Before Walking Away

This beautiful and poignant piece of mail arrived months ago.  It is evocative and a story.

I have been woefully inadequate on the mail art front. As I haven't made any New Year's resolutions yet, I won't say I will try harder but I do feel regret at not acknowledging mail art for such a long time.

for these old eyes, I needed to hold the card under a bright light to read the words… Thank you Mia and sorry about the delay!

 

Asemic of Reflection

Sunset reflections near Rebecca Resinki's house

Below, rather inferior scans of Rebecca's beautiful recent pamphlet. I love both and will look at them and muse. 

Musing will do me good. Reflection is necessary.

Rebecca apologises for not responding more quickly.

My correspondents must be absolutley fed up with me.

Thank you all and thank you, Rebecca, for a beautiful mailing.

The huge and encyclopaedic Anatomy of Melancholy was produced by the English clergyman Robert Burton (1577–1640). It explores a dizzying assortment of mental afflictions, including what might now be called depression. Burton considers melancholy to be an ‘inbred malady’ in all of us and admits that he is ‘not a little offended’ by it himself 

Sometimes the machine imprint on a letter is vispo in itself. 

 

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. 

Pachyderm from History

Ted Trager's postcard arrived towards the end of November.  I remember reading it in the kitchen and swooning.

For me, mailart is communication: visual and textual. this piece also told a story and had historical significance. the way the text sits on the page, the variety of text AND WHAT IT SAYS combine to say something poignant. and then Ted also types my name in red and the stamps are perfect too. 

So zoom in, read the text and then tell Ted why you love this!

 

Hard Boiled … the cold has gone to my head

First, big thanks for the holiday card.  I am sorry I haven't blogged before now! The image is brilliant, even if this literal mind isn't quite sure exactly the message i am meant to be taking. 

Quite a few years ago, now, I worked for a book publisher americanising books. sometimes humour doesn't translate and sometimes expressions are har to translate. This is what google tells me 'Hard Boiled' means:

ADJECTIVE

(of an egg) boiled until the white and the yolk are solid.(of a person) tough and cynical."a hard-boiled Hollywood producer"synonyms: cynical · tough · hardened · hard-bitten · hard-headed · 

[More]

denoting a tough, realistic style of detective fiction: "a hard-boiled thriller"


So are we talking climate change? Have snow men seen it all before? or are we all part of the Truman show? Perhaps there's a clue in the stamps.
Brilliant! Thank you.

1. • 
     
     
     

Happy New Dog Year

Always delighted to find a fellow dog lover in the mail. Nichola has a way with layering, a light touch and luminosity when she creates and this gorgeous pet portrait of the beloved Paddy is no exception.  Thank you.  Woof woof.  Happy Dog New Year to you too and see you in the post in 2018!

Realtor Kink from Dave Stafford

So when I saw the valentine stamps I thought, whoopee, this is my first valentine of the year!  But on closer look I realised I had misread the stamps, or the mind of the stamp-licker and this card. Realtor Kink is not sitting across a table divided by a red rose reciting sonnets by candlelight.  No, Realtor Kink  is a raunchy card, the story of a fish wife who makes it big in the midwest and is on the lips of Maerican men evrywhere as they recite the motto:  'It's all about the hair'.

Moan Lisa wants numbers and woman

Thank you for the rich beauty of all this exciting work!

Monica Rex - Los Angeles

Delighted to receive this stunning digitally altered photo from Monica!  She creates real pathos , for me. Surely this should have been an entry for the Minxus who has the best hair contest! http://minxuslynxus2.wordpress.com

Marie Wintzer: Repetitions 4 Love C 1

When Marie's envelope landed in my mailbox I was swamped by work in schools and family stuff, not to mention the 25 years of IUOMA mail art exhibition al Old House and my fusepo.  So, I made a decision not to open it until I had appreciated all the other things that came before that I hadn't yet looked at with care. One always WANTs to open a Wintzer envelope, though. I'm sure having it by my computer, reminding me, made me more focused and determined. This bareback rider reminds me of the Pompei exhibit currently at the Vand A in London.  Beautiful colour and simplicity and a playful air that Marie has taken advantage of when she puts my name in his cape? 

Marie has been making Repetitions http://mariesmailbox.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/repetitions.html she tells me she's 'just playing with pencils' but I see lots of repetition of form, colour, and a playfulness, how ideas might be born. I see figures flowing out of the pills, jelly beans, sleeping tablets - a valley of dolls legs, wild dreams with men riding bareback,  but maybe that's just me! 

As ever, Marie leaves me wondering and wanting more!  Thank you Marie.