After Exhibit - Newest Arrival!

This bicycle arrived in our mail yesterday! I was surprised to see it. I'm not sure when it was sent because the postage stamp cancellation isn't clear, but I think it was recent. The cards from the exhibit were dispersed. I'll keep this one in my archives.

It's from Bruna Berger in Brasil.

Thanks Bruna, for sending a bicycle.

Post Bicycle Mail Art exhibit news

Last night, we went to our local for a late dinner, after the server took our order, another server, whom we've known for years, came over to me and said - "you left some of your mail here." I was puzzled by this, which she noticed on my face. "The bicycle mail." That was even more puzzling. "Last week, when cleaning up, we found mail with your address on it." She went and got it from the bar, where they'd stashed it. This is what she handed me.

What happened is this, or so I surmise - Someone chose a couple of the entries from the Mail Art exhibit that were in a box at the Coffee shop being offered to the public for free, to take home and display. They could donate to an animal rescue organization or not as they chose. AND that person, had dinner at Joe's Inn (our local) and left their choices behind. Boo Hoo, they are probably really sad about this. I have no idea who they could be, but I'll keep these safe and if anyone ever mentions to me that they lost their lovely choices, I can give them back.

What a successful exhibit! My most successful, and made so by ALL of the participants.  Oh happy heart!

Christine Bongibault, Saint Remy du Plain, France

 Another amazing entry for the Bicycle themed Mail Art exhibit arrived here in Richmond, VA on Friday, 16 October.

It's fabulous.
Size: 23 cm x 32 cm / 9" x 12.75"

The narrative is delightful! I can't believe it missed being in the exhibit, but I'm going to take it round to the coffee shop so they can see it.

Here's the postmark.
Doesn't it look like this was mailed on 2 July at 4pm?

Help me out here, if I'm reading this incorrectly.

If this is true, then this has been on it's way for a long time. I hope that people have enjoyed it along the way.

Thank you so much, merci beaucoup, Christine. This is such fun and so beautifully done. Brava!

Nicolas de la Casiniere, Nantes-la-Bleue, France

 Look what arrived TODAY!!

How long has it been on it's journey?

And why did the USPS think it needed to be in a protective envelope?

 I really like the mixed media collage that was sent to me for the Bicycle exhibit. I'm sorry it missed the deadline for the installation, however, I will bring it by for the folks at the shop to see it.

Who sent it? I can't read that information clearly, nor can I read the cancellation date on the stamp.
If anyone can help me decipher this, I'd appreciate that.
Thank you, Uli Grohmann, from Münster, Germany, for giving me the correct name and address for this submission. 

Installation photos!

 Very exciting to open the Richmond2015 app and see that OUR Mail Art exhibit had top billing! Yay, us.

I went to the venue today to see, in person, what an imaginative way that the work was installed. It was better than I'd hoped. The work is in the front window and in a prominent display inside the shop.

Well done, thanks to all who sent in Mail Art, and the installation team. Excellent show, which will get lots of viewers.

It's so exciting to know that the exhibit has such good publicity.

Prominently displayed in window

Information sheet - all the names!

 

The inside display.

In the window

View into the window

Inside display area

view in window

inside window

More of inside display area

Some MA faced in and some out

Window as seen from sidewalk

Magda Lagerwerf, Sellingen, The Netherlands

Magda's photo has been on it's way to us for awhile. Happily, it finally arrived.
The photo was taken in front of the railway station in Groningen, the Netherlands.

 It reminds me of the first time I arrived in Amsterdam and was stunned by the number of bicycles parked in front of Centraal Station. Wow! was all I could say, and here I see it again in this photo. Thanks for the memories, Magda.

Installation: first photo

This is the first photo of the installation. These are in the window, the rest are in the shop. The folks at the venue did a wonderful job. I can't wait to go over there and get more photos to post.

 Can you find your work?

Thanks to Tammy and Lauren for helping make an idea a reality.

Dean, Artist in Seine, Paris, France

This large collage card was sent out on 27 July from Paris. It arrived after the deadline but I had a feeling there were a few cards still en route.

You can see how involved this card it, questions to be answered, information of interest, and it arrived intact though the center part of the front was bent up like a pop-up book.

Perhaps, Dean, you can let us know if anything came off of the front.
Thanks for this additional entry.

Katerina Nikoltsou, Thessaloniki, Greece

I received this today, past deadline, but Katerina wrote that it might arrive post deadline. I'm happy to add it to the blog and will bring it by the venue. There's a good chance that it'll be on display.
Thanks, Katerina, for another fun Mail Art piece.

Poul Poclage, Guldborg, Denmark

This entry arrived today, one of the few that I thought might still be en route. It was postmarked last week.

The title is: Marie's bicycle. The technique is quite nice. I hope Poul will let us know more about it.

Thanks for sending this Mail Art, Poul.

Dean, Artist in Seine, Paris, France

Dean is a friend of mine and an active member of the international Mail Art community. He has sent a very interesting, interactive piece for this exhibit. The piece came in two parts, with instructions on how I was to assemble. All of it was very clearly written, and here is the resulting piece. Dean tells the story of receiving an actual bicycle rim from our friend, Erni, who is known for sending interesting things through the mail. (note: Dean, also, sends interesting things through the mail.) The details are on the tear off tabs, which Dean hopes will all get torn off and there'll be lots of visitors to the site, HERE.

