Through the letterbox book 2
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Transcript of Through the letterbox book 2
Art throughthe letter boxseptember 2013-july 2014
mailartmartha
Printed in the United Queendom of Retailia
art throughthe letter box
The sequel
The artwork for the Artistamp Imade celebrating the Postal
Services, for which Kevin posedas the good sport that he is.
The Mail Art Show, the key to the artists’ names is onthe opposite page.
The artists
21-22 Heleen de Vann11 Cascadia Artpost
10 Ficus Strangulensis29 Momkat
15 Christine Jones3 Moan Lisa12 XX Jones
2 Richard Baudet6 Thom Courcelle14 Artist In Seine7 Marguerite Keen
33 David Stanley Aponte16 Petropetal28 Diane Keys
35 Jessica Manack30 Thomas Brown18 Andy Geezer
19 Fake Fine Art34 Rebecca Gruyer
17 Robert Sweikiewicz24 Elaine Fafard Marconi
37 Ruud Janssen31 Carina Grandlund
13 Bee Greschak25 Kim Jung Youn
27 Stripygoose4 Jenny Soup
20 Viktor de Magalhaes23 Alain Cotten
36 Anne L.Braunsschweig9 Claudia Garcia
1 Dan Mouer
The Mail Art Show surrounded bythe neighbourhood kids’ drawings.
Heleen de Vann is so verynice. She drew my portrait,
created an artistamp featuringthe emblematic snail of my
Queendom and wrote a bookabout me, under the pen nameof Olivia Zalop. Also she sent
me a most zalopy cartoon.We are amused indeed.
I am zalopefied at so muchunexpected zaloping.
Big zalops to you too Heleen!
the show
Greetings for theNew Year from
Cascadia Artpost.All the mail art
Jack has receivedduring the last year
is here, what abrilliant way ofmaking a New
Year’s card.
Ficus Strangulensisvery especial photos.Look at that dragon-fly! Also a poem and
a strange fractal.Apparently this last issomething to do witha cucumber, an elec-trified one perhaps?Has Fike tried tobring the veggie tolife? If so, has hesucceeded and isthere now a purplecucumber stalking
the world?
Momkat’s Blue Ppic-tures are legendary,but for Valentine’s
Day sheexploded in vibrantand passionate red.
There is a ofthoughtfulness
in her passion though,expressed
by the coolness of themeasuring tape.
A card made withcollaged fabrics of herown creation, I believe,and such a fantastic
riot of excitingpatterns and colours.Absolutely fabulous
Christine Jones!
Moan Lisa send me an interesting es-say on Art and Chess, counterpoisingthese two disciplines and comparingtheir respective characteristics. The
presentation of the essay is a work ofart in its own right, with the addeddimension of scent. Those stains of
blue, deliberately done I am sure, smelldeliciously of printing rooms and
student’s days, at least to me.
Above the centre stamp. The essay in full is on the following page
The artwork in its entirety above
Beautiful envelopesare the speciality
of Richard Baudet.They are fantastic
and the handwritingsomething that I, ifI were capable ofsuch low emotions,would envy. Truthbe told, I do envy,
so there, I admit it!
The mixed media work ofthis lavish artwork con-sists of painting and col-
lage on card.is its
title and was created byXX Jones. Surely it
means that it was execut-ed on a Sunday, not that
it is amateurish at all.The one thing I do knowfor sure is that it hasn’tgot mustard, so it says .
A funny and clever poem from Thom Courcelles, and so true! It tells us ofthe plight of an elf with bad hair days in the run up to Christmas. Haven’twe all been there? My hair positively looks like wet seaweed when takingthe wretched thing off. Off with pointy hats, says I ! Never again, ever!
Here in Englandwe a have a
strange sense ofhumour, even
the Post Office,so it came topass that oneday, I wish I
could say a sun-ny day but italways rains
here or it is dulland windy at
least, Kevin mypostman gaveme a piece of
paper to take tothe post office
to redeem some-thing sent to me.
which turnedout to be a col-lage on card-
board just largerthan A5 so I had
to pay 1.19pounds to makeup the lack of
postage and alsoa handling fee as
it exceeds theinternal postage
while had itbeen sent abroad
it would havebeen OK and as
the artwork is great, Dean, aka Artist In Seine, and I didn’t mind a littlebit paying the fine, but I wondered if I should not have refrained from
doing so as Mail Art should always be free at the point of delivery.(You can catch up your breath now...)
This is a photo of Margue-rite Keen’s collage of vin-
tage ephemera on stretchedcanvas. Even in reproduc-tion it is a beautiful andromantic piece of art; it
must be quite stunning tosee the original. Marguerite
also sent a list of herachievements in 2013 andof her goals for 2014. Oh,my! Busy Mum, Zumbateacher, and more, andmore. Among her goals
there is
That is my favourite, I willtry to join you in this.
