Carla Cryptic's Posts - International Union of Mail-Artists2024-03-29T09:00:14ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptichttp://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/64514905?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=2wu8pvxibiay5&xn_auth=no18th Annual Box Show at Gallery Route One in Pt. Reyes, California through September 24th, 2017tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2017-08-25:2496677:BlogPost:21470462017-08-25T22:28:13.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
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<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73325414?profile=original" target="_self"><img height="195" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73325414?profile=original" width="198"></img></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BYL8pwKjI-t/?taken-by=carlacryptic" target="_blank">Silent</a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BYL8pwKjI-t/?taken-by=carlacryptic" target="_blank">Rave by Carla J Patterson (Box #140)</a></p>
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<p>It's that time of year again and my 4th year…</p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73325414?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73325414?profile=original" width="198" height="195"/></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BYL8pwKjI-t/?taken-by=carlacryptic" target="_blank">Silent</a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BYL8pwKjI-t/?taken-by=carlacryptic" target="_blank">Rave by Carla J Patterson (Box #140)</a></p>
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<p>It's that time of year again and my 4th year participating in this annual fundraiser for Gallery Route One. The reasons I love it so much are several. Pt. Reyes is one of my favorite places to go because it has an incredible stretch of miles of beaches, natural clay deposits if you know where to look, one of the coolest lighthouses in California and quite a hike from the top of the hill to the lighthouse platform (over 300 steps). I have always liked this gallery because of the way it's set in the landscape - so much light throughout the space except the room where things with lights are displayed and darkness is preferable. And, last but far from least, I really love the Box Show. </p>
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<p>Over 150 artists participated this year and the show will be up through September 24th when there will be a live auction and, hopefully, all of the boxes will be sold. I had two bids on my box when I went over last week... hopefully that will increase as time goes on. This is the first box I've done which has moving parts and lights which start up when you push a button at the bottom front of the piece. That was really fun to do and gives just the right atmosphere to the box from my point of view.</p>
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<p>If you follow the link above, you will be able to see the box in action - I did about 28 seconds of video so people who can't make it to the gallery can still get a sense of the piece. Besides what's going on in the front of the box, I made the outside of the box part of the whole event by making it look like an old warehouse slash church, just the kind of place raves sometimes take place. There are old, barely legible ads for coca cola and pepsi, as well as a mortuary, on the sides and back of the box. The stained glass window shows one image on the inside, another on the outside, but the depth of the hole is such that it made since to do that. Making skylights in my box last year made me think of the stained glass window this year.</p>
<p>Enjoy!</p>Year of the Red Fire Monkey Results... as they come in!tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2016-05-07:2496677:BlogPost:19815562016-05-07T05:00:00.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73290865?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" height="172" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73290865?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="162"></img></a></p>
<p>I am happy to say that pieces for the Year of the Red Fire Monkey mail art call are starting to come in and are showing up in the album I've set aside for that purpose. Please come have a look from now throughout the end of the year, and beyond!</p>
<p><a href="http://tinyurl.com/jg56nf9" target="_blank">Red Fire Monkey Call Results</a></p>
<p>You can also see results…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73290865?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73290865?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="162" class="align-full" height="172"/></a></p>
<p>I am happy to say that pieces for the Year of the Red Fire Monkey mail art call are starting to come in and are showing up in the album I've set aside for that purpose. Please come have a look from now throughout the end of the year, and beyond!</p>
<p><a href="http://tinyurl.com/jg56nf9" target="_blank">Red Fire Monkey Call Results</a></p>
<p>You can also see results from the Year of the Golden Rabbit mail art call in 2011-12.</p>
<p><a href="http://tinyurl.com/gn2axkm" target="_blank">Golden Rabbit Call Results</a></p>
<p>And if that isn't enough, come see the open mail art calls album for 2016!</p>
<p><a href="http://tinyurl.com/jbwngm2" target="_blank">Open Mail Art Calls 2016</a></p>
<p>If you have open calls you'd like me to add to the album, please send them as a .jpg file so I only have to upload to the album rather than reword it or recreate it. </p>
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<p></p>Year of the Red Fire Monkey - February 8, 2016 through January 27, 2017 - Mail Art Calltag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2016-02-01:2496677:BlogPost:19144182016-02-01T23:30:00.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73279577?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73279577?profile=original" width="450"></img></a></p>
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<p>It's the 60th anniversary of the Red Fire Monkey Year, the year my brother (and fellow artist) Tom Atkins was born. I want to share my love of mail art and mail artists with him this year and, so, I'm sending out a mail art call on this theme. It will be a year long event starting now and ending at the end of January 2017. </p>
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<p>As some of you know,…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73279577?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73279577?profile=original" width="450" class="align-center"/></a></p>
