I'd swim with you, Bonniediva!

Over the years I have received a few pieces from BonnieDiva. All collages, I believe. One came from The Sticker Dude, for my archive.

When I receive something that is more abstract or a collage, with no context, I look for impact, for relationships, for colours and I rely on my emotional response to interpret or to commune with the piece. The first thing that came into my head, before I turned it over and saw 'Happy New Year, Be well!' was that it feels like a folk song. Perhaps it's the woman who reminds me of Carol King? I want to sing the Crosby Nash Stills and Young song: 'our house' as I look at it. Or the Coca Cola Ad ' I want to teach the world to sing.' It is looking backwards to a simpler time and hopefully forward to a time when it will be possible to all swim together again.

I feel your hands reaching across the Atlantic, Bonnie Diva.  Aren't we all starved for hugs and ready to pull our masks down and be part of this big, wide world with all our humaity!

Thank you.

 

Twas the Season

Beautiful work arrived from Mikel sometime in November/December.  I have been remiss in recording dates, but that does not diminish my enthusiasm. 

I see tags, baubles, a landscape fit for the three kings, good wishes, cheer and the promise of the new year. 

I love it all and feel happy to prolong my holiday season.

Thank you Mikel!

 

Happy New Year from Greece!

Katerina has not given up on me and sends not only New Years' greetings but also wonders how my birthday was. She and Guido were so good about birthdays! Katerina has made her New Years' card PINK this year because it's the year of the pig. So far it's been a fine start to 2019. It's got cold again here but no snow here. Thank you Katerina.

A truly collaborative New Year wish from Cascadia Artpost! And I'm not even sure why he bothers with me as I have been absolutely lame in sending mail this past year.  But phew, I made the New Year's card list and I am delighted. 2017 was the year of the clown for Cascadia and I see some returns on that. In fact we share a few mail artist friends, Joel and Catherine are instantly recognisable. But all in all, what a fabulous collage and a wonderful world of mail art. I must try harder again.

Thanks so much for including me in the mailing and Happy New Year!

Artist in Seine puts a fizz in the January drizzle

While I consider myself a proficient multi-tasker, when it comes to being home with family, I try to pour all my energy into being with them and all the work that goes along with their visits. I pretty much stop all creative endeavours. So it took considerable discipline not to open my mail art until now.  I didn't get scads because I have been something of a 'missing mail artist' for months, but what I did get looks fabulous, so I will be opening it, and blogging it when I get a moment between the after-christmas jobs, as the family depart over the next few days.  

But this is about DEAN and the cheer he sent me and how it's cheering me up as I lug the champagne bottles to the bottle bank and sigh.

It's truly amazing that Dean, having never been to Nayland Farm, knows how we celebrate, the toasts, the cakes, the candles, the decorations - it's uncanny. The only way we differ from the oppulent lifestyle that Dean depicts is that Dean's world looks so orderly… Now where did we put the extra wine glasses? 'The timer's going off, whose timing something?' WE need another chair…

We have an annual gathering a few days after Christmas (because I never know what else to do with my birthday) and I have to admit to downright pandemonium as the first guests arrived. We don't have chandeliers either.  

Dean's card folds open to the two page spread below.  It is made of heavy card and looks to be a repurposed piece. I recognise the spent sticker page from years gone by and again it makes a wonderfully festive impression! 

Dean's firework display, (complete with Christmas full moon) is also similar to what we had around here in Battisford Tye. Huge thanks to the Artist In Seine for spreading the festive spirit into January. I will eat a few black-eyed peas for him so it's a lucky 2016 and get my mail art ledger out to decide which of the many, many international mail artists I owe mail to will be first on my list!

New Year's Greetings from Marie wintzer

Fab card from Marie! As ever, just perfect, right down to the playful, joyful present quality on the back!