fil717
A N S I M A S T E R S i N S T R A W H A T S 2 0 1 7
Wilkum, brothers and sisters, to the first ever assembly of Pennsylvanias
finest - the ANSI Masters in Straw Hats.
What started as a joke many years ago has finally manifested into something
concrete. Heres the scoop: all of the artists in this pack came up in the
Pennsylvania BBS scene, mostly in the Amish strongholds of Lancaster and
Lebanon counties. That an agrarian place like this could give birth to and
nurture a bunch of reclusive textmode artists like ourselves is a testament
to the strength of this thing of ours.
Regarding the name - this project isnt about making fun of the Amish in
any way. We all grew up near Amish communities and their presence is part
of what makes this place home. Their way of life is amazingly difficult
and, quite frankly, impressive. Its a dedication to their faith that is
absolutely respected. Were just fans of a good acronym.
Most of us are current or former resi-
dents of the 717 area code Harrisburg,
Lancaster, York, Lebanon, etc. South
Central, what is commonly referred to
as Pennsylvania Dutch Country. It was
and is a unique place to grow up, one
of the few regions of the US that isnt
completely homogenized. Being a kid there
in the 1990s wasnt easy, especially for
the bunch of weirdos and punk rockers
that comprise this group.
The PA ANSI/ASCII art scene was remark-
ably active, with a few local art groups
and a decent number of artists who had the
chops to make it in the international
scene. The five artists who make up AMiSH
are veterans of groups like ACiD, iCE,
CiA, Blocktronics, Apathy, Legion, Impure,
Spastic and more.
Whether or not those elite skillz have mt717
anything to do with our proximity to Three
Mile Island is up for debate.
This project could easily have turned into
a bunch of lame jokes and puns. Instead,
through the course of putting it together, it
became a kind of love letter to the days of the
local scene, when that actually meant something.
Its a tribute to our home base.
And that, brothers and sisters, is the long and short of it. Enjoy the art,
enjoy the scenery.
Misfit AMiSH