Thank you, Dean, for your always interesting Mail Art.

B Kapp, Chicago, Illinois, USA

B Kapp has sent us her two final cards, based on her text. Notice her playful dots? Thanks for all the Mail, B Kapp. We've enjoyed receiving it. See you at the finish line, indeed.

Marian Sheehan, Mallow, County Cork, Ireland

Marian did this wonderful pen and ink drawing of a bicycle. She covered her card with plastic to protect it and it made it safely to us from Ireland. You can see more of Marian's work on her web site HERE. 
Love her embroidered birds!

Thanks for sending your Mail Art, Marian.

Piro Rios, Humacao, Puerto Rico

Piro is active in the international Mail Art community. What a wonderful vintage print with color added. I love seeing the old time cycling costumes. Imagine women cycling with such long skirts. Perhaps, he'll tell us the technique that he used to add the color.

Thanks, Piro.

Michele C, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

Michele sent me a packet of postcards including this nice bicycle card.

This is a nice addition to our exhibit.

Mariana Serban, Tg-Mures, Romania

Mariana sent two more entries for the exhibit. They are quite large and as my scanner is small, I was only able to get a portion of each of these wonderful collages. You get the idea, however. They are very vibrant and exciting.

Thanks, Mariana, for sending more Mail to us.

Heleen de Vaan, Amstelveen, Nederland

Heleen has sent a lovely photograph of a bicycle in the snow, which she took several years ago. She relates the story of sending the first of these cards to someone on Postcrossing, who liked elephants. And I, too, had sent the person an elephant card, or two. She informed me that he'd passed away, but I'm happy that we can post this card and think about him.

Thanks for the card and the memory, Heleen.

Terry Owenby, Portland, Oregon, USA

I like Terry's technique! The tricycles are stamped and the balloons drawn on, but I can't figure out the background, which I like very much. Maybe Terry will tell us her technique!

Thanks, Terry, for this sweet Mail Art. Encouraging future bicycle racers?

B Kapp, Chicago, Illinois, USA

 B Kapp has sent us more of her wonderful Mail Art.

I enjoy the way she melds the images and the text and adds her playful dots.

Thanks, B Kapp, for continuing to support this exhibit.

Margaret Bates, Richmond, VA, USA

Margaret made sure that her Mail Art arrived in time, she hand delivered it! Does that count as Mail Art, you bet it does!

Thanks, Margaret!

Tomoe Nakamura, Osaka, Japan

Two altered photos from Tomoe, who is active in the mail art network. A lot of excitement in her submissions, which is what will be going on here in Richmond, soon.

Thanks for sending your Mail Art, Tomoe.

Richard Canard, Carbondale, Ill, USA

I've made this image extra large so you can read what Richard has written on the playing card. He's given the folks mounting the exhibit a challenge. How will they display this? Hmmm, we shall see.

Thank you, Richard, for always amusing us! We love your submissions.

Eva, Morocco

Eva altered a card that she got while on holiday in Greece. I'm glad it made it here in time for us to exhibit it. It's quite an eye catching image!

Thanks, Eva for submitting more Mail Art.

Michael C. Paul, Herndon, VA USA

This entry looks like something from a medieval tapestry, update with bicycles. A pencil drawing with a motto.  I find it very amusing, which I hope is what Michael Paul was going for. Is it Latin? I'm not sure, maybe the artist will let us know.

Thanks for this entry, Michael.

Dan Mouer, Richmond, VA, USA

Dan is an active Mail Artist who'll be able to see the races in person. His entires really capture the excitement and energy that our little city will be encompassed by, for sure.
Thanks, Dan, for participating.

Gina Ulgen, Norwich, United Kingdom

 Mail Artist, Gina Ulgen, sent two cards in one clear envelope. I didn't realize that until I slide what I thought was one card out of the envelope. What a lovely surprise.

On the reverse of this card, with a map of Virginia, USA, and an extraordinary cyclist, is a note about her getting a new bicycle and her adventure with it.

It's Duck egg blue with a wicker basket. Lovely sounding.

The reverse of this card, a fabulously altered celestial scene, has the addresses, to and from.

The postage stamp was adhered to the outside of the clear envelope. Clever move.

You can see, even in this scan, how precisely she cut the image of the cyclists.

Thanks, Gina, for these terrific entries.

Marina Salmaso, Copenhagen, Denmark

I like the  way Marina took a publicity card for a bicycle company Mustang, with model named Dagmar, and altered the wheels. Cleverly using postage stamps, she creates a sense of movement. I really like this.

This is the first Mail Art from Denmark. I was happy to see the postmark as we were in Copenhagen, many years ago on our honeymoon. We enjoyed the city very much. We drove to Helsingor and stopped at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. We saw a Magritte exhibit there. Ah, Memories.

Thanks, Marina for the Mail Art and the memories.

B Kapp, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Another Mail Art piece from my prolific Mail Artist friend in Chicago. I like the shadow on the wall, as if this bicycle were really lifting off.
I think that for the most part, the race circuits will be fairly flat, but there are a few areas where the riders will have to go up or down hills. Riding high, indeed.
Thanks B, for another piece.

Tracy Gill Barrett, Richmond, Virgnia, USA

An excellent collage, multi-layered and full of energy!  Thanks for your entry, Tracy.