I completed my mail art today and tomorrow I’ll mail it, along with cards created by Dayan and Aubrey. Dayan and I experienced our first mail art project late last year, entering our works of art in a project sponsored by The Memorial Art Reference Library in Joplin. We had so much fun and enjoyed viewing the many submissions in January at the exhibit. Shortly after, I received a notification about another mail art project, via Twitter, this one hosted by an artist in Austria.
We decided to submit works of art for this, our first international mail art project. As a reminder, mail art is a post card sized work of art that is created and then mailed. The first one we did could be any subject, any media. This project has the theme of Turquoise. The word or the color should be represented in the art work.
Dayan had the excellent idea of creating a piece that spells out the word Turquoise, by cutting the letters from pictures of monuments and buildings in different cities around the world. Secured on a turquoise background as well, his work is titled, “The world in…TURQUOISE”. I love the originality and creativity of his work. And, since geography, maps and architecture are passions of his, it showcases his interests. I was thrilled as well that the E in turquoise is represented by the Scott Monument in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Little Aubrey joined us last Tuesday as Dayan and I were beginning our postcards. I had picked her up from school and she was all in when I told her what we were doing. She created a lovely card that has the word TURQUOISE above a sea of the same color. I was actually amazed that she did that herself, selecting a crayon that was the perfect color for her work. Aubrey recently gave me a poster that she made in school that listed a goal of hers for 2015. She wrote, “My goal is to be a better artist.” What a great intention and now a work of hers is on its way to a far away country.
I was the slow one in the group. I started my post card last Tuesday and just completed it today. It is a very simple design, and yet it incorporates turquoise in the background and my door symbol and my word for the year. For added textural interest, I watered down the tempera paint and created a wash of turquoise. Then I smoothed a paper towel over the wet paint, textured side down, absorbing some of the excess paint and leaving subtle imprints behind when I removed the paper. The door is wide open, symbolizing opportunities, and my word is a reminder to keeping following the paths that appear. I flecked black paint over the whole design. Not difficult to create, yet I enjoyed the process and I am happy with it!
Tomorrow the post cards will be mailed, to comply with a March 31 or before postmark, on their way to join hundreds of other mail art projects that have been mailed to Austria from around the globe. I am thankful for the opportunity and grateful for grandchildren who are willing to join in with creative abandon. I’m wondering what opportunity will appear next?
Going Beyond 