'When no one is Looking'

 

Gerda sent me this exquisite unsolicited paper gift!  I am not sure which direction I shoud be 'reading' it but this way up I want to swim through watery caves.

Hope Gerda's foot is better and suspect the upside to the wild weather is you have time to make and the garden is at bay! As you can see, I have had this mailart for a long time. Apologies.  So many reasons, too boring to tell. 

Again, not sure about direction.  This one feels like a page of an atlas with the key in boxes on the right, but equally it is a landscape when turned 90 degrees. Both evoke water and have a calm beauty I admire. Also, zoom in and look at the marks, etched over the paint.

Thank you Gerda for my envie of lovelies..  I will reply, eventually!
 

Art Days on Vancouver Island!

I have never been to Vancouver Island but I did spend a night in a tent in the Hoh Rain Forest which isn't that far. It was beautiful, if wet.

I love the sound of art days on Vancouver island.  Tonia, are you aware of the tradition of mail art meet-ups? I have had a few mail artists to stay at Nayland Farm and been invited to various events in London. It's a little far for me, but I can imagine you, your sister and some femails making beautiful mail art together!

In England it is colder for a few days.  We aren't giving in and moving back to our indoor kitchen (from our 'outdoor kitchen') We are wandering around inside in hats because our aga (which is off) keeps our house warm. Hot chocolate all around.  Thank you for your lovely postcard.  I will try to reply to both your pieces.

 

Spring sprung and now it's autumn!

I NEVER OPEN MAIL ART UNTIL I SIT DOWN TO BLOG IT.   Sometimes the pile gets mixed up and for sure that happened this summer when I carried my mail art back to the US for our annual trip to Maine.  I had hoped to catch up on my blogging.  That turned out to be wishful thinking, though. I can't believe Tonia sent me this in MAY.  I feel terrible, but in a way seeing it now makes it even more wonderful.

I wish I could see the beautiful greens of vancouver island, I wish i coud step back in time and plant my flower and vegetable seeds again and wait for them to emerge.  Alas, it is autumn and time to cut back, down and pull up.  Patrick re-seeded the grass - it had disappeared in the drought

Toni's beautiful tribute to spring is joyful and delightful and I will slip my new, beautiful bookmark into my current book and dream about next year's spring.

Thank you,

I owe a lot of mail but I will try...

 

Calla Calla Calla

 What would your chant be if you wanted to drive away harsh winter?  I’m not saying that was Gerda’s intention, but repeat the name of most flowers three times and  if you are anything like me you will begin to feel hopeful. 

I love those stamps and the image of the snow or plaster or dried paint that feels like an arial view,  it’s a great contrast and you have two sides of the seasons, for sure! And the light of the image that evokes deepest winter is reflective and refractive, so beautiful and encouraging for me. 

Thank you Gerda, sending you virtual greetings from a flight from the UK to the US!   I keep meaning to send you something FEMAIL. 

A maiden voyage and pussy willows

Delighted to receive Mailart from a ’femail’ Donna MacPherson who has spread some spring cheer  in an original print card she was inspired to make  when she found some pussy willows in the park. 

Not sure if you can tell, but I am writing from airplane seat #30 on my way to the states. I have been rushed off my feet so am carrying the pile of mail art I have accrued to blog and hopefully to respond to.  I feel terrible! Especially about someone who was so generous to someone she trusted and had never met. 

Rest assured I appreciate your mail ART! I will bring it across the pond and archive it at the Nayland Farm mail art site, but in the meantime,I am enjoying it on a darkened plane.

I sure hope it isn’t too cold in Maine (not too far from Canada)  but if it is that will be an excuse to get to work on some return mail art!

Thank you!

My Mind is Empty but I've got an enve!

Karen's empty envelope inside an envelope declares itself on the back '`my mind is empty' it points.

The envelope that conjures a bill, a note, some money and is shaped like an hong pao, a red envelope, a Chinese New Year envelope, a Lai shi, is empty and it isn't red. Nevermind, empty allows me to begin thinking of ideas. 

I love it!

I WILL write, it just might take me a little while!

Thank you, Karen!

 

Give me the roses and I'll bake the bread.

These exquisite paint and ink pieces are two sides of one gift in this mailing. They are haptic, ethereal, just absolute beauties. They are both worthy of a frame… I will place them around my studio for inspiration before putting them in my archive.  Thank you Gerda! I'm sorry it's taken me a while to blog this.

I am a sucker for a handmade envelope  and I notice the femail stamp. I am slow.  I am sorry. 

And then, to cap it all off, a boekie. for Internationl Women's Day. What were you doing on that day?  In the past I have gone to a party (helped serve food) thrown by Suffolk refugees.  I wondered if it were on. Lots of music and women dancing together.Instead I was here, painting and fitting house chores in between. 

 Thank you Gerda.  A wonderful envelope full of beauty, surprises and inspiration!

FeMail stamps

Delicious stamps from Diana Hale arrived recently.  Great to be part of the FeMail mail art movement. I will print out a set and save these perforated beauties for the archives!

FE mail art

Great to hear from Gerda Osteneck with exciting plans a new movement is afoot in the mail art network… the FeMailArt movement! 

Who knows how long ago Gerda sent this or how long it has languished in my 'current' mail art file. I look forward to a new collaboration soon.