Mail Me Some Art

I've always been interested in things related to letters. I like writing, love receiving mail, have collected stamps on and off (not as a serious philatelist, but as someone who admires the art and enjoys history), and always thought being a mail carrier would be a great job. (I love walking and getting up early. Not so sure it would be as ideal as I imagine though, especially with all of the recent changes at Canada Post.)

Last year, when I started to get more interested in collage and, by extension, participating in mail art, I trolled around trying to figure out how to get started. Good Mail Day was a great primer, of course, and I quickly got myself a copy of that. There are lots of other great sites and resources I found, but one of the first was Karen Isaacson's Mail Me Some Art. This site has lots of open swaps, which I find are great for trying new ideas and techniques, and there is also a spot for informal exchanges with other like-minded mail art/artist types. Like Liberate Your Art, which I wrote about last time, you send in your work and get others in exchange. Here's what I received as part of the exchange for grid postcards.

From Phillip Lerche (too bad it got mucked up in the postal system). Here is his post on the grid cards he made and received. 

From Currie Silver.

From Jellita at Jellita Monotype Prints. 

From Carroll (aka bigmamabird).

Karen is always coming up with great art ideas on Mail Me Some Art. Next up for me? Artistamps. It's the push I've needed to get going on this. Check it out.

Liberate Your Art

Kat, over at Kay Eye Studio, runs an annual "liberate your art" project. Honestly, I can't recall how I came across it - somewhere one night of insomnia perhaps? - but I liked the idea that it pushed you to actually do something with your art. In this case, choose a piece and get it printed so you could send it out as a postcard. Then, you send the postcards to Kate (and arrange for postage), which she then re-distributes.

It was timely for me as I was creating all of these collages and not quite sure what to do with them. (I have some ideas now!) Here is the card that I had printed up:

And here are the cards I received:

From Terri.

From Stacie

From Mary at Uncustomary Art (which is a brilliant name of a site for someone named Mary, don't you think?).

And this, "Layered Autumn" is from the host, Kat. 

I didn't participate in the "blog hop" after the event was over, but here is the blog post on that.  In total, the project "liberated" 1254 pieces of art with 209 artists from 10 countries participating. Thanks, Kat!

Hidden Wolf Within Me: Serendipity

Often when I'm creating a collage it's not until afterwards that I notice serendipity - what I thought was a random word seems to align perfectly with an image or something in the placement of a particular piece balances out another "randomly" placed piece. There was a few things that came together when I did this piece for a mail art call, The Hidden Wolf Within Me, which went to the Philippines.

First, I printed this vintage image of a wolf on a page from a children's dictionary. I used the page with the word wolf on it, but just fed it into the printer without fussing with alignment. 

And this is what resulted. See how wolves aligned just above the eye? Serendipity for sure. 

That was cool, I thought, but then this happened.

Here is the reverse of the envelope (with a packing tape transfer added.) See how the word "within" just happened to be at the top of the page of the dictionary? Serendipity rather than any brilliant planning on my part (although my friend, Rebecca would disagree). 

So I added this. 

Coming and Going

Late last week/last weekend I had a very full few days. The opera in Vancouver (not a common occurrence for us, but my friend was the composer so it was a must; yeah, Tobin!) This was followed by several wonderful visits with dear friends and family then home again (a few extra days off work to make a nice long weekend was a bonus). Sunday there was a bike ride and a surf competition to watch on a sunny day at the beach. And did I mention the mail? It's been a pretty good week of mail. Here's a bit of what's been coming and going.

I am a fan for the bizarre and quirky, so this postcard was right up my alley. This came from the Czech Republic via Postcrossing.

Learning calligraphy is on my "to do" list, so it's always wonderful to receive beautifully addressed mail from Richard in Marseille. (And "secret" mail no less!)

And a very funny zine arrived from Karen, who is a talented and busy artist who runs Mail Me Some Art.

And this arrived recently from "The Punk Bassoon Connection." Love all the eclectic stamps, both postage and rubber.

