From Johannesburg
BRONWYN sent me this shockingly fabulous bundle all the way from Johannesburg, South Africa. I sat at my kitchen table and started to read. Other peoples' lives are endlessly fascinating. All of the day to day pieces that, when stitched together, form a whole different life. Different from mine. Journals or mailart, it's all the same. I love getting that glimpse into someone else's world. Each person like a different foreign country.
You know what? She sent me DIRT from her garden. And more than that! Sand from Scarborough, a beach near Cape Town. But wait! That's not all! Tiny black volcanic shards from the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro where her husband climbed some months back. And finally...seeds from the coral tree which are called lucky beans because according to African tradition they bring good luck. All for ME.
I love collecting evidence. More little glass bottles will get filled up. My collection of sea and earth is growing. And look another newspaper up above there! Oh, heart be still!
As if all that weren't enough Bronwyn sent me this lovely little book she made of South African indiginous flowers. Some are familiar to me as we have quite a few South African and Australian plants here in Southern California that thrive in our climate, but most are not. Tonight I think I will dream about great fields of coral trees dripping with lucky beans.
Quills! I don't know if they are from an animal or plant.
PATTY also sent me mailart. How did she know I love self-portraits? The lucky beans are already working. Actually they started working months ago. I'm really enjoying my new band of Mailart Compañeros. Starting this blog has really been like lighting a match and starting the biggest brightest ART BONFIRE. I'm very grateful and happy to be sitting right in the middle of all this warmth and color.
When I opened this box I was squawking like a wild chicken. How did MICHELLE know I hadn't got a gas mask yet? Mama Moss heartily approved of this. Besides protecting against toxic spraypaint fumes I am also prepared in case of bilogical warfare. I think I'll keep this next to the flashlight and duct tape. Safety first. Right Michelle?
Raise your hands if you know the maximum number of exclamation points allowed in one post. Honk if I've gone over.
Ooooo Lala!!!
You lucky girl! I am just drooling over all this great mailart! I think this is something that I have to get into!!! Thanks for always sharing your art and your treasures with us!
me...karen b...
Posted by: karen benson | Sunday, June 24, 2007 at 06:50 PM
Great post!! Such riches in your mailbox. I loved reading about them.
The new photo of you on the blog is hysterical! You do look much safer now though. Those spray paint fumes are awful.
Posted by: Dawn | Sunday, June 24, 2007 at 05:40 PM
I grew up in South Africa (Cape Town to be exact) and so many of these items evoked happy memories - thank you both for sharing.
Posted by: Stephen | Sunday, June 24, 2007 at 04:30 PM
okay. forget the bear mask stencil, now you have to do a GAS MASK stencil. You have to. Maybe with a can of spray paint pressed lovingly against your cheek....
Posted by: debra | Sunday, June 24, 2007 at 12:57 PM
Where do you find the large stencils you've been using? Everything I find locally is so ho-hum.
Posted by: Janet | Sunday, June 24, 2007 at 10:41 AM
Yeah, like Becky says, share how we can get involved in great mail art too. Oh be still my heart!
Posted by: tina | Sunday, June 24, 2007 at 09:27 AM
Boy oh boy, these are just fabulous!! I am just loving everything I am seeing. You are one lucky camper to be getting such fabulous mailart. I am quite, quite green with envy. That stuff from South Africa is just awesome!! Such rich colors and pictures. I am thinking of calling out sick from work(just joking!!) so I can play with some paint and stuff. I am totally psyched. Where are you getting those fab stencils from? I am going hunting the first chance I get! Love it all....
Posted by: tina | Sunday, June 24, 2007 at 09:25 AM
Ohhhhhhhhhhhh, WOW! This is all so cool. I'd love to be able to send you some mail art at some point! And, how about some sand and shells from Assateague Island in VA?
Posted by: Paula Bogdan | Sunday, June 24, 2007 at 08:35 AM
The quills are from a Porqupine. African ones are bigger than American ones. I know this because I'm a tapestry weaver, and African quills are sometimes used as a weaving tool. I enjoy visiting your blog... very inspiring!
Posted by: Kate | Sunday, June 24, 2007 at 07:19 AM
Oh COOL!!!! What a great post with all your mail art and gas masks! :) Do you play in a group that does mail art? Would love to get involved somehow! :D (ps: NEVER a limit of exclamation points when blogging... lol!)
Posted by: Becky New | Sunday, June 24, 2007 at 05:59 AM
MA writes: "Raise your hands if you know the maximum number of exclamation points allowed in one post. Honk if I've gone over."
JM replies: "Exclamation points?! Exclamation points?!"...who worries about exclamation points?!!!! What I have to REMEMBER next time I visit your blog....is to grab a DEPENDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:) ok, so the mail art gets me a little excited..I'm just saying...
Posted by: ~jolenemarie | Sunday, June 24, 2007 at 12:43 AM