Ta-dah! Completely intact. All tabs, legs and amazement at this little set are working. You are such a clever lady. This was really fun. Jackson and I popped it all out of the mailbox together. It's so cute. I want to place some tiny food on that mail art and have a charming little feast.
An especially trying week. Jackson got sick Monday night and has now missed three days of school. He was doing great for a while but his health tends to fluctuate. No Crohn's symptoms--just a bad cough and sore throat. His Crohn's medication suppresses his immune system, so I guess he's susceptible to viruses. The good news is he's so much healthier on his medication that he does fight things off. It's such a bummer when he misses school though. He needs a schedule and I get nothing done when he's home. I don't know why. I'm in some freeze-frame mode.
So I know what you mean about days without art being made. It's frustrating. I have materials for something but I haven't started yet. Thank you for the advice on watercolor paper. I have some tablets of paper and they're OK. Nothing special. Good enough for fun painting, but not like, you know, amazing artwork is going to ensue, probably. I'm going to sit down and see what these little paints can do. Jackson made a card for his teacher with the paints. He was so intrigued by the little case and all the little parts. He had to use the special brush that came with it. He loves gadgets and intricate thingies.
Your box paintings sound excellent. I love that idea of squashed down found-looking boxes. Y'know we both love the old, beaten down, but interesting looking stuff. Every time I go out to take photos of weird old buildings and signage, they tend to be torn down a month later. I have an eye for the decrepit and soon-to-be-going it seems. You should definitely show at the library and maybe a cafe or some public space. I see really great art in business lobbies sometimes. Our new library has some fun shows too. Lots of wall space in there.
You SHOULD be a professional artist. I could see you doing art every day, no problem. And you're definitely definitely professional caliber. Have you submitted stuff to agents? I think you did a few years ago, yes? There's all these how-to books out now about doing mixed media and the like. They use a lot of art work from various sources as examples of projects and drawing exercises. I've been reading Quarry Books lately. They're nicely put together and have lots of artwork within. Perhaps they have a submission process.
I would love to see your work spread far and wide. This should happen. Know this: your mail art is completely delightful and so creative and fun to receive. Thank you. Pull-tab dinette set--ingenious!
OK--I should go and make some meatballs for Jackson. He loves Trader Joe's turkey meatballs. They're frozen and microwavable. It's amazing that he eats anything at all, so hail meatballs!
I will be sending you something very soon. I will end this with a woot. WOOT!
3 comments:
I'm so glad you like it! It looks amazing in your photo. Nice under-lit touch! I do so wish I could do art for a living but I just can figure out how to make money at it. Maybe I should look at these Quarry Books? I never thought of contributing art examples as a way to get paid to make stuff. I love making stuff for friends and family, so I get a lot of happiness from that! :) I've tried etsy but I end up in the red. I have many reservations about making stuff on a large scale for so many reasons and I think that's what it would take to be able to make it feasible, at least at this moment in time. Sigh.
I'm so sorry to hear about Jackson. That's got to be frustrating, for both of you. I can't do anything when anyone's in the house. I need absolute solitude. You know what might be fun? What if we did one of these mail arts as a collaboration? Me and Nathanael could make one for you and Jackson and vice versa? That could be really cool and cute. I'll ask Nathanael if he's into it.
I've had those TJ's meat balls and they are quite good. TJ's always has some samples at the ready and I end up buying them after tasting. For example, we now have in our freezer a box of mini turkey corn dogs...which reminds me I need to cook them before the freezer burn sets in. OK, I will stop lest I bore you with more domestic technicalities.
:)
D
PS: have you thought about showing your photos? I think it would be totally amazing to have a show of objects or buildings that used to be there but are no longer. I've been looking at this crazy book about Detroit (http://www.amazon.com/THE-RUINS-DETROIT-Yves-Marchand/dp/3869300426/ref=pd_sim_b_2) and how all these unbelievably intricate and expensive buildings from yesteryear are just abandoned and disintegrating. Truly a wonder, both depressing and beautiful. So, you are on to something...documenting the ephemerality of this life...
One of my big projects looming over me is to go through all my boxes of photos and once and for all do something with them. Either file them, photo-album them, or toss them. I could probably work up some collage with some of those building photos. I also took some neon motel sign photos near my Grandma's house (across the street from the Cow Palace) and I believe all those are gone now. Portland used to be home of the awesome neon signage. It's all going, going, gone...
I love the collaborative mail-art idea. I think Jackson will be into that. I'll discuss with him. I'm forcing him to school tomorrow. Hopefully all will go well.
Absolute solitude--yes, I think I'm that way too. I need a few hours of that every day to make anything at all it seems. Sometimes I squeeze in something creative during "mom" hours, but it's an interrupted process. SO BE IT. I'm going to be putting up photos again but without our addresses. Plus what you've sent me, so we have a record of its loveliness. More on art and commerce later. XO
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