CappuccinoandArtJournal

Mostly postal but art and other things of interest too.
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Friday, January 10, 2014

Postal Playdate with Red Letter Day

Meet Jennie Hinchcliff -- Miss Red Letter Day herself ! Jennie is the co-author of the mail art book
Good Mail Day.
I'm sure most all of you reading this already have a copy . She is also the organizer of the
Ex Postal Facto Event coming up here in San Francisco
February 14 - February 16
2014.

Jennie ( and I) are hoping to see lots of you here at XPF in SF.
 I asked Jennie what she's especially excited about --


--- I have to say that one of the things I'm most excited about, in relation to the Ex Postal Facto weekend is the fact that so many of my postal friends will be in the same place at the same time. There's something really special that is generated, when like-minded folks get together -- especially mail artists! Ex Postal Facto will be one of those events that people look back on and say to themselves "I was there, I was part of it all."--JH


I recently had a chance to spend a wonderful day in the RLD studio with Jennie and I asked her a few questions about the upcoming three day mail art event.
I know you are going to enjoy seeing some of her studio and hearing a little about Ex Postal Facto.



What inspired you to organize the XPF event here in SF in February?

--my main inspiration was 2012's AARPEX (Artistamp Artists Reunion & Philatelic EXpo) event in Seattle, organized by Carl Chew and Robert Rudine. It was a two day event and featured many of my mail art/artistamp heros together in the same room! E.F. Higgins, Ed Varney, Cascadia Art Post, Teesha Moore, Bugpost -- they were all there, and it was unbelievable.  Everyone was so kind and generous; Carl and Dogfish (Robert) were gracious hosts. During the course of the event, folks were asking me why a mail art event hadn't happened in SF (the last big thing to happen here was 1997's Pacific Rim Artistamp Congress). I didn't really think anything about it at the time. But once I arrived back in SF, it was the ONLY thing I could think about! After that, everything started falling into place: the venues, the exhibition, different speakers...it's all come together in this very magical way. -- JH



Three days of mail art events sounds wonderful. Can you talk a little bit about what will be going on each day of the event?


--absolutely! On Friday, February 14th the SF Center for the Book will host an opening reception for the "mail/art/book" exhibition. Ex Postal planners have put together some fun events for the party, such as a mail art creation station and a postal cancellation window, where you can hand over items created at the opening reception. On Saturday, February 15th there will be a vendor expo held in downtown San Francisco at the historic Elks Lodge building -- in a perfect bit of synchronicity, the address for the Lodge is 450 Post! Vendors will have a variety of wares related to mail art, letter writing, and faux postage -- a little something for everyone! On Sunday, February 16th the weekend will wrap up with two different correspondence art/artistamp lectures at the SF Public Library. There are also a handful of satellite events in the works, but I can't quite talk about them yet...--JH



What do you say to those who absolutely can't get to SF for the event?


--Even if you aren't able to attend Ex Postal Facto in person, I would encourage you to follow the blog. I'll be updating regularly and encouraging people to upload photos, documentation, etc. from the weekend. My hope is that the Ex Postal blog becomes a "document" for the weekend itself, but also a way for people to connect and share their experiences.--JH



 Will you be making any artistamps for XPF? 


--yes, indeed! There will be a special issue of Red Letter Day/Barbary Coast Post stamps for the event, which I'm pretty excited about.


  One thing I'm excited to share with C&AJ readers is the news that we'll have a specially issued passport for the Ex Postal weekend. Designed by Happenstance Type-O-Rama, these passports will be a great way for attendees to collect and share artwork and artistamps -- the hope is that by the end of the weekend, each attendee will have a beautiful souvenir! Each day's event will have a special Ex Postal "passport cancel" at a passport stamping station; attendees get their passports stamped for each event they attend. Passports will be available for sale via the Ex Postal Facto website, as well as at the opening reception at SFCB.--JH





 What would you say to encourage someone who is "on the fence" about buying a plane ticket and making it to SF for this?


