the beginning of history
here are two electronic mail art histories i recieved over the last 2 weeks. i've also got snail mail to post later today. my request was for folks to mail me their histories either written or otherwise. thanks and keep sending them... i'll post whatever i get.
this is from a woman named emily...
My life in five chapters:
chapter one:
I am born to a very loving but unavailable mother who works all the time, a father who is not around, and three brothers who constantly terrorize me. we live in D.C. in an amazing Victorian type old house with ghosts that visit me often, scaring me quite a bit.
chapter two:
I learn to read and draw - two things that will save my life several times in the future. we move to suburbia and I am the new, ugly, fat, unpopular girl for two years until another new girl - Donna Matthews - who is crazy pretty and strange with epilepsy and I make a group of two. we wander around a lot and try smoking and shoplifting. eventually she will wreck a car with me in it, and I will feel the effects of this the rest of my life with severe headaches and sinus problems from my face meeting up with the dashboard at 40 miles per hour.
chapter three: High School - tired of not fitting in, I make friends with a group of evangelical Christians - exploring my spirituality becomes very central to my life, and I even apply to a Christian college - freaking out my Athiest parents.
chapter four: parents divorce after it is revealed my Dad has lived with another woman part time for more than ten years, I can't afford to stay in college without moving home and working lots. I marry a nice guy I have fallen in love with to get away - we both meet as "Christians" but luckily, evolve together into a practising pagan left-wingish wiccan sort of belief system which is the reason we are able to stay together through having three kids, frequent job changes, and on-going financial stress.
chapter five: we try moving back to the farm (which we never lived on in the first place) and are scared away by right wing racist mid-westerners. we end up in New Jersey and the kids march toward adulthood. I finally get my own studio, and am happy making my art, but profoundly disappointed in many of the choices I have made, and wonder if I will really ever add up to anything. I struggle every day with this to the point that I wonder if I should just give in and take little pills to numb the hurt and bewilderment I feel at the world's and my woes.
but mostly - I try to make my art and let it speak for me. and I work hard at finding joy in life. the husband is a loving and wonderful provider (mostly) and this keeps me going. I do try new adventures, and work hard at keeping my health which has suffered the effects of undiagnosed Celiac disease (gluten intolerance) for almost two decades.
chapter six: not written yet.
here's the second from alice:
I recently recieved a great letter of introduction from a new mail art correspondant and he inspired me to do something similar. So here goes, mail art is my life. I send something out almost everyday. I make and issue artistamps for the land of Zygopterra. I've become interested in Local Posts and issue my own, Dragonfly Dream Local Posts. I usually do a few mail art calls a year and often display the contributions online at my web site. I have flown airplanes, driven motorcycles, steered boats, and now just drive a truck. I love vintage aircraft and the great nose art of the days gone by. I collect dragonflies, fairies, and old teapots. I have been an archaeologist, a black and white photo developer, a first mate on a charter fishing boat, a gallery and shop owner , rubber stamp shop employee, founder and president of The Santa Fe Pond Society & Koi Appreciation Club, and now I'm just an artist. I do monotypes, collage art, digital art, artistamps, and rubber stamp art. I am addicted to the internet and you will often see me on the mail art bulletin boards. I used to live on the island of Martha's Vineyard for over 10 years, I used to dream and make believe I was a mermaid, I miss the ocean. I love tattoos and now currently have six pieces that adorn my chest and upper arms. I'll probably end up with several more as one can never have enough tattoos or mail art friends! I used to be a motorcycle mama. Used to be a punk rocker/hippy gal. I am dedicated to the Earth and follow the path of the Wiccan. And we are NOT talking witches like Samantha of Bewitched or the Charmed gals on tv! I also enjoy using the Runes for divination. I created the Realm Of The Fairies for the Site Fights. and I was the original DFairy . I have lectured on mail art, displayed mail art. So, long live mail art and the art of correspondance.
Dragonfly Dream
www.dragonflydream.com
"It's something wonderful to get a letter. The paper, the stamp, the envelope. It is not just a piece of paper. It is something sacred. "
IBRAHIM ISMAIL ZAIDEN, a postman in Baghdad, Iraq.