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<p>It's the 60th anniversary of the Red Fire Monkey Year, the year my brother (and fellow artist) Tom Atkins was born. I want to share my love of mail art and mail artists with him this year and, so, I'm sending out a mail art call on this theme. It will be a year long event starting now and ending at the end of January 2017. </p>
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<p>As some of you know, the 60th year is a big deal in terms of Chinese tradition - it's the only time in your life that your birth year's animal and element will occur again and that's a time of luck and important changes.</p>
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<p>Please send mail art on the theme of monkeys, primates, Chinese Year of the Red Fire Monkey, fire, the color red, 60th birthdays, or just wishing good luck to:</p>
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<p>Tom Atkins c/o Carla Cryptic</p>
<p>PO Box 1274</p>
<p>Berkeley, CA 94701-1274</p>
<p>USA</p>
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<p>- and/or to:</p>
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<p>carlacryptic@yahoo.com (with a CC to redmandala@yahoo.com - my brother's email account)</p>
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<p>Documentation will be online at <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/carlacryptic/albums/72157664053392651" target="_blank">www.carlacryptic.com .</a></p>
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<p>Thanks!</p>
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<p>Listen to my song with Alanatomic <a href="http://www.icompositions.com/music/song.php?sid=132738" target="_blank">I'm Not Your Monkey!</a> at iCompositions for free. ;)</p>2015 Box Show - where did this past year go!?tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2015-07-30:2496677:BlogPost:18147912015-07-30T18:43:14.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
<p>The 2015 Box Show is up now and will be up through September 13th when there will be a live auction.</p>
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<p>Here's my piece for this year - very different from my original plan. Was sick for 6 weeks and didn't have the stamina for what I wanted to do. But, in the end, I like it nonetheless! (Held by Graham in this photo.)</p>
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<p>Woman made and nature made joined together… The Rough and the Smooth.…</p>
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<p>The 2015 Box Show is up now and will be up through September 13th when there will be a live auction.</p>
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<p>Here's my piece for this year - very different from my original plan. Was sick for 6 weeks and didn't have the stamina for what I wanted to do. But, in the end, I like it nonetheless! (Held by Graham in this photo.)</p>
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<p>Woman made and nature made joined together… The Rough and the Smooth.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73263924?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73263924?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>The Annual Box Show at Gallery Route One in Point Reyes, CAtag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2014-07-27:2496677:BlogPost:15907392014-07-27T08:18:21.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
<p>I got lucky in the lottery at GRO and am now on the Annual Box Show list until I ask them to take me off. Woohoo! I love Box Shows! </p>
<p>I finished my first box for the show (opening will be on August 3rd) and will take it over to the gallery tomorrow. I really like how it has turned out and, if no one else buys it, I certainly will. The annual Box Show is a fundraiser for the gallery so the boxes are bid on over a 6 week period.</p>
<p>Here's an image of my box - Blue Forest…</p>
<p>I got lucky in the lottery at GRO and am now on the Annual Box Show list until I ask them to take me off. Woohoo! I love Box Shows! </p>
<p>I finished my first box for the show (opening will be on August 3rd) and will take it over to the gallery tomorrow. I really like how it has turned out and, if no one else buys it, I certainly will. The annual Box Show is a fundraiser for the gallery so the boxes are bid on over a 6 week period.</p>
<p>Here's an image of my box - Blue Forest Geode:</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73228262?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73228262?profile=original" width="540" class="align-full"/></a></p>New Year's Day photo expedition...tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2014-01-02:2496677:BlogPost:14406032014-01-02T00:13:36.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
<p>Most NY's Days we go to Miller Knox Park in Point Richmond (near where we live) to take photos. Graham brings one of his large format film camera (this year, his MPP with a film back instead of single sheets of film in holders) and I bring my Nikon D40X (digital SLR). It's a low key way to get out and do something on the first of the year and it's always sunny, even if a little too brisk to wear summer clothes. It is a great combination of the old, the new, and the perennial and as good…</p>
<p>Most NY's Days we go to Miller Knox Park in Point Richmond (near where we live) to take photos. Graham brings one of his large format film camera (this year, his MPP with a film back instead of single sheets of film in holders) and I bring my Nikon D40X (digital SLR). It's a low key way to get out and do something on the first of the year and it's always sunny, even if a little too brisk to wear summer clothes. It is a great combination of the old, the new, and the perennial and as good a tradition as any to mark the beginning of the year together.</p>
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<p>Here are some photos from today's trip:</p>
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<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73205702?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73205702?profile=original" width="510" class="align-full" height="341"/></a></p>
