Postcard Personal Mail Art
A number of years ago a few friends and I did what we called Mail Art. It wasn't our invention but we liked the idea. Off and on I've continued to do something along these lines with other artists occasionally, collaborative pieces mostly.
A few years ago somehow there began a much larger movement in this Mail Art area. The internet facilitated the growth of this area of art. About a year and a half ago I began to rediscover and uncover just how big Mail Art has grown. This year (2006) I've become heavily immersed in it.
One of the things I like about the Mail Art movement is that it is so inclusive for all people. The very young and the very experienced all become players in it. Beginners and long time artists connect through it. Multiple disciplines hook up from crafting arts to fine arts and more. It crosses local, national and international boundaries. I like all of this because it connects human beings to human beings. Human access to art is something that I think lay people have long felt separated them from art. Mail Art brings humanity to art and art to humanity. I like Mail Art because it bridges gaps and vast segments of populations and because it is fun. It has the ability to communicate without formal language although it often uses words. The postcard is one of the formats that I like to utilize in the Mail Art world.
The postcard painting with this article is the third of four (3/4) I painted yesterday. This is not a print number, it is a series number. I've learned to do several Mail Art pieces at one time. That is I'll bring several together to completion around the same theme at the same time. This way I can send some out and still have one or two as a reminder and record of what I've done and as an inspirational resource for future works. Sometimes they end up quite similar, sometimes they end up very dissimilar depending on the directions I explore in each one. Two of these four will be going out in a day or two. Yes, I do send them through the mail as postcards. The way they arrive is part of the process.
The bonsai subject matter in this postcard is something I have been playing with for a while off and on too. My subject matter continually evolves. I began to be interested in bonsai when I came to Hawaii some time ago. From that interest and an exploration of brush stroke painting (Sumi'e) I've developed ways I like to work with this imagery. Ways that I like to think of as my own way although some of my influences are clear. I am also fascinated with symbols. I have developed many personal symbols that have meaning for me. I often use these symbols as visual elements in my work. It is a way of communicating with my inner self as well as a way to make the composition in my work function. My art is very personal. I hope my work reaches the viewer in a personal way with a richness that intrigues as well as fascinates.
You can click on the image in this article to see a larger view of this postcard painting.
Gather 10-6-06
(C) 06 Daddario
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Comments: 23
I stayed up later just so I could read about it! Blessings!
Jeannie - you surprised me. thank you for waiting so patiently and allowing me the unpressured time to gather my words. they would have been here even if you had slept you know. thanks for being such a positive encourager.
adele - (as you can probably tell) i have Jeannie to thank for encouraging me to talk about my work. - thank you for taking the time to see exactly what this effort was about.
James - wow. that brother of yours has a heart as big as life. such things and such memories are the center and soul of relationships. thank you for sharing your story. that is an amazing approach to showing love and care for those important to you. i hope you reciprocate. especially sending to all of your brothers cards to send to that one who began it. . . what a beautiful way to celebrate year after year. that is what life should be about, your brother had amazing insight, whether he knew the scope of what he was doing or not (imo). wow.
jan - yes. you have been dancing on the tip of the mail art soul all of your life. of course i believe all human beings are artists - whether they know it yet or not.
Clare and Peacefully Evyl - there are many ways to get involved with Mail Art - on what ever level you choose. it takes a little time to understand the language - but most any one will help you. there are many sites that organize themselves around various forms of Mail Art. some of the forms would include: ATCs (Artist Trading Cards), Postcards, decos, ABs (Altered Books), Journals, Journaling And Traveling Journals, Sketchbook Journals, Chunky or Fat Books, Altered Altoid Tins and a host of other forms. the interactions take the form of RRs (Round Robins), Swaps, PIF/PIB (Play It Forward - Play It Backward) and many other possibilites. you can look most of these terms up in a search engine and find a host of sites and groups to look into. may be i should write a little more about some of these things - i've participated in many of these and i am still participating in many of them. Artspark here on Gather began as a swapping group on Yahoo (i think that is were it bgan - but it may have began prior to that group too) - if you want specific sites - pm me. i'll help you get started by finding out where your specific interest might be or where/what you might like to explore. you can swap in groups or in individual swaps - there are many ways to swap. some sites are specific to a single Mail Art form and some sites include many forms. in all groups the real key is good communication about how you are doing with a project you have commited to... - if i have time i'll try to write more about the Mail Art movement. thanks for your time and curiosity and questions.
James - that's a reasonable bickering. still... i'll bet a throw-back to that original card process would bring a smile to your families - it might even add weight to your arguement for the play you'd like to see - fun is always worthwhile.
Wrick:
I love this idea! It is going to become another way of communicating with my friends. Thank you for sharing it.
Great article and bonsai art card! There's a simplicity and elegance to your work that is very appealing. You have a creative and kind spirit.
I've done a few cards myself in the past - mostly handmade postcards and Christmas cards. When I first started doing them, I was amazed to learn that you can send very unusual stuff through the mail as a post card and it gets delivered.
I'm curious to hear more about the group you mentioned - the one where they tested sending unusual stuff through the mail. I hope you get your scanner up and running soon. I wish I would have documented all of my cards before I sent them off years ago. Smart of you to do that!