Mail Art

I am learning a lot from the Sketchbook Challenge. There are many talented artists that are sharing their work, and they are motivating me to try more drawing myself. Some of the folks are incredibly prolific, and they are inspiring me to find more time in my busy life for art. One of the young mothers not only works in her journal (she has multiple journals) but also does Art Postale and posts some of her designs on her blog. These envelopes look like presents all by themselves, and so, at the Art Journal workshop, I said "I would like to try Mail Art. Do you know anyone that teaches it?" They said, "No, why don't you prepare a class?"

I came home and talked to Mr. Bryant about it. And the next thing you know, a surprise from him arrived in the mail (love that mail man!). Now that I had a book I went off and found appropriate materials, and after reading and pondering I gave it a try. I feel pretty good about my first few attempts, although strangely ambivalent about sending them. But no matter what, I mail my first works off tomorrow. Jumping in the pool.

The book recommends that you do art with what you have. The Art Lab book I am reading talks about doodling, and so I doodled with the pens and highlighters I had in my purse to start these pieces of Mail Art right on the envelopes. After reading some from Good Mail Day, I bought some Satedtler Mars erasers and carved a few Wild Hare stamps to add to the mix. These were fun and I really like they way they are looking.

I can't very well talk about mailing art in class if I don't make it happen. I have the class supplies for folks to do mail art on envelopes, and got some cool lined envelopes in a few different sizes. Tonight I am going to try making an envelope from scratch and adding a circular vellum window. I think that by the time class rolls around I will have some good ideas to share.

Front (above) and back (below) of WMA1.

WMA2

WMA3

More art, more letters - not such a bad idea, right?