MEGABLOG: THE FINAL CHAPTER

[David Stafford]

As some of you know, I have been in California every other month for the past three months. (More on that later) That means I received lots of mail art which I haven't been able to get to for a while. This megablog, with an emphasis on brevity, is meant to address that and catch up with all the good stuff you've been sending.

First up, a sensuous collage from Bonnie Diva who does not reside in Shreveport. Thank you, Bonnie.

Lovely little Kilowatt Hour from Alicia Starr Ryan. Thank you, Alicia. Are you back from where ever you are to where you normally are yet?

Allegra Sleep sent me this card which reimagines Dorothy from Kansas in a Dargerous land. Thank you, Allegra. I have already sent the missing tiger.

Angelica Paez paused to send me this incontrovertible couple of maxims with reversible heads. Thank you, Angelica.

A cynara from Borderline Grafiz ripped from yesterday's headlines dictionary. Thank you, BG.

The always Charming Carina Granlund send me these suspicious mice in this Finnish Kitchen Deluxe envelope. 

And more recently....

this somewhat peevish rabbit encased in hand-sewn plastic (the best kind). Thank you, Carina.

World Traveler Jon Foster sent me this Dargeresque collage complete with fish bubbles (lower left) Thank you, Jon.

And Katerina, who Jon visited in Greece, sent me these two timely collages which I have turned into dress patterns as required by law. Thank you, Katerina. Love that haptic cookie.

Don't know why there's no clouds up in the sky...Stormy Daniels, the latest broadside from Keith Chamber. Love Keith's hyper precise technique in rendering our possible national savior. Thank you, Keith.

My friend Kim Jung-Youn sent me this fun stamp / stamp collage. Thank you, Kim.

A sensuous drawing from the sensuous drawing master in Sevilla, Miguel Jimenez. To answer your query: Just okay. Thank you, Miguel.

Nadine Wendell-Mojica in a far off desert sky has been concentrating on her ATCs lately. I am about to retaliate in kind, Nadine. Watch out for the odd-sized ATCs which will not fit in the plasticine packets. Sigh. Thank you, Nadine. And thank you for the steady stream of Desert City ephemera with which you paint such a vivid portrait of your new home town. 

Nancy Bell Scott, who also keeps me well-supplied with Maine-o-bilia for which I am grateful, sent me two of her exquisite abstract collages in the above envelope with its evergreen suggestion: Remember to Forget Your Phone. Good advice on any planet. Thank you, Nancy.

Here are the front and back of RCBz's latest excursion in surrealist poetry. As a fellow traveler I can tell that Mr. Z has spent some quality time with his photoshop pen tool. Thank you,  RCBz.

My Heidelbergian friend Svenja Wahl nails it with an avian view of Lake Starnsberg (?) Maybe? Thank you, Svenja.

Richard Canard sent me this missive with  important information about your health. I have now resolved to be around only good teenagers. If possible. Thank you, Richard.

Gü sent me a huge packet of her montages, sidebars and a Ray Jonson (that was you that sent this, wasn't it?) aside. All informed with Gü's sly wit. Thank you, Gü.

My good friend Henry Denander in far off Sweden has sent loads of great stuff lately including the best personal note about my own work. Special thanks for that, Mr. D. Here's Henry's quartet of Jazz sketches, each one its own sort of improvisation. 

He also sent me two variations on a Charles Bukowski theme and these cool rubber stamp jazz players. Cool shit, Hank. Thank you, Henry.

Finally reconnected with Meeah Williams after her move to the northwest and now her pens runneth over. She  sent me two envelopes stuffed art on the outside and the in. This is a person who loves to draw. Here are her four somewhat bemused men in their pajamas.

Ms Williams doesn't strike me as an Etsy type but her envelopes would make some cool fabric patterns. This is the back of one of her envelopes.

Here's the opening page of a boekie she sent me and here's a…

page of that boekie, (flipped for easier reading). Like the people who inhabit Nadine W-M's universe, Meeah's people are on edge but witty in their despair.

I appreciate all your efforts, Meeah. Thank you.

Special Bonus for those who dug to the bottom of the blog. Here's a trio of dress patterns made from an envelope that Rebecca Guyver sent me months ago. Sort of a tie-dye feel. Thanks, Rebecca.

And now for my special request: I've been commuting every other month to California to look after my 102-year old mom. Let me tell you, folks, her mail box is stale with bills, real estate come ons and general artless junk.  I would be so pleased if you'd drop her a card. One is enough. Just something to spice up the box and rock her world (which at 102 could use an artful nudge).

Here's a picture of mom playing bridge with her pals to incentivize you.

Her address is:

Jean Stafford

92 Loucks Avenue

Los Altos, California 94022

Thanks once again to all the good stuff.

[David Stafford]

Now is a good time to thank the people who sent Mom a card which now includes: Carina, whose mail art arrived today! We are gearing up for a thank you video which I know you will all enjoy.

[David Stafford]

Thank you, Heide. And DeVillo and Nancy and Katerina. I'm just going to issue a blanket thank you to all who are sending mail to my mom. I'm looking forward to her reaction which will be heavily documented. I think a video may be in order.

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

Wonderful collections of mail art , thanks for sharing, David!

And those are all neat Fashion Statements, too, that i see :-)

Something being sent to your mama mia! xxx

[Nancy Bell Scott]

I'm loving the words "spectacles" and "splendor," DVS, but Dave's "home run" and "War and Peace" megablog humbles all the rest of us, and rightfully so. And oh, the pressure!

[De Villo Sloan]

I believe there has been a consensus that Nancy Bell Scott's "Blogjams" were the definitive epics (spectacles) of mail art documentation splendor.

NBS is forever in our hearts. But David has hit the home run, grabbed the brass ring, composed the "War and Peace" of work by the contemporary giants.

Gosh, this work is just so amazing!

Grigori Antonin is alleged to have a tattoo that reads: "Mom, Ray and Mail Art." David keeps the mom in m-a. FAB

[Heide Monster]

Sent your mother a card too.

[David Stafford]

I look forward to it, Nancy. Lettuce or no.

[Nancy Bell Scott]

MEGABLOG is no exaggeration, Dave. It must be a new category, and your fine record will stand. Maybe not 102 years, but still. Like Gina, I'm on it for m.a. to your incredible mother. Something lettuce-like is on its way to you shortly, too, though sadly not what originally planned. We'll both survive.  

[Gü]

It'll be a joy to send your Ma some mail, I'm on it!

[David Stafford]

That's what I thought. Better safe than sorry. And yes, my mom is a miracle who deserves better mail than postcards from realtors with sharkish teeth and smarmy smiles.