look mom! I’m on youtube!

I know, I know: two posts in one week. But I just couldn’t save this one until next week (especially since I’ve got a FANTASTIC interview with Hope Amico all lined up!) So I figured I’d share this as a “welcome to your weekend” sort of thing.

I was interviewed at the ALA2015 Conference by Joseph Coco, on behalf of Rebecca Hillburn and her “Natto Soup” blog. Joseph and I chat about mail art, zines, and how to get involved in the Network — take a look! (everything was completely UNSCRIPTED –> insert some sort of anxiety emoji here…)

PS: there is a little flub that I made at the very beginning of the interview…did any of you catch it? If you hit the 2 minute mark, you’ve gone too far!

–JH

 

 

Read Full Post »

next stop: Central Booking NYC (my new gallery rep!)

April and May were whirlwinds of activity at the RLD studio; I was working like a fiend putting together two new artist book editions for my June trip to NYC.

I am thrilled to announce that these two new editions (Via Aerea and Instance/Instants) are now available exclusively through Central Booking NYC.

 

“Instants/Instance” by Jennie Hinchcliff

Incorporating both perforations and pochoir, Instants/Instance is a reflection on change and memory, people and place. The book is an edition of 12; each volume is hand assembled, stenciled, and constructed by hand.

“Instants/Instance” by Jennie Hinchcliff (close up)

Located on the lower east side, Central Booking NYC represents a wide swath of the who’s-who in artists’ books. It is an honor to be on display alongside Doug Beube, Red Fox Press, Kumi Korf, and many admirable others.

“Combinations” by Karen Kunc

On shelves and in bookcases, artists’ books wait for the curious to stop by…

“Red Dwarfs and Super Giants” by Kathy Bruce

…to read, page thru, connect with.

“Map: Brooklyn Bridge Park” by Aaron Beebe

One of my instant favorites was the work of Aaron Beebe, who creates fantastic mapscapes over the top of photos. His bio states that he was the director of the Coney Island Museum for ten years; each of his artworks combines evocative imagery and official looking text in order to create something that seems just out of memory’s reach.

“Map: Brooklyn Bridge Park” by Aaron Beebe (close up)

I’ve been a long time fan of Doug Beube’s work…

“Zipper Theory: Facing Shame Tomorrow” by Doug Beube

…as well as Art Hazelwood.

“Tora Bora” by Art Hazelwood

One of the things that makes artists’ books so exciting is their accessibility. Everyone, whether young or old (and contrary to current lamentations that print is dead) is able to interact with a book. Many of the usual “I don’t really understand fine art” feelings are taken out of the equation for a reader of artists’ books, leaving room instead for exploration, wonder, and inspiration. There is something for everyone in between the covers of an artist book.

 

 

 

 

Summer hours are currently in effect for Central Booking; it’s best to give a call and confirm that they’ll be open. Upcoming fall exhibitions include themes such as archaeology and forensic science — to say that I’m excited (and already hard at work) is an understatement!

–JH

Read Full Post »

here are your plans for the weekend!

printmaking studio at the academy of art…

This week is filled with stellar things to do, if you’re in San Francisco (most weeks are…) Would you happen to be interested in printmaking? Artists’ books? Discovering artists who are working with ink, paper, and alternative printing techniques? Then look no further. The Southern Graphics Conference International kicks off this week.

here’s your invitation!

SGCI is a national conference which rotates to different cities every year; SF is the lucky host for 2014. Over the course of four days, nearly one hundred different events, openings, and lectures will take place —  something for everyone! I’m super-excited about a few specific events, so I thought I’d share those with RLD readers.

delicious delicious delicious…

The Shift-lab Collective is comprised of five incredibly talented book artists; their latest show “Shift” is currently up at the SF Center for the Book. Each book in the exhibition can be handled; delicate colors, spot-on letterpress work, and thoughtful writing make each book sing. There will be a reception on Friday, March 28^th from 7pm – 9pm.

did you know that this is what carved fog looks like?