Marguerite, you are suchan inspiration.
David Stanley Aponte has a strong painterly style. This piece has depthand movement which carries the observer. Despite its small format
it conveys a monumental feeling and inspires awe.
Petropetal, the artist with the industrial yet poetic name, is also full offun. Hers is a most original work. The front of the envelope, above, ishighly decorated and the back has the intriguing word ‘full’, whereupon
opening it a solitary card with the word ‘empty’ falls out.
Diane Keys’ card is a collage of discarded paper and a note of a studentto her/himself found on the road near a school.
A great piece of Trashpo anyway. Trashpo, poetic art work made withrubbish, is the speciality of Diane, at which she excels.
A Dkult fake Nancy Bell Scott by Diane Keys. A jewel of a mixed mediacollage with asemic writing.
Jessica Manack has found time to send me a super card while attendingEx Posto Facto, a huge gathering of Mail Artists in California.
Thomas Brown handles perfectly both strong and subtle colours ina transparent composition which vibrates as we look into it.
A Trashpo mandala by Diane Keys of Dkcult fame. To me it is awindow opening from a transparent wall into chaos. It sums up
everything I know of the world.
Very nice demonic eMailart from Carl Baker, full of a symbolism I amstill working out. By the way; I am open to receive art by email which has
been created by traditional means and scanned or pure electronic art,conceived, executed and sent by electronic means, no prejudice here.
An expressive manga postcard from Andy Geezer, now busy in Hanoiwith his art. It will be fun when he comes back bringing a new set of
ideas with him. This was a real surprise for me.
This piece transcends theTrashpo paradigm and makes
an amazing and surprisingincursion into Pop Art.It is the latest multiple
created by the innovativeartist who may be known toyou as Indiana Rogers, MeanSheena. Malibu Barbie or
Crocodile Barbie.She is currently working
under the name ofFake Fine Art.
I am very lucky to have ac-quired such an outstanding
piece of artwork.
From Dean, Artist in Seine, a fan-tastic and very large cardboard
postcard (above) with collaged ma-terial from Sri Lanka includingmonks walking on a railway line,
chilies drying in the sun and assort-ed fruit all covered with packets ofsweeteners. What can the messageof such a cryptic art be ? May bethe reverse illuminates us with itsinspired poem (right), Sweet ‘n
Low. Yes, it could describe me, as Iam short and have occasionally,
very occasionally been described asby some, most people know
better. And of course, the chariotof the poem must be my defunctShopping Trolley Gallery. ThanksDean, your poetic muse has not
deserted you.
And more from Dean! A couple of weeks later another great collage,this time flat so our (newly privatised) postal services did not have anexcuse to charge extra postage, and with British stamps in an envelope
at the back . Thanks Dean for the collage for the stamps but itwas not necessary as I explained, tu est tres gentil.
Celebrating bananas is an everyday need for us bananophiles soeveryday is Banana Day, Rebecca, here in Retailia. Rebecca Gruyer has
gone all bananas, in a highly worked card, mixing collage, painting,printing and sewing. The result is a very tactile artwork, I am sorry you
Internauts cannot have the pleasure to handle it. Simply delicious...
This is Robert Sweikiewicz,with his work called PrayerColumn, which speaks aboutlotuses and loving-kindnessmeditation. The colourful
printed prayer flags, similar tothose used in Buddhist festi-vals, caress with a touch ofpeace all those watching andeven projects from the photo.Must have been really great to
see it happening and betterstill, participating, if one could.I hope the public was allowed
to touch the flags too.
And from Elaine Fafard Marconi an intriguing envelope! Mail Art and apresent, I could not be luckier. When I opened it a badge with an extractfrom a French dictionary fell out. I think the word defined is Bourrache.I must look it up, Elaine. It is a fact: Mail Art improves one’s mind. I
interpret the hunting scene as a metaphor for the focused and relentlesspursuit of Mail Art values (Fun, Friendship and Fancy Envelopes.)
A moment in time in blue space from Momkat. The playful dotson the tapes, together with the vows for a happy New Year on
the blue tape point also to the rebirth that Spring brings.This is the message full of hope that we all need.
Ruud Janssen has sent a historic document that has passed through thehands and hearts of great mail artists, some my friends. It is good to bereminded as neither Clemente Padin, Ruggero Maggi or R. F. Cote are in
the present online version of IUOMA .Once we all were members of IUOMA, before the Internet, and we all
participated in each others projects by snail mail only. I have passed thisto De Villo Sloane, and I wonder where it will go from there.