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<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73205821?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73205821?profile=original" width="510" class="align-full" height="342"/></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73205960?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73205960?profile=original" width="600" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73205988?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73205988?profile=original" width="600" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73206077?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73206077?profile=original" width="600" class="align-full"/></a></p>Cancer is a big word with numerous outcomes...tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2013-09-29:2496677:BlogPost:13720422013-09-29T18:29:14.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
<p>Well, it's the end of September 2013 and I am just getting back here (to post a photo of my mail carrier in the 'local postal person' group). Life just gets more and more complicated at times. My husband got diagnosed with (luckily!) very early stages of prostate cancer a few months ago and that has taken a lot of time for research to decide what treatments, if any, he wants to undergo and, frankly, just to get our heads around it. We've been told that his kind of prostate cancer is so…</p>
<p>Well, it's the end of September 2013 and I am just getting back here (to post a photo of my mail carrier in the 'local postal person' group). Life just gets more and more complicated at times. My husband got diagnosed with (luckily!) very early stages of prostate cancer a few months ago and that has taken a lot of time for research to decide what treatments, if any, he wants to undergo and, frankly, just to get our heads around it. We've been told that his kind of prostate cancer is so slow growing and microscopic at this point so he doesn't really have to have any treatment right away. They are doing something with him called 'active surveillance' which means testing PSA every 6 months and probably another biopsy in a year. If all goes well, the soonest he'd have to deal with radiation treatments would be in 2 or more years. That's a relief in one way but I know it's hard for him to know there is cancer in his body somewhere growing, even if it's very slowly! Since this happened, we have learned how many men around us in every part of our lives has had prostate cancer! It's amazing and seems to partly be because we tend to live so much longer now and partly because of chemicals/radiation/etc. in the air, water, and land. Anyway, in solidarity with all of my mail art friends living with various cancers, I thought I'd mention it. At least we who are still alive are living with it! As the oncologist we talked to reminded us, there are many more people living with cancer than dying from it, something we don't usually realize. We all remember those of our friends and families who haven't survived cancer, also, and they are not forgotten. Hugs to all of us.</p>
<p>xox</p>
<p>Carla</p>Trying to get back on track...tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2013-01-11:2496677:BlogPost:11820172013-01-11T19:09:06.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
<p>Greetings to everyone! Here it is a new year and I'm going to try and use that as the impetus to get going on some old projects. My mom and my husband's mom both died last year quite suddenly and just a few months apart so I pretty much lost focus on a lot of things.</p>
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<p>For all of you who participated in my Year of the Golden Rabbit call, I am still planning on doing the documentation. Most of it is here: …</p>
<p>Greetings to everyone! Here it is a new year and I'm going to try and use that as the impetus to get going on some old projects. My mom and my husband's mom both died last year quite suddenly and just a few months apart so I pretty much lost focus on a lot of things.</p>
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<p>For all of you who participated in my Year of the Golden Rabbit call, I am still planning on doing the documentation. Most of it is here: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/carlacryptic/sets/72157626644719262/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/carlacryptic/sets/72157626644719262/</a> but I want to send each of you something in the mail as well, including the addresses and contact info.</p>
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<p>For anyone I promised art to last year, I still intend sending it out. I just need to find the notes I made to know which people to send what! ;)</p>
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<p>Thanks to everyone who was supportive last year - I really appreciated it.</p>
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<p>xox</p>
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<p>Carla</p>The Year of the Golden Rabbit Mail Art Calltag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2011-10-03:2496677:BlogPost:7552872011-10-03T19:00:00.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73118821?profile=original"><img class="align-full" width="343" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73118821?profile=original"/></a></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73118821?profile=original"><img class="align-full" width="343" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73118821?profile=original"/></a></p>Open Mail Art Calls on Flickrtag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2011-06-03:2496677:BlogPost:4577492011-06-03T04:24:15.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
<p>I am posting open mail art calls on my Flickr page devoted to same - if you have an open call that isn't already up here:</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/carlacryptic/sets/72157626805923190/" target="_blank">Open Mail Art Calls</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>please send me a jpg version of your call (i.e., not text!) so that I can add it.</p>
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<p>So far, I've got 2 Year of the Rabbit calls (mine and dosankodebbie's), the book of ann call, word mail art, send me your soul,…</p>
<p>I am posting open mail art calls on my Flickr page devoted to same - if you have an open call that isn't already up here:</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/carlacryptic/sets/72157626805923190/">Open Mail Art Calls</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>please send me a jpg version of your call (i.e., not text!) so that I can add it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So far, I've got 2 Year of the Rabbit calls (mine and dosankodebbie's), the book of ann call, word mail art, send me your soul, the secret exchange, and project smile.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There's room for plenty more! :D</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Carla</p>The Butterfly Project (Deadline: June 2012)tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2011-03-29:2496677:BlogPost:3408152011-03-29T20:09:45.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