Friend and colleague Macy Chadwick of In Cahoots Press left me a message last week: “I’m carving fog,” she explained, “and it’s really exciting!” If you live in San Francisco, you understand that fog is a unique component of city living, a phenomena that can’t easily be pinned down. Wanting to know more about this fog-carving, I pressed for photos (see above).

and then, there were the bridges…

That’s how I found out about Span, Macy’s artist book collaboration with printmaker Carrie Ann Plank. As the name suggests, Span is a project about both bay bridges: the “new” one (which debuted last year) and the “old” one (which hasn’t been torn down yet). Both bridges link San Francisco to the east bay.

multiple layers, two different bridges…

With multiple press runs and die cuts, this three dimensional beauty has all the surprise of a traditional pop up book and the craftsmanship inherent to top notch artists’ books. On March 29^th, the public is invited to stop by and see Span “in process” – the presses will be rolling, many sets of hands will be sewing, and copies will be available for sale. Details can be found here.

beautiful in black and white…

The bay area has always been a safe haven for rubber stamp folks, regardless of which side of the fence you fall on (the cute vs. quirky battle still rages…) John Held Jr. has played an integral part in making the San Francisco mail art scene happen, ever since moving to the city in 1996. Armed with an encyclopedic knowledge of local rubber stamp lore and correspondence art history, he’ll be sharing that knowledge (along with a performance or two) at his “Rubber Stamping: Bay Area History and Applications” event at City College on Thursday, March 27^th.

JHJr. in front of one of his paintings…

For a full listing of all SGCI events, head over and take a look at the schedule. The conference promises to be an action-packed four days of print, paper, and non-stop inspiration. Bringing together artists and printmakers from across the country, this a wonderful opportunity for the public to see world-class printmaking on display throughout the city.

–JH

PS: I have five artists’ books in the “Activate” exhibition, which opens tomorrow night at the Atelier Gallery (79 New Montgomery, Academy of Art University). Stop by and say hello if you get the chance — 6pm – 9pm!

Read Full Post »

this news is fantastic and it just couldn’t wait!

photo: uspsstamps.com

It’s always been a dream of mine to be recognized in some way by the USPS; now that dream has come true! Way back in January (I guess it wasn’t really that long ago…) I was interviewed by USPS Stamps about my mail art activities, what motivates a person to make/send so much mail, and some all around thoughts on the state of the postal system.

photo: uspsstamps.com

The result is this lovely article, which I am hoping mail artists near and far will agree with. As RLD readers know, part of the artistic process of mail art involves the post office and postage stamps, as well as a certain amount of trust that our mail will get from Point A to Point B. “The Postal Moderns” captures this idea perfectly, and I thank USPS Stamps for such a wonderful write up!

In all things postal —

–JH

Read Full Post »

What is this thing called a “zine”? * (note the asterisk…)

Hello postal people!

In my daily life of paper, ephemera, and correspondence I find that there’s alot of crossover. This is how it breaks down: bookbinding led to artists’ books, which morphed into zinemaking. Penpal-ing as a kid transitioned into decorated envelopes in college, which then moved into the realm of full-blown mail art escapades once I arrived in San Francisco. (surprising? Not really, when you think about it…) When asked the eternal, killing question “Yes, but what do you do?”, I find myself at a loss, unable to bring all of these varied elements together into a single niche-based sentence.

Readers and friends of the RLD blog know that I do a range of different things (artists’ books, zines, prints), but my true love is mail art. Putting together something special for a far-away Networker or designing the month’s new postal “Cadeux” puts a smile on my face and charges my creative batteries.

I like to be involved-with-a-capital-i, in a very Aries-centric kind of way. I love organizing, putting things together, helping people meet other people — that kind of thing. Each person I meet these days has a story which is so uniquely them that I find myself constantly recalibrating my ideas of art/creating art, based on the discussions I have with somebody. That seems to be another part of the process.

artistamps created for the "Revenge of Print 2011" project...

Participating in events and meeting people go hand in hand. One of my favorite aspects of “doing what I do” (that hard-to-identify thing mentioned above) is vending at shows — Alternative Press Expo, the Printer’s Fair, SF’s Open Studios — each event is an opportunity to meet people, introduce them to the idea of mail art, put on a puppet show (well, not really…) A special fave in my “pantheon of vending” is the SF Zinefest.

SF Zinefest 2011 poster, designed by Lark Pien!

This year is a banner year for the SF Zinefest; they’re celebrating 10 big years! That’s a whole decade of promoting zines, zinesters, and DIY culture. As one of the largest zine events on the west coast, the SFZF continually has a stellar line up of panelists, workshops, and vendors year after year.

a quiet moment at 2010's SFZF, by Green Lantern Press...

In a world where print books are racing to flip the digital switch, zines are experiencing a contemporary renaissance. Hands-on zine projects abound throughout the web; all one needs to do is search “zine projects 2011” or stop by the “We Make Zines” forum to see that zine culture is alive and well. People want (need?) to share their stories via the printed word; turning thru the pages of someone’s real-time zine is an introduction to their thought process, their aesthetic, the things that they are passionate about. Is there a better way to be introduced to someone? I can’t think of one.

zines for reading, at the Tokyo Art Book Fair, 2010...

