David Stafford's Blog (209)

Ground Hog Day!

And the the mailbox is bursting with exotica from around the world. I got two pieces from South Africa on the same day from two of my favorite South Africans. What are the odds?…

Incoming....Week of January 14

First off, Diane Keys continues to document the decline of western civ through the detritus that comes her way. On the front: the battle of former tenants continues with…

Got a million things to do but I wanted to quickly acknowledge the week’s haul....First off, a variety pak from Kerri Pullo enclosed in her trademark metallic blue envelope.

Kerri, who lost her couch in a recent…

Incoming! First off Wenchkin, fellow New Mexican, sent me a pair of cards with her unique process of rubbery silk screening that is the perfect medium for her Posada Meets Sears Roebuck sensibility. I see now that I have posted Corn Dog Man upside down which turns him into a spidery alien. Sigh. I hope Wenchkin is making a living off these creatures…

I haven't been present here much and I would like to say that I had Beri Beri or a bout of Scurvy or some other exotic excuse but the truth is I have fallen behind...way behind in my gratitudinal offerings. This is a chronic problem for me as many of you know. I have received art in the past few months from (in no particular order) Marie Wintzer, Marie Wintzer and Marie…

Janine was kind enough to send me a postcard from her journey to Neuchatelatel which is just outside of the Land that Time Forgot and east of The Lost World. There's obviously lots to do there but the don't miss item is the Pterodactyl Airshow in which they create a skyborn tableau vivant based loosely on James A. Michener's "History of the World." It's not Oberammergau…

Michael and I have been exchanging music and various other things and he always manages to include some mail art in his packaging but the CD was first art-only project. And, as it turns out the first CD he's sent through the mail which came through without incident or cancellation. He's make good use of some of them old Time mags ads when men always wore suits and came equipped…

The story I'm telling myself is: I haven't blogged this before because I was waiting for the spectacular Olympic opening to give it a little extra push for relevance. That's my story. For those of you who did not see the four hour over the top extravaganza (all three of you) it's worth a youtubation to see the Queen parachute into the stadium, her dour smile as…

Things are picking up at the Oxnard MoMA where Nadine Wendell Mojica is Staff Historian when she is not in a self-induced coma. Luckily, as a resident of the Bautista Assisted Living Facility I get the newsletter which is packed with info. The envelope isn't too shabby either....Lots to chew on here and...…

There's something about finding priority mail from Finland in your mail box that's terribly exciting. A year ago I would never have dreamed of having any kind of mail from Finland let alone priority mail. But there it is. Carina's Nancy Drewesque illustration with thoughtful query overlay (courtesy of Manya Pletsch of Zurich).

This is the kind of  open-ended…

I received five pieces of stellar work. First, Suus in Mokum sent me one of her musical watercolors. Alas, the luminous quality of the ink she used isn’t readily apparent in this scan but trust me the inks are opalescent. I believe this is an abstract but you never can be sure these days. Like if I zoomed out from earth just beyond the depleted ozone layer would I see the pattern? Maybe but you don’t have to squint to feel the organic animalosity (like that word, Suus?) It’s very Rousseau…

Jen Staggs sent me a small thank you note and on the back was this handy reference guide to Jen's Pens.

It was late. I had decided to retire to my inner sanctum to examine Kerri's art werk. One particular piece caught my eye. It was several hours before I was able to snatch it back because I kept seeing faces in the work. Unmistakable faces. I burst into Patti's room for independent verification. "Can you see this hippo?" She replied calmly, "You're hallucinating…

Nadine sent me this last week and I fired off a reply as the Mail Art Assisted Living Facility is a notion that's dear to my heart. (I have a feeling that the crayons will be stubby and not cover the full range of colors). As usual Nadine's piece bears an underlying commentary. In this instance, about the irrepressible optimism of the Jung Social Worker. I hope Nadine…

This is the way all class photos should look and they should all include warnings about Darci Bush who by all accounts has grown up to be a perfectly normal person (the suits advised me to add this). Lotta work went into this one.  As well as riotous color, lots of detail and the signature touch: the price tag, as Stephanie looks ahead to her eBay years. Thank you, Stephanie. I predict a warm reception for this piece. …

Straight outta the mean streets of Heidelberg comes Svenja's Mail Art Nuns and Running Man with Camel. Svenja, like so many others, has sent me two (2) things before I could even blog one....(insert sound of smitten brow here). I love Svenja's wrap around technique and I'm going to try it soon. I can hear those national geographic maps a callin' me. I will need some help deciphering the text here, Svenja as my German (like my French) is limited to Woe est der toiletten. …

Another exhibit from the museum of small things by curator Theresa Williams. Weaving a story around an old Cracked card that depicts Brooklyn of long ago, Theresa reimagines the scene as it might unfold with the current residents of the contemporary epicenter of the hipness. I don’t envy Jimmy in his wonderment. Thank you, Theresa.

A small story:…

Angie has been steadfast in sending me her pieces WBOB (without benefit of blog). Here are just four of the things I've received since April including but not limited to: A pair of ATCS featuring a beautiful babe (possibly Jean Shrimpton) and a blue footed booby. The model has a haptic noose around her face, the booby seems content to sit aukwardly upon his continent. Also an alphabet card constructed from signage and a large breasted lingerie model proudly deploying her voting franchise. I…

Theresa Williams wears a great many hats, most of her own devising. The one that sent me this is the curator of the International Museum of Small Things, a post she has held since April when Mr. Fenwick passed away and gave her, with his dying last grasp, the small key to the small museum. It exists, like many rare and exotic things, in Bradner, Ohio. In fact, on the way in to Bradner there’s a big billboard that says, “Welcome to Bradner, Home of the Giant Pickle.” Many people have lobbied…

The Slow Def Blog Jam continues, even in the searing heat of summer. Tonight we feat Carina Granlund, my Finnish friend who has sent me this wonderful Robot made with “an easy etching technique using gum arabicum.” Carina, I want to know more about this technique.

The robot is of the mid-century modern variety, anxiety-ridden and and prepared (he carries…