#66 June 2015 Mail Art

From Nancy Bell Scott comes a collage in her inimitable style.

From Nancy Bell Scott, Portland ME, USA
Above the fray: Collage, paint, asemic writing/markmaking

This is the third piece that I am sending to the 'Meta' Call for Entries. Originally developed as part of  a collage project, it is now making its way to Chicago. How many different fabrics compose the image?

By CR for Olivia Arrow's mail art call, 'META'.
To be exhibited at Uncle Art Gallery, Chicago, IL.
Medium: Collage from clothing catalog

Moan Lisa is a prolific mail artist from Iowa. I recently completed 2 Add & Pass projects that she originated.

By Moan Lisa and CR
'This is art': mixed media collage

By Moan Lisa, Esther Kamkar and CR
'5089': mixed media collage

The Philpott Lake Project asks participants to alter one of 50 postcards. Here's my rendition scanned against a grey background--the figure extends beyond the edge of the card.

BY CR for Diana Hale of Crozet, VA, USA
Entry for the Philpott Lake Project: Collage, acrylic inks, photo pens
http://philpottlakeproject.tumblr.com

The original postcard for the project features a wonderful fish print--how appropriate! 
Note the special stamp.

From Diana Hale
Decorated envelope for Philpott Lake Project: Original print

Tammy Riggins sent this card in lovely pastel colors.

From Tammy Riggins, Clarksville, TN, USA
Gelli-plate print in luscious pastels

From Katerina Nikoltsou a 'thank you' postcard with a delightful Hellas stamp on the envelope.

From Katerina Nikoltsou, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Thank you card in her signature blue with stickers

Arrived recently from Erin Young, a poppy themed card.

Erin Young, Innisfil, Ontario, Canada
Mixed media

Thomas Brown (aka Bhomas Trown) uses stamps to create minimalist designs.

From Thomas Brown, Baltimore, MD, USA
Dig Love:  Stamping and hand lettering

#65 April, May 2015 Mail Art

Creating mail art in response to calls for entries is always a fun challenge and full of surprises.  These two months I have sent out entries to multiple venues. I have used a variety of media to create these mini-artworks. 

The following entry is for an exhibition celebrating the Canadian artist, Anna Banana, and her 45 years of promoting artists' stamps and the mail art genre. The exhibition will be held at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, BC, Canada, September 19, 2015 to January 3, 2016.

By CR for "Passing the Flame, A Celebration of Mail Art", 

at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.

Media: Gelli-plate print with collage

As I was making the envelope for the above entry I discovered that there was a poem about mail art on the backside of the envelope--how serendipitous is that!!!

Mail Art Poem: Reverse of envelope for Anna Banana's exhibition.
Medium: Stamping on a page from Invisible City, March 1979 issue-
a poetry review published in San Francisco, CA, USA

These three postcards were created as part of a small series. Geometric collage elements were added as counterpoint to the calligraphic lines.

By CR for Melissa Fletcher, TN, USA
Media: Acrylic inks and collage

By CR for Thomas Brown, MD, USA
Media: Acrylic inks and collage

By CR for Olivia Arrow, Chicago IL, USA.
Sent for "META" call for entries.
Media: Acrylic inks and collage

Gelli-plate printing continues to be a medium of exploration for me. I usually embellish the paper to create unique postcards. Silver acrylic paint adds interest to the underlying color in first two postcards.

By CR for 'Woman-Fashion ' Call for entries, Paraguay
Medium: Gelli-plate print with collage, gel pen

By CR for Jan Hodgman, WA, USA
Medium: Gelli-plate print with collage

From Thomas Brown, Baltimore, MD, USA
Medium: Stamping

By CR for Olivia Arrow, Chicago IL, USA.
The second of two postcards sent for "META", call for entries.
Media: Gelli-plate print with collage  

These two postcards are making their way to Milan. They are the last postcards in the two series that I have been using. They are quite different in style and media--such freedom of expression is encouraged within the mail art community.

By CR for the RUN 5, Call for Entries,  Room Galleria,  Milano, Italia.
Medium: Acrylic inks on paper

By CR for the RUN 5, Call for Entries, Room Galleria,  Milano, Italia.
Medium: Acrylic inks on paper

A teacher sent out a plea for mail art for her fifth-grade class project. The following is one of the six postcards that I sent out. Participating in the mail art process is wonderful way to help children learn about geography, art and communication.

