Cut, Paste & Cringe

There is always a lot of cutting, tearing, pasting going on around my studio, but I have always wanted to take a collage class.....

I just love to pick stuff up and make collages....
The day after Lunar New Year I was walking with a friend in Chinatown (hello Adrienne) and stopping every few feet to pick up the firecracker wrappers all over the sidewalks.
How could I possibly resist?
I went back a few days later to find more to play with but they were all gone.

I've been having fun making collaged postcards and note cards with the wrappers...something I try to do every new year.

I went to Scrap that same day and found 15 or 16 of these "starts" -- collaged postcards with dictionary pages and sheet music and gesso....

They just called out to me and I had to bring them home and work on them to make collages. A collaboration with an unknown artist. How mysterious and fun.
I can't wait to see what I do with them.

Then, on Wednesday night, I packed up my scraps and apron and headed on over to my first collage class at Fort Mason here in SF. A beautiful location right on the SF Bay and SF City College has an art campus over there....

I make collages every day but they are all pretty small. Most of them are like the pile above, 4x6 inch postcards to mail out. I have made some 8x10 collages as well. My goal is partly to learn to work in a larger format. 

The class was challenging, for sure.  The instructor has each class member stand on a table  while we had one minute to cut out their forms with a scissors....like the Matisse cut-outs. I can tell you mine certainly looked nothing like Matisse's cut-outs.
After that we were supposed to make collages with them......
challenging, for sure, since this is nothing like the way I usually work.
But, really, that is the point of taking a class - to learn something new.

My finished collage......I have no idea why all that pink is on there since I don't even like pink...in fact, I don't like the collage either. I think I will cut it up into postcards. Maybe it will work that way...

The third part of the class was a critique session -- each person (16 or 17 of us) hung our collages on the wall one at a time and had to say something about what we were thinking about what we were making it. (Me? I was thinking how anxious I was). Then one person from class would critique the work and then the instructor would give a critique. All in three minutes. Just like art school.

I think getting out of your comfort level is a good thing. Even if it isn't fun at the time. If you are always doing things you are good at then you really aren't challenging  yourself.
I read somewhere many adults never want to put themselves in a challenging or uncomfortable position in public.
I don't really think that is a good thing.
I'm going back for four more weeks and I'm going to do it again.

(My French classes were pretty nerve-wracking too).

Even if I did have to go home an have some tea and cookies to calm my nerves. Ok, I may have had a little glass of wine too.
Wish me luck and we'll see how it goes. I hope I get better at making collages and learn some new things. And I hope I get better at being brave when facing an uncomfortable challenge.
This is a learning experience an I am not trying to make a masterpiece in class.
Just trying to learn more about collage.

Any of you challenging yourselves with something too?
Do tell.

SEND GOOD MAIL -- GET GOOD MAIL
(and do something creative every day)

Postal Play Day

Friday was the long awaited all-day-all-fun play day with my mail art pal --
Kelly P the Fearless Mailer.
She had just one day in San Francisco to visit me and we intended to make the best of it!
First stop -- SCRAP.
Always a good place to start....

We each filled our bags with lots of great ephemera and there was no fighting.
Really.
There were multiples of just about everything and we shared. We are good like that.
It is fun to use these inter-office envelopes and see what's in side peeking out through the holes.

I found a whole bunch of these cards -- with stamps printed on them. I can't resist stamps.

Kelly found this rather grungy old envelopes and I said look inside to see if there is a cool pattern -- score!

After Scrap we went over to my studio where we met up with the wonderful S Wurlitzer --
maker of fabulous artistamps and mail art and a correspondent of Kelly's.
(I am under strict orders to use small photos of the people involved!)

S Wurlitzer gifted KSP with several sheets of her fabulous artistamps.

Me with Kelly P --

I might have been jealous of those coveted artistamps but Kelly gifted me with -- are you ready? -- this amazing small portable typewriter -- to bring on all my road trips from now on.
She carried the typewriter on the plane. What a pal.

Itchi-ban-kan
It almost like they knew Kelly way coming to town, doesn't it? Just look at this fun display.
Lots of tape,,,,

.....and this nice display of little origami paper envelopes. I will have to try making some of those.

