Pushing the Envelope 2012

[Valentine Mark Herman]

You might be interested in looking at (I hope this is right, it looks strange) pushingtheeenvelope.info.

It's a 'campaign' in which a number of (mainly British celebrities [sic]) 'transform envelopes into works of art' that will be auctioned on eBay [suck] to raise money for the UK's National Literacy Week.

I quote from some blurb I have seen: 'The celebrities (including Dame Judi Dench, Stephen Fry and Dame Shirley Bassey) hope to illustrate that beauty can come from something simple if inspiration is present'.  (Honest). The theme for this, the 7th annual envelope pushing thing, is 'inspiration'.

Val

 

[Mail Art Martha]

Makes my blood boil. The trouble is, nobody knows about Mail Art. Mind you if they knew they would put it in galleries and kill it. At least it is for a good cause.

[Lynn Radford]

Maybe we need to launch a campaign to inform the average Joe. Mail art just IS. The premise that anyone can create mail art... Twisted into a way to raise money. (shakes head) Martha, I agree with you, but good cause or not, that's just wrong.

An aside: Ever since my participation in artlikeart's Save The USPS call, my husband has the workers in the local P.O. convince that ALL mail artists are trying to save their jobs by mailing mass quantities of art! Every time they hassle him about an odd piece I've sent him to post, he reminds them! LOL

[Mail Art Martha]

Lynn, I like your husband's reply, he deserves to be an Honorary Mail Artist. As to inform the average Joe, well, it is awfully difficult to make people understand. 'If you do not sell you are not an artist' seems to be the general attitude. I have mounted mail art shows in public places, libraries for instance, and the only ones that respond in a positive maner are the kids. The adults seem so puzzled. I used to encourage the public to take some home, for free of course, and very few accepted. Oh the labradoodles!  (I noticed in your facebook page that you are a fan of Sheldon Cooper and the gang)

[Lynn Radford]

Oh! My! Martha! Seems we have a bit in common? It's always nice to meet a kindred. :D I find it's best to make art for art's sake and let the rest settle into place. JIm Parson is quite talented.

[Mail Art Martha]

I think so too, Lynn. Yes not to push, envelopes or anything else; go with the flow, respond to one like this and the other like that. Always changing, never static.

[Lynn Radford]

:D Flow is good.