Karl G. Siewert's Posts - International Union of Mail-Artists2024-03-28T17:28:50ZKarl G. Siewerthttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/KarlGSiewerthttp://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/64519874?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=yoyology&xn_auth=noMailart Inventory and Plantag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2011-02-14:2496677:BlogPost:2126412011-02-14T22:35:18.000ZKarl G. Siewerthttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/KarlGSiewert
I've been fielding requests from friends wanting mailart, and I want to keep things straight, so I'm going to make my first blog post a listing of everything I've sent (and am planning to send) and received, and update it as things progress.<br></br>
<p>Whenever I post new pictures, I'll update this and republish it. I hope you all enjoy.<br></br><br></br><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Mailart Received</strong></span><br></br>001…</p>
I've been fielding requests from friends wanting mailart, and I want to keep things straight, so I'm going to make my first blog post a listing of everything I've sent (and am planning to send) and received, and update it as things progress.<br/>
<p>Whenever I post new pictures, I'll update this and republish it. I hope you all enjoy.<br/><br/><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Mailart Received</strong></span><br/>001 <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/MichaelOrr" target="_self">Michael Ladd Orr</a> - <a href="/photo/mailartrec001-1">Armadillo</a> - September 2010<br/>002 <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/DouglasGalloway" target="_self">Douglas Galloway</a> - <a href="/photo/mailartrec002-1">Hexagon</a> - November 2010<br/>003 <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/AustinWillsJames" target="_self">Austin James</a> - <a href="/photo/mailartrec003-1">"Purple Haze"</a> - November 2010<br/>004 Douglas Galloway - Hexagon (digital print) - November 2010<br/>005 <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/Snooky" target="_self">Snooky & Angie</a> - <a href="/photo/mailartrec005-1">Corgi Feet</a> - November 2010<br/>006 Emily Reeve - <a target="_self" href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/mailartrec006-1?context=user">Alaskan Romance</a> - December 2010 (response to Mailart #002 below)<br/>007 <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/PamelaAshbyCampbell" target="_blank">Pamela Ashby Campbell</a> - <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/mailartrec007-1" target="_blank">"Frightened Baby"</a> - January 2011<br/>008 <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/Snooky" target="_self">Snooky & Angie</a> - <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/mailartrec008-1" target="_blank">Almost time for...</a> - January 2011<br/>009<a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/DouglasGalloway" target="_self">Douglas Galloway</a> - <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/mailartrec009-1" target="_blank">"Beaumont Klick Klack"</a> - February 2011<br/>010 <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/Snooky" target="_self">Snooky & Angie</a> - <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/mailartrec010-1" target="_blank">"Digital Collage"</a> - February 2011</p>
<p><br/><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Mailart Sent</strong></span><br/>001 Michael Ladd Orr - <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cornpone/5179470201/sizes/m/in/photostream/">[untitled]</a> - October 2010<br/>002 Emily Reeve - <a href="/photo/mailart002-1">Ceci n'est pas une pousser</a> - November 2010<br/>003 Snooky & Angie - <a href="/photo/mailart003-1">"Blessed are the Dead"</a> - November 2010<br/>004 Jo Palmer - <a href="/photo/mailart004-1">"Imago"</a> - November 2010<br/>005 Douglas Galloway - <a href="/photo/mailart005-1">One good hex Deserves another</a> - December 2010<br/>006 Austin James - <a href="/photo/mailart006-1">"Purple Hay(e)s"</a> - December 2010<br/>007 <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/filthEdesign" target="_self">Emily Eakes</a> - <a href="/photo/mailart007-1">"She's a Pistol"</a> - December 2010<br/>008 Oprah Winfrey - <a target="_blank" href="/photo/mailart008-1">Libraries Need You!</a> - December 2010<br/>009 Buddy Ingalls and Amanda Wilmoth - <a target="undefined" href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/mailart009-1">"Intertwined"</a> - December 2010<br/>010 Jasmine Barnett and Eloise Edwards - <a target="_self" href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/mailart010-1">"Cradle"</a> - December 2010<br/>011 Christine Baizley-Adams and family - <a target="_self" href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/mailart011-1">"Forward"</a> - December 2010<br/>012 Emily Reeve - <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/mailart012-1" target="_self">"Freefall"</a> - December 2010<br/>013 <a href="http://../../../profile/LaurenceJEifionRoberts" target="_self">Laurence Roberts</a> - <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/mailart013-1" target="_blank">"Funeral Oration"</a> - December 2010 - also appears on Laurence's page <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/funeral-oration-from-karl-g" target="_blank">as received</a><br/>014 Postcrossing user <a href="http://www.postcrossing.com/user/apple10208" target="_blank">apple10208</a> - <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/mailart014-1" target="_blank">"My Tulsa"</a> - December 2010<br/>015 Twitter user <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/yoyo_banana/status/11996099418005504" target="_self">yoyo_banana</a> (also now <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/YoYoBanana" target="_blank">on IUOMA</a>)- <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/mailart015-1" target="_blank">"TiePogRaffi"</a> - December 2010<br/>016 Next-door neighbor - <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/mailart016-1" target="_blank">"E(ART)H"</a> - December 2010<br/>017 Ericka Cole - <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/mailart017-1" target="_blank">"Zabeth"</a> - January 2011<br/>018 David & Jeanine Siewert, Allan & Chris Marquardt, Tom & Carol Cole - <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/mailart018-1" target="_blank">"Big Cedar"</a> - January 2011<br/>019 Lana Bible - <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/mailart019-1" target="_blank">"Seaside Rendezvous"</a> - January 2011<br/>020 Lynn Paden - <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/mailart020-1" target="_blank">"Found @ your Library"</a> - January 2011<br/>021 <a href="http://neilcluck.com/" target="_blank">Neil Cluck</a> - <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/mailart021-1" target="_blank">"Sincerest Form (after Neil Cluck)"</a> - February 2011<br/>022 Adri EJ - <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/mailart022-1" target="_blank">"A Growing Organism"</a> - February 2011<br/>023 Kim Siewert - <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/mailart023-1" target="_blank">"Valentine"</a> - February 2011<br/>David Barnes<br/>Matthew Peterson - tentative theme: The Composite Marauder<br/>Barbara Nelson - tentative theme: stained glass<br/>Christopher Wall</p>