Carina Grandlund is inviting me for dinner. Wow! How could I refuse?Salad, bread and a glass of wine, or is it apple juice? And a cake made ofcream and chocolate. A cheerful card to get this time of the year. Nice to
see that Felix is well and happy with you in Finland, Carina.
Bee Greschak likes postage stamps and the mail and she would write toeveryone if she could. Bee also likes libraries, museums, Van Gogh andDegas and old wooden spools and blue thread and old photos and post-
cards. I love the same things and I miss the wooden spools.
Kim Jung Youn travelling collage with a flavour of a farmhouse kitchen.No doubt there is a rocking chair nearby and a steaming apple pie cooling
on a big wooden table in the middle of the room.
Didn’t I remark that Mail Art enriches the mind? Well, here is anotherexample from Cascadia Artpost. I am still trying to work it out. Theta
rotation has something to do with subatomic particles, may be, and that isas far as my knowledge goes. I shall dutifully look it up, and come backto you, but sit down comfortably and and have a cup of tea, or two ...
Thank you Diane, Keys. After all this brain work, I do need DKULT asI am weakening by the minute. So you say that having my daily dose
will not only resolve my reality issues but I will also be surrounded byluxury? WOW! You soon shall have some luxurious Trashpo from me.
I am glad you returned to your Blueness, Momkat, with this beautifulvintage Bunnie. And I am glad to see that it has ditched Time. I am con-vinced that Time does not exist, it is a Conspiracy Theory. I manage per-
fectly well with Now and Before and Later. It is to say, I would, if it werenot for those unenlightened people who insist to do this, to do that, atcertain times, Indeed! Dentists are the worst, they even charge
you as if they had seen you, if you are not there the moment they tell you.Until later.
European and African inspired imagerydance in harmony in Petropetal’s warm
and lively artwork.
The big cat walking through gigantic flow-ers, accompanied by a butterfly and guidedby a star towards a knot of Celtic originspeaks of deep layers of beliefs which we
have not completely outgrown, luckily.
Also by Petropetal, thiscollage is only partly stuckdown, which gives it depthand a degree of movement.I imagine the red headedwoman is a witch or suchstrong spirit giving the girl
the encouragement sheneeds to go forth in life.
The blue and black circlereminds me of the talis-
man against the Evil Eyefound in East Mediterrane-
an cultures.On the whole a highly
empowering picture andvery beautiful indeed.
And a collection of photo negativesof old USA postage stamps
From Margueritte Keen a great collection: an old photo, jokes, Bingocards. I had never seen one, they come as a note book which could beused as a sketch book by an artist with a practical inclination, ahem...
And a sheet of golden stars. The envelope in which it all came was madefrom a leaf from an old magazine, this is its back view.
And these are thejokes and the
poem also sent byMargueritte
Petropetal textured folded card has been lovingly worked on the outsidewith paint, collage and rubber stamps. Even the postage stamps are partof the exciting design and on the inside I found a big surprise: it contains
a malignant spirit! I guess that, like me, Petropetal loves fairy tales.
Artistamps from Cascadia Artpost.Jack Lattermann had promised to send me some clouds, and here
they are, in these beautiful fake postage stamps.
This regal goose came form Stripygoose herself, who else? Sue hastaken Goose Art to new heights with this amazing collage .In the back was the most amusing cameo I have ever seen!
Said because I am afraid I peeled it off to stick on the ga-rage door for the show but it is still in good health, stuck now on
the door of my bookcase.
One does indeed, Maam.
From Jenny Soup a envelope decorated with a menacing Skull and CrossBones, softened by a feminine touch of shinny bling. Inside a lovely pleafor inspiration, very endearing. I am afraid I cannot help there Jenny, Ihave used up all my yearly allocation of inspiration already! Anyway you
seem to be doing very well as this super picture shows
The title of this piece is Love Poem, or Poema de Amor for us Hispano-phones, which is not a device for talking at a distance, it is
a highfaluting way of saying Spanish Speaking Folks.The ansemic poem is in red ink and overwritten in silver, on card heavi-
ly painted with lots and lots of lovely texture. The detached heart isintriguing, and the whole muy hermoso. The clever and sensitive
artist/poet behind it all is Viktor de Magalhanes. This is the first timethat I have seen his work and hope I will see more of it.
Alain Cotten works only on hisenvelopes.
On this very interesting collageAlain places a brain, a blindman with perhaps a nurse ordoctor and a photo which Ithink shows Joseph Swan.