<p>Anyone who is interested may want to participate in the Butterfly Project for the Holocaust Museum in Houston Texas. They estimate that one million 500 thousand children were killed during the holocaust so they are collecting that many images of butterflies, in any media, before June 2012. You can read more about it at:</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="http://www.hmh.org/ed_butterfly1.shtml" target="_blank">The Butterfly Project</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm going to send some but I'm not affiliated with…</p>
<p>Anyone who is interested may want to participate in the Butterfly Project for the Holocaust Museum in Houston Texas. They estimate that one million 500 thousand children were killed during the holocaust so they are collecting that many images of butterflies, in any media, before June 2012. You can read more about it at:</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.hmh.org/ed_butterfly1.shtml">The Butterfly Project</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm going to send some but I'm not affiliated with the project in any other way so please send your questions to them directly at:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>butterflyproject@hmh.org</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>What a wonderful world it can be... (my life in song lyrics?)tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2011-01-24:2496677:BlogPost:2520702011-01-24T16:39:33.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
<p>As some of you know, I sing and write music as well as make mail art. I've noticed lately that I often respond to questions with song lyrics! Does anyone else do that? I don't do it on purpose, it's just that there seem to be song lyrics to fit any and all occasions! </p>
<p> </p>
<p>My grandmother once told me that she was going to stop speaking in anything but aphorisms since they could cover anything she wanted to say and I'm starting to understand her. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Anyway, it's…</p>
<p>As some of you know, I sing and write music as well as make mail art. I've noticed lately that I often respond to questions with song lyrics! Does anyone else do that? I don't do it on purpose, it's just that there seem to be song lyrics to fit any and all occasions! </p>
<p> </p>
<p>My grandmother once told me that she was going to stop speaking in anything but aphorisms since they could cover anything she wanted to say and I'm starting to understand her. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Anyway, it's 2011 and I'm sort of done with hibernating so I thought I'd post a 'hello - I'm still here!' sort of blog message today. Hope all is well with all of my mail art compadres!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Carla</p>
<p> </p>
<p>PS Here is a link to my latest song - it is also about coming out of hibernation I suppose though it's called The Winter's Not Over - the next line is 'but I feel a breath of spring starting to blossom'. Some interesting vocal experimentation in the middle and towards the end, otherwise a nice straight-ahead jazz standardy sort of song. :D</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="http://www.icompositions.com/music/song.php?sid=155557">http://www.icompositions.com/music/song.php?sid=155557</a></p>Happy Halloween!tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2010-11-01:2496677:BlogPost:1845742010-11-01T16:57:11.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73088793?profile=original" alt=""/></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73088793?profile=original" alt=""/></p>Another Artist Turns 80 - Mail Art Call - November 2010tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2010-10-15:2496677:BlogPost:1771102010-10-15T18:02:25.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
<i>Please join me in celebrating a carving artist I know named Roberta James and all of the other wonderful artists turning 80 this year! Send your mail art about aging, surviving time, longevity, and/or confronting the pros and the cons of being 80 to:</i><div><br></br></div>
<div><b>Another Artist Turns 80</b></div>
<div><b>c/o Carla Cryptic</b></div>
<div><b>PO Box 1274</b></div>
<div><b>Berkeley CA 94701</b></div>
<div><b>USA</b></div>
<div><br></br></div>
<div>or send your digital art (a scan of…</div>
<i>Please join me in celebrating a carving artist I know named Roberta James and all of the other wonderful artists turning 80 this year! Send your mail art about aging, surviving time, longevity, and/or confronting the pros and the cons of being 80 to:</i><div><br/></div>
<div><b>Another Artist Turns 80</b></div>
<div><b>c/o Carla Cryptic</b></div>
<div><b>PO Box 1274</b></div>
<div><b>Berkeley CA 94701</b></div>
<div><b>USA</b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>or send your digital art (a scan of your work or something made entirely digitally) to carlacryptic at yahoo.com (replace the 'at' with an '@' and remove the spaces!) with 'another artist turns 80' in the subject line</div>
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<div><b>Deadline: November 2010</b></div>
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<div><i>Note: Berti turns 80 on November 1st, which happens to be All Saints Day - right between my two favorite holidays, Halloween (on Oct 31st) and Dia de los Muertos (on Nov 2nd). Please feel free to make your artwork relevant for any of the three 'holidays'.</i></div>
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<div><b>No returns, all artwork will go to Berti as a keepsake. Documentation to all.</b></div>
<div><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br/></span></i></b></div>A Walk Away From You (Keeping Quiet) - check out our new single!tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2010-09-09:2496677:BlogPost:1654102010-09-09T20:30:00.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
Paul Ramsay and I have been working on an experimental music single and it is now ready for listening at <a href="http://www.chameleonlectra.co.uk/AWalkAwayFromYou/AWalkAwayFromYou.html">http://www.chameleonlectra.co.uk/AWalkAwayFromYou/AWalkAwayFromYou.html</a>. Please come by and check it out when you have time! It is different every time you listen due to algorithms Paul has created. It is a wonderful collaboration both artistically and musically from my point of view and I'm dying to share…