--San Francisco in February is a lovely time to visit! :-)
   If you're contemplating whether or not you should attend, I'd have to say "yes!" (and I'm not just saying that); the Ex Postal weekend is going to be a great mix of both old school and new school mail artists and artistamp folks from across the country (and a few from the other side of the world!). It's an amazing feeling to be in the same place with artists you admire, people you've only "met" in the mail -- there's nothing else like it. The people I correspond with are like extended family; when I'm able to meet many of them in the same place, it feels like the best kind of family reunion.--JH





I was recently emailed by a blog reader who will be visiting SF for XPF and she wondered about shops that might be really interesting for paper/washi tape fans.
I'm going to write a short post with some ideas for you out-of-towners so watch for that coming up very soon. You know I know the good places to go!

And we can also guarantee if you come to SF in February it will not snow!

SAVE THE DATE
February 4 - 15 -16,  2014

Who's coming? Come on, you can tell us. Any questions for Jennie? Leave a comment and she just might answer.
I am planning on being around for the three days so I look forward to seeing you guys here in SF.
And remember, stay tuned to Jennie's Ex Postal Facto blog for all the exciting updates and information.

A three day mail art event? Special artistamps? A XPF cancellation for your passport? Sidetrips to Chinatown? Venders all day Saturday? 

What's not to love?

(PS I would love it if you would all comment on the blog rather than send me emails or just comment on FB -- then  I'd have everything all in one special place! Many thanks)

48 comments:

  1. can't wait, can't wait, can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    1. Karen -- just think you can fill up your suitcase with artistamps and joss paper and the SFCB catalog of mail art and Meyer lemons and fresh tortillas and Stonehouse olive oil.....let the party begin!

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  2. I am coming! Just figuring out who's paying right now -- I may come in a more official capacity. :)

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    1. Long as you get here, Melissa.....and now I'm wondering what the official capacity might be....

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  3. For the first time in the USA, for the first time in San Francisco and attending the first two days of Ex Postal Facto!!!! Can't wait!

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    1. Nina -- that's wonderful! Welcome to the USA and especially to San Francisco! I think you are going to have a terrific time.

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  4. Pamela -- thanks so much for the lovely write up and all the fun you brought to the studio! It's funny: I spent a bundle of time cleaning and organizing the space for your visit, but it still looks a little overstuffed. :-) And you are correct: I welcome any and all questions related to Ex Postal happenings! (although you might want to post those questions over at the Ex Postal blog, so I'm certain to see them..."
    --JH

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    1. JH--your stuffed studio looks delightful to me. It's stuffed with wonderful things.
      Thanks for the great afternoon and letting me pick your brain.

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    2. yes, a bounty of postal making magic!!!

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  5. Pamela & Jennie -- Thanks for the great post + photos. Of course you already know I'll be there! Wouldn't miss a second of XPF. It's going to be the event of the year.
    SallyW

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  6. I won't be able to attend. But I will surely be watching the blog. Have fun!!

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    1. Pamela K -- sorry you can't make it but Jennie will be posting on the Ex Postal Facto blog and I'll be posting here (and on the Cappuccino & Art FB page) too...

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  7. Sounds wonderful...wish I was in the neighborhood! xox

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  8. I'm coming! And I can't wait. :) It was a pleasure meeting Jennie in September at the Postal Museum in DC, and I know I'm going to fall in love with San Francisco.

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    1. uncustomary -- oh yes -- I am quite sure you are going to love San Francisco, Mary. And you'll see jennie again at all the XPF events.

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  9. just bought my flight tix!!!!!!!!!!!
    SQUEAL.....so gash darned excited!
    thanks, jennie, for hosting such a fandango of an event! & thanks, Pamela, for this toothsome post. eager to hear more about savory SF shops for us paper/postal smitten folk.

    ~miss p

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    1. miss polly -- this is all going to be so much fun. Happy to hear you are coming to town.

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  10. I'm coming!!!! Karen and I are flying in from Boston on the 13th so we don't miss a second of the festivities! Whoopie!!!!

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    1. FarStarr -- cool! You are Karen's room mate? I can't wait to meet you both.

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  11. I am going to try to make it to the 15th if I can get of work and into town early enough. I can't wait to see all the fun things everyone has created.

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    1. mystery person -- hope you can make it. If you come on the 15th you'll miss the opening reception for the mail art show at Center for the Book but I'm sure they will be open on Saturday. And the vending on Saturday should be great.

