Thom Courcelle's Blog (217)

I shouldn't expect anything less than Trashpo perfection from Diane Keys.  She sent me a fantastic assemblage of Trashpo relics and gifts:

Including a Gift Certificate for use at the DKULT Gift Shop!!…

Fine details and tiny secret treasures included in this fab mailing from fellow mail artist, Schooling:…

A very special package arrived a little while ago from Heleen de Vaan in the Netherlands.  Both of us being members of the Fiber Artists Group and lovers of all things yarn-ish, I had sent her a knit/woven card quite some time ago.  Well it was my turn to be treated and surprised with her astounding knit creation made just for me...

Here is the back of the knit purse...…

In keeping with our recent mail art exchanges detailing the cultural and topographical nuances of our respective cities, Dean send me an oversized placard emblazoned with city of Paris district (les arrondisements) maps, with a foreboding warning concerning the car parking situation in the City of Lights:

"To Park, or not to Park;

To Drive, or not to Drive;

To Pay, or not to Pay;

Paris Life, unknown to Tourists"…

So my home computer is still gasping its last few breaths, and I have ben WAY too busy at work to be able to get myself to the tech store to buy a new apparatus.  So I am staying late at the office in order to catch-up on posting some of the fab mail art I have received in the last month or so... (Apologies for posting things so tardily.)  This will be a sort of Blog Jam, therefore.  (I am starting to feel like a binge-blogger!)

I have also decided to enlist the help of an…

Wait... oh, make that, "I got a hand from Dustin Hamby!"

This piece--Midas's gold hand--arrived just like this (naked; no envelope).  As if the piece wasn't amazing enough as it is, I'm impressed that its unique shape made it through the mail all in one piece.  The back side is made of felt and the address label, return address label, and stamp are all glued…

Oh my... Erni's done gone and overdone himself again!  I recently got a great big box from Erni--it was awaiting me on my doorstep when I got home one evening in January.  I opened the door, and then tried to grab it to bring it inside... but it was so heavy that I nearly felled myself over!  With the iconic images and wisdom sayings on the outside package, it couldn't have been from anyone but Erni...…

Leslie often takes a turn of phrase or theme that I've sent her and creates a whole new  art experience with it.  Here are her amazing figure studies done on a doubule-sided folding card:…

You are all going to weep with jealousy when you see the leaves of this sweet, short birthday boekie from pal Vizma...  The cover is even made out of a map in case there was any question of origin:

That's a square cut-out in the front book-face with glassine-pressed flowers!  Awesome...…

Howdy all--

Still having some trouble with my home computer--been researching the best option for the purchase of a new one (oy!).  So I apologize for the delayed posting of your wonderful mail art pieces; I am trying to get them uploaded bit by bit from my work computer as time allows.  And thank you to everyone who has already remembered me in the new year!

Some squirrelly brain power from Arac (Alabama, USA):…

Sent some "shiny" ephemera to Dustin by request and recieved a shiny package in return.  It included Trashpo, Xeroxpo, a Hand-drawing, and a little plastic figurine.  There was definitely a military theme running through everything...

A xerox of the artist's hand wearing camoflage from days in the marines...…

A few pieces that provide a bit of alchemical mystery--verbally or symbolically.  And, quite a bit of alchemical magic of the postal art variety...

Silver and Gold with symbol asemics from Rachel Freeman (Missouri, USA).  SHINY!!!  It deserves a gold star, but it's already got a GOLD HEART!

 …

HOw much merriment could some mail art make if some mail art could make merriment?  Turns out... A LOT!!

Gosh DANG IT, David Stafford!!  A smile on my face has offically CRACKED--unlike the head of GrimMan, but possibly like the tooth of the Green Dragon.  A better shot of the "episode" to be able to get a sense of the drama...…

I have seen--it seems--some rather amazing poetry included on this site and inclusive of many mail art pieces recently.  It does my heart good.  Poetry has saved my soul many times over.  And though I shant wish to proselytize poetry upon any of the masses that define themselves as verbal art-agnostic, I would like to celebrate a recent mailing from Japan that might make you see the light.  You might find yourself verse-converted...…

Some of the mail art I've received in recent months has celebrated the endurance of Mail Art through the postal system...

I have been remiss in acknowledging this WINNING piece of mail art from Ursula Rodgers... I've been keeping it on top of the 'received' pile because I've been enjoying it so much.  Ursula is a similar-souled artist--she's a charity knitter,…

Sorry to have been absent for so long--the holiday season is one of the busiest times at my work place, plus I seem to be having some difficulties with my home computer not functioning very well on the IUOMA site lately. (I've tried using different browsers, but I think my computer is sufficiently old enough and been surpassed by so many system upgrades that the platform can't handle things anymore--which means having to buy a new computer soon...UGH.  Sometimes being on the technology slow…

A NICE, big package arrived from Germany with some fanciful art from Erni.  One could say it raised the Bär for repurposed cardboard collage medium...

Following the instructions, one will want to keep this artwork not too cold, and not too hot.  Ah...temperance is always wisest.

Other observations:  

• a crocheted monkey (2 count)...…

This might be the most trash-tastic, trash-poetic, horrific, scintilating piece of trashpo love ever received from the Trashpo Queen, Diane Keys,... ever.  Just sayin'...

First of all, Ms. Keys made sure that this envelope was going to be delivered hell-or-high-water.  The front of the envelope had a big BOLD--yet re-used--sticker that stated:…

I had a nice extended vacation abroad in October, and I love traveling.  But I'm not the only one taking cultural excursions around the world.  Some friends have sent mailart documenting their recent travels:

Dean Marks decided to spend "for daze" in Strasbourg , "just to see what it is all about...  Maps included!!...…

There was an Artistamp Exhibition and Symposium in Seattle several weekends ago, and boy was it stupendous!

Some other IUOMA-ians have posted some great documentation of this event already... Jennie Hinchcliff--who came all the way up from the Bay area--posted some great photos…