De Villo Sloan's Blog (1,210)

August 16, 2010: In email messages prior to sending me this piece, Angie Cope stated her intention of pushing the boundaries of the collage style she has developed, particularly with an eye toward Fluxus. We both share an interest in Fluxus; and IUOMA has among its members many practicing Fluxus artists from whom we can learn and have dialogues. In this piece, I see not only some Fluxus-derived elements but also styles and tendencies represented among…

August 14, 2010: Versatile artist Erni Bar finds inspiration for some of his work in the streets of Hamburg. The mailart he sent me, documented below, marks my first experience in what I think could fairly be considered trashpo:

As with all mailart, packaging must be considered carefully for practicality as well as aesthetics. So in this…

August 11, 2010: Kim Jung Youn sent these two wonderful pieces. Here is another example showing scans just do not do justice to the original. Kim incorporates photography, collage, stamping, and 3-d lettering to create this work. They are done with incredible attention to detail and care. Both pieces were wrapped in fine paper that only add to the feeling you are receiving something from a very good friend. Thanks Kim! I am sure this is just the…

August 10, 2010: Saturday I found at the Post Office mailart from Mariska van den Heuvel, which I had been anticipating for most of the summer. This is a paper and sewn thread piece, the lines of textile (note that word), possibly representing linear, written lines across the page.

I…

August 9, 2010: My Russian friends, Oleg and Maria F., have turned out to be most excellent mailart partners. They keep up an email correspondence also. Maria F. is very interested in film and knows a great deal. In the course of one of those conversations, I think, we discussed appropriating images and text. Anyway, Maria F. sent me these two wonderful pieces:…

July 31, 2010 - Saturday also brought a second communication from Grigori Antonin. In the beginning, I thought I would appropriate him. Instead, he has appropriated me. Notice the figures in red, a nod to vispo. As ever, thank you Grigori.…

July 31, 2010 - Tina Festa was very thoughtful in sending me this collage, which I will treasure. Among the different aspects of her art is weaving paper. She has a keen eye for different kinds of paper textures and typography. I'm drawn to this work especially because: (1) She incorporates weaving, an ancient tradition; and why not draw from all sources available to us and in doing so "make it new"? (2) Tina Festa's paper weaves are ingenious constructs that generate random…

I was very pleased to receive these two pieces from Helen. She included a passage the novelist Henry James wrote in 1893. The quote was definitely "found" and just shows how things mysteriously align when you let them:

"We work in the dark -

We do what we can -

We give what we have.

Our doubt is our passion

And our…

7.19.2010: I recently received this incredible piece from Karen Champlin. The scan does not do it justice. I don't know if the images were found or inscribed by Karen, but they are incredibly ornate and detailed. Not only does she know I like vispo, she knows exactly the style I like. This one I'll cherish. Thank you KC!…

Ron Silliman recently posted an announcement on his blog of the release of John M. Bennett’s Neolipic. The fact that Silliman linked the book seemed an event deserving some small celebration, but then he does make an attempt to present a variety of perspectives.…