My Life's Soundtrack

Here is an email message I sent my best friend explaining her next PostalArt challenge to me. Maybe it will inspire you to create your own challenges. Get CRAZY with 'em! I certainly do!


1. Find a discarded cd case.
2. Use a cd to trace it's shape and size on paper or card stock.
3. Cut out 3-5 paper "cds," and make me a five tracked soundtrack of your life.

I expect you to draw, collage or write on each "cd." Pretend each "cd" only has one track on it, so each "cd" is one song on your life's soundtrack. You can use real songs, or make up your own song titles to use. Place these "cds" in their case, and mail it to me. If you're worried about a cd case getting crushed in the mail, then make a case.

It's up to you.

I will be working on the same exact challenge, and will send my life's soundtrack to you within the month.

Favorite Colors and Patterns, Patterns, Patterns

This is in response to Bonnie's recent crayon rubbings beauty. She challenged me pick 3 of my favorite colors, and incorporate them into my PostalArt this week through "patterns, patterns, patterns!"

This is a perfect example of one direction your PostalArt can take you. Rather than writing boring letters back in forth...make the experience competitive, a new medium of expression, and ultimately giving a simple letter a completely new purpose.

Make it fun, for BOTH parties!

I have challenged Bonnie to describe her year (September to June...'cause I will never be able to shake the 'school year' calendar) in three words, and incorporate that into her piece.

We'll see what she ends up sending. I can hardly wait!

What I've Gotten Back

These two pieces are from my good friends Zach and Bonnie. Zach currently resides in Spokane, Washington and Bonnie in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We all went to college together, and it's awesome to almost reunite through our creativity mailed back and forth to one another.

"No body sends letters anymore!"

Wanna make a bet?!

I believe Zach wrote "To: Heather" on his hand/forearm, and scanned his armed at his work's office. Always the anarchist, haha.

Bonnie used crayon rubbings using a variety of colors, shapes and textures. She's a budding Theatre Lighting Designer. So colors are part of her passion of study.

Great stuff so far!

Lesson Learned

Apparently there's a minimum size requirement envelopes must be in order to get sorted. Your envelope must be 3.5"x5".

I dare you to find a clever way to say "Eff you, Postal Service!"

I'm thinking envelopes sewn together to make one big envelope...about the size of a manila envelope or something, and THEN paint one big pretty picture on it!

No letters...just a canvas of envelopes.

It WILL happen!!!

Muahahahahaha.

With Love

When decorating your envelopes for close friends, incorporate their personality. It will ultimately say, "I love you."

Unconventional Materials

Don't forget to consider unconventional materials as envelopes and paper.





Like a hand-sewn shut Starbucks cup, for example. If you have room to write the addresses on it, they'll send it. The Post Office workers may give you funny looks, but don't take it personally. See it as a chance to become friends with all of your local Post Office workers. I'm still working on that one, myself.

My PostalArt Station

These are my current examples heading off to the Post Office first thing tomorrow. I used watercolor pencils and fine tipped Sharpies. The envelopes are also hand-folded. If you're interested in hand-folding your own envelopes, I highly recommend you check out this website www.ghh.com/elf/


You'll love experimenting from the long list of picture instructions, I assure you. So far my favorite is the DS Letterfold pattern.








I work mostly off of the end of my bed while watching movies in my bedroom.
I purchased an antique galvanized steel tool box caddy from an antique show in Monroe, Washington, and loaded it up with all my PostalArt supplies. I like having everything all in one place. It's chalk full of sealing wax and presses, magazine/newspaper cutouts, to top ramen packages, as well as a few writing utensils.

Enjoy!

The Beginnings

Hello all,

Welcome!

Here is where I shall share art pieces I send and receive, but let me start over.

What is PostalArt, you say?

PostalArt is an ongoing art Networking project I started while unemployed for a month between jobs.

It all started with a book, and a need/requirement to create art that made people happy. Something I didn't have to worry about making a buck or two off of; just for the pure enjoyment of it all. The book is "Good Mail Day: A Primer for Making Eye-Popping Postal Art," by Jennie Hinchcliff and Carolee Gilligan Wheeler.

The idea is simple, really. You mail off a piece of art you make yourself, whether it's how you creatively fold the envelope, used multimedia elements, or just doodled on the paper you wrote the letter on. JUST MAIL IT! And hope that whoever receives such a beauty has smiled.



Here are the "Basic Mail Art Rules," created by Hinchcliff and Wheeler.

1. Every piece of mail art that comes into your mailbox should receive some sort of acknowledgment in return. (This is one of the unspoken "golden rules" of mail art Networking: if someone has sent something to you - at the very least send a "thank you!" in reply.)

2. Mail artists do not charge money for their mail art. (Mail art is a gift that you give selflessly, because you want to. Money only complicates the whole thing.)

3. No returns. (Each piece that arrives in your mailbox is yours to keep. It stands to reason that every piece you send to someone else will become part of that person's mail art archive. Mail art is about giving away, not accumulating and hoarding.)

4. You Give as good as you Get. (If someone sends you an out-of-this-world piece of mail art, you are honor bound to send back something equally fabulous.)

5. Be sure to document. (If you are running a mail art project on your own, be sure to send documentation to all participants in a timely manner.)


From here on out, I shall post images of real PostalArt examples, as well as tips concerning PostalArt documentation. I'll even post creatively crafty ideas to help you get started.

Mail as a means for staying in touch has dyed.

Lets bring it back, and bring it back better than it was before.

So, in the words of Henchliff and Wheeler; "Happy Mail Day!"