Lockdown at the Flicks and Doodle Mania

I always associate airmail with birds, so I begin here with Ted Trager's envelope of curiosities. I am struck by how much I learn about mail art correspondences by what they send, even if what they send comes from a world that I am not party to. I hardly ever watch films, I'm sorry to say.  It's a time thing… if I did I would never be able to blog or make artistamps or...

Another thing is how much I like Ted's drawings / doodles. I've embarked on another big art project but if I can fit it in, I would like to resurrect DKULT Doodle Therapy to put out a lockdown doodle edition. I will try. Send me your doodles!

The mark making in and on and through this mailing is wonderful! I wonder if Ted's film watching has impacted on what he chooses to represent? Am I missing something by not watching? Eeek!

By the way, I have had a message from Blogger that Feedburner will stop sending out emails as of July.  Does anyone have a solution to this and how many of you will still want to get emails from me?

Thanks Ted. 
 

Neil Gordon doodles too!

Great news! Neil Gordon's doodles have arrived! Neil has also included some tucker fan club paraphernalia and a hilarious clipping that will definately come in handy in future mailings!  Big thanks Neil.  DKult Doodle stuff coming soon!

DKult Doodling reality ad infinitum

Brilliant to have this back from Mudhead, doodled on exquisitely. When I scanned the sheets I knew exactly who had made the doodles.  This addled older brain isn't sure whose eye that is now, though.  I see David Stafford's backbending double hatted man. I will need to trawl through things again to make sure I attribute everything appropriately… that could slow things down. Hopefully I will pull all the pages together soon and make some new DKult Doodle Therapy editions soon.  A few people haven't responded (sent back)  yet, though. Thanks for playing the game, Mudhead!

Lyra's Tears of Joy, Kitchen Lithography and Freeze Games

Have you ever noticed that when you scan stuff orange loses its saturation?  I use orange quite a bit and scanning work is problematic, but it's only some oranges, flourescent orange, to be exact and Carina is the master of flourescent orange tape! I would've photographed this but it's dark now and I couldn't bear to go another day without opening my package and sharing it with you all, so scns will have to do. Ah Carina!

A package from Carina reminds me of the Sound of Music.  I find myself humming 'my favourite things' as I loosen the string. LYRA. As Burglar Bill would say, 'I'll 'ave that.' I mailed off the rest of my doodle pages today and I am at least one short so a spare new doodle will come in useful. Lyra! Oh I wish you could meet each other. …'brown paper packages tied up with string… these are a few of my favourite things…'

This character, a red-headed teeenage therapist belongs in the Ginger Embassy (think Elgin Mansion with red heads).  On the other side Carina tells me about her new process: 'Kitchen lithography' and this new boekie!  J'adore! In fact, I might even say one of your best.  Keep printing and I love the digital work too!

 The cover and frontispiece are like chalkboards, haptic too.  You feel like you're reading something secret yet rehearsed. The words and letters are both representational and abstract.  There is twofoldness that I love. I am a child.  I am a teacher.  I am alive.

And the monsters, KITCHEN LITHOGRAPHY, authentically child like but adult in their simplicity too.  I feel they could come to life and are also timeless. Wowzer.

And Carina wins the first in with her DKULT Doodle therapy page! Thank you Carina and thank you Joel Cohen. To be fair, as I only mailed most of the others today, she's had a bit of a head start! And I can already see how making these books is gonna be tricky. Huge thanks.

David's a Giver and doodles too!

I've been getting free stuff in the mail lately but nothing as exciting as this free art gift card from David in Santa Fe.  I am not sure how I redeem it, but will certainly do it before the deadline! what a giver and love that I am a givee! One things for sure, in this political climate we need all the freebies we can get and as much love and care too.  There's a great vibe coming from NM. Thank you!

 So I am a little slow in responding to mail art and blogging. My life seems to have been about feeding people for some weeks now, but rest assured fellow mail artists, the highlight of my day is still unlocking the deadbolt and lifting the lid on the mail box to see if anything has arrived.  and that's my excuse for a double bill of David the giver. I got a fat envelope of doodles!

This one must be inspired by our friend Meeah! Love it!

Everyone  is on their phone...

'I stuffed his mouth with a ball full of string' 

What a wonderful assortment of whimsy and commentary on daily life.  Perhaps the next addition of DKult Doodle Therapy needs to be about one of David's themes.  I will look with care and get back to you.  don't miss all the characters and their conversations.

Wayside Fiddler and True Metal from Herman Kamphuis

Herman's mail art arrives in a beautifully addressed white envelope. Inside I find pieces of select papers and images that he hopes I will use in my own mail art, or collages.  I have used pieces of things before, but mostly I like to put it all back in the envelope so I can look at it as a whole again and again. 

The 'heart' of the mail art is a three side sealed envelope with the two sides you see above. The envelope is a collage, painstakingly gluedso that it is smooth and fast. Inside that is a note, and three wonderful ink portraits (quite a bit better than a doodle ,but I have used them as doodles, to bring the quality of the DKult Doodle therapy boekies up)!

We lived in The Netherlands before we moved to England and I can't explain it but when I open the contents of Voyageur Postal's mail art I can feel the canals, I can hear the trains, I can taste the licorice.

Herman likes to send me English things and I wonder how he knows what will mean something to me, he always does find just the right imagery.  This time the violinist takes me to a piece of music I heard yesterday on Radio three: the gypsy jazz violinist, Tcha Limberger, playing Moonglow! Patrick and I have never been blacksmiths, but our cartlodge was the home of the village blacksmith, and today I was in the garden for hours and my arms feel like I have been wielding a hammer. STOP! All of these associations are really beside the point.  I JUST LOVE the way Herman composes his mail art

Although I may have been quiet on the doodle front, I am working on some stuff and one of the first next things I plan to do is to make some more Herkalux Postage Stamps! Huge thanks for all my beautiful goodies, Herman!