A Blog Post for Herr Erni AKA Chocteabiscuit - Is the World a Town or What?

[cheryl penn]

Mail Art received the LAST week of December 2010

Erni Bär keeps telling me to STOP MAKING SENSE!

He’s even writing that line to me on the outside of envelopes now.  

THEN he says Do I know what doo wah diddy means?  Um, can I go with “no” here and there?  Maybe I’ll go with it everywhere? Brain Police = Thought Police – but that’s a concept from 1984 and I don’t think I’m
allowed to go there – that would make some sense after all.

O – I like this part – sealed air :-) makes sense!

AND!!! THE CONTENTS REVEAL????

A contribution to The World is a Town Project – FAB!  I even got a prayer flag garland from Nepal,  from Germany to South Africa – that’s a world journey in itself.

I spy Erni’c favorite word – TRASH!!! – Warm-up Trash in fact. o – and I’m guessing some sort of biscuit wrap – as in the parcel below?? We know Erni is filling the world with German biscuits and I have heard there
are a few people standing in the queue to receive these delicacies!!   For the wheat intolerant – tough luck!

A gaze from the horizon of the  welt of the world through the all seeing lens – o AND Erni, says that he has listened to the BEST in Rock music – ALL of it Erni?  Lucky you.  Blown up in peace(es)?

Sad to say – I’m here with Erni – greed, hate and ignorance make the world go round – so lets just stop for tea at the Bär Rock Café and enjoy the biscuits - please bring fresh ones Erni!

Thanks ERNI – I love it!  O –and the trash bag twists – referencing our other mutual friend?

 

THEN! His name escaping me glares from the envelope, annoyed he didn’t make it to INSIDE the package.

Because INSIDE he could have at least eaten biscuits all the way from Germany :-)

Verity is chained to the wall – but open her and yes – “spare a few coins sir”.   Tell you something interesting – I’m noticing the appearance of 12 stars on everything European. 

Erni – what can I say?  Again you have surpassed yourself – thank you!  Bring your tea cup to Bär Rock Café.

 

Mail aRt received 6th December 2101
ANOTHER Gift from Erni - In tune now people, altogether now -Girls will be boys and boys will be girls" "la la la la Lola" Is that the Interstellar Nightmare? Of course I googled it - the best I could come up with was Pink Floyd's Interstellar being a nightmare - but I'm guessing not HELP ERNI!!!

At least I can phone a friend! I have access to a connection outside the matrix thanks to my trusty Nokia.

 

AND if Erni is not sending lentils or tea or chocolate (ALL very appreciated) he sends matches to get rid of overwhelming nightmares - no matter how big or how small - Choctea to the rescue. Man - you're a handy thing to take on a picnic. Erni - You're a star - an intergalatic star! Or are we talking about Pudding?

Mail Art Received 15th November 2010.
Erni my third eye is in good working order!
TERRRAAAA TERAAAAA!!! Can you hear the drums Fernando? Ernie's package finally arrived. It was brown and heavy and when shaken made a moggy
sound. There was an alien looking creature on the back and the words -
I think they read "Catherine Tehalcurithe Who are you" Pudding??? - help Choctea
the p.o. took some of the writing!

Accompaniment: other text that read - Germany The beautiful - only beautiful people send presents Erni! Clapping my hands in glee I undid the brown paper with my trusty but very blunt
scissors.

Only to find:

No fear, I can keep going forever if there's something worthwhile at the end!

THEN! A DAZZLING silver box! A silver skinned snake box to be exact. Erni told me how he had worked and worked to get this box - THANKS Choctea!

What next???? A number 7 (thats a good number for me although my real number is 11) - "Erni's Spice Box for Cheryl Penn"

What can I say, those images speak for themselves...The back of the colorful card read "All this has got nothing to do with me" - RIGHT!!!

Glad to see the monkey is back - I'm guessing the performance will not be finished until I have made a lentil and dahl - yes!!! CURRY!!!

Sorry Choctea - I'm going with a Rooibos Sculpture installation here - THANK YOU MUCHLY!!! Tell DVS I AM NOT YELLING!!!

