Fostering some Love for RC

While I was sleeping the Sleep of Rip van Winkel this summer, I missed the grandest mail-art holiday of the season: Richard Canard's 75th surprise m-a birthday bash!  But it was not for the trying of RC's correspondants, Jon Foster. Jon shipped me a great invite and preparatory packet to get me set to help the crowds celebrate the Olde Geezer (Hey, he IS slightly older than me!).

And it's not like I could possibly have missed Jon's missal, dressed up in bright lemon yellow with red polka dots, livestock pieces and parts, Old Glory, and some silly critters that look like they should be hunted down with the Pokemon.

 This nice bunch of literary confetti inside is setting me up for the big announcement:

 

"Now you do it!!!" Would have been simple, and appropriate, and fun even. But I was AWOL and didn't do it. At least. not in time for the big day.

 

 Jon even provided a really excellent add-and-pass opportunity in the form of an invitation to fill out a portrait of r.c.'s countenance:

 

And just to let me understand the depth and breadth of the big upcoming celebration, Jon included a sheet of gorgeous Richard C 2cents worth stamps from the press of Cascadia Artpost. Makes me wonder if these could be the Cascadian equivalent of S&H Green Stamps for use at Walmarth.

And then, finally, the actual secret announcement which I am publishing herewith because, after all, it's no longer classified, and I don't own this mail server anyway.

 And finally, an ATC-size playing card for playing Old Maids with former 1960s fashion models.

Cooooool stuff. Thank you, Jon, and thanks for helping to host the big party. Sorry I missed it, but in case you haven't checked the FB page lately, below is my portrait of rc, our profound poet laureate. It will snail-mail it's wait to Richard with a basketful of my love!

Catching up with Connie Jean

One nice thing about having not blogged a whole year's mail is getting to go through the stack of goodies a second time and ooo and ahh while deja-viewing all over again.

From Connie Jean came a nice note hoping I enjoyed my my gallery show--I did!!!--and telling a tale of some pretty serious and scary adventures she has been having herself. I won't blog these parts other than to publicly declare that I am launching an armada of virtual hugs Florida-wards on her behalf. That note was stuffed inside a pair of cards which came in a clear poly-bag "envelope." Just like this:

 

and inside that envelope there were these:

 It seems CJ has been siezed by a passion for squirrely mail-art, which you can peruse and contribute to here:squirrelmuseum.blogspot.com. if you want to introduce yourself or follow CJ, here's a good place to start: sub-luna-tic.blogspot.com. Beside squirrels, here is a nice example of CJ at work in the which-way-is-up collage department:

Thank you, CJ!!! I owe you some good mail art.

Oh Lordy, I Have Missed This!!!

A couple months ago I mounted a 50-year retrospective exhibition of selected photo works at a gallery here in my hometown of Richmond, Virginia. The show is over, the works are packed up and back here with me in my studio. I have slowly begun de-cluttering the products of entropy that always attend a busy productive period. There is at least a few square feet of work surface on my table begging for me to start making mail art. But before I get too busy making anything, I need to take the time to sit, examine, ponder, and love a substantial pile of accumulated gifts from IUOMA correspondents. Let me start here:

 

Gorgeous paper envelope! Stamped references to trash and to DKult Doodle Therapy! The queens visage and Royal Mail! Oh I knew immediately where this gem was coming from. Rebecca Guyver, of course!!!

 

My long-awaited-and-forgotten copy of TLP #7: Doodle Therapy by Rebecca and Figgy Guyver, Lucky Pierre, Katy Kehoe, and moi.  Masterful!

And the next hing in the price packet is....OOPS! A starter folio of pages from TLP #8: "Before The Sunset Fades." and a note from Bekkums thanking me and reminding me that I promised PROMISED to contribute to this "DKult classic in the making." Well, of course I did not contribute. I failed miserably to keep my promise.  Perhaps it's not too late, I thought...but NO. A tiny bit of research confirmed quickly that TLP #8 is long since off the presses and in circulation. Well...I hope there is a #9 and 10 and 11 in the planning stages, and that I might get another shot at contributing to these Doodle Therapy masterworks.

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From the Solar Plexus of DADA came a sweet card from my Homey, Lynn Radford, during her sojourn at Black Mountain School.

 

 

That's mail art the way it 'posed to be! Thank you, Lynn!

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While on my sabbatical, I found a new friend/correspondent...or, rather, she found me. But the bennies are all mine. A great stash of cards from Marya Dawn. Fun fun fun collages, each with a bit of reservedly sexy charm. Love them all!

 

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My true-bluest correspondent throughout this time of my wandering from the flock has been Dave Stafford. I stay in touch with Dave via FB and Flickr as well, but here are three wonderful M-A bits from Dave, which he always addresses to both me and my sweetie. Thanks for the mailart and the friendship, Dave.  I know you're not keeping score, but I hope to catch up anyway.

First for your consideration comes the lyric of Dave's latest attempt to break into the Nashville music scene...while traveling in San Francisco. 

 

 

The next is one of those classic bits of serendipitous TrashPo Divine. A found postcard with a Profound message already inscribed by an unknown author.

 

And finally, as a stark reminder of my own recalcitrance, I am just now to the point of acknowledging the glorious holiday magic and love of Dave's promotion of my Scrubbing Weasel line being carried exclusively by Barfa Spew-Art Gifts and Crafts.  Hopefully we will soon see these prominently displayed at the Flagship Wal-Marth Supercenter in Cascadia.