Paul Ramsay and I have been working on an experimental music single and it is now ready for listening at <a href="http://www.chameleonlectra.co.uk/AWalkAwayFromYou/AWalkAwayFromYou.html">http://www.chameleonlectra.co.uk/AWalkAwayFromYou/AWalkAwayFromYou.html</a>. Please come by and check it out when you have time! It is different every time you listen due to algorithms Paul has created. It is a wonderful collaboration both artistically and musically from my point of view and I'm dying to share it.<div><br/></div>
<div>You can read about the process and see more links on my blog at iCompositions.com (where I post most of my music) - here's a direct link: <a href="http://www.icompositions.com/backstage/artistpage/entry.php?pid=7990">http://www.icompositions.com/backstage/artistpage/entry.php?pid=7990</a></div>
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<div>BTW, very important! You will need the Shockwave plug-in active in your browser to listen to this - or even to see the artwork! <a href="http://get.adobe.com/shockwave/">http://get.adobe.com/shockwave/</a></div>
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<div><br/></div>The Black and White Pattern Projecttag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2010-05-30:2496677:BlogPost:1378952010-05-30T22:47:53.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
I put an ad in Node Pajomo asking for people to send me postcards upon which they have made a black and white pattern, preferably a complex one. So far, I have not had many responses and I realized I should post about it here, also. For the time being, there are only two results from this project (I add to/change/or re-envision the images sent to me and send them back to the one who sent me the postcard in the first place).<div><br></br></div>
<div>One was from Xti here on IUOMA - her black and…</div>
I put an ad in Node Pajomo asking for people to send me postcards upon which they have made a black and white pattern, preferably a complex one. So far, I have not had many responses and I realized I should post about it here, also. For the time being, there are only two results from this project (I add to/change/or re-envision the images sent to me and send them back to the one who sent me the postcard in the first place).<div><br/></div>
<div>One was from Xti here on IUOMA - her black and white pattern was too beautiful to change so I added to it instead. It looks like this now:</div>
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</div>Mail Art sent out for current callstag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2010-02-26:2496677:BlogPost:1187442010-02-26T01:21:40.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
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<p></p>Death all around me, Life surging inside... this is the crux of being human.tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2010-01-27:2496677:BlogPost:1115872010-01-27T21:00:00.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
Some updates...<br />
<br />
My sister-in-law died on December 9th at home with her husband as was her wish. We had a wake on January 10th where many came to celebrate her life and share the loss. There was a tribute by 35 horses and riders! It was awesome. Many people who knew her but didn't know each other had a chance to meet, including relatives. There is a link to a short video of the horse parade and tribute on <a href="http://www.inmemoryofjessicadupre.com" target="_blank">Jessica's memorial…</a>
Some updates...<br />
<br />
My sister-in-law died on December 9th at home with her husband as was her wish. We had a wake on January 10th where many came to celebrate her life and share the loss. There was a tribute by 35 horses and riders! It was awesome. Many people who knew her but didn't know each other had a chance to meet, including relatives. There is a link to a short video of the horse parade and tribute on <a href="http://www.inmemoryofjessicadupre.com" target="_blank">Jessica's memorial page</a>. I also held a live benefit on my internet TV show, Carla's Friday Improvs, on January 8th in which musician friends from Portugal and the UK helped me raise some money to take care of Jessica's horses and help pay off her hospice bills (not covered by her insurance!). Between that and other appeals, we were successful in covering the majority of these costs and my faith in human beings is again replenished.<br />
<br />
I really want to thank the mail artists who participated in the Mail Art for Jessica call last year - your art, and just that you'd send it to someone you didn't know, meant a lot to her and my brother Frank has it all in an album I made for him. My godfather, Peter Bennett, whom some of you also sent mail art to, is really enjoying your efforts and was amazed to find out that the eternal network exists. It was very heartening for him to know that there are artists who exchange art without boundaries through the post and online.<br />
<br />
Here is a list of those who participated in these two calls:<br />
<br />
Anu & Puppy Elvis / Linda Milligan<br />
Laura Barletta / Henning Mittendorf<br />
Tricia Burr / Keiichi Nakamura<br />
Stephanie Chao / NeRRa Da<br />
Debbie Dosanko / K. Nikoltson<br />
Wilma Duguay / Clemente Padin<br />
José Manuel Figueiredo / Carla J. Patterson (Carla Cryptic)<br />
Audrey Fisher / Ti Ar Raden<br />
Natasha Hanna / Michelle Sass Hake<br />
Ruud Janssen / Wolfgang Skodd<br />
Andrea Jay / Xtina Solano<br />
Miguel Jimenez (El Taller de Zenon) / Ptrzia Tictac<br />
Dewi Johan / Test Tower<br />
Amandia Kapsalis / Guido Vermeulen<br />
Susanna Lakner / Gail D. Whitter<br />
Samantha Manchester<br />
<br />
You all rock! :)Halloween Treats for those who enjoy them in a musical form! :)tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2009-11-01:2496677:BlogPost:974312009-11-01T06:48:31.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
<a href="http://www.icompositions.com/music/song.php?sid=125867" target="_blank">The Vampire's Lament</a> - that's the dark tune and original by me, music, singing, and spoken word<br />
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<a href="http://www.icompositions.com/music/song.php?sid=125867" target="_blank">Thriller (the duet)</a> - that's the comical one, written by Rod Templeton and made famous by Michael Jackson, though they didn't envision it as a duet sung by the fraternal twins inside a single artist! LOL
