Full work and detail shots.

Political theater originated on the stage and brought relevance to controversial topics. Ancient Greeks had Aristophanes, England had Shakespeare, and the US has our own beloved Wallace Shawn. It seems that political theater has moved from the stage to the US Capitol. In 2020 I reacquainted myself with the US Constitution. I submit that rubber chickens, gas masks, and other props and rhetoric belong on the stage, not in the halls where the business of the people should be conducted. It’s not enough to talk the talk, we need to walk the walk. So here is The Constitution, including all of the amendments, transcribed in its entirety into Gregg Shorthand. In shades of gray, but also breathing new life into it with a touch of turquoise. Acrylic on linen canvas, 7’ x 9.5’.

In Sonnet 18, Shakespeare asks, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” He then delves into the comparison and ultimately decides how his beloved differs: his beauty will last forever and never die, “as long as men can breathe or eyes can see.” My husband Lenny was a man of many interests, including Shakespeare on occasion. No wonder he was so good at Jeopardy! Here, I’ve transcribed into Gregg Shorthand a collection of Shakespeare’s sonnets. Acrylic and gold leaf on archival fine art paper, 44”x84”. Full piece and detail shots.

Jan.27 marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau. We remember the 11 innocent 11 million people, including 6 million people of the Jewish faith, who were murdered without mercy. May their memories be a blessing. In this painting I have transcribed the first statements of Justice Robert H. Jackson in his opening statement to the International Military Tribunal during the Nuremberg trials. The stripes represent the clothing worn by the souls in captivity; and the colors of the writing represent each of the badge colors worn by those being held, i.e., yellow=Jewish, pink=gay, red=political. Acrylic on Arches oil paper, 12”x17”. Full piece & detail shots.

25 years ago, Federal Reserve Board Chair Alan Greenspan queried, "But how do we know when irrational exuberance has unduly escalated asset values, which then become subject to unexpected and prolonged contractions as they have in Japan over the past decade?" A simple, rhetorical question made during a dinner speech was answered with a 2-4% crash in markets worldwide. Now the phrase refers to a heightened state of speculative fervor, as shown in my latest piece, “Irrational Exuberance.” Here I transcribed into Gregg Shorthand the complete remarks of Chairman Greenspan given in December 1996 at the American Enterprise Institute. Acrylic and mixed media on linen canvas, 7’x9.5’. Full piece and detail shots, and a stately Snookums posing for the camera.

“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler *** *** I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost seems to convey the importance of our choices, both major and minor, as both shape our journeys and impact our lives. Our choices empower us, and as we look back, it’s these choices that make us who we are. Acrylic on Arches oil paper, 12.5”x17”.

The “Shehecheyanu” is a blessing that expresses gratitude for new, or special, experiences. Literally translated, it means “Who has given us life,” and is to be recited after one has experienced something new or unusual as a way of showing gratitude to God. Although this painting was created for a client, the lesson and blessing will remain with me, especially during this year of “firsts” for me. Acrylic on canvas, 30”x40”.

“Something Positive,” 36”x48” acrylic on linen. This commission includes speeches and quotes from Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Buddha, and the client’s mother. The prominent red brushstrokes are the quote from the mother; a happy reminder for the client as they pass by the work.

The name “Masada” carries a number of meanings. It is a symbol of Jewish national heroism. It is not just a home, but a fortress and place of refuge. This commission includes quotes in Hebrew shorthand, music lyrics, and other inspirational sayings. For me, the work seems ethereal: it is serene like a night sky, but exciting like a meteor shower. Acrylic on Arches oil paper, 25.5”x34.5”.

Sometimes music, sometimes lyrics, sometimes someone else reminds you of the beauty of living in the moment. Sometimes all three come together perfectly. It’s been six months since my beloved Lenny passed, and here is “A New Dawn.” Whether by Nina Simone, Michael Buble, George Michael, or countless others, the music and lyrics have given me a measure of comfort and encouragement lately. Acrylic on Arches oil paper, 17”x25.5”. Full piece and detail shots.

“Love Deeply,” 10x10, acrylic on canvas. I’ve transcribed a love song & other inspirational sayings to Gregg Shorthand in the background, and the title is reflected in the brushstrokes.

My beloved Lenny passed away in April 2021, and I miss him greatly. Thank you for all of your love & support; because of you, I get out of bed and try to make the most of my day. I’m learning to silk screen print (serigraph). Trial & error, but learning from my mistakes. Here is my first effort- a transcription of a song I used to sing to Lenny. 🎶I love you more today than yesterday 🎶 but not as much as tomorrow 🎶 a one-hit wonder by Spiral Starecase. 11x14 in.

From my 2020 exhibition at Paul Fisher Gallery : Mary Alcock (1742-1798); Anna Laetitia Barbauld (1743-1825); Mary Robinson (1758-1800); Ann Radcliffe (1764-1823); and Mary Shelley (1797-1851) all contributed to the Romantic-era literary movement, yet with the exception of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, their works have largely been forgotten. I have written out their poetry here, and in the abstract brushstrokes (in white) is from Mary Shelley: “But above all, a poet's soul is Love *** [the poet] is the mirror of nature.” Acrylic on canvas, 48”x60”.

