Charlie & Max!
Last week I decided to join in my first mail art swap that was on offer on one of the yahoo groups I am a member of. From what I understand it is where artists send art in the mail to other artists. Being a newby to the world of mail art I naturally googled it, and even after some google time I am still not sure if there are any boundaries to this - as long as it can be posted its mail art!
I have to mail some arty fun to nine other people all around the world, so the costs of postage will be a guiding factor. I plan on heading to the local post office and checking on this today, but to start the process off ( as we need to post during September) I have started a series of postcards.
The first is a set of 4 largish postcards that I got in the mail to promote the current exhibitiion at the Queensland Art Gallery - beautiful masters from Spain. (We havn't been yet but it's on my list of things to do before it closes!)
They were just begging to be altered, and as they were glossy they have been sanded, lightly gessoed, stamped, painted, and collaged... so far! As this dear lady has such a solemn expression I added the word 'smile' - seemed appropriate somehow. I spent an hour or so leafing through my old copy of 'What Kay Did', finding suitable quotes to add. A bit more distressing and a glaze or two and these will be finished.
Next I used Cotman Water Colour Postcards, which I added watercolour washes, with drips and backwashes, and a quote. Not sure what to do next - maybe some stamping?
And lastly, there is one little card, which is watercolour paper with shiva oil sticks on the outside, and a watercolour wash on the inside...
I'm trying something new: linking in... I'm linking back to Effy's Swoon page and also Paint Part Friday - so if you are visiting from either of those paces be sure to say Hi! The art community is HUGE online, and its great encouragement to join in so many different groups and ideas :-)
Love your comments :-)
Hi
ReplyDeleteI'm here visiting from PPF :)
Loving your colourful postcards and the altered Queenly ones.... great fun!
Karen
Hi Karen - thanks for dropping by!
ReplyDeleteWonderful colors and lovely art!
ReplyDeletethanks for your lovely comment!
DeleteWhat fun you and the cats are having on your art table. The altered cards will be a great success for those who receive them! Enjoy and welcome to PPF!
ReplyDeletehi Lynn, thanks! the cats are fun to have around - they tiptoe around the pots of pencils, like to drink from the water containers, and lay across art works ;-)
DeleteYour research hasn't led you astray - there are no boundaries to mail art! If you find that you enjoy it, you may also enjoy the International Union of Mail Artists (http://iuoma-network.ning.com/), which is not nearly as formal as it sounds. It's just a group of people who like to send mail art - no union dues or strikes or anything!
ReplyDelete