Stephen Rife

Male

Saint Paul, MN

United States

Profile Information:

Mail-Artist since:
1989
My Website (without http://):
http://www.mnartists.org/artwork/steve-rife-tweaks-artpolice-instal...
Why I am involved in Mail-Art:
To rejoin the hand to the spirit, the foot to the hand, the paper to the word.

I've been involved in Mail Art for several decades, beginning in the late 80s, when I invited people to contribute, by mail, to a program for cable access here in the Midwestern US. Postcards, art video, letter-art, poetry, detourned ads, mysterious objects. In downtown St. Paul, in a former boot factory, I maintained a shrine for several years, to a figure I no longer remember the name of. (The shrine was kept in an envelope.) It had acolytes in the form of postcards, bearing figures and landscapes that helped me sing the name of the hidden figure. Within a span of some thirty years, this devoted pageant came together in a final rite, giving birth to a mother. "More to come," they said. Man, were they right. (A few of their holy siblings can be found through the video link below.)
For instance, a sighting/summation, a word of warning about the virtual posting, in the period post postcard:

Winds of Noisome Publicity;
Lands of Groundless Assertion;
Seas of data, desire inflamed, and desire unquenched...
My Mail-Adress (snail and/or E-mail)
3433 N 14th Street
Saint Louis, MO 63107
USA

Comment Wall:

  • Toni Hanner -- tonipoet

    Mar 4, 2017

  • Patricio - The Celestial Scribe

    Earthling, this may be the last but certainly it´s not the least welcome message to IUOMA you are going to receive. I’m a celestial mail artist living in a heavenly corner of the faraway universe called Republik van Patland. I´d love to be the other end if you wish to trade mail art with a celestial mail artist. If this is the case at the time your envelope should read as follows:

    The Celestial Scribe
    Terrene Embassy
    Republik van Patland
    Caixa Postal 24827
    Curitiba-PR
    80510-970
    Brazil

    I look forward to see a piece of yours in my terrene mailbox. I´ll do my homework after receiving your artwork. This is nothing less than a Celestial Promise. I’m Patricio, Celestial Scribe & Republik van Patland Official Envelope Provider.

    Mar 17, 2017

  • amadeu escórcio

    Hello:

     My adress is:

                 Amadeu Escórcio

                 R. Dr. Cunha Seixas, nº6

                               1500-225 Lisboa

                                            Portugal

                                           Portugal

    Dec 29, 2020

  • core blueness

    Thank you for the message! Not from OCAD, but I have been part of many mail art groups, though most of them have since disappeared. It's so nice to see IUOMA is still active.

    Jan 10, 2021

  • Mel Anie

    Thank you, Stephen, for a lovely postal surprise. 

    Jan 13, 2021

  • Mel Anie

    Thank you for what, so far, is a bi-monthly occurrence. I haven't googled the dates on the nosey stamp - I presume they have much or no significance? And please tell me about Girum Archives. There is much about much that I do not know.

    Jan 26, 2021

  • Ifé Niklaus

    Hey Stephen I LOVE YOUR STAMPS SO MUCH !!!!!

    I'll see you soon in your mail box ! 

    Jan 29, 2021

  • PO Bachmann

    Hey ! I work with old holiday slides that I superimpose between them. 

    Jan 31, 2021

  • Peggy huff

    Just finding my way around this rather chaotic site.  Your card a blast from the past.  thank you.

    rife.jpeg

    Feb 4, 2021

  • Mel Anie

    thanks, and also, as you like it. :)

    Feb 25, 2021

  • Ifé Niklaus

    t h a n k   y o  u    s   t   e    p     h    e    n

    Feb 26, 2021

  • Ilya Semenenko-Basin

    Hello Stephen,

    thank you for the postcard with a mailbox and for a little cryptic picture alter / idem. It's witty!

    Apr 29, 2021

  • Ilya Semenenko-Basin

    Thank you for the letter (which came to me a long time ago), for the bucks`s elements, for other magical Mail Art things.

    Jun 23, 2021

  • Carien van Hest

    Thank you for your mail art, Mr. Rife.

    Jan 21, 2022

  • Ilya Semenenko-Basin

    Hi Stephen. Your Mail Art is like breaking the blockade! I've received one single envelope in the last three weeks and it's your message in a gilded cover! Thank you very much.

    Mar 16, 2022

  • Kiki

    Hello from Japan! I see a cute cat sitting next to you on your avatar. I would like to send you a postcard with my hand-carved eraser stamp of a cat, but I am wondering if your Saint Louis address is still valid / current ? Or do younow live in Minnesota ??

    Best Wishes,

    Kiki

    Aug 18, 2024

  • Kiki

    Hello again! I will send you my mail art first. Please send me yours back after you receive from me :-)

    Aug 21, 2024

  • Beatriz Romano

    Hola soy de Argentina y estoy iniciando en el mail art
    Gracias por recibirme

    Aug 25, 2024

  • Pierpaolo Limongelli

    Hi Stephen, greetings from South Italy. Since some years ago I'm not involved in the Mail Art Network but I continue to create art to share in others ways. 

    Aug 30, 2024

  • Helen Amyes

    Oct 11, 2024

  • Sarah Figlio

    Thanks! Enjoying seeing your wall and look forward to exchanging some mail art! 

    Nov 14, 2024

  • Caitlin Friesen

    Looking forward to a new mail art friend! Are you also Canadian? That would bump us up to three similarities

    Nov 15, 2024