Correspondence from Brooke Cooks (Seattle, Washington, USA)

[De Villo Sloan]

Mail-art by IUOMA member Brooke Cooks (Seattle, Washington, USA)

October 7, 2014 - Seattle has long been and today remains a network hub, and I am thrilled to receive mail from a new correspondent in that area, Brooke Cooks. 

As an introduction, Brooke Cooks sent me some finely packaged found material. I am not surprised she is a member of Diane Keys’ All Things Trashpo group at the IUOMA. She also sent me a piece of wonderful correspondence to which I shall soon respond.

Brooke Cooks seems a relative newcomer to mail-art. I urge her, and anyone in her situation more or less, to shed uncertainties and trepidations about rules or contacting people via the IUOMA. The medium has no rules except nurturing self expression, mutual support, acceptance and friendship. This seems hopelessly idealistic, but it has worked surprisingly well for a very long time.

I do appreciate notes and letters. Mail-art is, after all, also known as correspondence art; and I am a big fan of the New York Correspondance School. Brooke Cooks has a very nice mixture of the visual and textual here.

With internet documentation now part of the process for so many mail artists, it is sometime hard to determine what to post and what not to post. To one with a Fluxus orientation, every exchange can be viewed as a performance. For others, the act of communication can be more personal. In this particular case, I think Brooke Cooks’ first excellent mailing to me reveals a process and an evolution important to share. We hope that we never become so inured to the correspondence process (as mechanistic) that we become less able to recognize the joy and discovery in all its parts. We hope never to become so self-absorbed in our own path to growth that we fail to perceive the joy in the growth of others and how we might encourage it.

Many thanks to Brooke Cooks for this wonderful gift!

[De Villo Sloan]

Speaking of popularity, this Brooke Cooks blog has had a sudden surge of interest just as, I thought, it was ready to drift down into archival obscurity.

That is gratifying because at least I'd like to think we're interested in everyone here at the IUOMA, as much as we can with 3500+ now, and not just the "names" in the way "names" drive so many aspects of the culture industry. Very nice to focus on Brooke.

The total sincerity & clarity of Brooke's missive obviously touched a number of us & made us appreciate new friends/correspondents. Thanks, Richard, for always being the close reader when occasionally I write something worthwhile or more likely stumble & you provide perspective. Rebecca started the correspondence thing! I'm trying not to turn everything into bickering over definitions.

Brooke, wordplay has some sacred place in mail-art. I can guess the origin, but Richard is the one who could confirm it. Anyway, I've been fixing "Cooked Books," "Booked Crooks" and all sorts of typos involving your name. I assumed I wasn't the first, but thanks for being a good sport about it.

And thanks BG.

[Brooke Cooks]

When I was in 7th grade I ran for student body vice president.  I was naive enought not to realize that this was only a popularity contest.  My mom who is a talented illustrator drew a poster for me with Nixon on it.  Underneath it read, "Vote for Brooke, she's no Crook".  Needless to say my classmates were unimpressed.  I think the teachers thought it was clever.  Someone tore it down the same day it went up and that was the last time I interested myself in political office. 

[Richard Canard]

10.08.14 Dare De Villo S.,  What thoughtful &  lovely commentary you create in your posts..."We hope that we never become so inured to the correspondence process (as mechanistic) that we become less able to recognize joy & discover in all it's parts.  We hope never to become so self-absorbed in our own path to growth that we fail to perceive the joy of growth of others & how we might encourage it."........I seem to recall that Ray Johnson preferred the term " correspondence art"  instead  of  "mail art"...& that it was the late John Evans that coined the term "Mail Art"...but that's just my faulty leaking memory. It certainly doesn't matter to me..it's really all in the heart felt desire of sharing "hands on" of visual/mental  activity.  Best to you. Richard...........Post Scriptum:   Ms. Brooke Cooks ( & with a culinary degree no less) doesn't cook?......(I think that is also what Ray Johnson meant by "Correspondence.")

[De Villo Sloan]

Books Crooks - could that be a real name? She's not one of the Brooks Brothers because too many crooks spoil the broth.

[borderlinegrafix]

Brooke sent me a wonderful collage and I know she is cool because she used a Johnny Cash stamp.  Unfortunately I'm having trouble with adding photos to my blogs right now, so I can't really blog it.  It is nice that Ms Cooks sent something, and I'm going to "get real quick" to her address with a postcard she might like.I'm looking forward to Autumn as well!

[De Villo Sloan]

Didn't Richard Canard recently announce he was only going to use the term "correspondence art" and not "mail-art"?

I'd like to see a correspondence novel. That would be interesting.

[Rebecca Guyver]

Long live correspondence art!