Swan was the English competi-tor of Edison and he was thefirst to come up with the idea
of the light bulb. We knowwho is accredited with theinvention. Money had some-thing to do with it, I am told.On the label on the top righthand corner it says Mail Art,
Alain Cotten (address) with thecollaboration of the postman.This is a nice compliment.
Another puzzle, I feel like Sherlock by now but this time I am foxed. Icannot guess who is the gentleman in David Stanley Aponte’s intriguingpostcard and why is he staring at a black dot in a circle in scarlet space.A scientist? Galileo? The other postcard with the cross must be an ob-
scure Sub-Real Alchemy symbol, it seems David is an expert in it.
Momcat is in a long journey ofrestoration it seems, althoughshe cannot keep away from us
completely and sent this alteredpostcard of Paris.
It was a lovely surprise as Ithought I would not hear from
Momkat for a long time.
From Cascadia Artpost fourLilliputian scenes which asJack says takes us back tochildhood, a very pleasant
experience. Beautiful idea andon the envelope two Lillipu-tian artistamps to round up
the magical journey.
Ficus created another great collection of amazing fractals and, moreamazingly, photographed some fractal patterns which only he could spotin nature. Ficus even altered a work by Moan Lisa ( the blue pattern )
with his magic fractal wand. That is such a great idea and one that couldbe developed into a whole new art form.
Richard Baudet’s col-lage of a real postagestamp on an extractof Mm Bovary is a
jewel in miniature. Iteven shows the stamp
killed by Richard’sown postal seal.
On the envelope thereis a beautiful current
stamp showing aChinese watercolourof a horse; which ismy favourite subject
at the moment.Richard also added atransfer of a coach
and horses.
From Anne L.Braunschweig; Anne urges me to keep mail art alive bycreating everyday. I wish that could but Reality Issues get in the way,
like catering for Visiting Relatives...
Moan Lisa is also apoet as well as a su-
perb artist using mixedmedia. Here is one ofher poems as well astwo examples of her
graphic art, the seconddeveloped around aquote from Sappho.
She handles languageso well as to paint
complex images withwords. On her flat
pictures her layeredstyle manages to evoke
textures and depthwith amazing
ease and freedom.
From Cascadia Artpost more Lilliputian scenes which Jack explains wereplaced by him along his route when walking daily in Seattle.
Now having moved to Olympia WA he is designing his gardenand creating lots and lots of superb Mail Art.
Jack’s garden; I am glad there is room for bugs too.
David’s abstractdesign brings tomy mind a tallbuilding, with
clouds behind. Areally beautiful
picture thatwakes up theimagination
From Sub-RealAlchemy.
Claudia Garcia has distilled theessence of a stroll hinting ofdancing and happiness in a
great image and sent also anorigami dove with the words
Paz on one wing and Amor onthe other ( Peace and Love).
Beautiful work!
Moan Lisa’s pictures are always admirable and a source of joy for me.
A new abstract from Sub-Real Alchemy where as usual I can see lots ofimages whether intended by David or not, I always enjoy them.
This is an industrial landscape at sunset for me.
Margueritte Keen made a blank notebook for me, how thoughtful! It isvery cleverly made, the cover is an envelope cut in such a way as to havetwo pockets in the front and back where a bookie and a lovely card live.
The bookie is a series of her own postcards, a brilliant idea.
Diane Keys collectedexciting Trashpo in a
tiny envelope:I am a member ofthe Trashpo of theMonth Club now, it
seems, and this is thespecial selection ofthis month, just forme. Gee, thanks!
It was great fun tofind with the three
pieces of subtlewatercolours Dianealso sent for me towork on in an art
collaboration.
Dan Mouer went well beyondthe boundaries of Mail Art withthis superb mailing. The hugedecorated envelope contained
an atmospheric photograph of afield with horses. The photo is ahand coloured black and whiteprint and the horses belong to
him, lucky Dan...
There was a card also, exhorting us to usechop sticks whenever eating Chinese food,
to respect tradition.
A box arrived, which was such fun to open, slowly and savouring the sur-prise, with a cup of tea at hand and a curious husband. In it Thom Cour-celle had put a comic, a cutout of a four leaved clover for luck, some
DKULT patches, to be able to overcome the stress of facing daily existen-tial issues, very welcome, some ivy leaves too and a mysterious bag. Thebag contained an oracle to predict the future with two wooden chips andcomplicated instructions in a scroll. So useful in this age of uncertainty
principles. The crumpled paper was packaging.
This abstract from Sub-Real Alchemy is more specific than usual; a greatouter space landscape, very original indeed. I like also the stamp of Em-ma Goldman. David’s work of late sends me rushing to investigate the
personages that he shows, good for my education.
Katerina’s art is usually blue, only in the colour she uses, I mean, becauseher work is always full of fun and joy.