Ticket Ticket! Boleto! Boleto!

Each of Cascadia Artpost's tickets does a few things at the same time. Jack scans each ticket he receives, chooses lettering and a background colour.  The result is a beautiful colour study.  These stamps are at first graphic. 

Cascadia explains in his note that each ticket is also 'bits of evidence from daily life…reminders of our past experiences and lives.' They are memorabilia, and stamps from a parallel universe. And then they are wonderfully practical.  Cascadia sent me a double set of stamps.  He knows that I archive my mail art and won't use things because they alter the mail art. So now Cascadia sends me some extras to use. I love that and Iam coming to the end of the last double batch he sent me.  Cascadia's stamps are often the crowning jewel on my own mail art. 

Thanks Cascadia and so appreciate the extra stamps and two beautiful envelopes.

Unmasking the Voyageur Postale

Today, in the UK, the government mandated that we all wear masks when going into shops and supermarkets.  You even need to wear a mask while waiting for a fish and chips takeout. I have been wearing my mask since the start of lockdown.  I tried to get Patrick a mask before he travelled to southern Africa and was met with derision at pharmacies. That was in February. Not so much anymore… 

So I have sent a few of my favourite mail artists (who I guessed may not make their own masks or would wear one I made). I sent one of my first masks -a Herman sends me the most delicious mail art and I wanted to say thank you and to imagine what kind of mask he might like to wear. 

I have been mking masked stamps but Herman's mailing response to my mask is on another level - his work always is! 

I got an email from Herman telling me that he would send me a photo wearing my mask. I checked and he has allowed me to post the photo!  Some of us are all over social media and we know what we look like, not Herman.  Seeing Herman in my mask made me content that I had sent a mask to the right person!  

I also sent Herman a big  collage made in lockdown (above).  

This beauty from Herman in reply. 

Herman and I have conversations through mail art. 

The ephemera/ book pages that Herman sends me for inspiration (and they are) have a timeless quality.  Below is a snippet of the letter Herman sent me - his handwriting, his words are visual poetry and equally timeless.

Herman and I have shared some details about our lives over the years of exchanging.  Maybe this is me linking arms with Charlotte.  I'm sure we'd be friends too. Thank you Herman I LOVE this mailing!

New HP Lovecraft Story and color choices

In the time of coronavirus everything is upended; what better time for David Stafford to channel HP Lovecraft. With Trump, the master of uncaring, in charge, it is not surprising that our world is like a witches brew of hideousness.

And what could more horrific than a new loveless marriage in the time of coronavirus? In England they are allowing marriage ceremonies to begin again, with small parties.  Beware… Meanwhile, I just waved Patrick off on from the platform, mask wearing with a packed lunch.  The car park was empty. A fellow traveller waved his wife off and did a little dance before driving off. 

Luckily my story doesn't fit into the Lovecraft genre.

And as for deep taupe… As far as I'm concerned, a salad isn't a salad unless it has cornflowers in it.

Last night's salad from the garden

Thanks David.  I hope those men in camouflage are showered with rose petals and turn into ferns.

News from the Cascadia Diorama: they aren't closing post offices… they are opening a new Central PO in Cascadia!

A few years ago when I was doing a mail art project in a school I called up the post office to see if I could take a backstage tour of a post office. I got a lukewarm reception and ultimately the person they forwarded me on to never called back and I gave up. Cascadia Artpost's Diorama diaries answer all my questions and shows me everything I need know. 

HOW DID HE LEARN SO MUCH ABOUT THIS? 

And I have that feeling I get everytime I get a Diorama Diary that deja moment of awe and wonder, where does the energy and drive to complete such a painstaking project come from? Wherever the font of that is, it is greatly appreciated and admired. 

This part of the diorama project will have resonance for all mail artists and I notice this one doesn't pull the political strings, apart from the mask wearers. For me, I miss the popular culture nods and lampooning the president but that's about my only regret On balance, it is a more serious additon to Cascadia, but that's obvious.  Mail, mail art, is serious, right?

I loved seeing Mail Art Martha and the people in general in this diorama… I don't go out much anymore. Read throug, linger at the detail and take a behind-the scenes look at the story of our letters.  

Gorgeous envelope with artist stamps and forever stamps. Thank you Cascadia!  

                                                     

Diplomacy

Love receiving this visual conundrum from Jan Theuninck (Belgium). Diplomacy, we can see the world over that this is no easy feat. I am attacted to the magicianship of this visual poetry… how foreground comes forward and recedes into an abyss how a cloud of grey casts two shadows, the undulation of the land and the intensity of the light and colour.  Not many images can be turned any direction and still satisfy.  Jan's does.  Thank you!