I haven't been scanning a lot of my outgoing mail lately, but here's one that's going out to Richard. The waits in ferry lineups have been good for making collages lately.

Brain Cell

Not long after I first got started with mail art and joined the International Union of Mail Artists I received a curious - and beautifully lettered - envelope postmarked Japan. It was from Ryosuke Cohen. Inside the envelope was a large sheet of paper:

I didn't really understand it at the moment, but I was the recipient of a sheet from The Brain Cell mail art project. Artists from around the world send Cohen images of their rubber stamp art, artists stamps, and other art and Cohen assembles them into these limited editions of 150. I've received two so far. He also sends along a list of the contributors and I have a goal to work through the list, sending out art. (It will be a slow process!) I also contributed a few of my hand-carved stamps, so we'll see what edition they wind up on.

Here's the second edition I received.

Friends and Faux No. 70

The talented folks over at Tanglecrafts have a great mail art project, called Friends and Faux, where artists attach their artistamps on a specially-designed postcard and the card circulates until it makes it back home to Tanglecrafts headquarters. After embarrassing myself slightly on the blog of the very talented Phillip (aka Finnbadger) where I pretty much begged him to send the card on to me next (how very un-Canadian of me), he was gracious enough to comply. I've sat on it for a month now, humming and hawing about what to do, what to do. Given that I have never actually made an artistamp, I had a bit of humble pie to eat before I got down to business. But, I've sorted it out, at least for now. It would help if I knew my way around a computer better and even had PhotoShop, but I made a stamp from one of my collages and a bit of hand-lettering.

I have plans for others. This one is heading out in the post tomorrow!

Sunday Mornings

I think Sunday mornings might be my favourite time of the week. I am an early riser, so the house is quiet (not that it is ever very noisy!). Sheryl McKay is on CBC radio talking about arts, which is almost always interesting, and I have books or magazines or my iPad or writing/drawing materials nearby. It's looking like a nice day today, so there will be time in the garden before we head to one of my most favourite places for the afternoon. And it's a long weekend, so time for even more of this and perhaps some time on my paddle board tomorrow.

Here's a random round-up of things related to writing, mail art, letters, and the like, but first, I received some mail from mail artist, Torma Cauli, of Budapest, this past week, which was pretty special.

Through Swap-Bot I was part of a "Not Your Mother's Mail Art" swap, which I kind of dig (being subjected to far too many stickers of bunnies and the like, I thought this held promise). I was looking for some inspiration for working with security envelopes and found this gem from Apartment Therapy. And there's more.  Some security envelope fabulousness from artist Sarah Phillips and a variety of ideas for security envelopes here.

Yesterday, on CBC's DNTO (Definitely Not the Opera) had a great show on letters. To listen, go here where you can stream it or download the podcast. There were some great stories of letters that made a difference. I have a letter from the tooth fairy as well. I wrote about it awhile back.

I just downloaded FLOW magazine's ("the magazine for paper lovers") special issue on snail mail onto my iPad. After I finish here, I'm heading there. The app is free and you can find it here.

All for today! Have a great one. 

Weekend Collaging

I stayed up far too late Friday night, but I was feeling very creative. Saturday morning I woke up to a mess, but I kept on going. Here are a few of the results.

I think this might be one of my most favourite collages. Love that warthog. 

Outgoing

A few outgoing collages on envelopes.

Writing Process "Blog Hop"

My friend, Jane Warren, whom I met at grad school (which she completed and I didn’t!), invited me to be part of a virtual game of blog tag. Fellow writers link from writer to writer, answering a few questions as we go. Since at the moment I am thinking about writing a lot more than doing it (kind of like I was thinking about writing my thesis instead of actually doing it), I thought this exercise was apropos. So, thanks for the invite, Jane. Make sure you take a moment to visit Jane’s site. She’s a very witty, intelligent writer and I look forward to reading her forthcoming work. 

Below I have tagged three writing friends: Kristin Butcher, Shelley Leedahl, and Sheryl McFarlane. Please take the time to visit their websites and/or blogs. (They'll be posting and linking to other great writers after May 12.) 


