Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Help a fellow artist?


Hey everybody - I just saw this comment posted in our "informal mail art exchange" and decided I should highlight it here for maximum response.
If you've got suggestions for Beth you can leave them in the comments of this post,  and you can also contact her directly.

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Beth writes:

I am an art teacher, and my county art supervisor has asked me to lead the optional staff development project this year. Last year we had an altered book exchange. This year our county launched new core values, one of which is relationships. So based on this I am proposing a happy mail swap, with a different partner every month. I will be doing a presentation and 45 min workshop for our county wide staff development day. I was planning to bring samples from you ladies, but was wondering if anyone wanted to send me any inspirational happy mail? I will have 3 sessions. It would be awesome if I had happy mail to open at the workshop! Also what would you like to see at a happy mail workshops? I'd love your thoughts. And if anyone is willing to send me some inspirational and diverse happy mail (envies, ATCs, twinchies, rolos, postcards) I would be so grateful and will reciprocate. This goes down Oct 13th at the Virginia Museum if Fine Arts.

Beth Allums
1819 National St
Richmond VA 23231

14 comments:

Joanna said...

I'll be happy to send Beth some Mail Art - I just hope it arrives in time as I'll be sending it from the UK......!

Beth Allums said...

Thank you so much!!

Mouseybrat said...

I am fairly new to this group. What would happy mail consist of?

Unknown said...

I'm more of a "long-timer" to this group, but admit to being as confused as Mouseybrat.

It seems that there's to be some sort of presentation, and it deals with relationships, but I'm not sure how mail art fits in here. Is it how mail art encourages relationships? Is it about art? And I'm not sure what the monthly partner swap is, or the three sessions. Maybe Beth can clarify? And soon, since the date is quickly coming up.

It sounds like a great idea that Beth is doing, and something we should encourage, but I think we "laypeople" need a clearer sense of what's what.

Unknown said...

Beth, I would love to send you some mail art. I am in Williamsburg, VA and I will get right on that tomorrow. Thank you for asking. This will be fun.

big mamabird said...

Have some mail ready for the mailbox! I hope you presentations go well!

cjsrq said...

Are you looking for a one time mailing of happy mail for your presentation or are you looking for people to do an ongoing mail swap throughout the year?

Beth Allums said...

Ellen - I too am from Williamsburg ( originally:) ) I received your postcards and package a some other mail today! Thank you all for sending:)
I will reciprocate all as soon as my workshop is through - I am hoarding things as samples.
I have been preparing by doing a little more digging into the art history side of mail art and I am obsessed. I am loving learning about Ray Johnson the founder for the New York School of CorrespondAnce in the 196s and known as "New York's most famous unknown artist"
Good stuff. I've also gotten a bunch of new books - thank you amazon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFPo01Dy7ZY

Beth Allums said...

I am doing a presentation on Mail art - there is a very rich history of mail art as well as an active community of mail artists, that is picking up momentum. Happy mail is just another term for mail art.
see:http://thehappymailproject.blogspot.com
Each year the art teachers in my county do some sort of optional project, or group for professional development. Our profession is art, so we do some collaborative art project. In the past there have been collaborative art groups, last year an altered book swap, and this year I was asked to lead the project. I have chosen mail art, as I am a member of many mail art and swap groups. 10 years ago I was doing the same sort of thing on Craftster.org. As far as the relationships piece is concerned, my county is large, and as art teachers there is only one if not only a few teacher in your subject as each school. It is very isolating. We get together as a county, and we hold conferences, but with the advent of social media, art teachers are getting less and less involved, and many teachers have retired, new teachers hired and we are now in a situation where we no longer have connections to one another. So mail art is my proposal as a vehicle to get to know others, with a monthly swap through out the year.
I will present my workshop with part lecture, part demonstration, and part hands on activity, and it will be presented to 3 groups of teachers - so I do it 3 times.
I have reached out to my mail art communities to collect samples, as well as bring many of the items I have been sent and have made myself.
Hope that clarifies things.

Beth Allums said...

see my full response below in my response to Joanne

Beth Allums said...

Thank you so much!

Beth Allums said...

more looking for one time - however I will reciprocate all mail art!
Thank you.
Also read further in my response below to Joanne

Unknown said...

Beth: It was a quiet weekend for me and I may have gotten carried away with your request, but I have a few more things to send this week. Hope that is okay.

Beth Allums said...

You are so generous and have sent me the most beautiful things - I will reciprocate all of your lovely goodies! Thank you so so much.

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