Michael Leigh's Blog (89)

Just back from posting a packet to Germany and told the PRINTED MATTER written on the outside doesnt mean much now since these new rules and regulations. Apparently personal stuff like Birthday Cards and Xmas Cards are OK but "printed matter" and "artwork" etc. Anything that could be construde as saleable or "business" would be liable to tax and a needsa customs form on the back.  (bloody Brexshit!)  So be warned.  Don't write printed matter or it will be questioned by the post office staff…

Vivid dream about Bob last night who lived in the East End of London just around the time I was there back in the 80's. He was sitting in a sand pit making constructions out of bricks and twigs with the local kids.  I was taking photos of him and the sand pit. He said "Hey man, stop taking photos of me!" and I said "It's OK BOB it's not a real camera - just my fingers contorted into the shape of a camera for dream like purposes."  He seemed OK with that explaination.  His house was a slum…

Nice card from my son Archie who sent two cards in  one . one way up its a birthday greeting and the other way it's father's day! The message inside is upside down too. 

Life is a bit upside down at the moment.  Hopefully we will see our boy in July as he's just had his first jab and weve both had our two…

More pages from my Covid sketchbook.…

This postcard one of a few I have been sent by postart_uk on Instagram for their collaborative project.  I used the delightful stamps that Adam Roussopoulos sent me recently and added the drips and puddles from little hand carved stamps I made.  My rubber stamp carvings have become less nifty as I get older and my eyes are not as sharp and my hand less…

W.Reginald Bray and Professor Pontious Kack relax after an exhausting day of hanging the very first mail art show in Lambeth at the Municipal Library of London in September 1910.

I knew I had made some Bob stamps many years ag0 and just found them in a bunch of stuff in the archive. Made back in 2001 for his 60th.  Spending the afternoon playing some of his songs on YouTube and on CD. Many happy returns of the day!

This was like a rummage sale or jumble sale I was attending - no masks or distancing being employed so it may have been in the past ( or the future?)  / anyway?  I was scrabbling around on the floor picking up these un-mounted rubber stamps - someone else had seen them too and had yelled out "Ooh! Rubber stamps!" so I was pretty nifty and picked up a handful which all seemed quite unusual cartoon characters I'd not seen before or nursery rhymes?  All a bit blurry now.  Anyway, I asked how…

More from my Covid Sketchbook of daily doodles -…

A bit of shameless advertising.  This just released on the 62nd Gramophone Company label - a double CD set homage to the 1980's original version by Morgan Fisher.  Hazel has a track on CD 2 followed by Toyah, Tom Robinson, Billy Bragg, Ukulele Orchestra of GB, etc etc.  My collages are scattered throughout the box and 68 page booklet enclosed.  Strictly limited to 1000 copies apparently. …

I have been doodling in my sketchbook again for the FB group of the same name -…

I've always enjoyed finding badges to pin to my lapel. As far back as the 60's in art school I can remember aking my own - usually from card with a simple safety pin sellotaped to the back. I think the first was an ironic Bert Weedon Fan Club badge ( Bert was a popular guitarist famous for his pamphlet "Play In A Day" ) . Began finding other badges and brooches in junk shops and flea markets. Hazel and Archie collect them too so between us have quite a varied selection from advertising, pop…

I've always enjoyed finding badges to pin to my lapel. As far back as the 60's in art school I can remember making my own - usually from card with a simple safety pin sellotaped to the back. I think the first was an ironic Bert Weedon Fan Club badge ( Bert was a popular guitarist famous for his pamphlet "Play In A Day" ) . Began finding other badges and brooches in junk shops and flea markets. Hazel and Archie collect them too so between us have quite a varied selection from advertising, pop…

Besides collecting mail art and rubber stamps etc. we collect all manner of other things.  The truth is we find it hard to throw anything away so eventually these piles of detritus become little collections of things.  They say if you have just two things then it's become "a collection" . Focusing on just one of our interests - matchbox labels or to give it its proper name "phillumenism". Every years they have a wonderful Phillumenists Meet Up"  (not sure if thats the right name they give…

November is here and the leaves pile up on the back garden path. Soon the green bin will be full.  We are enjoying the colours of Autumn every day on our walks . Amazing yellows, browns and reds.  We are lucky to have the countryside so close here in Rudheath.  It's but a short walk to the Trent & Mersey canal in one direction and down the lane the other way are fishing ponds and the River Dane.  Lots of farm land full of corn stubble and some for sheep and cows.  Sadly some has been…

Yes, it soon comes round.  Pretty sure what we laughingly call "the government"  is shaving at least three days off of each week to make them shorter. I know not the reason why?  Maybe something to do with how moronic they all are?  Anyway, back in the Land Of Nod we are dreaming of doodles - some we imagined in our wilder dreams and others that actually made it to the page of my tiny sketchbook-…

Nice postcard from Alan Brignull of Adanaland fame . He also sent some excellent artistamps based on the W.H. Auden poem "Night Mail" which was also a fabulous short film from the 30's .

Tony Hancock was also a big favourite with mail artist Eric Finlay who made several works with shots or stills from his films.  Particularly his classic "The…

More doodles for the FB "Daily Doodle" group.  I keep forgetting to do this but managed these recently.  Never been a great one for keeping a sketchbook going - they usually fizzle out after the first few pages.  Diaries were the same.  I did holiday diaries which are nice to look back on but otherwise I have to rely on old letters that I never sent or ones…

I had this weird dream about making a comic called "Runny Soopspoon"  recently and decided to actually use it as a jumping off point for a new collage 'zine.  I started a couple of folded A4  pages and sent them off to a couple of my regular  correspondents - Roger Radio and Ron Monocassette.  Ron sent his contribution back ( see below some sample pages )  and hopefully Roger will do likewise.  I will then add some more and recycle in some way.  Not really decided yet.…