Opinion columnist · Wrong Speak Publishing
Judson Vereen
- Opinion columnist
- Painter
- Poet
- Novelist
A self-taught painter, poet and novelist who brings an artist’s eye to the culture war — twice a month, in his Wrong Speak column.
The backstory
An artist who writes back.
Judson was born in Atlanta and started painting at fifteen. He left high school in his junior year for New York and never went to art school, building a body of large-scale abstract paintings, collage, poetry, essays, music and film on his own terms.
His life has taken him from Atlanta to New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Brazil and Portland. With his wife Yasmin he founded Canvas Graphic Design, creating book covers, album art and film key art.
Wrong Speak brought him on to write a regular column, where he writes about art, online writing, AI, politics and the creative life — with the same candour he brings to his poetry.
Selected writing
Read Judson
Wrong Speak Publishing · October 2, 2025
Trump, soberly.
ReadWrong Speak Publishing · December 26, 2024
Influence-stack: How Will The Substack Community Handle The New Wave Of Content Creators?
ReadPoetic Outlaws · June 22, 2024
The Candle In The Rib Cage: An Open Letter to Artists in 2024
ReadDispatches from Bohemian Splendor · May 29, 2024
Beauty of the Flesh — Francis Bacon at MASP
ReadPoetic Outlaws · April 18, 2024
Nero’s Violin
ReadWrong Speak Publishing · December 14, 2023
The Frustrating World Of Online Writing
ReadThe path
How Judson got here
Atlanta
Began painting at fifteen; self-taught, never attended art school.
New York · San Francisco · Los Angeles
Built a practice in abstract painting, collage, poetry and music.
2014
Appeared in Tracy Brown’s short film Vacation.
Canvas Graphic Design
Co-founded with his wife Yasmin — book covers, album covers and film key art.
Brazil
Wrote the poetry collection Like A Bird Knows To Sing in Minas Gerais.
Today
Opinion columnist at Wrong Speak; publishes Dispatches from Bohemian Splendor.
Bylines
Where his writing appears
- Wrong Speak Publishing
- Dispatches from Bohemian Splendor
- Poetic Outlaws
- The Art Districts
- Counter Arts (Medium)
Books
American Pleasure
His debut novel, set in San Francisco.
62 Poems from Judson Vereen
His first poetry collection, also translated into Portuguese.
Like A Bird Knows To Sing
Poems from Minas Gerais, Brazil.
- Selected Collage 2005–2025
A 298-page hardcover of two decades of collage work.
Follow & contact
Connect with Judson
- Websitejudsonvereen.com
- SubstackDispatches from Bohemian Splendor
- Instagram@judsonvereenart
- X@judsonvereenart
- Mediumjudsonvereen.medium.com
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