The pale ghost that is #Letter365 No7 is ready to go, but as I have to go to Dorchester this afternoon I’ll post it there. Quite pleased with today’s piece in the end, though it was a struggle before I was quite happy with it.
The envelope was a struggle too. Even though I have the saved artwork on my screen with No7 on the top left, somehow I managed to use an earlier saved version to transfer to print! Ah well, that’s all part of the unfolding process of things.
I have been out all day and didn’t manage to finish my piece before I left this morning. I set to work as soon as I returned and thought I had missed the post. When I got to the box it had already been emptied but the postman was just coming out of the Post Office and agreed to take the letter.
As I walked to the post box I considered if I liked the colour I had chosen for the writing on the envelope. I wondered if I should strive to find the most unpleasant colours, the loudest, the subtlist, the best match to the artwork inside, etc. But then I reminded myself that it is enough of a commitment to come up with the artwork each day and I should be concentrating on finding a design for the rest of them so I no longer have to think about the cover each day. Or should I? Perhaps I should do a series where the envelope is the artwork and inside there is just a note saying that!
It’s a lovely spring morning and the forth in this year-long series goes in the Post Box at Bradpole Post Office.
Today’s piece is an interesting one! A lot of people have been saying to me “so you won’t know what is in it” then correcting themselves and say “well obviously you know because you did it”. So that I can say, “that’s right sometimes even I don’t know what is in it” I have created today’s offering in such a way that even I have not seen the finished result. It also includes a “bonus track”! Now we will all have to wait at least a year to see what I am talking about. If nobody buys it, we will never know – including me!
I have changed the envelope again. I must spend some time designing something so I can get get it printed. I have enough on without having to design and print a new envelope each day.
I notice that I forgot to put a date stamp on the outside today: chaos creeping into the system already! I am trying to make sure each piece is signed, dated and dated-stamped (on the back and on the envelope) but I’m interested to monitor when something gets missed or something happens differently.
Well I am certainly not going to dress up for all the posts but I am fascinated by the process of repetitive actions. It’s like the tide coming in each day the same but endlessly different.
I did a #Collage365 on the subject, early on, where I put the idea (my obsession with the interplay between chaos and control) into words It was “045 – a crab or a stone”
I note that the day plate still reads SAT. The Saturday collection is at noon and they should have changed it to MON as there is no Sunday collection. So there are currently 2 #Letter365 envelopes in the box.
Our friend Ken stayed over last night and he added some great delivery ideas to add to our pot of insanity! Keep a look out.
#Letter365 No2 is in the box. I have just posted it in our local postbox. I have added a little to the envelope and made the lettering a lighter grey.
Slight hiatus in the sending of No2 as I am waiting for something to dry. It could be paint, it could be glue or I might have washed my hair and don’t want to go to the post box with it wet! Have no fear #Letter No2 will be posted before the witching hour even though we have a friend staying over.
I met with Polly Gifford to sort out the details of the #Letter365 project and exhibition – at least as much as we could at this stage – and I delivered the first #Letter365 envelope personally.
I am really excited to be working with Bridport Arts Centre on this unfolding, year-long project and I am grateful for Polly’s support and enthusiasm.
The project is underway. The first piece is finished and sealed in the envelope ready for delivery to Polly at Bridport Arts Center in an hour’s time.
I had originally planned to design the envelopes before the event and get them printed so they would all be the same, but the swift start has meant that you will be able to watch the process towards the final design over the coming days. I had thought I would have this first one just drawn in pencil but I need it to stand out in a photo with Polly for sending to the Press!
I also didn’t manage to find any suitable envelopes in our lovely but small town of Bridport so I am using some old ones where the self seal has gone. So I have used sealing wax to secure this:
Of course you also cannot buy proper sealing wax in Bridport so I am using an old stick of not very good decorative sealing wax. The impression is part of our branding iron for beekeeping equipment. I suppose I should make my own sealing wax! Perhaps I will.
Anyway i am really pleased with the piece I created today and will be happy that the future purchaser has got good value!