Words are so absolutely vital. The truly are like verbal painting - the right one adds depth and tone and patina. We so often fall into the same patterns, I mean how often do any of us pick up a dictionary (or open the app on our phone) to check a meaning or find an alternative.
As I break open topics for my art, I write down my thought process.
It allows me to refine my thinking, to go off on tangents, to return to the original idea with a fascination like our tongue seeking a gap-tooth or a burn on the roof of our mouth.
It allows me to choose words I wouldn't normally and to choose many words to try and pin down an elusive thought.
In cleaning out my studio I found a list of alternative words for said I wrote in grade four, all in beautiful cursive:
- Acknowledged
- Added
- Admitted
- Advised
- Agreed
- Announced
- Answered
- Approved
- Argued
- Assumed
- Assured
- Asked
- Babbled
- Bargained
- Began
- Boasted
- Bragged
- Called
- Claimed
- Commanded
- Commented
- Complained
- Cried
- Decided
- Demanded
- Denied
- Described
- Dictated
- Emphasized
- Estimated
- Exclaimed
- Explained
- Expressed
- Feared
- Giggled
- Grinned
- Grunted
- Indicated
- Insisted
- Instructed
- Laughed
- Lectured
- Lied
- Mentioned
- Moaned
- Mumbled
- Murmured
- Nagged
- Noted
- Notified
- Objected
- Observed
- Ordered
- Pleaded
- Pointed out
- Prayed
- Predicted
- Questioned
- Reassured
- Related
- Repeated
- Replied
- Responded
- Requested
- Restated
- Revealed
- Roared
- Ruled
- Scolded
- Screamed
- Shouted
- Shrieked
- Snapped
- Sneered
- Sobbed
- Spoke
- Sputtered
- Stammered
- Stated
- Stormed
- Suggested
- Taunted
- Thought
- Told
- Urged
- Uttered
- Vowed
- Wailed
- Warned
- Whispered
Even back then I was fully exploring a topic, pushing it to the edge. Or so I insisted.