<a href="http://www.icompositions.com/music/song.php?sid=125867" target="_blank">The Vampire's Lament</a> - that's the dark tune and original by me, music, singing, and spoken word<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.icompositions.com/music/song.php?sid=125867" target="_blank">Thriller (the duet)</a> - that's the comical one, written by Rod Templeton and made famous by Michael Jackson, though they didn't envision it as a duet sung by the fraternal twins inside a single artist! LOLMail Art for Jessica, For Healingtag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2009-10-26:2496677:BlogPost:961842009-10-26T21:13:52.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
Please come listen to this song I made for my sister-in-law Jessica, and leave comments there for her, or even better, send mail art to her through me for her hospital room. She will be having major surgery this Thursday Oct. 29th and will be recuperating and fighting the cancer, including chemo and so on, for weeks if not months after that. Just send things to me and I'll get them to her - she is not comfortable with her address up online.<br />
<br />
The song sounds like Valkyries to me - I created it…
Please come listen to this song I made for my sister-in-law Jessica, and leave comments there for her, or even better, send mail art to her through me for her hospital room. She will be having major surgery this Thursday Oct. 29th and will be recuperating and fighting the cancer, including chemo and so on, for weeks if not months after that. Just send things to me and I'll get them to her - she is not comfortable with her address up online.<br />
<br />
The song sounds like Valkyries to me - I created it using keyboards (and Omnisphere, a virtual instrument) in Logic and me singing and harmonizing with myself. The lyrics are listed below the song:<br />
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<a href="http://www.icompositions.com/music/song.php?sid=125475" target="_blank">Victory (Jessica and Dutch)</a><br />
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The address is:<br />
<br />
Mail Art for Jessica<br />
c/o Carla Cryptic<br />
PO Box 1274<br />
Berkeley, CA 94701<br />
<br />
Thanks, in advance, for your art and positive thoughts, energies!<br />
<br />
I will send mail art back to everyone who sends something to Jessica and there will be a thank you page with names and addresses going out to all who participate.<br />
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Ongoing, no deadline - I'll send the mail art out as the mail art comes in - will post the participants on a webpage and add to it as things come in.The new stuff - and what I do at night when I can't sleep...tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2009-08-02:2496677:BlogPost:814312009-08-02T12:30:00.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
<a href="http://www.icompositions.com/music/song.php?sid=119458">Not Yet Tangible</a><br />
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a poem to music with vocal landscaping (all by yours truly of course - around 3 am this morning)<br />
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<a href="http://www.icompositions.com/music/song.php?sid=119250">Open Me</a><br />
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a sort of tantric song with incredibly tight harmonies sung over gregorian chanting<br />
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<a href="http://www.icompositions.com/music/song.php?sid=119049">What I'd Like</a><br />
<br />
a collaboration with the wonderful Paul Potter (aka Brainfreeze) -…
<a href="http://www.icompositions.com/music/song.php?sid=119458">Not Yet Tangible</a><br />
<br />
a poem to music with vocal landscaping (all by yours truly of course - around 3 am this morning)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.icompositions.com/music/song.php?sid=119250">Open Me</a><br />
<br />
a sort of tantric song with incredibly tight harmonies sung over gregorian chanting<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.icompositions.com/music/song.php?sid=119049">What I'd Like</a><br />
<br />
a collaboration with the wonderful Paul Potter (aka Brainfreeze) - an experiment in melodic polyphony in 6/8 time with a country flair!<br />
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I'm having SO much fun. :)<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73082958?profile=original" alt="" width="640" height="480"/></p>
Me and my 'twin'.Music is eating me alive! And I'm loving every minute of it...tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2009-07-21:2496677:BlogPost:797072009-07-21T19:30:00.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
Sorry to be so quiet in here of late but I'm having a whirlwind romance with my first love, music. I have been so on fire lately in terms of singing, writing, collaborating, and talking that talk musicians talk to each other, that I haven't had much else on my mind. Sometimes I have trouble eating and sleeping! It's like when I was studying music decades ago and then even more so when I was singing professionally for a while. This time around I'm determined not to let it get to the point where…
Sorry to be so quiet in here of late but I'm having a whirlwind romance with my first love, music. I have been so on fire lately in terms of singing, writing, collaborating, and talking that talk musicians talk to each other, that I haven't had much else on my mind. Sometimes I have trouble eating and sleeping! It's like when I was studying music decades ago and then even more so when I was singing professionally for a while. This time around I'm determined not to let it get to the point where I have to give it up again cause of not being able to do anything else so this is a baby step in that direction. :)<br />
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Come here the music I've been making lately at:<br />
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<a href="http://www.icompositions.com/artists/carlajpatterson">Carla's Page at iComp</a><br />
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If you've heard some before, you will find some of that but some new things, also, which are very different.<br />
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I am so happy that I can have this again in my life but that doesn't mean mail art isn't part of what floats my boat as well.<br />
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Been doing some carved art swaps (trying to keep my hand in there) and I'm about to send a big mail out to all of my musician friends. Most of them don't know this side of me, as most of you don't know the music side. Trying to integrate some of my creative facets into one human being again. :)<br />
