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Friday, February 29, 2008

MAILART EXCHANGE WITH CANADIAN HIGH SCHOOL ART CLASS

As some of you probably already know, I've been incredibly interested in the world of MailArt and last year I initiated my own MailArt call based on portraits. The only rule I have is that any person who sends me their interpretation of a portrait will receive a portrait from me in return. Since last May, I've received somewhere over 100 pieces of MailArt, (mostly portraits), from 13 different countries, France being the most represented, as well as from 13 States in the U.S. In turn i have sent out over 100 handprinted postcards.

I've been communicating with High School Art Instructor, Barbara Burns, in Alberta Canada over the past year and somewhere along the way I mentioned that it would be fun to do a MailArt exchange with her students. I have fond memories of exchanging a handmade felt, (made from raw wool, start to finish), envelope and letter with all of the wording embroidered with an artist named Sas Colby while I was in High School and thought that I'd like to turn the tables and be the artist on the other end. Barbara agreed to the idea and incorporated a MailArt project into her curriculum with this years students and in addition to myself, a number of other artists have jumped aboard and are exchanging artwork with her classes as well.

Today I received the package with a bundle of 11 students decorated envelopes with their Artist Trading Cards or postcards included as well as a wonderful gift from Barbara Burns the instructor.

Below is one example of what I received, the rest of the images are posted on my "Portrait Mail Art" Blog and you can follow the trail back to the kids by checking out my "Portrait Mail Art Reply" Blog.


ROBYN BLACK / Athabasca, Alberta CANADA



4 comments:

Anonymous said...

What an inspiring project. Better than any exhibition in Chelsea!!!!

So I guess now you would print 11 portraits of me;)

David Berube BerubeArt said...

Thanks, it's a fun thing to do with kids who may be in the same position as I was way back when in High School questioning whether continuing my Art education was the right choice. (the jury is still out on that one)

And although your print is absolutely stunning, I'm sad to say that 1 maybe 2 of you will be going to Alberta Canada, and that will be the last of the images of you being sent out in to the world as I'm trying to keep all of these portrait postcard printings down around 10-12 each.

Teo Ajder said...

Hi David,
it seems that the portraits i send to u from Moldova got lost n the way...
pity...
Teodor

Anonymous said...

hi, new to the site, thanks.