Never Again!

Two fiber art postcards received on January 15, 2022. 

(Pro-Choice) but with moral reservations

The first postcard was received on January 13, 2022 and expresses the complexity of the issue. 

CALL FOR ART: I DO BELIEVE POSTCARD SHOW

I am organizing a postcard exhibit with the theme, I Do Believe, on opinions about abortion. The woman’s right to abortion in the United States became Federal law on January 22, 1973 through the Supreme Court Case, Roe v. Wade. Individual states could no longer have their own laws that would contradict the provisions of this Supreme Court decision. But the passage of Roe v. Wade did not put the issue of abortion rights to rest. Recent cases under review in the Supreme Court may change or overturn abortion rights in many States. There are widespread disagreements among United States politicians, media, and citizens about abortion. I would like to receive your personal point of view about this complex and difficult topic.    

To participate, please write on the front of your card (the side with the picture) your belief on either right to life (against legalized abortion) or right to choose (legalized abortion). It can be a few words, one sentence, or a paragraph. You do not have to be an artist to participate. It can be in English or any country's language.

The card should be the standard postcard size of 6 x 4 inches (148 x 105 mm in Europe). You can use any commercial postcard or you can create your own. You can mail your postcard with or without an envelope. For all postcards received, I will black out the name of the sender to safeguard anonymity. 

The purpose of this exhibition is to share beliefs, opinions and experiences on all sides of this issue. Postcard comments will be documented in this mail art blog. From August 29 - September 26, 2022, the postcards will be exhibited together, without prejudice or judgement, at the Vargas Gallery, Mission College in Santa Clara. Postcards will not be returned.

The deadline is June 30, 2022.  Mail your postcard to : I Do Believe, c/o P. Otani, PO Box 31083, San Francisco, CA 94131.

I hope that you will share your thoughtful, heart-felt beliefs, whatever they may be, on this complex and important subject. Please share this call for postcards with your friends and organizations.

2019: HAPPY YEAR OF THE PIG!

A lively image of a wild boar leaping over a spring seedling. This was my New Year card for this year. 

A jaunty pig drawn by Bill Traylor. It is going to a Postcrosser living in Japan. 

Chinese New Year is coming up on February 5 and I hope to make a visit to Chinatown to take in the festivities.

Women Do It! Postcards Shipped

A variety of postcards in the Women Do It! exhibition. We have 372 entries now and they will be exhibited at the Torpedo Factory in Washington DC in February.

Motorcycles and Hares

Some recent cards sent to Postcrossers. The Dallas postcard depicting JFK and Jackie just before the assassination went to a Postcrosser in the Czech Republic. His profile indicated that he loved motorcycles. The motorcade was the only motorcycle card I had in my vast collection of postcards. Alas, I only received a prefunctory acknowledge of receipt. No doubt JFK didn't even register with this person in a distant country, and he was probably born eons after that tragic day.

The antics of rabbits and frogs went to a Postcrosser in the Netherlands who loves hares and the idea of postcrossing spreading the love around the globe. I echo her sentiments about postcrossing. The card is from the Kyoto screen paintings titled choju giga or frolicking animals. Thought to be ink brush paintings of the 12th century, the artist is unknown. I've always loved these animal images and had the pleasure of visiting the Suntory Museum in Tokyo a number of years ago when these screens and related ones were on display. 

Happy New Year!

Shinkansen Stamps

There's a lot of national pride in the continued development of Shinkansen trains and routes. Not long before I visited, they had opened a Hokuriku route, which has made Kanazawa, a formerly backwater town, a major destination. A route to Hokkaido is in the works. The rides are priced nearly as much as airlines tickets, which means, like airlines, JR has to offer discounts. They come in various forms such as sales of tickets through third party discount ticket brokers, block sales to businesses and travel agencies and rail passes for foreigners. The trains are filled to capacity during the holidays and rush hour, but at off-peak hours there are plenty of empty seats. Regardless of the economics, it's a marvel to travel like the wind on one of these trains. This sheet was issued in 2014.

Train Maxi Cards

On my recent trip to Japan I paid a visit to the Kitte Building across from the Tokyo train station. This used to be the main post office before privatization took over. Now it's a fancy office building with a small post office on the ground floor. But what a post office it is! In December the place was filled with customers picking out New Year cards and stamps. One of the positives of privatization is the proliferation of beautiful stamps and mailing items. And at this location, a large selection of stamps is available, along with gotochi cards, postcards, postal-themed stickers and folders, among other things. This collection of full frontal train imagery captured my attention.The postcards are paired with stamps for a Maxicard effect. 

Vanitas

A fabulous vanitas card from a postcrosser in Germany. She works in a pharmaceutical laboratory. The vanitas theme relates to decay and meaninglessness of life, yet this writer is longing for spring, the renewal of life.

Military Bombs and Flying Machines

Here's an interesting card about military intelligence from a postcrosser in Germany. 

Interesting Creatures

The crazy drunken bird was created by a postcrosser from Belarus. She is a first year student of architecture. 

A fun collage of buffalo, bird and wolf by a Polish postcrosser.

This UFO meets Loch Ness Monster was created by a German postcrosser.

Red Lips

Interesting collage of two different images. They work very well together. Work by postcrosser from Rotterdam, Netherlands. The eye goes immediately to the large red lips.

Ah Love!

This lovely altered card arrived from a postcrosser in Belarus. It was originally an ad card but with just a few words, the card became beautiful!

Love & Crime

Two collage cards on the subject of love and crime

Whimsical Alterations

A card from a Taiwanese postcrosser depicting a fisherman who has caught money, snacks and fruit along with fish.

 A Russian postcrosser purchased this card from an unusual store that combines a free library and lecture hall. She altered it by adding a few stickers and word bubbles.

A sweet card from a postcrosser in Japan. She explained that her favorite shape is a triangle. The alterations are the flying bread. She explained, rather mysteriously, that she does not bread being thrown into her house. I am not familiar with this practice.

Caffeinated

This heavily altered card has rose petals, coffee and sugar enclosed. Amazing it made it over here with just one stamp!

Inside and Out

Here is fun altered postcard from a Dutch postcrosser. She drew and cut out the woman and the cat so that we get a view of her from the front and behind. This alteration was made on a card with just the two windows. 

More Sheep

Sheep stamps from my mom!

CNY card from Susan

New Year card from Tomoe

A sheep handmade card from a Dutch postcrosser

Wonderful stamps and cards on the Year of Sheep (or lamb or ram or goat). I am glad to receive these wonderful cards on this year's zodiac beast.

Two Favorites Sent

I have treasured this card by Carmen Lomas Garza, a San Francisco artist. This is a painting of a healer curing an earache. It was mailed to a postcrosser in the Netherlands who is a physiotherapist.

This card was in a pack of movie cards I picked up at the White Elephant sale in January. It's going to a young woman in Poland who asked for a Marilyn Monroe card.