Mail art Wave!

Sometimes there is a decoding process when you receive mail art. For me I look at colour, shape, the design; I try to place it historically and to understand the context. When I don't know a correspondent well sometimes I research the person and their work.  I want to get as much meaning from mail art as I can.

Here, Mikel has made it easy for me. He's used artistamps and wonderfuly textured mark making when he made my 'original'.  He's altered a postcard, adding text over the image.  He has used all the things I look for and at to decode, as I respond to it.  It's interesting and beautiful.

Mikel has included a greeting.  It is personal. And then he gives me all the context I need to understand how the words MAIL ART WAVE fit in.  Read about the Mail Art Congress Meet up with a fellow mail artist in 2022!

 

A Wish of Good Health in a Fragile time

Stamps for arts sake are one of those things I particularly like. Stamps that are abstract shapes but also say stamp. a long time ago I made some for Vizma and she copied them and put them on outgoing mail  I was delighted! Mikel's stamps could be  necklace. They are graphic objects, demanding attention.

The other pieces in this beautiful mailing are Mikel's ubiquitos mix of stamping and collage, appreciated, as ever. I relate to these colours. Thank you!

 

An invitation to the Artistamp Revue

Mail artists plough their particualr furrows. I get seeds and zines from Cascadia.  The Voyageur Postal sends doodles and exotic collages. Joel sends stickers. It seems that my new correspondent, Adam Roussopoulos, makes stamp issues.  This is very exciting.

I admire his asemic DADA take on stamps.  I wonder why X and Utopia. I used to trade with AMBASSADE D'UTOPIA in France.  What is the connection?

 Does Adam know that fuchsia is just about my favourite colour?

I am sure that one morning I will wake as say, 'today is the day I will apply myself to stamps and send them to Adam. In the meantime, thank you and delighted to add you to my correspondent's list.

 

Beneficiary of an NBS splurge purge

Whoop whoop.  I have had this gorgeous NBS envelope in my letter clam next to my computer for about a week! I apologise for the state of the 'G' in my name… our daughter suggested that I put blue tac over my camera so I did.  Then my computer got stuck together when I closed it and once I remembered why, I removed the blue tac and placed it by my computer.  Next, somehow, Nancy's envelope adhered to the blue tac and that BEAUTIFUL 'G' came away when it peeled it off.  Honestly, who wants to watch a 57 year old mail artist any way? 

Make sure you look at those stamps closely! It's a mini 2-scrap! or maybe the envelope is a three-scrap when you take into consideration the sideways-cropped-plural-stamp too. Also, love that strap line, 'don't get even get odd.' If you ever look at my other non-mail art blog https://virtualdrawinggroup.blogspot.co.uk you would see that I had a disappointing day today and my response was to draw, but I'm sure what Nancy says applies too!

I am always arrested by a NBS sandwich of work. The colour green with some asemic painting peeking out is so enticing.  On the other side of the green is a message from Nancy.  She tells me she is splurging or purging and it sounds like she's enjoying what she's making. 

Nancy's mixture of colour and text is unique and arresting. She makes a piece of wax paper look regal and unkempt all at the same time.

Consent, Nancy Bell Scott, 2018

This altered book page collage is 16 x 10 cm.  It is thicker than you think with a fat belly of stacked paper, topped by Macbeth.  The words 'servant' as well as 'ourt ?, o-night, attend his leisure, had, all's spent,' appear seamlessly with a stave and other recogniseable marks and letters.  Asemics frame this and create an NBS composition that reminds me of a door. I love it!

And as if that weren't enough, there are other treasures to unwrap: three three-scrappers that take my breath away.  (see if you can match fronts and backs.  I've mixed tham up a little…)

And finally, below are three 'ink minimals' - dancing across the page! the page makes interesting reading too and that title TYPEE, (a peep at Polynesian Life) is something a lover of language savours and repeats and must not be incidental. 

What a WONDERFUL mailing.  Thank you so much, Nancy!

Asemic trashpo doodle bubble

Do I recognise that doodle? Should I open the envelope? A new form of trashpo has been bornWOW or OW. Void, void, void. I suspect this is DK's latest foray into new material! I await instructions.  Do I add to this.  Do I leave it in tact? should it bounce back like a Wilson tennis ball? Or should I just relax and enjoy it?

Thank you, whoever you are.

Update: Have just checked my IUOMA messages and see this come from Borderline Grafix! 

Enl 2 Rott - Germany

What a beautiful aesthetic piece  I wish I knew who to thank.  If you know, please let me know…
It's haptic, asemic (because I can't read the letters or words, even though they are letters and words, I think), curious, full of time.
This is sort of mail art that makes me want to write, to tell a story, to time travel. 

Simon Warren and De Villo Sloan consider how we are programmed

No 27 from Simon begins with a topic that is not often out of the news in the UK.  The current Minister for schools has alienated the teaching unions as he steps up examinations, looks back in time for answers and creates new adminstrative hurdles and assessments. 

Meanwhile at one my bookmarked blogs http://minxuslynxus2.wordpress.com, Dark Wall has been responding visually to similar themes. Mink ranger writes: 'Sadly, a “Code Enforcement Officer” of the type suggested here might be a teacher or professor (present company accepted, of course). Anyone who maintains the codified messages of control and conformity.' 

An Asemic Poem from Marie

Now this is haptic, haptic grafitti, torn to reveal the green detail of a map, on a book that's like a building that tells a story that touches me, makes me want to go there to watch.  But there might be something voyeuristic and that makes me cautious, so I'll stand in the shadow and wait to see what happens.  
Sapois, the first word that I see.  It feels like Italian, but of course it's French.  Sapois, un petit village français, situé dans le département des Vosges et la région de Lorraine. Ses habitants sont appelés les Sapoisiens et les Sapoisiennes. But I think 'sapere,' to know, be aware of, to learn, hear. I can almost hear the sounds on the street where this book lives.  Stunning!