The Envelope is the art!

Naughtily I am blogging two of James' pieces together. I got back from Maine and although I got few pieces of mail while away, I hadn't blogged what `i'd received before yet.  The first is a sensational  almost anamorphic  ink drawing.  I love the variety of handwriting, the restrained colour, the stamps and the sentiment.  James has brought together everything you need in a piece of mailart. 

The second ppostcard is more 'au courant', topical and chosen specifically for ME, one of James' New Yorker friends.

BIG THANKS and check out the facebook group!

MMXVII Pourquoi pas?

What could be better than to ring in the new year with some handmade rainbow mail art with MY name in a banner across the front? Love this surprise from Richard Baudet! And the message on the back of the ATC fills me full of hope for 2017.   Thank you! 

All hail the misappropriated mother's day card - Figgy Guyver

I pride myself at my ability to identify mail artists from a distance: the slant of their pen, the colour they choose, the postmark, these are all giveaways.  I am usually good at it.  This colourful, exacting envelope arrived at the start of the week sometime - I have abandoned recording dates of arrival.  I am just not that left brain about my mail art. So, this arrived and I thought, 'wow, something from Stripygoose before I even replied to her last mailing.'  noting that there was no bird on the envelope and assuming there would be one inside. I noticed the, 'do not open until 6th March' and wondered what was special about that day, but assumed it was one of those IUOMA mailings that happen occasionally and thought I'll find out on the 6th.

Meanwhile, every day Figgy would call and ask me if I had received anything from her.  'No, no. no,' I believed she had sent me something but it definately was lost… so she sent me a picture Jonny had taken of her posting it, as proof.  I assumed the stamp had fallen off.  

It was just a typical mother's day around this house.  No flowers, no cards and a few late phone calls.  I trained them well!

Fig was really disappointed.  She had planned and her plan had failed. At least we thought it had until I took out my stack of blogging mail just now and opened the one that said 'open on 6th March.' DUH.

So this is where we stand:  Figgy you win.  Hudson you lose. And Stripygoose, I will send you the envelope I made about a month ago soon.

Huge thanks to Figgy for her exuberant, joyous mother's day card.  Hudson, don't forget the American date, there's still time to tie.

#27 and banana consolation - Phillip Lerche, Ohio

This Saturday some of my fusepo, (stitched fused plastic) and painted paper collages go on display at a local gallery.  The exhibitions at the gallery are themed and this one is called: COLOUR AND CONTEMPLATE.  I bring this up,  not for shameless self-promotion, but because this envelope from Phillip Lerche is  colourful collection of mail art that would fit right in with the theme!  #27 is the horizontal red light print. The top image is a digitally altered collage that Phillip made. (I am not sure which way is up, but it looks great from all angles).Tthe banana stamp is a consolation prize.  I usually take part in banana mailings but this time I wasn't informed, so missed out.  Big hearted Phillip is trying to make me feel better! Philllip has also included some kind words, which I always appreciate! Thank you. 

Finn Badger's going bananas

I received a mass mainling from Finn Badger earlier in the week! I opened one and retreived a banana mailing from the bespoke envelope and proceded to get it attached to the sticky (very sticky) V of the envelope! See if you can see what i ruined…

The card I pulled out happened to be one without a name, so I had no idea who it was from, wondered if it were David Stafford, wondered if I'd forgotten one of the banana mailing people, and then discovered that Fin Badger had forgotten to sing his post…

He sent me this Wallace Stevens poem and what he called a 'bonus' envelope. Of course I LOVE Wallace Stevens.  I love snow too, but we haven;t had any yet in Battisford.

Fun, bold and graphic!  Many thanks Finn Badger.  I owe you a misadventure and a banana too!

From James Wilkinson (Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK)

I love when I receive mail art with contents that someone has assembled for me! I take everything out and move the pieces around, I look for relationships and think like I'm solving a crossword puzzle. I wonder how the things came to belong to the person.  

James' envelope reminds me of a DVS Pullo collab. Do I need a gas mask when I am fusing plastic? I see pochahontas. I paddle down the lochs with her, arriving at the French Riviera, or some bureaucratic German town. I want my old denim jacket, the one I saved for Figgy and then she didn't want.  That owl would fit perfectly. Thank you James!