What is a poem but a means of making sense of all that comes through the senses, a senseless dream decoded? Saul Williams asks us this in The Dead Emcee Scrolls. In his poem, Co-dead Language, I make my way through learning about and understanding past and present historical figures. Transcribed into Gregg Shorthand here are two paintings of inspirational quotes from them, including Robeson, Hurston, Akhenaton, Hatshepsut, Blackfoot, Helen, Lennon, Kahlo, and many others. Acrylic on Arches oil paper, 12”x12”.

On Being Brought from Africa to America, by Phillis Wheatley. ‘Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land,/ Taught my benighted soul to understand/That there’s a God, that there’s a Saviour too:/ Once I redemption neither sought nor knew./ Some view our sable race with scornful eye,/ “Their color is a diabolic die.”/ Remember, Christians, Negros, black as Cain,/ May be refin’d, and join th’ angelic train. This poem, and others of hers, were transcribed to Gregg Shorthand, and the artwork was exhibited at Paul Fisher Gallery at my 2020 solo show. Full piece and detail shots, acrylic on canvas, 36”x36”.

Trying to capture the Mood. My love is the wind’s song.... “The Wind’s Song” by Saul Williams from his first book, The Seventh Octave. As I read and transcribed his poetry, I painted the flow and the feel of his words: “The square root of a kiss is a hum....” Acrylic on linen canvas, 12x16. Full piece and detail shots.

Even if you’ve done nothing wrong yourself, it’s important to acknowledge the past, or the future cannot have meaningful progress. This is “The Ocean,” a transcription of Saul Williams’ powerful work. Graphite on Bristol paper, 18”x 24“.

“Amethyst Rock Star” is the 2001 debut studio album of Saul Williams. With 11 tracks, this album is not simply about listening; it is about feeling, authenticity, and intelligent insights. Are we not all searching for something meaningful at some point in our lives? He rhymes about philosophical issues and metaphoric dreams, and intertwines them with real-world happenings. Saul Williams challenges us and encourages us to face our dreams and demons with honesty and humility. If you want to know about people other than yourself, read and learn their stories. In this work, I have transcribed the entire album “Amethyst Rock Star” into Gregg Shorthand. My shorthand guidelines are music staves. Depending on your perspective, this work is either in the “key of love” or “key of life,“ or perhaps both. As Saul Williams said in “La La La,” “out of chaos comes order.” Does this look like chaos or order to you? Acrylic on linen canvas, 7’x10’.

Soon enough we’ll be able to be together again. That’s what I look forward to; how about you? Touching, talking, laughing, sharing, feeling, being. I transcribed five poems of Saul Williams expressing our universal emotions, desires, recollections, and silent moments. An excerpt from “Untitled”: I share fears.... I share most of my love. I am shy about some of it....I am hidden in open space. I am kind by design.....” And now I’m sharing this painting with you. Acrylic on linen canvas, 12”x12”. Full piece and detail shots.

“Montage,” a collection of poems by Saul Williams (incl. Montage), encourages us to think about our belief system, in both the broad and narrow sense. What do you believe in and why? Is there anything that would change your beliefs? “We depend on our minds to guide us and aid us from one day to the next.” “Are there other thoughts that you have allowed to go unchecked, unquestioned, because they seem aligned with your so-called ‘identity’?” Acrylic on Arches oil paper, 25.5”x34.5”.

Mixed media, acrylic on canvas, 30“ x 40“. I returned to abstract for this piece. We have three different forms of gratitude in shorthand, including Portuguese taquigrafia. We also have three phrases about gratitude, in Gregg Shorthand.

“Co-dead Language,” by Saul Williams, encourages us to be our best selves. We are capable of so much more learning, creating, and loving than we currently are. He encourages us to reject mediocrity and to learn about and from historical figures, past and present. He explains that the darkness is not something to fear; rather, it is merely obscuring what we have yet to learn. We have a responsibility to use our mind for positive expression. Thank you, Saul Williams for enlightening us and encouraging us to reach newer heights. This is “Co-dead Language” transcribed in its entirety into Gregg Shorthand. Acrylic on Arches oil paper, 17”x25.5”.

“Slam” from 1998 stars Saul Williams, who unleashes the power of his words and delivery to overcome tremendous adversity in the criminal justice system. It won the Grand Jury Prize for a dramatic film at the 1998 Sundance film festival. In this work, I transcribe his poem “Amethyst Rocks” from the movie into Gregg Shorthand. “I’ll be in sync with the sun while you run from the moon,” Acrylic on Arches oil paper, 17” x 25.5”.