What am I working on?
I’m working on filling the well. My last major project was Long Beach Wild, which came out in 2012. Planet Ark, for young readers, came out in 2013, but I think it was Long Beach Wild that drained me. I had been thinking about this book for a long time and worked on it for at least five years. A good deal of primary research went into it and then there were the issues of having to pretty much cut it in half when it got to my publisher (sob) and having it just slink in under the wire before my publisher went in to creditor protection. (All resolved now and the book is out there in the world.) Those last two books were good projects I’m proud of, but other than having a few ideas stewing, I’m not working on any of my own projects at the moment. I am helping a friend write down her memories of living on a small island near Tofino, which is very enjoyable, and it's nice just to be the scribe and not the “creative genius” for a while. I also have a small publishing company, and we are slowly (very) releasing books, so that is keeping me close to books, even if I’m not actively immersed in writing one at the moment.

One note though. Even though I’m not working on an essay or book at the moment, I am writing. I’m writing more letters, which has been very enjoyable. And, for the moment, art – specifically collage and “correspondence art” (a fascinating movement I’m trying to learn all I can about) -- is helping provide  a creative outlet. 

How does my work differ from others of its genre?
This should be a shorter answer. The work I am most passionate about is rooted in place. My favourite essay, Stone Heart, was written when I was sailing in Haida Gwaii; Long Beach Wild comes from a fascination with local history and after spending years walking that long stretch of sand. I suppose my voice, which I try to stay true to, makes my work slightly different, but I don’t think you could pick it out of a lineup! I’m a fairly “straight up” writer and I think that’s why I’ve had a fair bit of success writing about science for children. You have to be able to explain things in a way that makes sense, while, hopefully, still holding the reader’s interest.

Why do I write what I do?
There are a few ways to approach this question. I write non-fiction because I love doing research. I feel as if I could research forever – visiting archives, doing interviews, travelling, etc. – but at some point you actually have to start writing!

Ideas get in my head that I can’t quite shake. The one and only novel I’ve ever worked on – a novel for children – started from an idea I had over 23 years ago. I can still remember the exact spot I was sitting when the idea came to me. I think about this story often and occasionally jot down ideas. Perhaps one day I will actually finish it. I live in eternal hope. 

More and more though, I write about the history of the west coast of Vancouver Island. Interviewing local people, visiting First Nations communities, spending time on the ocean and in the forest, are endlessly fascinating to me and this has been some of the most personally rewarding work I’ve done. I’ve met entirely new groups of people that I might not otherwise have met because I was interested in hearing their stories. For the most part, people just love to be asked.

How does my writing process work?
I am a morning person. When I was writing full time (and had young children), I could often get up at 5 or 5:30 and get right to my desk. Sometimes it felt like I started to work even before I woke up, because I often had an idea in my head that I just needed to get down. (More often than not it wasn’t actually a very good idea, but it felt urgent at the time!) I would do most of my writing during the morning and would try to save the early afternoon for research, answering emails, tending to the business of writing. By mid- to late-afternoon, I’d be done and ready to hit the beach or the garden. Now that I am working full time (at a "real" job), I  write when I can - in the evening, on weekends, or jot down ideas in a notebook when I'm on the beach. 


 KRISTIN BUTCHER

I’ve known Kristin for several years now. We’ve met at retreats and through various writerly events as we’re both part of the network of children’s writers on Vancouver Island and in British Columbia. Kristin is a whirlwind of energy and output. She is endlessly prolific and when she’s not writing, she’s creating art.

Kristin’s bio: Award-winning author, Kristin Butcher, is addicted to pencil and paper. She might be reading, writing, drawing, or painting, but it’s a sure bet paper is involved in some way. A teacher for 17 years, but a writer her whole life, Kristin published her first mid-grade novel (The Runaways/Kids Can Press) in 1997. She now has 21 titles for children and teens, with two more waiting in the wings. Look for Alibi (Orca Currents) in the fall and In Search of Sam (Dundurn YA) next spring. Learn more at: www.kristinbutcher.com

SHELLEY LEEDAHL

I first met Shelley about 14 or so years ago when we both attended the Labrador Creative Arts Festival. I suspect we are both still dining out on the stories that came from that experience! We’ve stayed in touch over the years and I am so delighted that she has just moved to Vancouver Island. This is very welcome news. Shelley is one of the most dedicated and hard-working writers that I know and I’m proud to have a section of my bookshelf dedicated to her poetry and fiction.

