The World is a Town - GOTIJ (why not!) Thom (USA) , ROB (Australia), Guido Vermeulen (Belgium) and Bernd (Belgium)

[cheryl penn]

I think Thom is a Keeper of Words. He guards the gate to their destruction.  Most of you who know Thom know that he is a Lexical logophile.  At the pen of Thom these separate units become flowing sentences that build to a river of beauty. The World is a Town is no different. 

Thom writes that “books are telepathic, records of peoples thoughts and feelings.  They act as intermediaries between people spread across vast distances of time and space.   

At the beginning – the ‘commence ici’ of Thoms envelope book he refers to Romany lore – the chance finding of a piece of red string, ribbon or chord. “This omen foretells of the meeting of new love.  A knot in the length renders the omen even more auspicious”.

In short, love in this regard is a bestowal matter, Thom proposing that  love can be found in the full circle of the awakened mind. 

Aside from touching on Romany lore Thom delves into the world of the dispossessed child, franchised religion, grandfather sky and mother earth, the complexities of critical text interpretation and in general the greatest of existential musings. 

An under-laid fragment acts as a reference to the palimpsest on which the use of the concept of the Novgorod Codex is basedThom – I could go on and on – but I will post images for people to read your beautiful text.  Many thanks – this is a WOW – a simple word, but expressive for sure.

Rob (Australia) sent me this asemics book in answer to my call.  Look at these knots :-). The images and text are beautifully integrated and complex.   

Asemic wriing is found all over the world – it is something we all culturally share – even if we are unaware of this visual textual form.

We know this phrase which has been posted many times “The word anemic means "having no specific semantic content".  With the nonspecificity of asemic writing there comes a vacuum of meaning which is left for the reader to fill in and interpret”.  This is a perfect medium for the World Town. Rob – its beautiful – MAN! thank you :-) X

Guido – what can I say? An emotional, serendipitous response to a call Guido was not even aware of.  But as he also writes "I  was unaware of your project, so lucky coincidence though I am a believer in there is no hasard in life.

The large paintings started with the Gabriel painting for Superhero. Since mail art I have stopped making them to produce only small art in size that is. Gabriel made me hungry for more large works.

Then I had this idea: make a balance of the past year or so; who has been important in your life as a correspondent and who has been since the early years?

So I am making large paintings or collages and mailing them to those 'special people' - Guido - how glad I am that I qualify as a 'special person' - SO ARE YOU!!!

 

I received this a while back and I have posted it previously - but I decided it should just be peeked at again - a book by Bernd Reichert  - website:

http://www.bernd-reichert.net/

[cheryl penn]

LSB - you have NO IDEA!!! :-) - I'm L-U-C-K-Y!!!!! :-) XX

[Lesley Magwood Fraser]

Well the main Durban Art Gallery is CLOSED because of roof leaks - rain pours in and damaging works - works have all been removed to storage and exhibitions cancelled, so you will have to find somewhere else for your books, unless you waterproof them!

[cheryl penn]

I will bring these to lunch :-) - STILL arguing over the exhibition with the Council!!!! Think I'm gong to stage a Smith Street  party at this stage - or whatever its now called!!! :-) X

[Lesley Magwood Fraser]

When are we gonna see pics of the finished work??? On exhibition next year too I hope.

[cheryl penn]

Thom - so FAB to see you here :-) - and Nancy too - this has been a special project indeed - AND this was an all star male line-up I see - MANY THANKS :-) XXX

[Thom Courcelle]

Hey-yah! Look-it that! So flattered, Cheryl, by your own river of beautiful words. I like that... here in your blog where our rivers converge: the River of Intended Delight, and the River of Admiration. "Wowsers" to see how you've laid-out the whole thing and caressed it so wonderfully with your camera!

And to be paired with two other friends whose stuff I so admire. I've been a fan of Rob's calligraphic asemics forever... and a whole accordion book..., well GEE WHIZ! And that Vermeulen! First of all... the colors!!(!) The more I look and look back at the pieces that Guido creates, the more I get out of them. "The World on My Mind" is enough to make one's head explode in rainbows. "The World on My Mind" takes some of the weight of the world off my shoulders. A banner mailbox day for you! Thanks again, Cheryl, and to all you commenting friends for your gazes and words.

[Nancy Bell Scott]

Wow, great works all. The "World Is a Town" bar is set extremely high. Really wonderful to see! I'm glad you posted, CPsa.

The spel nad grammer chics shown up at mi partie but I terned 'em 'way.

[cheryl penn]

Ok - I'm taking that too :-) X

[De Villo Sloan]

Chuff luck

[cheryl penn]

FLIP! TODAY - the spell chick accompanied the grammar chick to Nancy's birthday celebration.