<p>Titles in quotation marks are as set by the artist. If it's not in quotes, it's just what I'm calling it to keep them straight. :-)</p>5 Rand - A Call for Mailart, with restrictionstag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2011-01-29:2496677:BlogPost:2567762011-01-29T02:58:42.000ZKarl G. Siewerthttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/KarlGSiewert
<p><br></br> <a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73095835?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73095835?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="200"></img></a> This is my first call for mailart. Please let me know if you have suggestions for how to make it better!</p>
<p>Restrictions make things more interesting. If you give a class an assignment to "write anything you want," most of them will be stymied. Tell them to write the story of their worst day ever, and pens will start scratching immediately.</p>
<p>So, we have <em>5…</em></p>
<p><br/> <a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73095835?profile=original"><img width="200" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73095835?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="200"/></a>This is my first call for mailart. Please let me know if you have suggestions for how to make it better!</p>
<p>Restrictions make things more interesting. If you give a class an assignment to "write anything you want," most of them will be stymied. Tell them to write the story of their worst day ever, and pens will start scratching immediately.</p>
<p>So, we have <em>5 Rand</em>. <strong>Here are the rules:</strong><br/> Submit one piece, no larger than standard Letter/A4 paper, in digital or physical form (addresses to follow).</p>
<p>You have no limits as to technique or format, but you must use exactly five source images. No more, no less. The images are to be obtained through random search of images on Wikipedia, using the URL <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random/Image" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random/Image</a>. Search five times, use those five images. No skipping, no cheating.</p>
<p>You may do anything you like with the images. Crop them, dissect them, print them out and chew them. You may use each image more than once. You may discombobulate an image and use parts of it in different places.</p>
<p>You may not use any other images, except a single solid-color background. You may use media like paint, ink, etc. only sparingly.</p>
<p>See an example at <a href="http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/5rand20110127-1" target="_blank">http://iuoma-network.ning.com/photo/5rand20110127-1</a></p>
<p>Digital submissions should be 300dpi .png files, e-mailed to:<br/>yoyology -ATT- gmail -DAWT- com.</p>
<p>Physical submissions may be sent in envelopes or as postcards to:<br/>5 Rand Submissions Department<br/>210 N Santa Fe Ave<br/>Tulsa, OK 74127-6921</p>
<p>There are no restrictions on adornment of envelopes or the verso of postcards.</p>
<p>Deadline is April 1, 2011. All submissions will be displayed sometime in April at <a href="http://5randmailart.blogspot.com" target="_blank">http://5randmailart.blogspot.com</a> and available as a .pdf file upon request.</p>
<p>Please ask any questions in the comments.</p>Process for Mailart #017 - "Zabeth"tag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2011-01-12:2496677:BlogPost:2423622011-01-12T05:51:02.000ZKarl G. Siewerthttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/KarlGSiewert
<p>I took some step-by-step photos of my painting/drawing process for Mailart piece #017. I thought I'd share them here.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094497?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094497?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"></img></a> I started with tracing paper over a photo. I knew I wanted three different colors: a pale brown, a darker brown, and blue for the sky. I drew the borderlines that would delineate each area.…</p>
<p></p>
<p>I took some step-by-step photos of my painting/drawing process for Mailart piece #017. I thought I'd share them here.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094497?profile=original"><img width="500" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094497?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"/></a>I started with tracing paper over a photo. I knew I wanted three different colors: a pale brown, a darker brown, and blue for the sky. I drew the borderlines that would delineate each area.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094659?profile=original"><img width="500" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094659?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"/></a>I scribbled on the back of the trace to give me something that would make marks on my watercolor paper and the mask.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094594?profile=original"><img width="500" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094594?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"/></a>I transferred the lines first to the paper...</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094710?profile=original"><img width="500" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094710?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"/></a>...then to the mask. It's just strips of masking tape overlapping each other.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094731?profile=original"><img width="500" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094731?