(quoted in the New York Times)
the quote was also from alice.
this is from a woman named emily...
My life in five chapters:
chapter one:
I am born to a very loving but unavailable mother who works all the time, a father who is not around, and three brothers who constantly terrorize me. we live in D.C. in an amazing Victorian type old house with ghosts that visit me often, scaring me quite a bit.
chapter two:
I learn to read and draw - two things that will save my life several times in the future. we move to suburbia and I am the new, ugly, fat, unpopular girl for two years until another new girl - Donna Matthews - who is crazy pretty and strange with epilepsy and I make a group of two. we wander around a lot and try smoking and shoplifting. eventually she will wreck a car with me in it, and I will feel the effects of this the rest of my life with severe headaches and sinus problems from my face meeting up with the dashboard at 40 miles per hour.
chapter three: High School - tired of not fitting in, I make friends with a group of evangelical Christians - exploring my spirituality becomes very central to my life, and I even apply to a Christian college - freaking out my Athiest parents.
chapter four: parents divorce after it is revealed my Dad has lived with another woman part time for more than ten years, I can't afford to stay in college without moving home and working lots. I marry a nice guy I have fallen in love with to get away - we both meet as "Christians" but luckily, evolve together into a practising pagan left-wingish wiccan sort of belief system which is the reason we are able to stay together through having three kids, frequent job changes, and on-going financial stress.
chapter five: we try moving back to the farm (which we never lived on in the first place) and are scared away by right wing racist mid-westerners. we end up in New Jersey and the kids march toward adulthood. I finally get my own studio, and am happy making my art, but profoundly disappointed in many of the choices I have made, and wonder if I will really ever add up to anything. I struggle every day with this to the point that I wonder if I should just give in and take little pills to numb the hurt and bewilderment I feel at the world's and my woes.
but mostly - I try to make my art and let it speak for me. and I work hard at finding joy in life. the husband is a loving and wonderful provider (mostly) and this keeps me going. I do try new adventures, and work hard at keeping my health which has suffered the effects of undiagnosed Celiac disease (gluten intolerance) for almost two decades.
chapter six: not written yet.
here's the second from alice:
I recently recieved a great letter of introduction from a new mail art correspondant and he inspired me to do something similar. So here goes, mail art is my life. I send something out almost everyday. I make and issue artistamps for the land of Zygopterra. I've become interested in Local Posts and issue my own, Dragonfly Dream Local Posts. I usually do a few mail art calls a year and often display the contributions online at my web site. I have flown airplanes, driven motorcycles, steered boats, and now just drive a truck. I love vintage aircraft and the great nose art of the days gone by. I collect dragonflies, fairies, and old teapots. I have been an archaeologist, a black and white photo developer, a first mate on a charter fishing boat, a gallery and shop owner , rubber stamp shop employee, founder and president of The Santa Fe Pond Society & Koi Appreciation Club, and now I'm just an artist. I do monotypes, collage art, digital art, artistamps, and rubber stamp art. I am addicted to the internet and you will often see me on the mail art bulletin boards. I used to live on the island of Martha's Vineyard for over 10 years, I used to dream and make believe I was a mermaid, I miss the ocean. I love tattoos and now currently have six pieces that adorn my chest and upper arms. I'll probably end up with several more as one can never have enough tattoos or mail art friends! I used to be a motorcycle mama. Used to be a punk rocker/hippy gal. I am dedicated to the Earth and follow the path of the Wiccan. And we are NOT talking witches like Samantha of Bewitched or the Charmed gals on tv! I also enjoy using the Runes for divination. I created the Realm Of The Fairies for the Site Fights. and I was the original DFairy . I have lectured on mail art, displayed mail art. So, long live mail art and the art of correspondance.
Dragonfly Dream
www.dragonflydream.com
"It's something wonderful to get a letter. The paper, the stamp, the envelope. It is not just a piece of paper. It is something sacred. "
IBRAHIM ISMAIL ZAIDEN, a postman in Baghdad, Iraq.
(quoted in the New York Times)
the quote was also from alice.