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Think of you guys often, even when I don't post here or send out mail.<br />
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Love,<br />
<br />
CarlaCreating music again... at last! :)tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2009-03-17:2496677:BlogPost:495562009-03-17T20:00:00.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
I woke up this morning feeling it was time to sing and create something musically again. It's been WAY too long since the last time. I've missed it terribly and I kept waiting for the 'right time'. Well, there isn't any right time except when it feels good. :)<br />
<br />
So, come listen to the song I arranged and did the percussion for (and sang on, of course!) at iCompositions this morning. I love the way it turned out.<br />
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<a href="http://www.icompositions.com/music/song.php?sid=109332">Carla's new…</a>
I woke up this morning feeling it was time to sing and create something musically again. It's been WAY too long since the last time. I've missed it terribly and I kept waiting for the 'right time'. Well, there isn't any right time except when it feels good. :)<br />
<br />
So, come listen to the song I arranged and did the percussion for (and sang on, of course!) at iCompositions this morning. I love the way it turned out.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.icompositions.com/music/song.php?sid=109332">Carla's new arrangement (Swahili and English) of Uwe Moto (You are the Fire)</a><br />
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I also wrote a melody and lyrics for a song my friend Hernan started. He plays guitars and percussion on that one but it's not accessible online yet. Probably within the week, though. :)<br />
Happy, happy, happy!<br />
<br />
CarlaNudity in Mail Art - Documentationtag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2009-03-16:2496677:BlogPost:490542009-03-16T20:05:02.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
I am posting this blog to try and create a central place for people to post when they receive the docs for the Nudity in Mail Art call. Also, to share a little of the process with anyone who is interested. It was a big project and, like many things in life, if I'd known in advance how much time and effort, but above all, how much money, it would take to get it done, I'd probably not have done it. So, thank goodness for ignorance because I'm really glad I did it nonetheless. :)<br />
<br />
I have made…
I am posting this blog to try and create a central place for people to post when they receive the docs for the Nudity in Mail Art call. Also, to share a little of the process with anyone who is interested. It was a big project and, like many things in life, if I'd known in advance how much time and effort, but above all, how much money, it would take to get it done, I'd probably not have done it. So, thank goodness for ignorance because I'm really glad I did it nonetheless. :)<br />
<br />
I have made chapbooks of artwork and sometimes poetry for years now and thought I knew what I was getting myself into when I decided to produce a chapbook of the artwork received in the nudity call. Ha! Not even close. All of the ones I've worked on in the past were smaller and more controlled events. At most, there were 15 or 20 people involved and in every case I had control over the size of the submissions and, most importantly, they weren't full color chapbooks. Most of the pieces were black and white. If I'd given it enough thought, I'd have known what the differences would lead to but I put out the nudity call on the spur of the moment in reaction to the discussion on nudity we were having here rather than planning for it in advance. Me and my big mouth. (!)<br />
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My husband is laughing at me all the time for this kind of thing (and he is the reason I can laugh about it - before I knew him, I was an even worse perfectionist and procrastinator - which two things seem to go hand in hand. Now, I realize that, like most things about a person, this is my best and worst trait simultaneously. :)<br />
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So, here's what I did to make the chapbook. First, I scanned all of the items which were received in connection with the Nudity call. Some things which people told me were coming never arrived, even now (more than a month after the deadline). At least one item was returned to the sender with a 'mail fraud' label on it. We still aren't sure why. (!) Some people sent me scans by email.<br />
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Once I had all of the scans, I tried out various layouts to see which things seemed to work well together on facing pages and/or the same page. Smaller items were sometimes fit together with other small items, even if by someone else, and other small items were able to stand on their own on a single page. In every case, the decisions I made were in an attempt to create a final product which would be interesting and pleasant to look at and browse through, whether from cover to cover in sequential order or just random perusal.<br />
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I have a color laser printer at home because of running a small business in photography and graphics for several years and I know how rarely mail art calls can be documented in color so I wanted to use the resources I had to make something special for the participants. With the ability to post shows online, we finally have a relatively-inexpensive way to show the work we receive for calls in their entirety and in color but the costs of doing something tangible, that can be held in our hands, are prohibitive still, and only getting higher as time goes on. So, just this once, I decided to splurge a bit. I was especially concerned, also, that some of the work wouldn't be able to be posted online due to the subject matter and, therefore, I wanted to find a way to share all of the artwork with all of the participants which wouldn't be shut down by a network administrator somewhere. Also, this is something one can keep on their bookshelf or in a drawer at home and share with anyone they like, whether or not they have an internet connection.<br />
<br />
