Recent Arrivals

[David Stafford]

Four cool pieces from around the globe. First off a zen cookie from Mim in Virginia with a sort of blackboard effect. Unfortunately I had to drop out of my Asemic Writing class at the community college so I can’t quite decipher the writing and it may not be writing at all. It could be a bat hurtling through space having lost its radar in the stratosphere. But there is definitely a cookie in there. Thank you, Mim.

 

 

Next a haptic collage from Kerri Pullo. Kerri calls this “Broken Wall,” and I’m assuming it’s part of her Confessions of a Bipolar Girl series. Appropriately the text peers out from behind a scrim of plaster and sand.

 

The surface was so fragile I was afraid it would crumble if I put it on my scanner so I photographed it on my drawing board and it suddenly looked to me like a Gallery Invite to Kerri’s new show at the Tucson Museum of Contemporary Art. Kerri, forgive me for riffing on your piece but I really liked the way the two surfaces went together. Thanks in advance for not sueing me for horning in on your work.

 

Yesterday this dragon arrived from Marie Wintzer. In Chinese astrology we’re in the Year of the Dragon and Marie’s dragon is both austere in its simplicity and jaunty in its coloration. With a minxus stamp to help it pass into the cosmic postal without incident. Thank you, Marie.

 

Finally, this arrived today from Skybridge Studios. It arrived completely intact for the book rate of 61¢. The book is Florence Brobeck’s classic pickling text “Old Time Pickling and Spicing Recipes” which you’ll be thrilled to know I have actually used before. My ex-mother-in-law had a copy and if memory serves I believe I made the sweet pickles out of this book. Skybridge’s simple packaging, (a strip of brown paper) creates its own sort of mail art with her trademark use of old uncanceled stamps, (Trains and Ike in this instance) and her wonderful calligraphy. Thanks, Lisa.

 

Thanks one and all. 

[David Stafford]

Yeah, that blob really takes it to the next level....

[Nancy Bell Scott]

Very interesting drawing-board provenance, Dav.id. It wouldn't be much without that ink blob, though. You made your mark, showed it to us, and now its history continues.

[cheryl penn]

David, FAB inkblot :-))! You make pickles? I'm generally in a pickle so I'm well acquainted with the process... grate haul - lucky you.  I meant great of course - but the spell chick keeps correcting me and I get tired of correcting her...  :-) X

[David Stafford]

Nancy, the drawing board has an interesting provenance.  It was loaned to me by Barbara Cataldo who happens to be the daughter of John Cataldo who was the author of many calligraphy books in the 50s and 60s. (I'm afraid most of the character was created by the previous owner though I did add that big ink blob when one of my bottles tipped over.)

[Nancy Bell Scott]

The art is great, and I'm pretty sure I would kill for that drawing board.

[David Stafford]

Do people actually say those things outside of Perry Mason?

 

[Kerri Pullo]

I am seriously laughing out loud David...not LOLing....I am laughing out loud!

[David Stafford]

Uh oh...time for the Disenchanted with David group....Let a thousand lawsuits blossom. I guess I won't mind all that much as long as I get to hold up a postcard in a crowded courtroom and say, "perhaps this will refresh your memory!"

[Kerri Pullo]

Thank you....the two do look great together! You are so funny. However, I will still be contacting my lawyer. ;)

[De Villo Sloan]

Great blog, David. Amazing timing on the post. First one for 2012 - bodes well