By CR for Beth Allums, Henrico, VA, USA
Fifth-grade, mail art project. Media: Eco-printing and stamping

An international bicycle race is coming this autumn to Richmond, Virginia. I sent this drawing that I made for a design course to the call for entries. An IOUMA member, Richard Canard, wrote, " ...Ms. Carmela Rizzuto turns the bicycle into some sort of graphic Picassoid personnage. I am in admiration of those who pedal bicycles as well as those who make art at the mention of a word..." (I am in awe of your way with words, Richard!)

By CR for Mim Golub Scalin, Richmond, VA, USA.
Sent for BICYCLES, Call for Entries. Medium: ink on  Bristol paper

From K. Chambers, Anaheim, CA, USA
Daisy, hook, tiger:  digital print

The following painting from KS Chambers did not reach me for 3 months---A very elegant and colorful collage.

From Keith Chambers, Anaheim,  California.
Mixed media collage

My sister, Ann, sends me  lovely handmade cards--this one celebrates Spring.

From Ann: Happy Spring!
Watercolor on watercolor postcard paper

I have sent several postcards over the past few years to Helene and Peter of Goop Gallery. They photograph mail art that they have received in unique places. To discover where this one ended up go to http://goopmailart.blogspot.com/2015/04/carmela-rizzutofrom-usa.html

By CR for Helene and Peter 

GOOP Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. 

Media: Acrylic Gelli-plate print and gold gel pen

#64 January, February, March 2015 Mail Art

MARCH 2015
Katerina Nikoltsou  and I have corresponded over the last year. This is my latest sent to her.

By CR for Katerina Nikoltsou, Thessaloniki, Greece
Fragment of monotype with stamping added

For Roberto Bergamo's call for mail art, Identity.

By CR for Roberto Bergamo, Lecce, Italy
Acrylic on paper, fragment of drawing using tri-tone pencil on paper

And headed to Marseille, France for the prolific calligrapher, Richard Baudet...

By CR for Richard Baudet, Marseille, France
Drawing: ink and tri-tone colored pencil on paper

FEBRUARY 2015
Katerina Nikoltsou is a prolific mail artist--many of her online friends received Valentines, an unexpected treat--it arrived on Feb. 14th. She is known for her blue series and she managed to include some on this card.

From Katerina Nilkoltsou, Thessaloniki, Greece
Mixed media Valentine

A beautifully crafted envelope arrived last week from Richard Baudet, a gifted calligrapher. Merci, Richard!!

From Richard Baudet, Marseille, France.
Romance vs. Drama: Collage and Calligraphy

JANUARY 2015
Armchair exploration is a benefit of mail art correspondence. I'm motivated to view maps of and read about geographic areas that I will probably never see. This incredibly complex imagery, sent from Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa, spurred me to read about its unique location.  I was intrigued by the mail stamp that features the Taita Falcon of South Africa, and learned that it is a victim of pesticides, as are falcons in the USA. Both are endangered species.

From Petrolpetal, Hilton, Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa.
Digital print of wonderfully complex imagery laminated to sheet music.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
This creative seasonal greeting arrived recently--the Commedia dell'arte stamp acknowledges my Italian heritage--Merci, Richard!  The calligraphy is Richard's specialty--a wonderful treat to start the new year.

From Richard Baudet, Marseille, France

Seasonal greetings: Collage of ephemera and wonderful calligraphy

#63 Mail Art December 2014

MAIL ART EXHIBITIONS
December will be a slow month for exchanging mail art, but there is still action to be found. Most exciting is the fact that five of my entries to Calls for Mail Art are being exhibited this month. The first exhibition is Ritual at the 4x8 Gallery in Edinburgh, Scotland in collaboration with Inkwell, Edinburgh University’s creative writing magazine. The second is I dream…at the Incline Gallery in San Francisco, California, USA.  The third is an exhibition in Patras, Greece, Color My World.

As I’ve said before, I wish I could travel to all the places that my small artworks have traveled. I’m including some links below, so my viewers can share in the fun. Images for my entries can be found in earlier posts.