So, once I got the layout the way I wanted it, I had to figure out what I could afford in terms of printing and mailing costs. Balancing the toner and paper costs with the cost of mailing, especially because there were so many participants from countries outside the US (which I loved!), I decided to make the chapbook a quarterpage size to fit in a standard invitation-style envelope. It ended up coming in at a little under 2 ounces so the mailing costs were bearable. I have been saving postage stamps for decades and always have more than I need on hand so I used up some of my stores to send these out and didn't have to buy new stamps to accomplish it.<br />
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I had originally meant to have a cardstock cover but that didn't come out under 2 ounces so I gave it up. I used Hammermill color copier paper to do the printing - it is lightweight but images don't usually show through to the other side of the sheet. It also takes laser ink really well and remains true to the original colors of the artwork for the most part. I didn't want to send copies which didn't show the work in a good light. Some things still didn't reproduce as well as I wish they would but it's possible to get a good idea of everything I received and that was my main goal.<br />
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The chapbook ended up being 46 pages plus front and back cover. Someone jokingly asked me if they got the cover but I ended up choosing the piece for the cover which showed both male and female nudity and was a strong graphic for the theme. That honor went to Miguel Jimenez (El Taller de Zenon). Thanks, Miguel. :)<br />
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Along with the chapbook, there are two double-sided sheets included in the mailing which are:<br />
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a full participant list with addresses (snail and email, if I had them)<br />
with a list of participants and which page their work is on and any titles people gave me<br />
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plus<br />
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a copy of the call for Particulates Matter, the only mail art call sent in with the submissions<br />
and a partial list of all of the current mail art calls I'm aware of with deadlines this year<br />
(I couldn't fit all of them so I chose randomly, sometimes by if they had a picture attached!)<br />
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Please let me know if there are any errors in your names, or anything else, so that I can do an errata list here. Also, please let me know when you receive your copy so that I will stop worrying they won't make it through the post. :) I mailed them all from the post office on March 14th, exactly one month after the deadline. I thought it would be about 2 weeks but now I know to give myself more time in future.<br />
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I made some limited edition artistamps for this mailing and, although I ran out of envelopes in the middle (!), I think the package looks okay in either color (most are white, some are pink). I will post images of the white version since that was the original design idea.<br />
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Thanks, again, to everyone who participated and here's to nudity in mail art! :)<br />
<br />
Carla Cryptic<br />
March 16, 2009<br />
Richmond, CaliforniaJam ATCstag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2009-02-19:2496677:BlogPost:396622009-02-19T21:48:40.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
Here are some examples of jam ATCs:<br />
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These are between me and Steve Hodges - Row 1: Steve made the ATC on the left and I added to it to make the ATC on the right. Row 2: I made the ATC on the left and Steve added to it to make the ATC on the right.<br />
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…<p style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" height="280" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73081687?profile=original" width="400"></img></p>
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Here are some examples of jam ATCs:<br />
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These are between me and Steve Hodges - Row 1: Steve made the ATC on the left and I added to it to make the ATC on the right. Row 2: I made the ATC on the left and Steve added to it to make the ATC on the right.<br />
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<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73081819?profile=original" alt="" width="400" height="285"/></p>Nudity in Mail Art - Call for Entries - Deadline: February 14, 2009tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2009-01-09:2496677:BlogPost:158142009-01-09T06:00:00.000ZCarla Cryptichttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/CarlaCryptic
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I chose Valentine's Day for the deadline for this call because I'm in a silly mood tonight. I am inviting everyone to send mail art on the theme of nudity. What does nudity represent for you? What kind of nudity are you comfortable with? What makes nudity sexual? What kind of nudity appeals to you? Have you made a nude self-portrait or been the subject of a nude work of art? What feelings does nudity create in you?<br />
<br />
Be honest if you can - or be silly…
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73081718?profile=original" alt="" width="204" height="300"/></p>
<br />
I chose Valentine's Day for the deadline for this call because I'm in a silly mood tonight. I am inviting everyone to send mail art on the theme of nudity. What does nudity represent for you? What kind of nudity are you comfortable with? What makes nudity sexual? What kind of nudity appeals to you? Have you made a nude self-portrait or been the subject of a nude work of art? What feelings does nudity create in you?<br />
<br />
Be honest if you can - or be silly - or be angry or any other emotion. It's all acceptable!<br />
<br />
Some things won't arrive, of course, if they offend the postal workers or the postal rules. So, if in doubt, send two copies - one visible to the world, one inside an envelope. Or take your chances and see what happens! Or send me your work via email.<br />
<br />
I will make a booklet on the show for all participants.<br />
<br />
Given the discussion here at IUOMA about nude women as models, I am challenging everyone, especially the men, to talk about and/or make art about male nudity as well as female nudity, or instead of female nudity. But, every kind of nudity is okay... even just a discussion of nudity! :)<br />
<br />
Yours, in the mail,<br />
<br />
Carla Cryptic<br />
PO Box 1274<br />
Berkeley, CA 94701<br />
USA<br />
<br />
carlacryptic@yahoo.com