Mossographic inspiration

 In our family, we like to make things. Around the house in Maine my mother's garden is a work of art.   Inside you find still life and an abundance of flowers.  It's not surprising that I am inspired and can't help but draw. 

At Christmas time my mother comes to England and when she goes back she makes a calendar (or used to) and her holiday card.  This is the 2019 version. Her photoshop skills are fantastic, although you don't need them with images like these!

Trying to smile with the weight of the world - The Feel of Paint

Sam King and I trade ideas.  I sent her a portrait I had sketched for in the summer and in the autumn she sent me this energetic, haptic swirl of paint. I see it as trying to smile with the weight of the world - The Feel of Paint.  Thank you Sam! Gorgeous colours too.

Christmas Woodcut

One of the extra special things about going to Maine is that it is a magnet for artists of all kinds.  We have poets, painters, photographers and rural craftspeople aplenty.  Ahni Kruger https://www.ahnikruger.com is an artist who found Cranberry Island and now is a friend too.  It's great when we are on the island at the same time.  Ahni comes to the garden to paint or we walk and find a secret cove to paint and draw together. Ahni is also very generous with her work.  Last summer she gave me a big beautiful etching that I've had framed, finally, and this year's christmas card was this evocative wood cut.  Thank you Ahni and see you in Maine! 

Birthday Pink

So love this beauty from Jo Hollis for my birthday! I think it's from her favourite new place to draw. Lucky me.

Fruity Booty from Katy

 A little after the New Year we got a piece of mail art from Katy, my sister. Although Katy and I have traded before, this piece was a complete surprise and the surprise continued until tonight when I finally got to it in my blogging pile… Patrick had replied that it had arrived and I meant to blog it immediately but you know.  I had seen the front and back of what I thought was a postcard, an altered postcard. Fun, energetic, and made me smile. 

I've been making fruitcake every year since we moved to England.  My grandmother used to make fruitcake and when she had her demetia and still lived on her own at home, her dementia manifested itself in tables piled with fruitcakes she had made with scrawly names on labels that I couldn't read. We always had a fruitcake in the fridge, for my dad in NYC. So, I thought Katy was remembering that and thinking of me.

And then, today, I noticed that the postcard looked as though it was coming apart. I have to admit, initially thinking that it was a case of bad glueing but on closer inspection… what I found was another world of mail art! And now I have an alter to 2019 and send so much love back to Katy for making me something so beautiful.

collage with needle threader

 Zoe Rubens is a fantastic, fantastical, creative artist who uses metal and heat to transform rubbish into wonderful and sometimes practical whimsies. You can look at her work here: http://zoerubens.com
After Christmas last year we had the good fortune of having Zoe be our artist in residence for the day, sharing her wonderful artistry to inspire us. I was mostly backstopping but Patrick, Hudson and Figgy, Jonny and Annabel took part, making some wild and wonderful creations.  Everyone was hooked on her welder!

So… was I ever delighted when we received a FABULOUS New Years card from Zoe. I Love needle threader people.  Do people still use needle threaders? I will be sending Zoe some mail art back, even if it's only to Ipswich!

vispo stamping

 Mikel's stamps and colour is always appealing. Look carefully at the textures of his stamps and the way colour seems to glow out of them. He is a true collaborator, enclosing a few  add and pass sheets in each of his letters (3). I think I'll add a few ofmy own stamps and some of the stamps I made for Herman Kamphuis from his wonderful drawings in my return… I will return!

I believe I missed a mail art call exhibition but that's inevitable when I have mail art to blog. Maybe you took part?   I notice the energy of Mikel's mail art. Mail art is active we send it out, we receive it.  We make it...and I need to take part!