I am starting to settle down to this project now. I am feeling relaxed and creative about it and I am losing the apprehension I started out with. I am now confident that each day I can create a new, unique artwork to a good standard: something of quality and value that I am proud. But please do not think that it means I’m regaining my sanity for every day I continue proves that something is amiss!
Now I have begun to get into a routine I’m starting to do the planning and thinking and preparing I had hoped to do in advance of the project.
While the lambs in the field opposite chased madly round and round, and my neighbour sat in his car listening to sport on the radio, I popped this one in the box. It’s been a beautiful spring day and I have been working in the garden for most of it, but the beautiful work inside the envelope has nothing to do with any of the subjects mentioned so far!
I have also changed the colour of the sealing wax – I don’t like this wax either. I must get some proper wax if I am to continue using it – or, as I have said before , make some!
Sealing wax on No10
I hope tomorrow i can find some time to develop some of the rules of engagement for this project and fill out some of the basic notions I am working through.
#Letter365 in Birmingham with the Town Hall behind Iron Man
#Letter365 did a tour of Birmingham today. Here the picture shows No8 with Antony Gormley’s Iron Man behind with Birmingham’s beautifully restored Town Hall as a backdrop.
Today’s piece was a challenge for me. Last night I realised that I had forgotten to take the materials I wanted so changed to plan B until I realised I hadn’t got the makings of that second idea. It turned out well in the end and was something totally new to me in one way!
For those falling in love with the post boxes here’s a picture of a modern Birmingham facility:
It’s a bit like taking an unwanted dog a long way away and dumping it and seeing if it gets lost. I’m taking this one with me on the way to the West Midlands to post from a far away post box and then wonder at how great it is that it will find its way to the right destination.
Which all gives me an idea: I might just leave some pieces, from time to time, in a busy place – all stamped up and ready to go – and film from a distance if people post it for me!
Depending on the G3 signal I may not be able to post the picture of me posting in some alien post box and so you will have to trust the date on the photo as evidence when I can get a connection.
I have already prepared my envelope for tomorrow’s and the surbstrate for the work while I am away – only one shot!
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.
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.
Delivering the first #Letter365 to Polly Gifford outside Bridport Arts Centre
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.
An unfolding artwork created a piece each day for a year
