Thom Courcelle's Blog (230)

Coco is a great creatrix of the Artistamp form. Here, she muses on "The Fate of Kings" ...and well, gee... it doesn't seem to end too well for too many of them, does it??!  Perhaps a helpful notation for those with monarchic-totalitarian aspirations of power and who wish to be kings themselves in our modern era. SOUNDS CRAZY, I KNOW.... WHO…

A welcome envelope from new correspondent Todd Camplin, who included a diverse sample of works in a variety of styles and mediums: pencil sketches, ink designs, and a color paint shape study...

Whoowheee! That's great! Thanks, Todd! ...something in the mail back to you…

From Subreal Alchemy (Pennsylvania), Renée Brandow (Iowa), and Tofu (California)...

Dave (Subreal Alchemy) and I are on the same wavelength...

Indeed, what billionaire could ever…

A beautiful still life study with four vessels...

Bonus was this handmade envelope with a very cute heifer...

Thank you Awyn!  It's always a pleasure to correspond with…

Yeah…okay…. a pretty innocent, innocuous envelope announcing the contents of the Dave’s mailing (just in case one is “triggered” by ATCs).

A sketch experiment of some…

Another prolific mail artisan this spring has been Jack Latteman of Cascadia Artpost. Three envelope surprises, and 3 of his oversized hand-pirinted postcard, all marking significant projects or historical investigations or adventures or celebrations…and sometimes even a little political humor!…

Diana Hale has been prolific…extravagantly productive…prodigious…bountiful of late in producing some beautiful sheets of artistamps.

She appears to be principally expert with a perforator…

Over the course of this spring and summer, I’ve been the lucky recipient of no less than FOUR examples of her handiwork. Some…

You can’t miss an envelope from Ficus Strangulensis in your mailbox…his use of NEON address labels slathered over the face of his missives is a dead give-a-way that you’ve gotten something unique through the mail. One could say that Fike is the reigning champion of A.I.-generated experimental artwork…you can see his weird and magnificent visual…

Awyn wins the award for most creative bookmark EVER! This clever character can either give you the full glare over your book-marked page…or she can fling her tresses over the page and simply peer at you over the rim! Either way, it’s magnificent.…

Robert and I commenced a wonderful correspondence trade last year that has continued and developed into a friendly letter-writing exchange. Robert’s art is a testament of what is possible with creative design and minimal medium. His envelopes are often the same size and shape, but every poste comes individualized with a unique concept of…

Long-overdue thanks to Dr. Zack who sent this labor-intensive piece involving miniature origami stars sent “naked” in a transparent plastic box, creating a sort of night sky diorama-through-the-mail. The choice of papers for the project were, it seems, painstakingly chosen, not just for color combination, but also for subject… Because if one…

Rebekka Schmidt from Germany and I exchanged boekies…although Rebekka’s colorful contribution was much bigger than what I had sent….and, it related adventures through a couple of seasons of the year. ...A very creative endeavor, and fun to read through.…

Feast thine eyes upon the postcard-a-palooza that has blessed my mailbox this spring and summer:

I feel like I should apologize to those who were waiting or mystified whether their mailers arrived at my humble mailbox in this small valley tucked away in Vermont. Well…yes, they have. I had a challenging spring with multiple…

Two Cascadian local-yokels documented their rogue Flux Bombing antics in the Capitol City of Olympia, Washington. YES TO ART BOMBING AND PUBLIC INSTALLATION CREATIVITY!!  Although often considered a form of "graffiti," this type of "exhibit installation" is actually harmless entertainment that gives citizens out in public the chance to experience underground art installation.…

Hanna Wright sent a holiday envelope that was a virtual cornucopia of visual entertainment.  This included several of her "star-man" figures and experimental figures. I was reminded by several of them of the Greek mythological monster Argos (or Argus) Panoptes, who had a hundred eyes and could see everything around him at once. He was the perfect guardian of prisoners to prevent escape...…

Always a simple envelope...WITH A REALLY AMAZING PRIZE INSIDE!

Diana Hale proves herself to be a master artistamper...I bow before her creativity:

34?  THIRTY-FOUR??  What on earth could that be in reference to??!

A closer look might give you a hint:…

Mikel must have gotten a new stamping pad...and I have to say that I LIKE the new color A LOT!!!

Teal is the color of the day, and used in conjunction with Mikel's amazing carved stamping, makes for some amazing mail art fodder...…

Rebecca Sent me a terrific envelope of mailart that included some of her experimental photography and a lovely little visual poetry accordion boekie:

If that photo looks a bit blurry, it's because that's the "look" Rebecca was going for when she took a camera shot of some forested woods on a morning walk.  She had to "trick" her camera into…

A long-over-due posting of some Greek mailart greetings that included Holiday well-wishes and celebratory New Year's cupcakes...from Katerina Nikoltsou!

I think I first learned what this year's totem Chinese animal for the year was going to be—the snake!—from Katerina's mailart... I should know these things, but at least Kat will…

A CRAZY piece of mailart arrived in my mailbox just a few days ago. It was a page from a printed program of the Paris Olympics...and some other "hallmarks" about it give me a clue as to whom it might be from... and if so, it is no wonder that his mailart magic saw this piece delivered...BUT HOW???!!!…