2019 YEAR OF THE PIG

Another minizine , this time from Shellie Lewis, with an appeal to save the sharks. It can be download for free from

shellielewis.wordpress.com/2018/08/05/sharks

A portrait of Chance the Snapper who lives in Humboldt Park near Shellie in Chicago.

Can of Worms, opened here by the inimitable Boris. Nothing escapes Shellie! Yes, very well observed and caricatured. Thank you for wishing us luck, we certainly need it.

Bonniediva’s Minizine # 2 completes my collection so far. It is a little jewel of a bookie with a poem illustrated by Bonnie.

Debra found a beautiful antique and made a card with its cover, very nice to touch, like linen.

From Carol Stetser who collected this interesting Graffiti when she visited Santa Fe this summer.

The surprisingly original envelope of Melissa Wand, with a Pull Me tab on one side, sheltered a gorgeous ‘Gardening’ bookie, one from a How To series. Always useful and very welcome.

Adam Roussopoulus’ composition, the elements of which are half hidden by a white veil of paint or perhaps glue, is similar to Ben Nicholson’s white abstracts. It projects the same quietude and harmony.

Kim Jung Youn's intriguing artwork is unusual and also rare. She is travelling a lot so I am very happy she has made time to send this lovely piece. the key is loose and it was just luck that it fell near the lock in the scanner.

Kerosene has made for us a wonderful full moon, one of the two that will grace the sky this August. I am not sure if all over the world or only in Quebec.

Sabrina S captured a Bad Politician Eating Seagull as it was swallowing our BoJo who is shortly joining Trumpo in its stomach What a dire need we have of these birds! Fierce as they are there is much beauty in them, despite the horrible diet they have. A skillfully executed political cartoon indeed!

From Heide Monster arrived an interesting collage, certainly a modern classic.

Tiny Whisk's Muse is apparently hidding under the bed, despite of which this lovely handmade graphic poem found its way to me. i am looking forward to the whisking Muse reappearance!

Carmen Kennedy's new card is a reproduction of a large painting of hers, titled Life is Water. I take it to mean not only that without water there is no life but also that life runs and changes just like a stream. A very inspiring work.

It is Truck Month in Cascadia!

Elena Amette's fun collage has an appropriate summer flavour, with a flowery seal cavorting on the card

Fleur Helsingor grows roses and photograph them, and then creates stunning compositions with them in small format.This is Just Joey, which she had in her garden from 1990 to 2014.

Judith Dagan has sent me an opened carton of fruit juice which she reworked as a beautiful Trashpo (poem)

An envelope made from two postcards joined up with a flock of circles inside. I shall put them to good use soon.

Mim, great idea to join two postcards so they look like one, will do that as it might fool the so called Royal Mail ( notthing Royal about it; it is now a business, set on making money and giving as poor a service as they can. )

I got an envelope with many splendoured things. I found

a freely executed picture, a monoprint perhaps?

and then a tiny envelope fell out, with a tiny notebook, both made with hand printed
or perhaps watercoloured paper, and a more than tiny card

a small card of an intrincate design, part collage, shown here front and back

and a certificate of participation to a call.
Wow!Thanks Inverted Post!

From Peter Müller; three superb graphics, beautiful interplay of colours and type.

Carmen Kennedy sent an atmospheric composition. a collage by her
on a paining by a friend of hers, and a lovely small card of oriental flavour

A Report from Cascadia.
Jack Lattemann's latests effort for Truck Month,
which is a longer month than the usual month.
Truck Month is a measure of time used to calculate prison sentences,
apparently, in the States and Canada.

On the small photo at the bottom of the page is Martha the Pensioner,
with her trolley,
who has stopped to watch somebody working. My favourite pastime too.

Three characteristicaly intriguing postcards from Ficus Strangulensis,
who looks at us from the last one from his studio.

Jan Hodgman sent me a card, a collage with ancient auspicious symbols and an intriguing quote. Jan says she does not know what it means. I think it is like poetry, if you read it aloud a few times you absorb it, or is that an illusion?

A photo of lovely Salvador' a interesting catoon character and a jar with fireflies, rather modern ones, from Kathy Barnett

Meeting at Cascadia during the visit of Vortice Argentina, card by Jack Lattemann

FRONT DOOR GALLERY JUNE 2019 SHOW

Colourful summer wishes from Carol Stetser

Brooke Cooks sent me a cool collage featuring a packet of Aubergine seeds.
My favourite vegetable!

From Debra an unusual and sofisticated image in relief.
It has no title but perhaps it is the Venus of Mail Art

Two postcards of superb images from Heide Monster
what does ot show here is the quality of the paper. Lovely to touch!

Elena Amette sent this pretty card. It reminds me of a lady who collected tea cups
and when visiting her you could choose the one you liked to use.

I had forgotten to post this funny poem by John Ciardi which Bonnidiva sent me

Bonniediva sent me a mini zine, which she rightly calls a bio zine.

It is a short autobiography, a fantastic idea full of wit that brings Bonnie nearer to us.
Continuing with my policy of not showing the full contents of books, so not to ruin
the surprise for those who also get a copy, here is the cover and one page.
The summery collage below has an intriguing caption;
I thought of chocolate but unscrewing chocolate?
Still when next I have a piece I shall see unicorns!

