KDJ, David Stafford, Grigori Antonin, and Diane Keys

[Nancy Bell Scott]

Is KDJ missed or what? Yesssss. She sent this piece in November, as well as a most generous gift of a well-known collage book I'd not yet obtained. It became an instant favorite: KDJ, since you're not forgotten, why be gone? Ack, not to pressure, but as you can see it is sorely tempting to try. ...

KDJ started the IUOMA group "I'm Enchanted With David," and here is but one small example of why:

You get the impression that every one of David's stories creates itself with a growing momentum, word by word, each choosing the road not taken. That's part of his charm. Why he went and redacted some of this one is anybody's guess, but my own theory is that it might have something to do with the other side:

Oh the irony there. I'm afraid she does look like some of my 19th-century Norwegian ancestors. They weren't a cheerful-looking lot either, but never mind. The Scottish ones weren't either. ...

Grigori Antonin carried out a famously successful Erni Bar Fan Action earlier this year, and I was lucky to receive one of numerous documentations he sent out. None of us saw it coming; he just did it, and set a great wave of Action moving over the continents. Awesome, and I don't use that word often or lightly: 

Diane Keys, DKult, DK! Trashpo Central! She sent a recent piece I'd openly admired on her website. As I then told her, "It pays to wish out loud." She puts up new work on her blog regularly, and I highly recommend it: 

*Thank You*

[Nancy Bell Scott]

Yah, that kind of courage is hard to come by. It has failed me too--every time. Thanks for the link; she has a very soothing, appealing manner.

[David Stafford]

I  don't know her personally. Her name is Dominique Mazeaud. I saw her once in the line at the supermarket and almost asked her about her correspondence with Lenore but my courage failed me. I'm sure she's kept Lenore's work though. She's an artist herself and can be viewed here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKZBRj8oOdA

[Nancy Bell Scott]

Your hunch was pretty amazing, David. Do you know the correspondent in Santa Fe? I wonder if (and would certainly assume, actually) that person has kept the Lenore Tawney collages received. You're right, the book is incredibly inspiring, and since scanning those pages last night I'm enjoying going through the whole thing again.

[David Stafford]

I had a hunch it was the Tawney book, Nancy. I have it as well. Inspirational on many levels. One of her correspondents still lives here. 

[DKeys]

Beautiful! I wish I'd made those

[Svenja Wahl]

Thanks for sharing, Nancy, these collages are beautiful!

[Nancy Bell Scott]

It's Lenore Tawney's book "Signs on the Wind"--corny title but filled with amazing collages. She sent them through the mail as postcards, stamped + addressed, no envelope. She lived 1907-2007 and also made huge weavings + sculptures. Her postcards remind me a bit of Joseph Cornell, and also our own Svenja Wahl and Bifidus Jones. Here are just a few of many from the book (and can you tell I'm glad you asked what book, David?!). Thanks again, KDJ, wherever you are:

 

[David Stafford]

Nancy, what was the collage book KDJ gave you?

[De Villo Sloan]

Always nice to know KDJ is "out there" & sorta with us.

With GA, I think it's really beautiful that a man can express his love for another man like that. 

[Nancy Bell Scott]

Yes...I understand...