Shelley’s bio: Shelley A. Leedahl is a multi-genre literary writer, editor, and instructor. Aside from her numerous publications--including her most recent books, Listen, Honey (stories, DC Books),  Wretched Beast (poetry, BuschekBooks), and the forthcoming I Wasn't Always Like This (essays, Signature Editions) -- Leedahl also works part- time as a radio advertising copywriter. She was born and raised in Saskatchewan, and recently moved from Edmonton to Ladysmith, BC. Learn more at www.writersunion.ca/member/shelleya-leedahl.  

SHERYL McFARLANE

Back in 1988, when I first started to get into the publishing biz, there weren’t really that many of us around. But Sheryl McFarlane was and still is. Sheryl’s book Waiting for the Whales, is one of my all-time favourite children’s book. My editor gave it to me when my first daughter was born and I will never give this gem away (except, perhaps, to my own children’s children). Sheryl is a prolific writer of books for children and young adults and she is just plain passionate about books for young people. I so appreciate her work reviewing books and advocating for writers, writing, and literacy, which she keeps up on her blog, sherylbooks.wordpress.com.  

Sheryl’s bio: Sheryl McFarlane is the author of more than a dozen award-winning books and Ebooks for kids and teens, including Waiting for the Whales, Jessie's Island, and Eagle Dreams.  Island Santa, her latest picture book, is based on a west coast tradition of delivering gifts by boat at Christmas time to those living in isolated coastal communities. Sheryl lives in Victoria, Canada. Learn more at www.sherylmcfarlane.ca and  www.sherylbooks.wordpress.com

Have Glue Stick, Will Collage

We some great family time last weekend, a four-day weekend in Canada, visiting family for Easter. For us, that means a couple of trips by ferry, which means waiting in line. Lucky for me, I had a stack of old German travel brochures, wrappers from chocolate Easter eggs, newspapers, magazines, scissors and a glue stick. So...I made a few collages.

Evidence of chocolate consumption in this one. Wish I hadn't included the rabbit, but it's a good record of the weekend!

This was actually started before the weekend, using endpapers from an old book (Call of the Wild),  an image transfer (the nautical image), transparencies and an image from a vintage children's encyclopedia. 

And here's some outgoing mail art I've sent over the past few weeks:

My answer to a mail art call: eggs. This piece was displayed at the Budapest Stamp Museum in Budgpest, Hungary during Easter and was posted (along with many other eggs) on artist,
Eva Mosonyi's site. 

Answering a mail art call for "labyrinths." Glad to see it made it! 

Birds flying off to Australia with a peregrine falcon stamp.

To one of the grand dadadada-dies of postal art, Jas Felter. 

Side 2 of the above envelope. From a vintage chiropractor brochure with an "eye mask" from my stash of old pharmaceutical labels. 

Answering the mail art call from Moan Lisa: 5089. (Yes, more pharmaceutical labels. Can't resist.)

Playing with image transfers (on packing tape), stencils, and my beloved chimera. This one went to Torma Cauli in Hungary and I'm glad to see it made it. 

Okay, that's enough nonsense for now. I also have a whole whack of "incoming" mail to share. That will have to wait for another day.

(It was nice to see some of the collages I posted on April 8, made their destination. Here are a few: Dale Roberts' Mailmania 5; Peter at Flip Flop Mail Art; Goop Mail Art (love how their display their incoming mail); Dame Mailarta (this is an older mailing for World Banana Day) and finally, Philip Leclerc received my brilliant red dragon envelope. Thanks, all! It's great to see things make it through the postal system relatively intact.)