Raw Trashpo from Cezar Ferreira

When we were hanging the Berry Maritime Mail Art exhibition, Cezar, Cranberry Island's own Brazillian chef at Hitty's, the cafe on the ground floor at the Historical Society, came upstairs to take a look at how things were progressing.  He was enthusiastic so I requested that he create something for the event, post it with Eilleen (postmistress) and be part of the event.  Cezar is a remarkable photographer, so I was expecting something in that domain. Instead, Cezar sent me some postcards he rescued from the dump on the island - creating this RAW TRASHPO!

Bawdy postcards or x rated mail art?

I take the role of archivist and open submission curator seriously. To date I have never received anything that offended me and all work that I've received has featured in exhibitions I have held.  These pieces by Daniel De Culla were also shown, but in the meantime I wrote to Daniel and explained that I felt they were too explicit for the Cranberry Island leg of the show.

I don't know Daniel but I suspected that his cards allude to seaside postcards of yore, or are concerned with a pun on cherries etc… whatever, I don't feel I am a gatekeeper. 

However, Cranberry Island is a tiny island and I already tiptoe around political differences, town and gown sensibilities and would never seek to offend.

So on the day of the show I asked lots of people what they thought and the response was divided.  In the end I put all the cards in an envelope on a table (labled) for clarity, but they were there, un-censored, provoking dialogue and even a bit of controversy.

Berry Maritime Mail Art - Bruno Chiarlone - Italy

Fabulous to have this from Bruno!  One of the comments that I heard repeatedly was how wonderful it was to have such a range of mail art in the exhibition.  Lots of 'island' people  had missed the first exhibition in 2012.  The 2014 exhibition (part one) had mail art from twenty countries.  I'm lucky to TRADE (OMG, I am hopelessly behind…) with a broader range of people than I did in the previous show and that was reflected and appreciated by all who visited the show.

You can visit Bruno's blog at: http://bchiarlone.blogspot.it

Island Mail Art from Jane Lewis

As well as creating a  sense of place, challenging what we think we know about weight and structure, Jane's mail art pieces always have the whiff of engineering.  This one (I suspect) began as something someone might have jettisoned - paper fashioned to cover something that no longer needed covering, perhaps.

If you want to see more by Jane, (not mail art) visit: http://www.janelewisart.co.uk/JaneLewis/Jane_Lewis_Art.html

Two generations of the Sanborn family sew maritime mail art!

Beverly Sanborn

Beverly Sanborn

Jessica Sanborn (aged 6)

Jessica Sanborn (aged 6)

Jessica Sanborn (aged 6) for Melanie - sister

Jessica Sanborn (aged 6) for Melanie - sister

Remarkable handiwork by Cranberry islanders: Jessica Sanborn (6) and her grandmother!

From Alexander Limarev - Maritime Makeover

As ever, I received mail art a day or two before I hung the show, while hanging the show and a few days into the show.  all pieces were hung, proudly, including thispiece by Alexander! He has a new mail art call.  Be sure to send Alexander something!

http://grahamgreene110.blogspot.ru

Maritime Sculpture - Stephanie Allley

This ingenious, exotic and inspiring piece delighted the people who viisted the Maritime Mail Art exhibition!  Luckily, it only traveled from the nieghboring island - Isleford!