May Works, deadline April 1, 2011

THE ART OF WORK

MAY WORKS FESTIVAL 2011

MAIL ART EXHIBITION

The dead line for May Works, mail art exhibition is April 1, 2011. It's not too late. This is a great annual project hosted by artist/poet/currator /culture vulture Ed Varney, AKA Big Dada. I participated in this well organized and displayed project/show a few years back and enjoyed being a part of it. 

Labour of Love, Art of Work

watercolour pencil, phosphorescent paint on blk velvet matt board

for MAYWORKS 2011 

send an original postcard on the theme of "The Art Of Work" to:

Ed Varney- organizer

Mayworks Festival Exhibition

4426 Island Hwy, South

Courtenay, B.C. V9N 9T1

Canada

*max size 8.5" X 11"

No fee, no returns, all work shown

*catalogue to all participants

Exhibition May 2011

*venue to be determined

*deadline- April 1, 2011

Triptych of a Dream

Triptych of a Dream by Enigma Arcana

      Just received this fabulous piece in the mail for the Significant Dream Project.Visit the Significant Dream page on this blog to see all the submissions that have arrived so far and, for information about the project. The deadline for submissions is March 20th, 2011!

Public Altars and Dream Zines

A shrine in a tiny cave at Boca De Iguanua, La Manzanilla, Mexico

I borrowed a bicycle and rode 15 min. down the beach to visit this shrine where I lit candles for friends and family struggling with serious health problems. This tiny shrine is there for everyone and anyone to leave an offering, say a prayer... Wonderful and inspiring to share sacred space in a beautiful natural setting! 

front cover 

first pages

Just checked my mail today after a 3 weeks absence and to my delight found several new submissions for the Significant Dream Mail Art project. Check out the Significant Dream page on this blog to view the new submissions! Also, this week received another piece for the show, a zine based on a dream by Roxanne Cowles-Macphail aka Natasha (photos above and below).

middle pages

back cover

'In Your Dreams'

  On a recent trip to the mail box I received this amazing collage by fellow dreamer Ron Sakolsky. This collage will be a part of the 'dream' show this Summer on Denman Island. The show will feature the mail art submissions for the 'Significant Dream' project as well as dream related art work by local artists.
Please contact me if you have a piece for the show and/or send mail art!
See the 'Significant Dream' page on this blog for more info and check out the most recent submissions.

Signs of Life and Guerilla Art Blogs

Here are a few examples of 'signs of life' I've come across close to home.   

Denman  Island

As you enter Courtenay just before the Walmart turn off.

Rosewall Cres. Courtenay

     I've been meaning to write a review about a fabulous book by Keri Smith called The Guerilla Art Kit- everything you need to put your message out into the world for fun, non profit, and world domination. The first page of this book features a quote by Henry David Thoureau that I want to share.
    "It is something to be able to paint, or to carve a statue, and so make a few objects beautiful; but it is far more glorious to carve and paint the very atmosphere and medium through which we look. To affect the quality of the day- that is the highest of the arts."
   Recently I came across this blog about guerilla art with a review of this book and lots of great links to other blogs and sites about the guerilla art movement, Enjoy!
http://creativeperch.com/2009/04/13/top-10-guerilla-art-blogs/

Moonlight Madness Collaborative Book Project

   On December 17th, 2010 the 4th annual Moonlight Madness community collage night took place at the Denman Island Arts centre. This is basically a fun, social, 'art jam' where people are encouraged to create a page for a collaborative book. Basic instructions and blank pages were provided along with a variety of art materials. Also, books from the 3 previous years were there to enjoy.
The theme for this years book was "I believe__________"
Thanks again to my co hosts Rox and Kieth, and to LeeAndra for making this an annual event.
Here are some of the pages created this year that will be bound into a book, enjoy!

                                      

On back of page-  "eat organic"

Bound books from previous years (above and below).

Art Jam Report

The Denman Island Community Art Jam, held on Nov. 13th at the Denman Island Arts Centre was a buzz of creative activity. Projects were set up at various stations in the room with simple instructions, fun materials, creative prompts, and some basic info and history about the process.  The artist trading card centre was a hit with the kids and there was a basket for trades. The typewriter was also popular and most of the kids had never used one before. Natasha brought a basket of Oracle cards with instructions to 'take one and leave one'. Oracle cards are post card sized, intuitive collages with random poetry much like Dada poems (see photos).  There was a collaborative book project, the Denman Island Alphabet book (see photos). Mail art projects were posted and some people replied to projects that inspired them (see photos). Info about the Significant Dream project and responses thus far were on display. (Check the Significant Dream project page on this blog to see recent replies). Many people enjoyed the reference corner with past projects, ATCs, catalogues, books and zines to pa-rouse. For some these modes of art making were exciting and new, a couple families with kids made a day of it!  

This event was hosted by the Natasha's ( Roxanne, LeeAndra and myself) and the Denman Island Arts Centre. 

collaborative alphabet book

'Hands Across the Water' mail art project

Oracle Cards by the Denmanastani Pythia