paper exports – part 1

Packing boxes and traveling in the past couple weeks has really made me long for some creative time. I can not wait until early July, once I have my new studio space set up, so I can get some serious drawing and printmaking on the go, as I have a lot of ideas running wild in my head. Right now the only creative thing I have to cling to (apart from my sketchbook of course) are some of the glorious outgoing letters I sent before John signed his contract. I have plenty of postal treats to share with you, so prepare for a 3 day “paper export” extravaganza.sent with ♥ to:  Barbara Wanhill (@2catsandapencil)

sent with ♥ to:  Robert Sae-Heng (@mrrubbertoes)

sent with ♥ to:  Heather Stump

 sent with ♥ to:  Peter and Joyelle Komierowski (@peterkstudio)

sent with ♥ to:  Jessica Mayne

sent with ♥ to:  Sarah Churchill (@scjammycustard)

sent with ♥ to:  Jillian Hermansen (@jillianailsa)  PLUS  the bestest video ever of her opening all these postal treats too!

sent with ♥ to:  Kristine Hajas

sent with ♥ to:  Beverly Ealdama (@beverly_e)

sent with ♥ to:  Marissa Falco (@czarcastic)

I hope all of my amazing pen pals were super happy with the above packages! These special piles of ephemera were complied in my studio and all of the letters were written here. As I mentioned above, there’s a nice pile of creative envelopes left to share with you, so make sure you come visit me again tomorrow!

outgoing snail mail

Six pen pal found treats in their post boxes this past week. One letter in particular had been waiting for it’s addressee to return home from his european trip: Robert Sae-Heng (@mrrubbertoes),  found a handmade envelope with typewritten addresses and rad Canadian postage stamps, including the Walrus (his fave animal). I sent him a “how to tie a bow tie” instruction page, a bartending octopus (cuz rob slings drinks part time), a sick spray paint sticker, vintage walrus tea card, walrus flash card and an awesome drawing I did for him inspired by his nickname. It took me a few tries to get it to look right, but essentially the idea was to have rubber toes spelling mister rubber toes.Jill Griffin (@jillgriffinart) found a classic airmail envelope covered in vintage aviation postage stamps. Inside were helpful post-its, plenty of collected paper ephemera including quotes, artwork, magazine clippings and flash cards. I also tore out a page from my martha stewart wedding magazine with cool ideas about alternative ways to use washi, since she has a new found love for the Japanese tape. I handmade an envelope for Sumi Senthi (@sumiart) out of a paper that reminded me of old parchment. I closed it shut with my wax seal from Venice Italy, but sadly the red accent went missing during it’s travels through the postal system. Luckily the contents made it intact: a who’s hoo zine, NMF postcard, stickers, telephone themed flash cards, a calendar to get organized with and a wee little watercolour painting of a cartoon bird.Pagrum Boon, said she loves cookies and collects vintage airmail stickers. It was a no brainer to copy one of my mom’s best cookie recipes and send it with a big pile of various airmail stickers. I also jazzed up moleskine with one of my vinyl stickers to gift to her, along with a wee note on a postcard and some customized typewriter triplicate poetry. Lisa Grabbenstetter‘s (@magneticcrow) twitter bio says that she can not function properly without birds or trees, thus inspiring the themed of my recent mail art post to her. Stamps, paper ephemera, postcards, stickers, rubbings and other tree & bird items were collected to fill an envelope with a swan on the front. I selected only tree or bird postage stamps to send it with too! The last pen pal who enjoyed mail art from me was ACAD friend Su Yin Strang, who found a plethora of cute Sukie woodland post-its, a free willy pog and a sappy friendship quote. The piece du resistance however was this monster freak postcard, on the back of which I described his made up life story… Su said it was “fridge-worthy.”I’m excited to see what postal pleasures arrive at their destinations next week! Plus I’ll be  making envelopes for some of my owed replies later this week, once my art house 2012 sketchbook project is finished.

incoming letters

A long awaited envelope from the infamous Justice Bicycle (@justicebicycle) showed up this week containing a seriously intense drawing of a rabid animal scrawled with a loving note underneath. Included were 3 laminated Jersey Shore coasters with the most hilarious asinine quotes from the ridiculous reality show written on the back. All enclosed in a handmade envelope that has “from here to infinity” with a muscley moustached dude hidden on the inside. Bree Ong replied to my snail mail with an air mail envelope containing a lovely pamphlet style insert that told me lots about her life, Malaysia her home country, and her hobbies! She also included a wee letter on adorable stationery and a tiny drawing of the tallest building in Malaysia (which at one point was the tallest in the world).  Robert Sae-Heng (@mrrubbertoes) is an amazing artist from the UK who makes the most amazing walls with spray paint and draws with such unique style. Rob had been trying to work on paper a little more, as most of his paintings were being done on walls. I suggest Ed Pien’s Image Bank concept and also recommended mail art! This is his first package & it was choc full of incredible paper pieces done in ink, watercolour spray paint and other mixed media. So lucky to own so many rubbertoes’ originals! Tessa Brown (@talulabblogger) sent a cool fill it in postcard that let me know more about her. She sent a blank one for me to do what I wish with, but I definitely want to fill it out and send it back to her. There was also an epic vintage photo of a donkey, a Sanna Dyker pin and other fun goodies stuffed in the decorated and heavily stamped envelope. I was treated by another altered Canadian postcard all plastered with stickers from Kathy Dahl! A long message written on the back about a few upcoming plans and some questions about things I’ve been up to. Last to arrive, but obviously not least, was a super sweet package from my two of my favorite friends (who are also a darling duo) Nick and Olivia (@o_delorme)! They collaborated together and stuffed a couple handmade envelopes full with origami stars, cute dinosaur stamps, a baboon, klimt & van gogh paintings, free FOTC music, feathers and a hilarious cartoon bashing the movie zookeeper. So much fun!!! Thank you to all of my pen pals for taking time to make something special just for me! Snail mail always makes me smile.