Right in the middle of all the shopping and oohing and ahhing there was a sighting of
Miss Red Letter Day ...

What a treat!
We couldn't have planned it any better. And what else is funny is, Kelly also ran into Red Letter Day in in NYC when they were both visiting there.
Small world.

After lunch (sushi) in Japantown we went over to Chinatown to look at the paper in the joss shops. Made a stop at the shop where S Wurlitzer and I both found so many treasures in the past...
most of the vintage paper inventory is gone but we managed to pick up a couple of things.

Cappuccino
We had to make a stop at Caffe Puccini for a cappuccino. Needed a bit of  caffeine after running around all day long.
And, well...you know, it is part of the name of my blog. 

LAST STOP
Last stop, back to my studio for a little mail art. KSP & I worked on some mail for the postal pals we have in common.
We had a little wine and a few olives too.

Now that was a GOOD MAIL DAY.

Thanks to S Wurlitzer for driving us around and being such great company and to Red Letter Day for the surprise hello.
I'm just a little sad they aren't all in my studio right now so we can play.

That was one fun day.

Coming to SF for Ex Postal Facto?

Chinatown SF
If you read my blog regularly, you know how much I love walking around in Chinatown.
On a recent day with blue skies and 75" weather I took a walk on Grant Avenue
and I'm sharing some photos I took with you.
I just hope it's raining by the time you all get to SF because we really, really need rain.
It's OK, you'll still have fun.

This post isn't just about Chinatown though...I will throw down a few names of places for you mail artists and paper ephemera fans to check out while you're in town.
You can use the names to Google the spots and also go to the Search Box for my blog because I have already posted about a number of places to go to in SF.
Ready?

CHINATOWN
Well, of course....you can't miss Chinatown. There are shops entirely full of joss papers, incense, books to practice cursive writing, tea, air mail envelopes, Chinese language newspapers, old coins....and food!
Hit the Search Box and put in joss paper for some ideas.
Two fabulous joss paper shops are on Jackson Street between Grant and Stockton Streets.
One is called Exquisite Buddha and the other is across the street.
Just remember -- these shops are selling religious papers and be respectful. They usually do not want you to take photos of the inside of the shops but I have gotten some good shots from the doorway.

Old Coins for Sale in Chinatown

Besides Chinatown, there is also Japantown near Geary and Post Streets. You can ride the 38 Geary bus. (Search the search box for this too - I did a post). There are two really wonderful "Dollar" stores there called Diaso and Itchi-ban-Kan as well as Mai Do stationery. Washi tape for sure.
Lots of interesting stuff to look at -- including a Japanese supermarket (with a cool, free magazine in Japanese that would be great for mail art).
And did I mention the food?
Sushi, ramen, undon.....
(There is also a Paper Source within walking distance on Fillmore Street)

Some tin boxes in Chinatown

My personal favorite art supply store is called FLAX. They have an entire huge room of beautiful sheets of paper. And they carry the Cavallini line of papers, washi tape and various other products. Some rubber stamps and loads of art supplies.
FLAX is on Market Street at Valencia Street. You will have to look this one up.
I think it is worth a trip. And it is pretty near the ZUNI restaurant if you are inclined to stop in for oysters at the zinc bar or have lunch.

Chinatown

Another favorite of mine is SCRAP. I've blogged about Scrap before so go to the Search box for pictures and a link to the website. This is a very fun place. It is completely hit or miss but I usually always seem to find some treasures there. A bit tricky to get to on public transit so look up directions online ahead of time.

Funny...I was just drooling over these metal UK post boxes online the night before my Chinatown walk.......

And look what I found in Chinatown! A newish shop selling metal models of all kinds of things including these post office boxes.
I want one so much. They are kind of pricey but if you need a special treat, go check out
Krystal Rock 515 Grant Avenue SF.
Tell them I sent you!
(BTW Grant Avenue is the "main street" of the tourist part of Chinatown. Stockton Street (which is parallel is for the natives to buy food, herbal medicine, etc. Portsmouth Square is interesting to walk through too).
Right next door to Krystal Rock is a tea shop where you can sample and buy all kinds of teas.