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"/></a>Masks cut out with an Xacto and applied to the paper.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094747?profile=original"><img width="500" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094747?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"/></a>Rather than trying to mix a brown from my watercolor set, I just used coffee!</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094840?profile=original"><img width="500" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094840?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"/></a>I painted the sky first, then the dark brown.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094850?profile=original"><img width="500" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094850?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"/></a>Removing the mask gave me a sharp edge where the lighter brown meets the hills in the distance.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094927?profile=original"><img width="500" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094927?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"/></a>Painted in the lighter brown...</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094961?profile=original"><img width="500" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094961?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"/></a>...then removed the final mask to reveal white paper where the porch and paths would be.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094941?profile=original"><img width="500" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094941?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"/></a>I tried to draw everything using just shading, only drawing lines where they clearly appeared in the photo.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094944?profile=original"><img width="500" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094944?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"/></a>Adding color: greens to the lawn and background, blue to the porch roof, red to the porch itself (it was tiled with terra-cotta in real life).</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094974?profile=original"><img width="500" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73094974?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"/></a>More green to show trees in the background.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73095039?profile=original"><img width="500" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73095039?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"/></a>The final touch, a photo of the real Agnew Hall sign collaged in. The final version was cropped closer than this.</p>Great text source - Google Bookstag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2010-12-15:2496677:BlogPost:2233032010-12-15T16:48:56.000ZKarl G. Siewerthttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/KarlGSiewert
<p>As I've been playing with collage more in my mailart, I've been looking for snips of old text that correspond with the theme of a piece. Working in a library as I do, I have access to discarded books, but it's often tricky to get exactly what I'm looking for.</p>
<p>Recently I began fooling around with <a href="http://books.google.com/books" target="_blank">Google Books</a>, and I'm falling in love with it as a source for old texts. I can do a keyword search and limit to "Full View" in the…</p>
<p>As I've been playing with collage more in my mailart, I've been looking for snips of old text that correspond with the theme of a piece. Working in a library as I do, I have access to discarded books, but it's often tricky to get exactly what I'm looking for.</p>
<p>Recently I began fooling around with <a href="http://books.google.com/books" target="_blank">Google Books</a>, and I'm falling in love with it as a source for old texts. I can do a keyword search and limit to "Full View" in the sidebar. Anything I then find can be "snipped out" using the "Clip" tool. I open the resulting URL in another tab or window, and voila! I have a .jpg or .png image of just the rectangle I've selected. If I limit by time period, I can get some great old stuff.</p>
<p>This works for images, too, but they can be harder to track down, since Google Books works by searching text.</p>
<p>When I have what I want, I print it out on some vintage paper I've scrounged, and once it's pasted into the collage, it looks like I tore it from a book myself!</p>
<p>Give it a try.</p>The Facebook Luddite Societytag:iuoma-network.ning.com,2010-12-10:2496677:BlogPost:2191032010-12-10T22:57:18.000ZKarl G. Siewerthttp://iuoma-network.ning.com/profile/KarlGSiewert
<p>Some time ago, on a whim, I created a group on Facebook called the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=26749237579" target="_blank">Facebook Luddite Society</a>. In the description, I asked people to send an SASE to:</p>
<p>Facebook Luddite Society<br></br>3625 N Cedar St<br></br>Scranton, PA 32174</p>
<p>I didn't want to use my address, or a real address somewhere else, so I intentionally made the address non-functional. That ZIP code is for Florida, and there is no Cedar Street in…</p>
<p>Some time ago, on a whim, I created a group on Facebook called the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=26749237579" target="_blank">Facebook Luddite Society</a>. In the description, I asked people to send an SASE to:</p>
<p>Facebook Luddite Society<br/>3625 N Cedar St<br/>Scranton, PA 32174</p>
<p>I didn't want to use my address, or a real address somewhere else, so I intentionally made the address non-functional. That ZIP code is for Florida, and there is no Cedar Street in Scranton.</p>
<p>A couple of months ago, the word "luddite" appeared in my e-mail from A Word A Day. I sent a reply about the Society, and the operator of the list added it to his weekly compilation of responses. There was a jump in membership at the group, but that was about it.</p>
<p>Now, though, I'm starting to hear from people who have actually tried to mail me an SASE. The letters have been returned, of course, and I have to congratulate them on their perseverence, but also apologize for leading them on. A couple of those people have sent me scans of their returned envelopes, and I'm uploading them here, because I think they are their own kind of mailart.</p>
<p>I'm thinking I may make a piece and send it to that address myself just to see what happens. :-)</p>