“The Answer to the Question that Wings Ask,” by Saul Williams. Transcribed in its entirety in Gregg Shorthand, and each “x” you see is a question mark (in shorthand). E.g., Is it about changing the times in which we live? Exercising compassion through entrepreneurial individualism? Striking gold? Being of service? The Golden Rule? Wings may ask, but so do we.... Every individual knows what it feels like. Acrylic on Arches oil paper, 25.5”x34.5”.

During these times of uncertainty, chaos, and sacrifice, I think I was spinning in a number of directions. One incredible stop was discovering the poetry of Saul Williams. Saul is a truly gifted writer, poet, musician, actor, singer, songwriter, rapper, and humanitarian. Saul’s poetry has helped me understand and cope with trying times. Saul’s writings have challenged my thinking, and have compelled me to learn more about history and historical figures, past and present. On reading his work, US(a), I knew that I needed to show gratitude for the inspiration. I reached out to Saul Williams and he gave me his personal blessing to transcribe his poetry and create a new series of artworks. Here is my first completed work: “Portrait of Saul Williams,” acrylic on Arches oil paper, 12”x17”. This is a transcription of two beautiful poems, “Tu lips” and “The Answer to the Question that Wings Ask.”

Women have many colors, but who would know when society discourages their expression. Joanna Baillie (1762-1851) was a Romantic poet and game-changer playwright: she used emotions as a writing theory instead of outside influences and reactions. William Wordsworth called her an important influence. She died thinking she was a failure. Here, I have written out (in Gregg Shorthand) the entire Act 3, scene 1 of the passion play “DeMonfort,” a drama with hatred as the emotion. The abstract phrase (in white) reads from the play, “a willing heart adds feather to the heel.” Acrylic on canvas, 48”x60”.

Charlotte Turner Smith (1749-1806) was an English Romantic poet and novelist. During her life, she married, had 12 children, and worked as an accountant at her FIL’s shipping firm. When he died, his affairs were such a mess, the lawsuit to settle them dragged on for 40 years. These events were the inspiration for Dickens’s “Bleak House.” Though she published 10 novels, 3 books of poetry, 4 children’s books, and other works, she died destitute and all but forgotten. She is credited with transforming the sonnet into an expression of woeful sentiment. In this work, I have transcribed 16 of Charlotte’s sonnets onto the canvas. In the sonnet “Written near a port on a dark evening,” (in the comments) she reflected “All is black shadow, but the lucid line....” aren’t we all searching for a lucid line these days? This is “the Lucid Line,” acrylic on canvas, 48”x60”.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) and Wm Wordsworth were the essential founders of the Romantic movement. Most know Coleridge from “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” or “Kubla Khan” but his “Conversation” poems struck a chord with me, more than I can say. Especially “This Lime-tree Bower my Prison,” about an outing with friends, including “my gentle hearted Charles.” The large abstract (in black) is my gentle hearted Charles, and is accompanied (in red) by “now, my friends emerge beneath the wide wide heaven....” Acrylic on canvas, 48x60.

Romantic poetry creates a narrative abstraction. Acrylic on Arches oil paper, 12”x17”.

Acrylic on Canvas, 48”x60”. It is blank, but not blank. The steno pad represents a history, a point in time, a way of life, a culture, an everyday object, a universal object. It represents technology, but it is blank because of technology. It represents the beautiful art of stenography, the art of writing in shorthand. It represents the dying art of a beautiful, phonetic language.

Wood sculpture, approx 24” x 98”. “Gratitude” in Gregg Shorthand. Beautiful, isn’t it?

Mural, Acrylic on Paper, 9.5’ x 16’. Begins with “Love and Gratitude” and then an onslaught of positive affirmations, all in Gregg Shorthand.

Acrylic on Canvas, 48”x60”. Which of these doodles did you do when you doodled?

Acrylic on Canvas, 72”x72”. Art should be accessible.

Translation: "My wish for you is to open your eyes and open your heart.
You see, I know that I am different and cannot see like you.
But blindness is a spectrum; most people are not completely blind.

Being blind does not mean that I am not bright; rather, you should know that I am driven to learn and dedicated to crushing every obstacle in my life.

My disability does not define me; I am more than my disability.
I have new skills, such as Braille, assistive technology, and using the long cane.
I focus on my strengths, stand up for myself, and surround myself with positive, supportive people.

It feels good when people and businesses and society do the right thing.

We share the same hopes, dreams, and fears. Life is what you make it.

I try not to compare myself with others, but I do wish I could see your smile.
I wish I could see how my pet looks at me.
I wish I could see the stars.
I wish I could see the beauty in this world with you.

It is okay to admit that we are not okay and that we are going through a rough time.
We all need a hug sometimes. But please ask first!

Blindness does not have to keep me in the dark; I do not need sight to have vision.
In fact, when you say hello to me, my whole world lights up.
When you talk to me as an equal, my reward is a beautiful new friend.

Though I was not granted the gift of sight, I was blessed with a profound sense of gratitude.
I am grateful for Braille and the long cane.
I am grateful for the good days and the bad days.
I am grateful for equal access.
I am grateful for love.
I am grateful for us."

Mixed media on canvas, with resin. 36”x36”.