RITUAL

See the unusual and intriguing entries at

http://ritualmailart.blogspot.co.uk

See past issues of  The Inkwell, Edinburgh University's Creative Writing Magazine at 

http://www.publishedinburgh.blogspot.co.uk 

The 4x8 Gallery is part of the The Forest,  a cultural gathering place for the arts.

 http://blog.theforest.org.uk/about

I DREAM…

The Call for entries  was initiated by Artik in Freiberg, Germany

Their exhibition was documented at https://www.facebook.com/ArTikFreiburg 

The entries for I Dream.. then traveled to San Francisco, CA, USA where an exhibition was hosted by Cultivative.org and Incline Gallery. At the conclusion of this exhibition the mail art will be distributed to those in need of a smile and a gift.

Youtube  There is a video of the opening at Incline Gallery that shows the excitement of interaction with mail art at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTSzVvYNC4g&feature=youtu.be

COLOR MY WORLD   
At Epikentro+  Art Gallery, located in Patra, Greece. Documented on IOUMA
http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/albums/mail-art-exchibition-colour-my-world-patra-greece

RECEIVED
Patricio, Celestial Scribe, Curitiba, Brasil sent one of his hand-crafted envelopes with multiple enclosures. The envelope features a list of Celestial Wishes for 2015. His signature envelopes are always a cover for multiple treasures.

Katerina Nikoltsou, Thessaloniki, Greece sent seasonal wishes made from ephemera and paper tape.

Mail Art Martha (IOUMA) and I discovered a shared love of the poetry of Antonio Machado. Martha visited his grave at Collioure, France and sent me a memorial booklet that she made, pine needles from the tree at his grave site, and her translation of one of his poems. It is such a thoughtful and meaningful gift. 

"...deep in my heart
love had stuck a thorn
I plucked it one day;
I don't feel my heart anymore."

Martha's handmade booklet and her translation of poem.
More of his poems here
http://www.poemhunter.com/antonio-machado

#62 Mail Art November 2014

This month I am catching up on overdue correspondence, and giving attention to other art projects.  Although I have decreased my mail art activities, I still receive contributions from faithful correspondents. Thank you to all!

From Jude Worters, Melbourne, Australia.
Documentation of mail art: The Rocket Project to which I submitted an eco-print card.
This beautifully designed and produced catalog
 documents the collaboration of artists and engineers.
More information and images at http://art-rockets.weebly.com

From Georgia Grigoriadou, Thessaloniki, Greece.
 Mixed media on recycled postcard.
Georgia uses discarded postcards as a base for creating her "Faces" series.

From Mail Art Martha, Beckenham, UK.
A 'zine and a one page booklet, "These were not all red hats".

From Petrolpetal, Hilton, South Africa.
Mixed media--lovely use of circles in the black and white image.
The left image is not well seen, but consists of paint on an embossed image of gears (ephemera).

From Mail Art Martha, Beckenham, UK.
Drawing in pen and crayon capturing the Mediterranean seaside.

From Katerina Nikoltsou, Thessaloniki, Greece.
 'Circles': Collage on painted paper. 

#61 Mail Art October 2014

By CR for Richard Baudet, Marseille France.
Sumi-e ink bamboo leaves on newspaper circa 1995.

By CR for Mail Art Martha, Beckenham, England.
Eco-print with stamping and mixed media.

By CR for KS Chambers, Anaheim, CA.
Eco-print with mixed media.

From Richard Baudet, Marseille, France.
Decorated envelope: calligraphy, vintage papers--the epitaphs are quite old as a f is used instead of s.
The lovely 'annee du cheval' stamp continues the theme of Richard's calligraphy.
The horse is painted in ink-brush style by the  Chinese artist, Li Zhongyao, who lives in France.

By CR for Carl Baker, Peterborough, ONT. Canada
"Fragments": Koh-i-noor Tri-tone colored pencils/stencil.
(My first trial of this medium.)

By CR for Gina Ulgen, Norwich, UK.
Fragments: Koh-i-noor Tri-tone colored pencils.

By CR to Rebecca Guyver, Suffolk, England.
 For " Ritual", a mail art exhibition in Edinburgh, Scotland,
in collaboration with "The Inkwell",
Edinburgh University's Creative Writing Magazine. .
Mixed media: Japanese papers, origami net paper, stamping.

From Keith Chambers, Anaheim, CA.
A nod to Magritte in orange and black (# 1/20)--the reverse has a print of an orange slice in white
 on orange background. CR added 'un bord bleu' to enhance contrast on this blog.
Text on Reverse includes--Orange county,
orange trees (Los Angeles was once covered in orange groves),
 and California poppy.

From Job & Cristina (5Blanks) Worthsee, Germany.
I sent an entry to this Call for mail art.