Theo Nelson, CANADA

From The Cartoon Landscape Times...

“All the reality that can be imagined - just like the Bush Administration.”
Volume 5 / Number 8 July 2007
“Mail Art and Art Books”
Into which I hesitantly stumble...
copyright © 2007 Theo Nelson / www.whimsyandcolour.com / tnelson@bexx.com
July 14, 2007,
Happy Bastille Day, France!
I added a bunch of Mail Art practitioners to my “Seasonal Greetings” mailing list this last time and I’ve had a few
responses. I also had an invitation to a Mail Art call for Art Books. So in responding to Mail Art letters I thought I’d
practice a bit with the book concept. For those of you not familiar with the above terms “Mail Art” is just that - art
sent through the mails. It is an original creation, be it drawing, painting, print, sculpture, fabric, collage, whatever.
Pretty simple concept with, I gather, two rules: no money is involved and a recipient should always respond. If I am
incorrect in that definition, let me know.
Mail art has been around for a very long time. I remember reading about about it in the early 70s and a Canadian
artist going by the handle of “Anna Banana” was the subject of the review. She’s still going strong. It is an
international movement with participants covering the whole planet. “Art Books” can be complete original
constructions or they can be “Altereds”. Altereds are existing books that the creator takes and adds to with different
captions, photos, pop-ups, original art, etc. to enhance or change the thematic content of the book. Original
constructions are from the ground up builds of a book done to a theme or idea the artist wants to play with. There is
some amazing stuff being done. From Google for “Art Books” and “Altereds” searches the starting point is referred to
as: “You take an old book with solid binding, but defunct information, and remake the book into something”. Yeah,
that’ll do it! Check out some of the work on the web. “http://www.jennysartspace.com/alteredbooks/” “http://www.
logolalia.com/alteredbooks/’
For my initial efforts I've made a 5 x 7 inch pamphlet and inserted two ATCs in a window format. The ATCs are a
thematic series called “Corduroy Hills” and I’ve made four books in total. Below are ten cards in the series, the final
two are in the booklet example on page 2.
Inside Front - Windows closed and open
Corduroy Hills # 2 Corduroy Hills # 3
Corduroy Hills # 2 Corduroy Hills # 3

copyright © 2007 Theo Nelson / www.whimsyandcolour.com / tnelson@bexx.com
Inside Back - Windows closed and open
Outside Back Outside Front
That’s All Folks! ’Til Later...