Mail Art Received 29th October 2010
2 packages from Choctea in one week - and MAN!!! What a package this last one was.

It was LARGE and bulky and squishy and bright all at once. Oh the joys on opening!!

The Tibetan Tea (and filters) I had been promised - I will go make a cup after blogging this and let you know what I think Choctea!

Two dynamic collages - The one on the left is called "Reaching out for Erni" and the one on the right "Outlet". I confess I'm still sussing out Erni's work - he says he makes work that doesn't make sense, yet he adds on the Crimson Giant blog that he's only kidding around sometimes - Erni - you are confusing me!! But I know you have also said that was one of your purposes... (To confuse!) The collages are EXTREMELY well made with each piece flawlessly and precisely integrated - this work took ALOT of preparation - I'm also reaching out for Erni!

VERY exciting - Erni's contribution to The Crimson Giant - think I will have to process this and blog it separately - baie mooi en goed werk Erni!

Then, last but not least - the original pages Erni made for the Crimson Giant but they were the wrong size.
Erni, you keep talking about trash and this and that (I dont understand half of it) - but I'm afraid this work is pristine - the composition is considered, the tonal range is dramatic, the collage is integrated and considered, the images and text are apposite (for me) to the title - I think I remember Jen commenting about the religious iconography - I'll check up on that - I think this is - boy-o-boy, outstanding!

I'm sorry I dont always get some of your other stuff you post (on the site) - but this I think is BEAUT!

Erni, I dont know what to say except - thank you - surprise packages like these can make a persons week - it made mine - THANK YOU!! Erni and I are swopping packages next - with a tiny price limit - although he told me he has already exceeded the buget - I'm afraid this ones going to take alot of beating Choctea.

Mail Art Received 22nd October 2010
I found this at the Post Office from Herr ERni - I had to post office travelling for it - with no postal codes the po sent it on a merry-go-round - it EVENTUALLY landed in Durban!! (The main city where I live) There is a scrawl on the bottom which says - TRY DURBAN!

The work is titled "Ortho". I asked ERni what he meant - (MAN! I have to stop that!). I confess I was very relieved when he said : "Title of the collage doesn't mean anything. "Stop making sense" all the time is my motto. I think it was part of a longer word and just fitted it in. That is the "Schwitters" method and I call myself a disciple of old
Kurt."

I am also relieved to say I said something to him - his reply was "Didn't understand the rest of your message, sorry" - so I can also not make sense Choctea! AND you see - when i comment on your other blogs that I dont understand you - its because you DON'T INTEND to make sense!! Good move - nothing much makes sense most days anyway...
P.S. Glad to see the monkey made it!

[cheryl penn]

Personally, I think an international cookie day is in order.

[Jen Staggs]

Erni's multi-layered creations always amaze and intrigue me.  His positive nature is infectious- always makes me wish our world was a town and we could all get together for tea and biscuits.

[cheryl penn]

FAB song :-)

[cheryl penn]

Interaction art joint venture Performance half over, hands clean - going to work - NOT in a cemetery although I l do like the quietness there. Wonder when my 'just a little something' will wind up in your post box??? Delicious - thank you Choctea.

[cheryl penn]

AAAAH! The Saintly Muse. I had to look that up - thanks Erni. And YES!! I KNEW the performance was not over - I just did not know how to finish it - and here it is - drum roll - TERETTERAAAAA!!!! A CHOCOLATE from Choctea!!! Wonder why I called you that???

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

definitely:
tonal ranges dramatic,
compositions considered,
collages integrated,
images and texts apposite,
OUTSTANDING! AWESOME, Herr Erni,
but really, Cheryl...red lentil (with or without cury) EAT the mail art:
bring on the φακές! mercimek corban....yummy!

[Marie Wintzer]

Bring on the lentil curry Cheryl!!

[Jen Staggs]

Lentils! I had NO idea what those were. Erni is so monstrously creative and colorful! What a wonderful surprise!

[Marie Wintzer]

Impressive!
It's Sunday, tea day, I'm coming to collect my third golden star...