Spread the LOVE

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

Happy Valentine's Day!

I have always considered the Valentines I made and sent in first grade as my the first mail art!

but postage stamps are also mail art, are they not?

A few French stamps by La Poste:

And the US Postal Service does a fine job of creating "Love Stamps":

not only for Valentine's Day, February 14,

but for mailing of wedding invitations, etc.

The first USA LOVE stamp was in 1973 with Pop artist, Robert Indiana's LOVE:

and it was only 8 cents to send a letter in those day...

I have just one in my humble stamp collection.

Exchanging Valentine's cards is a great American (commercial) tradition,

not so here in Greece, as it is a recent celebration and usually involves sweets and flowers, not cards.

So my LOVE stamps are mainly from the States as friends and relatives used to send yearly:

In recent years, however, I have not seen any of the first issues, but here is the 2023 LOVE stamp:

perfect for Cat Mail Art! (and doggie art, too ;-)

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

and candy kisses :-)

all had a postage stamp !

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

Sweet heart candies...remember?

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

Cherubs by Raphael were also on LOVE stamps :-)