Three Lines of Writing 1956

Maybelle Stamper made "Three Lines of Writing" in 1956 with colored pencil. The linear quality of the marks is incredible. It’s like each line, each symbol, is a tiny journey, a little quest to find its place on the page. I can imagine Stamper sitting at her table, head bent over the paper, breathing life into these symbols. The pressure of the pencil, the slight variations in color – ochre, green, blue – it’s all so delicate, so intentional. The surface is alive with the textures of her hand. I think of Hilma af Klint, another artist who used symbols to create her own language. There’s a shared sense of mystery, a feeling that you're glimpsing a world just beyond your reach. But with Stamper, it’s more intimate, more personal. The words "Love" and "Grow" on either side seem to suggest this is some kind of personal mantra. It feels like a coded message meant only for those who know how to listen.