Recent Postal Acquisitions

[Thom Courcelle]

Behold the latest hoard of magnificence!

From Angie, a sympathetic bow to the season:

Fortunately, Angie, the snow level has abated.  Still cold, but sunny--you can see the Olympic Mountains across from Elliott Bay today:

From Jack of Cascadia Artpost, a stack of yummy favorite literature seved sunny-side up:

I LOVE seeing other folks' favorite books and reading lists, and it's always facinating when you realize there are crossovers with one's own favorites list...  For instance, Naomi Shihab Nye is one of my FAVORITE poets. It makes me feel even more connected to you, Jack, to know we have a favorite poet in common!  Some additional amazing Cascadia Post artistamps on the reverse, too!...

Definitely COB-tastic card from Nancy Bell Scott of Old Orchard Beach:

Painted AND collaged... and don't think that I missed those added "COB" hunt-and-find additions you snuck in there, Nancy!  They made me laugh when I found them! Nancy's collages always seem to subtley sneak-in smile-inducing word phrases, taken out of context of their original printed meaning, but creating new quips of exclamation.  I don't think it's accidental; they are too poignantly stand-out-ish as a reflection of Nancy's style of humor.  In this piece, for instance, Nancy used a tiny scrap of print newspaper, and the only words exposed show as: "MAN    SERIOUSLY......RED."  Below, is another scrap, and on it, all one can read is an exclamation point ("!"), and below that: "...ors by "R."  (Presumably, [col]ors by R[ed]?)  Perhaps I read into it too much, but it's fun to find puzzle pieces. 

I have never embraced orange hues as a favorite color, but I have ultimately often gravitated toward them in life.  (Is that an odd way to phrase that?)  For instance, Nancy's piece--the color especially--immediately reminded me of one of the major pieces of art I have purchased in my life.  The artist was an acquaintance-friend, but I had not known I would run into one of his paintings when I did...  I was simply at a coffee shop, and like so many of the local barista shops here, they display local artists' work.  There was only one piece by Michael in the shop, but I was immediately drawn to it, arrested by it, and could not tear myself away from it.  I knew it had to be his by the style, and I had admired his work for several years, but this one was like a sun that wouldn't let me out of its gravitational force.  Couldn't let it escape, so I bought it--the most I'd ever paid for a work of art, but I find something new in it every time I look at it on my wall.  Don't know if my camera will capture the color (and certainly not the detail) very well here, but your piece very much reflects almost the exact colors, Nancy. (In fact I just held your piece up next to the painting, and it's uncanny...)

Another for color variance:

From Alicia Starr, a piece SURE to make Cheryl jealous:

The reverse side just as amusing:

Alicia also did one of Nancy's tricks of creating a piece that I couldn't decide whether it was meant to be opened or not...  It was several layers glued together, but I couldn't originally tell if it was glued into a self-created envelope (with another surprise inside?) or if it was the piece itself.  Turns-out, I think, that it was the latter.  But that's okay, I have fun with my exacto knife, pretending to be an archivist-sleuth.  Sometimes one's curiosity pays-off!!  See what was in the "inside" layers of Alicia's masterpiece... it's like when they use x-ray technology to look at Leonardo's La Jaconde:

A long awaited treat from the author of Good Mail Day, herself,... Jennie Hinchcliff:

Another stunning example of Dosanko Debbie's etegami artwork from Japan...  I just LOVE her stuff:

And--most gratefully!--I received a hoard (in-and-of-itself) of Micklegate Post artistamp samples from Maryanne.  Along with a delightful letter, all tucked into one of her "ransom note" envelopes.  There were some real beauties in her samples:  commemoratives celebrating Simon Rodia and Harpo Marx, and another of a little girl dressed as a faerie in front of the Union Jack...  All of them enough to make anyone envious of Maryanne's artistamp-making ability!  I sigh a little to compare them to my meagre attempts. But I rejoice at being able to hold the epitome of artistamp excellence when she sends me some!

Thanks one and all for a banner week of mail art!

[Nancy Bell Scott]

Emmy, you worded perfectly one of Thom's great talents: his blogging really does make you feel like you received the mail arts yourself.

[cheryl penn]

Ok ok - I admit I'm jealous - but not TTTOOOO much - I have after all received my own really great set :-) - FAB blog Thom.  Embracing orange hues - I'm in the process of drinking loads of carrot juice - I am told the Orange Hues will embrace me - I'll keep you updated :-))! 

[Emmy Verschoor]

Reading your blog, Thom, it is almost like receiving these wonderful mail arts myself.

Discovering the different details, smiling and appreciating these amazing personal anecdotes of

life and art! Thanks for your blog!

 

[Svenja Wahl]

Wow, lucky you, Thom!! What beauties you received, wonderful!! 

[Nancy Bell Scott]

Look at the variety, and those stamps!!! Thanks for the great blog, Thom, you did have a good MA week. And you sure have been sounding like you need it. May I suggest a vacation from work-work?

[Marie Wintzer]

Great blog for great mail, Thom! It's also nice to see something from Debbie. She's a real pro. I haven't sent her anything for ages, I should.