Save the postcard

I remembered recently, when I found a High Life Magazine in the back corner of my art drawer(smuggled from a trip last fall) that Lynn and I have an ally in British Airways. (Yes, I smuggle airplane magazines now and again. Is it possible to resist global photographic inspiration?) Their October 2010 edition was especially tempting since it contained an article on saving the lost art of postcard writing, which was written to launch an effort to save the post card sending. A corporate initiative I can get behind. In reflecting on postcards, they write:

It was a standard rite of being abroad: a trip to buy a bunch of cards. Stamps had to be bought in tobacconists. Or maybe that was just in France. Then settle into a café to perform two epistolary tasks: the gratification of anxious parents and the annoyance of jealous friends.

This is now nearly a thing of the past. A TripAdvisor survey showed that just 11 per cent of travellers still send postcards home while 60 per cent use text.

Like the ashtray, which faces extinction because of smoking laws, the postcard is a minor art form that struggles to survive. Facebook, email, texting and tweeting have deskilled communications and impoverished our visual culture. But no new medium has ever completely succeeded its predecessor and the easier it becomes to send electronic tosh, the better will be appreciated the charm of a well-written postcard. Generally speaking, the easier it is to communicate, the less art goes into the communication.

Oh no, how sad! Not if Lynn, British Airways or I have anything to do with it. Check out their celebrity postcard bid auction. The opportunity to buy is lost (thanks to my cluttered art drawer, which led me to forget to post this earlier), but the tiny art that was sold still is up and available for viewing. I have posted one by Alice Dellal for inspiration. Lovely.

In Tamale

This is a room where Jessica stayed when she visited Tamale the first time for work.  I don't know if she stays here still, but she was there when she drew herself in the room.  Sometimes the daily stuff around you is what you start sketching (perhaps if you are out of ideas).  While usually the ordinary is a bit uninspiring in this case its great because I can see what Jessica is around everyday.  Now that she lives in Ghana its hard for me to imagine sometimes without a visual.  On the back of her card she talked a little about her process, of getting an idea and playing around with a few versions of the drawing before getting something she wants to send me in the mail.  I think it was about this time last year that I started a sketchbook for ideas, it let me practice with things I'd like to draw and keep track of ideas.  Where do you keep your inspiration for your creative pursuits? 

Bird a la Martha

Yes, this was inspired by Martha herself. Seeking valentine card ideas, Lynn happened upon a MS posting on Victorian birds and viola a plan for a card to her pal. A slight change from her actual valentine card theme last year - 'mechanical pets.' Not really sure what this means, but some how I imagine cut puppies with hinges. No matter, these are perfect snow day activities, especially when combined with a few hours hunkered down with a book called The Swan Thieves.

I have been sorely out of touch my friend. Any recent snow days? What are you reading? Let's hope my month goes out with lamb so we can finally discuss these very important details.

Excuse me, where but can I send my mail?

I had to laugh when I re-read the back of this post card.  Jess told me she had been living in Ghana for a month and she hadn't found her post office yet!  I laughed because of three things that I thought of back when I got the card, and immediately remember now. 

First when you are in a new country, you tend at first to cling to small things you know how to do and can go months without bothering to learn anything new if it isn't essential to your daily life.  (As in find out how to send a letter? Not today thanks, I'm good, I'll just keep talking the bus from this stop here and visiting the corner store that doesn't actually sell cereal which I really would like to eat.)

Second, because when I moved recently I felt oddly attached to my post office and library.  I secretly went back the ones I no longer lived by because I was a bit sad about leaving them. 

Third, I laughed hardest because when I first bought international stamps to start mailing postcards to Jessica in Ghana the post office clerk immediately said "Oh, I know why you want to send letters to Africa.  I had a nice young girl in the other day for the same thing, you are sending letters and papers there so you can adopt a baby.  You know, she got her baby and then boom! she was pregnant with a baby of her own.  You hang in there sweetie!"  Shucks, in a manner of minutes I was no longer a customer, but a hopeful adoptive mother with infertility problems.  Its one of the reasons, perhaps, I should be glad I got to leave that post office behind.  What will she thing when I never come in with an African child?

Quilted post

A quilt inspired card by Lynn that could be a series. Exploring quilt designs, she ended up cutting rather than stitching. Lucky for me. The card mentions that she was just starting to tell that the days were getting longer - it was light until 5pm. A relief because last winter's dark days had felt particularly draining. Lynn, are you starting to see the sun now as well? I am living winter vicariously through you, remember.

As an aside, I went to a 'full service' copy shop to scan my postcard (one reason this post is a week late). It was my first visit, and the first thing I noticed was that the woman at the shop seemed down right mean. Scowls and sucking of teeth without prompting. It took only a few minutes to realize she had no idea how to use the computer or scanner. Poor lady hadn't been properly trained for her job, and there I was tapping my foot. She willingly gave up the mouse when I asked, and moments later I had my postcard scanned. Meanwhile, the other employee, sitting next to her, was clicking clicking clicking away at random on his desktop. No wonder they were cranky. Imagine if you sat at work all day hoping no one asked you for something because you didnt know how to do it. When I left she returned my smile, shyly, as I walked away. Next time we will skip the scowls I am sure.

Zen admist Chaos

I know I wrote before the cliff jumping girl was Jessica's first card mailed from Ghana, but the back of this one says it was her first one drawn there.  Who knows for sure, but both were from pretty early on in her new job there.  She writes that she is into the little dots and that they help to provide moments of zen in the chaos of life there. 

I have been thinking a lot about living abroad this week- not only will I host a Japanese teacher in a month- one of my old haunt Egypt has been on the news.  Its odd to think of a place I lived being the site of something so real and meaningful.  I also think of Jessica, stay safe pal!

Posting my secrets

Last night I found myself telling someone about this blog. Considering that it is always on the back of mind, it is sort of amazing how rarely it comes up. It, in itself, can feel like the most public secret I have. Which is fitting because it started as a way to keep our thoughts underground. Lynn and I began bloging in part because after a year of mailing postcards we each had a pile. Pretty designs on one side and sometimes sordid confessions on the other. My artist mom was dying to take a peek, and I was not sure I wanted our friendship laid out on her kitchen table. So we started a blog. Quite a counter intuitive approach to keeping our friend club to ourselves.

Recently, I have been feeling a bit like our secret blog. Having gotten better at being strategic about keeping my mouth shut and certain thoughts to myself, I am reminded that we are all a bit like postcards. Aren't we? However, this pent up frustration comes out in my art and reinforces my desire to gush gory details to Lynn via snail mail. Now and then I love to draw a mean postcard. It makes me feel better and I know Lynn can take it with a grain of salt - misposted frustrations.

Thus the reason I love PostSecret. It has gotten quite a lot of press, but is worth a visit now and then. In this spirit and since I have neglected to scan Lynn's post card, I have uploaded a recent submission that I sort of adore.

Watch out Lynn. I am going to the post office soon.