The beauty of a brief

[Alexander King]

I am an artist. I'm pretty sure of this. I've been one all my life, and it's the only thing I have any 'formal' qualifications in (although I don't do it for a career).

The fact that I have a 9-5 job in a non-creative industry means my free time is limited, and I have a number of creative outlets I can choose from when the muse strikes.

But - nothing beats a BRIEF and/or a DEADLINE for forcing me to open my art box and just DO ART.

This is why I love mail art. The brief comes to you, sometimes there's a deadline, sometimes something pops through your letter box that you need to (or feel you should) respond to. Inspiration arrives in (or on) a letter.

Waiting for inspiration, or the 'right idea' stifles the act of DOING. Art is DOING. Let other people consider the value or quality if they must, but the journey is the destination, right?

Long live mail art! Long live the brief! Short live the deadline!