Another Kind of Desktop

Budapest

I can work almost anywhere -- which is good since my studio is still all torn up. I have a plan for setting up my Gelli block in my kitchen in Saturday and letting those paints fly...or drip..or whatever.
Here are some desktops where I've worked during the last year or so....
I like the way they look.

Portland, OR

A cappuccino or coffee is always nice to have on hand. And paper ephemera. Lots of ephemera.

Prague

I actually don't pack up much to bring with me on my travels about town (or far away). I like to tear paper rather than cut and mostly I bring glue sticks and double stick tape....and madly pick up stuff as I move through the day....

Santa Barbara

St Petersburg, Russia

There wasn't as much paper around to pick up in Russia...but what I did find was super cool since I loved the way the Cyrillic writing looked.

Portland

Istanbul, Turkey

The Turkish writing is very cool too. And so was writing while listening to the Call to Prayer coming in through the open windows.....

Washington, DC

Los Angeles, CA

Palma, Italy
Sitting and writing by the fireplace in Parma was wonderful until the bug bit me!

Boston, MA

New York City

Seattle, WA

Pasadena, CA

Milan, Italy

You can always get coffee in Italy --  Grazia Dio!

Budapest, Hungary

I like taking it on the road. Packing my mail art kit is a lot more fun than packing clothes. And I love picking up every scrap of ephemera I find and tearing it up and pasting it in to my travel journals, collages and postcards.
I love the look of a happily messy desktop while on the road.

Am I alone on this?
How many of you cut and paste while traveling?
Keep a travel journal?
Make mail art?
Set up a work table in every hotel room?
Anybody taking a trip?

Tell me what your desktops look like!

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Museum of Artistamps

Imagine taking a taxi ride in Seattle, going up a flight of stairs and opening up a door to find an magic world of  artistamps.
I have never seen so many artistamps in my life (and I've seen quite a few).
Robert Rudine the gracious host of the Museum of Artistamps (MOA) in Seattle and his charming wife, the writer Janet Yoder were kind enough to invite us to the MOA last week.
Or, maybe I invited myself.....

The world is Tui Tui Land and
this article explains it much better than I can
Check out the story and the video by Kathleen McHugh....Robert and Janet gave us free reign to wander around and oooh and ah over the vast number of beautiful stamps in the collection.

Bart Stamps

On the wall was a large wooden rubber stamp......

that opened up (both top & Bottom) to use as a writing table and for storage.
How cool is that?
(Hi Charity)

Absolutely everywhere we looked there were wonderful stamps....

Being a photographer by trade, I especially love these EYE stamps by Anna Banana.

And these...so cool....

Really nice storage case....hum...that gave someone an idea....

Really wonderful Harvey Milk artistamps at the MOA and just read today that
Harvey Milk to be Honored on US Postage Stamps
Pretty great. 

Here is our artistamp maker and host now -- Robert Rudine -- with Kelly P (left) and Charity (Right).
They look like they were having fun.

Thank you Robert and Janet for a wonderful and inspiring afternoon.

In a complete chance of venue....this is a shot of the artists on the trip in Portland outside of SCRAP.
They were all in such a hurry to get inside and see what was in there they made me wait to take photos till after the Scrap shopping. And yes, we all scored and there was no fighting. Not too much anyway.
Left to Right
Pamela, Tallie, Charity, Kelly and Millicent.
We look happy, don't we?

What's not to like? Artistamps? A road trip? An art workshop? Lots of dinners out?

Remember to put a stamp on it!

Love your comments. Thanks to all who post comments and keep me motivated to take time away from making mail art to work on the blog. 

Taking It On The Road

Taking it on the plane first...and then on the road...I am flying to Seattle to meet up with some of my fabulous mail art pals
and, after exploring and eating our way through Seattle, we are road-tripping to Portland
for a workshop.
We got a "class list" of supplies -- right in the "Back to School" mode!
Here are some of my supplies.....

And here are some more....old checks and foreign currency...This is going to be fun...

FACES
It was suggested we bring some "faces" and I seem to gravitate  towards the vinatge ones..
Here's looking at you, Kid.

Vintage papers and envelopes and papers and stamps.....pas de probleme.

Two little books to record the trip.....it ain't a trip without a travel book....

Some vintage maps and those faces packed in my nice flat, lidded box from Diaso.
I like a plastic box with lid to protect my papers from getting banged up and crushed in my suitcase..

KIT
All the usual suspects....glue sticks, scissors, cutters, double stick tape....

FACES
Once I got started cutting out faces I just couldn't seem to stop.....no matter how I arrange them they always seem to look very cool.

See what I mean? Cool, huh? I can't wait to see what I actually use them for....

Don't you just love collage and art supplies?

Tear and Paste material

I have to pack all this? I don't usually take so many things but then I've never taken a workshop before either....

A tiny bit of show-and-tell material. Brought along a couple of mini zines and a couple of little booklets in case anyone is interested....

Meeting up with a bunch of my mail art friends, going to the MOA (Museum of Artistamps) in Seattle and a reception/opening for a very interesting looking show at
Paper Hammer Gallery
It's Only a Paper Ghost -- intriguing name for a show.
And you know there will be food. And drink. I'll fill you all in later.

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