I was thinking that I hadn’t delivered one by hand recently and thought Thursday would be good because we are at a gig at Bridport Arts Centre that night. Then I realised that there was a new stamp issue and it would be good to do a first day cover. So I thought I would wander round there and take a last look at the Greta Berlin show before it finishes. So imagine my surprise when I saw the box was missing! I don’t know: Polly Gifford, the Director, is leaving soon to take up a new exciting role in Hastings and already the place is falling apart! Lovely Jill took delivery and certainly makes a much more interesting and colourful photo than my hand holding an envelope by a box! She said the box had broken. The question is, “how?” When Rothko’s painting was vandalised at the Tate it was in all the Media. My work is removed without a how-do-you-do let alone a splash in the local press!
Dedication to Bramble on the back of the envelope of No181
It’s been a very emotionally trying day for me and I have decided that today’s piece is not for sale, but is dedicated to our cat Bramble who may not be with us much longer. She went to the vets to have a dental treatment today but we had a call to say they were unable to give her the anaesthetic because her tongue was swollen with what is probably a tumour. It was that and not her teeth that has been causing her discomfort and difficulty in eating. We thought we might lose her today but she has had a shot that will take away some of the inflammation and discomfort and we have some time to love her until the inevitable time comes when we must decide to have her put down.
I have been pretty distraught and today’s piece is a personal response to the imminence of her loss and as such is not for sale, though it will be displayed in the #Letter365 installation.
No181, devoid of much writing was delivered by hand
Sculptor Greta Berlin delivers No155 to Polly Gifford
Acclaimed sculptor Greta Berlin delivered today’s piece through one of her sculptures. It was the Preview Evening of the combined show of three generations of the Berlin family at Bridport Arts Centre. Alongside Greta’s sculptures and paintings areworks by her father Sven, while downstairs her daughter Zennor Box is showing her puzzling and witty paintings. Greta kindly agreed to the last leg of the delivery and it was her idea to post it through her piece to Arts Centre Director, Polly Gifford. By the way it is a very interesting show and well worth a visit. I’ll certainly be popping back to give it a lot more concentrated time.
I am still not organised properly at my new studio. I have only part moved in so that I can do some much-needed work and photography that needed a bit more space, but my computer and printer are still at home. Earlier I had created the envelope but forgot to stick a stamp on while at home. Fortunately I noticed this fact and didn’t pop it in the box sans stamp, thus avoiding the embarrassment of a postage due. I worked hard on this piece to ensure that it was less than 5mm thick and as it turned out I didn’t need to worry as I walked past Bridport Arts Centre on my way home and popped it straight through their letter box. Must take some stamps to the studio.
I forgot to mention that yesterday we passed another milestone, I have completed 40% of the project – well that is to say that I have got through two fifths of the days, I suspect there will be more work involved in the second half what with marketing, selling and arranging the installation.
Lovely Dee tries to hide behind my Postage Due payment
Having forgotten the stamp on yesterday’s #Letter365 I thought it only right to pay the fine so I made a special envelope for the payment and dropped it in to Bridport Arts Centre so they would not be out of pocket. Lovely Dee Fenton, who for some unknown reason hates to be photographed, tried to hide behind the envelope but I snapped her when she peeked round the side!
Seems like the postie that delivers to the Arts Centre is on the ball he noticed there was one missing when I popped it in the special box myself.
David Smith posts No58 into the special box at Bridport Arts Centre
Clearly we are going to run out of space with this box as we always knew we would, but it’s great to have it there at the Arts Centre as a talking point. I’ll get some cards printed with details of how to buy to fit in the little holder at the side.
As we were going to the theatre tonight anyway (to see the cracking Miracle Theatre’s “The Case of the Frightened Lady”) I thought I would deliver it personally and save a stamp.
Polly tries the double rabbit but it comes out a bit goatish, while Christopher’s cock pheasant and calf’s foot get obliterated
Clearly inspired by my recent successes with shadows that look like a rabbit holding a credit card between its ear and its nose, Polly Gifford and Christopher Winter went for high-scoring but difficult counter responses as #Letter365 No36 is delivered at tonight’s PV of Christopher’s solo show. at Bridport Arts Centre. Polly’s attempt at the double rabbit unfortunately has ended up with goatish features, while Christopher’s quite radical rendition of the cock pheasant and calf’s foot – a combination rarely seen these days – has been obliterated by a square shape presumably conjured from the spirit worlds.
This was directly following Christopher giving a séance performance in which he channelled Picasso who did some drawings using Christopher’s hand to guide the pen.
Christopher Winter preparing to channel Picasso
Berlin-based Christopher has channelled the drawing talents of many dead artists, starting with Hans Holbein the Younger. The table at which he is seated takes its inspiration from the perspectivally-distorted, foreshortened skull in Holbein’s painting The Ambassadors. Winter’s work is one in which the seemingly mundane and day-to-day is disturbed and distorted by random, etherial oddities so it was only fitting that when he graciously agreed to deliver today’s #Letter365 piece he should aim for it to levitate into Polly’s hands.
Christopher Winter levitates #Letter365 No36 into Polly Gifford’s hands
What with it being the From Page To Screen film festival here in Bridport I am at the Arts Centre twice today so it made a hand delivery the obvious choice. I was there for a screening of Derek Jarman’s The Tempest and will be heading off there again soon to see The Railway Man. It was also an obvious choice to have the smiling face of Amelie, the new intern at the Arts Centre, rather than the straight-lipped, stern face of the post box.
Nothing much to say about the process today except that some accidental by-products of its making have sent me off experimenting with some other techniques. Oh and the print is getting ever fainter on the envelope.
Belinda & Heidi deliver #Letter365 No23 to Jill Beed
After a blistering performance at Bridport Arts Centre acclaimed folk duo O’Hooley & Tidow did me the honour of handing over today’s #Letter365 to Jill Beed. It’s the third time we have seen Belinda and Heidi and they never fail to delight. Tonight their cascading harmonies were tighter and sweeter than ever. I just hope whoever buys No23 will be delighted as me.