CHINATOWN

Another personal favorite of mine is the Ferry Building and Ferry Plaza Market. Easy to get to right at the very end of Market Street on the Bay.
Think local olive oil and chocolates and the fabulous Acme Bread. The outdoor Farmers Market is all day Saturday. If you are an early bird, you could go by real early for Peets Coffee and  an Acme treat before heading downtown to XPF.
But the food markets and restaurants inside the Ferry Building are open everyday.
You get a beautiful view of the SF Bay.

LUNAR NEW YEAR PARADE
Now, I don't know if this is good news for you or not but the same weekend at Ex Postal Facto is the BIG Chinese New Year's Parade. Saturday evening, starting at 5:50 is the parade and Chinatown will be absolutely MOBBED with people. In fact, it is going to be pretty mobbed all day Saturday and Sunday that weekend so I suggest, if you have any choice, try to go on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday if you are arriving in town early. Or the following Monday or Tuesday.
Otherwise, prepare for major crowds and lots of firecrackers and lion dancers.
The Chinese New Year Parade is a big SF event and it's free if you want to try to see some of it.

You can pick up the Year of the Horse envelopes and lots of postcards in Chinatown too. I liked these postcards because the pictures look like stamps.

So -- hope this helps you guys out in your planning. This is by no means a comprehensive guide to SF but lots of people have been asking me about places to go while visiting and these are a few spots I enjoy.
You will have to do some research on your own to get addresses, directions, etc but I told you about some of the fun stuff!

I hope some SF locals will add suggestions in the comments in case I have left out anything good.  
Maybe I will get a new idea or two.
Can anyone recommend some good lunch spot downtown for the Saturday XPF event?
I can't think of any good spots to eat downtown.

Start packing those mail art kits!
See you soon in beautiful San Francisco.

What $5 Will Buy You

$5

Today was an odd day here in SF. First all all, we had heavy rain and thunder. It  is never rains in San Francisco in September and rarely thunders. September is when we get "summer" -- sunshine and warm weather. Loads of outdoor events are planned. Uh Oh.

So....what should I do when it is oddly pouring rain on a Saturday? Grab a pal and got to SCRAP -- that's what.
That Rolodex was free! I'm going to use the cards for some project.

$5 takes you a long way there....I got some odd rubber stamps (bottom left) and old stencils...

And, you know, I could swear these are artistamps?  First Dog in Space?
Ok, I'll take some...

A big old box of postcards to browse through...Got a few for me and some for friends...

Got a big stack of this paper -- I see it for a whole lot of $$$ in the downtown stationery store...
looks good for writing letters, don't you think?

Mail art Fodder

These envelopes have gone by the wayside these days...but I love them...you can mail things in them or cut them up for collage...they just look cool with all those crossed out names.

I am slightly confused about the USA map -- I think they cut out the wrong sections...
but I know I will think of something to do with it anyway..
I just like it..

LETTERPRESS cards....swoon....

And, yes, these were free but it's a good thing they were since now I can't think of anything to do with them.
I thought they are the right size to hold ATC's but they are too small and they are open
on two sides...hum...
Any ideas anyone??

$25
OK, then I went to the art supply store and this was $25. I think it was a lot more fun to shop at SCRAP.
But I did get a free cupcake.

Came home and puttered in my studio. Unearthed an old basket of postcards from my past travels.
They were fun to look through...

...and some fun stuff inside like this little French postcard bag...
Demandez LYNA cartes postales
oui oui

I found some Air Mail Stickers that I got free on JAL..
Can you believe airlines used to give away air mail stickers?
And postcards?

Nice

INCOMING
Something cool from Stephanie Blake....love her mail..

INSIDE
She makes what she calls "collage packs" and they are great...I got a whole lot more good mail
this past week but it was raining so hard I couldn't get any good light to photograph it.

SAD SACK

The day was fun and cheered me up but I feel just a little like this sad sack. Someone I love is in the hospital and my sweetie is away and with him so I am worrying and rattling around here all alone.
Sometimes life is just like that.

BTW, if you want to comment, you can do so with a Google, Wordpress, OpenID or Typepad account, just not anonymously
I got too much spam with anonymous comments.
But I LOVE to hear from you. Especially right now.

SEND GOOD MAIL -- GET GOOD MAIL