Beautiful Vera the Singing Cat, posing for Fleur Helsingor, who kindly shared this photo with us
and an elegant card made by Fleur with a photo she took of artwork on a window
while she was walking in downtown Oakland. Oakland is a very art conscious town, to be sure!

Claudia Garcia sent a super collection of art cards plus some origami
that reminds me of samurai outfits
and a beautiful poem in Spanish

From Katerina Nicoltsou, a collage full of fun and games, front and back.

(Something is wrong I cannot upload it! sorry)

and this intriguing card

Five cards from Peter Muller inspired by Japanese art I think. But only one uploaded!

Their theme is 'der tenno hat abgetank'
I can make out that something is overflowing but I do not know what 'tenno' means.
No matter, the composition and the colours sing and what cannot be reproduced here is the soft texture of the paper. They have the quality of silkscreen printing.

Two cards full of angst, inspired and facilitated no doubt by recent events,
from the desk of Alan Turner, master of political collage.
Accurate interpretation of the feelings of many of us.

An intriguing found picture from Ruth Giles. I have been trying to guess the place but no luck.

On the reverse a fun collage built from comics.
I am partial to cartoons and all that, how did Ruth guessed?

Carol Stetser is back from a nice holiday and sat straight away to make these lovely cards.
So nice of her!

From Cascadia, This postcard arrived here in the United Queendom of Retailia the first day of the official visit of certain individual the mere mention of whom revolts me. But there you are, we have to put up with him and pay an awful lot of money for the pleasure.

Thanks Jack, for the warning! I hope he does not have one of these in his pocket

And following it one of Ilya's postal stamp collages. As always beautifully balanced but expressing movement. This in particularly appeals to me. The empty centre draws me into another world. Very peaceful. Just what I need.

Katerina meets Judih Dagan in Thessaloniki and this is the result.
A fun filled collage with a sketch of fishes on the reverse.
I must take that invitation seriously, thank you. Owl see you there one sunny day.

The Front Door Gallery

The artwork received in May.

A heartfelt thank you! to everybody that sent me such great art.

Elena Amette sends flowers and butterflies in celebration of Spring! A collage over a page of print. I can make out the words 'he' 'she' 'flowerpot' 'I leave you' 'two cups of water' and 'after taking off the rest of their clothes'. Oh so intriguing...particularly those two cups of water...

The Front Door Gallery

The artwork received in May.

A heartfelt thank you! to everybody that sent me such great art.

At last a rooster that has something original to say!
Tiny Whisk, a new friend! Thank you! such a lovely surprise.
Nice card and very beautiful rabbit

From Kerosene, Un-collage of Charlotte Moss, a still life seen through a slatted window.

Also a funny found image which will come handy as a expression study for Ali Khat
and a mini card. Very cheerful!

A horoscope for a hen on a chair. I hope the hen has looked under the chair.

(I am sorry, the scanner keeps cutting the image no matter what I try.)

Poultry and dog cards from Kathy Barnett too. Salvador has very appealing eyes.

Heide Monster sent an original view of interstellar travelling, in high relief!

Collage and Bon-Zine. The first of the series to complete my collection.
That is very thoughtful of BonnieDiva !

Historic Fikecard

Fikecards: an interesting vegetable and a mathematical mesh. An image of the universe?

Pig on a weather vein from Idaho.

Whimsical and delightful postcard. Thank you Debra!

And the bonus of a frog on the other side.

Claudio Romeo send this elaborated collage. Circles that dance, very happy circles and besides finally I have find out how to answer Janus call! (See further down,' Make a colour square dance')Thanks Claudio

A whiff of vintage art escapes from Jean-Philippe Guillot's tactile collages, his sticker is the clue.
Merci, Jeanfi!

Peter Müller; many thanks for your refreshing art.

From Atte Ouri, all this treasure of Mail Art just for me

Fleur Helsingor takes amazing photos

She spotted this beauty in a nearby garden two years ago.
At the moment the rose bush where it came from is only beginning to show buds.

A startled cat from Momkat, Katerina Nicoltsou.

Not easy to be a Mail Art cat, there are always surprises.

What with blue thunder falling on you without warning...

And an Easter message. No, it is not late.

In Greece Easter is a week later.

A card with a long interesting letter from my old friend, the poet Barry Edward Pilcher

A big bundle came from Jack Lattemann. Here he is enjoying lunch

Jack is taking delivery of a whole fleet of tracks and machinery to carry out more improvements in Cascadia

Artistamps a beautiful sunset over Cascadia

Three postcards from Fike, beautiful fractal art.

Invitation from Janus

Sorry , Vermina got into the act. the rabbit is Janus's. And here it is , rat free:

And this strange and complex collage came from Ruth Giles. The yellow strands of wool were coloured with turmeric. Ruth experiments with natural dyes she makes.

HeMi sent me a cheerful Spring message - received by email

Judy Skolnick's super photo with that Springtime feeling! - received by email

From Janus, a witty collage with an Easter flavour

Mickey mouse takes part in Carol Stetser's fine retro collages

Above as he used to be at the start of his career
and below,as he looked later.