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  12. Waaaaaah!!! (sharp intake of breath) Waaaaaahhhh!
    Oh well, I'm sure the whole thing will be expertly documented by you gals...please get me a stamping of everything and send me anything that isn't bolted down!! I mean the free stuff, don't go stealing!!!

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    1. Viz -- as usual, you make me laugh. I'll see what I can rustle up for you -- without getting arrested.

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  13. Hello!
    Jennie sort of sent me here. I am looking for a photo that may have been on your blog. (I thought it was on hers, but alas, no). Did you show part of your studio, with some cute little toy mailboxes, sometime in the recent past? I would love to see the photo again. I'm seriously tempted to start my own collection.

    Thank you so much! Sandra

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    1. Sandra L -- i do have a collection of mailboxes -- some banks and some vintage but i don't think I posted them recently. I don't find them too easy to come by but I know the Royal Mail in the UK sells them and I am seriously jealous....

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  14. Postscript: I found it! On your 9/19/12 post! I even had left a comment.
    Now for the scary part: I could have sworn this was in the past six months. I am getting rather old...

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    1. Ah ha! I knew I didn't post them recently. Are you local? I found a bunch of the mailbox banks here in Chinatown but they are all gone now...my sweetie gave me a metal mail box bank for Xmas that is very old...if you find source for buying them please let me know. Are you coming to XPF?

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  15. Your letter arrived safely! Thank you for such a great letter, I will write back soon! :D

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  16. Fabulous. A great write up Ms. P. You know I will be there or be rectangular.

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    1. Maureen -- of course you will be there! can't wait for all the fun.

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  17. My, oh my, I wish I could be there with you for those three amazing days. Great photos of Jennie's workspace--the stamps, the tapes, the postal labels--yum! And I LOVE the little postal worker in that second photo...that's the best!

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    1. Andria - so sorry you can't make it to XPF. Maybe Jennie will host the event again? Happy you enjoyed seeing Jennie's studio - a charming place and yes, that little postal worker is adorable, isn't she? Thanks for stopping by and commenting.

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  18. Cascadia Artpost will be attending all three days of XPF. Don't miss the Artistamp Vend-o-Matic and special souvenir postcards and cancellations on Saturday.

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    1. Jack -- I heard Cascadia Artpost will be at XPF and I can't wait to meet you and play with the Vend-o-Matic and get those artistamps and cancellations in my XPF passport! See you very soon in SF.

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  19. The Vend-o-Matic has already landed safely in the Bay Area in advance of XPF (a big thank-you to Sally W for taking care of it). Special rubber stamps for XPF arrived last week. We look forward to meeting past Cascadia Artpost correspondents and making new ones.

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    1. Special rubber stamps? Be still my heart. I wonder what magic SallyW worked to get the Vend-o-matic to SF? Hum......
      I am sure you will make lots of new mail art friends, Jack.

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  20. I am really excited about attending the event, and meeting lots of the people with whom I've exchanged mailart over the year! It has been about 10 years since I've been to San Francisco ... I am thrilled to be able to return.

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    1. PostMuse -- how wonderful you are coming! I look forward to meeting you and I'm sure you will meet lots of people there whom you've exchanged with.

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  21. Thanks for all these interesting posts. I get so jealous sitting here at the bottom end of the world, reading about all your brilliant mail adventures. Oh well, I suppose I can still be involved by sending mail to the world - and that's the whole point really.
    p.s. love the food pics you post too!

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    1. Cuan - happy you like the blog. Wish you could come visit SF. But international mail art is pretty great too. Did you get my mail?

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  22. I'm really looking forward to future posts about this. I love SF and wish I could be there!!!

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  23. Through a cooperative venture between Cascadia Artpost and Test Tower, two beautiful XPF artistamps prepared by Test Tower for the exposition will be available in a perforated version for XPF passports at the Vendor's expo on Saturday. The artistamps will be delivered by Amtrak courier in time for their Saturday distribution.

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  24. Jack -- what terrific news! I just can;'t wait to see the artistamps -- and finally get to meet you. See you soon.
    My passport is ready to rock and roll!

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