So what does all this talk of zines mean for RLD readers? Two things: if you make artists’ books, zines, or any sort of DIY (think Renegade Craft Fair or Bizarre Bazaar) product, you might be interested in vending at the SF Zinefest. Tables are still open, but they’re going quickly — take a look at the application page over here. (the .pdf takes a minute to load in…)

a stack of zines, from Sweetie Pie Press' flickr...

If the idea of small-press-with-big-ideas is intriguing, but you’re not ready to commit to vending your wares, never fear! Instead, why don’t you stop by the Zinefest and see what it’s all about? Admission is free, and RLD will be there (with some new surprises on the table!), along with the likes of Two Fine Chaps (beautiful letterpress artists’ books), Monkey + Seal (printmakers and silkscreeners), as well as a galaxy of other talented vendors.

"The Chase", by Two Fine Chaps...

I’ll be sure to show you guys the works-in-progress as we get closer to the Zinefest. But for now, a question: have any of you made zines? And if so, did you like the process? What was your zine about? (and can we still get a copy?…)

Postally speaking (of course) —
–JH

* the word “zine” is pronounced “zeen”

** did you notice those “Revenge of Print” artistamps in the photo above? They’re pretty fancy, right? If you’d like to receive a sheet, send a SASE (self addressed stamped envelope) to the following address:

Jennie Hinchcliff/Red Letter Day

ATTN: revenge of print 2011
PO Box 170271
San Francisco, CA. 94117
(international requests are welcome, but you must include $1.00 USD to cover the cost of postage)

07.23.11 edit: RLD reader Angry Violist kindly emailed an inquiry as to whether international readers could Paypal money for postage — so clever!  Of course you can — let’s use this technology for good, instead of evil!  International readers should Paypal $1.50 USD ($1.00 to cover international postage, .50¢ to cover all of Paypal’s fees) to: redletterdayzine@gmail.com

Read Full Post »

Day the Twelfth: one fantastic contest…

and now, a word from our sponsors...

Finally, here it is: the last installment in the “Twelve Days of Mail Art” series. I know, I know: it’s been a  l-o-o-o-n-g time comin’, this particular post. I appreciate your patience, your fortitude, your “stick-to-it-tive-ness” as my parents often call it. And so — to thank and reward you, wonderful RLD readers! – how would everyone feel about a contest/giveaway?

"par avion", and some mail art from Marie W. ...

That’s what I thought!

Here’s the deal: your mission (the “contest”, if you will…) is to guess/estimate how much money I spent this last year on postage.

these are some of my favorite "oldster" stamps...

You are free to draw your own conclusions and throw your hat into the ring; after all, I’m sure that all of you can offer up a wide variety of sophisticated and educated guesses. When you leave a comment below, you’ll be in the running for this fantastic collection of mail art/postal themed goodies:

–one of my favorite types of disposable Daiso fountain pens (includes an additional cartridge)

–an adorable airmail themed stationery set (also from Daiso)

–a strip of “To Get a Letter, Write a Letter” artistamps

–one copy of “The E-mail Interview With Guy Bleus”; this zine is a transcript of an email conversation that took place in the mid-90’s between mail artists Guy Bleus and Ruud Janssen (of the IUOMA). A fascinating snapshot of the mail art Network at that time.

and last, but not least:

–one copy of the pulp classic “The Forth Postman” (I haven’t actually read it yet, but managed to find two copies at two different used bookstores; I couldn’t pass up either one…)

(one individual will receive all items pictured below)

all this awesome could be YOURS!...

All you need to do is post a comment below, estimating how much you think I spent on postage last year (2010) – please round to the nearest dollar. The reader who gets the closest (or the exact amount – oh my!) will win the goodies pictured above.

Keep in mind — I’m defining postage in the following way: all letters, mail, and parcels sent to foreign countries, as well as across the country or across town. Sometimes I use tracking numbers and insurance, sometimes I don’t. I will only be counting USPS postage; FedEx/UPS will not figure into my grand total.

here's a closer look...

How will I be getting this number, where will it come from? Well, because I keep absolutely every receipt for tax purposes, I end up counting all of my USPS register receipts when I put together my taxes.  That’s where the inspiration for this contest came from, and it’s something I try to do every year.

So there you have it, passionate postal people. I leave you to your calculations and wonderings! The contest is open as of now, and will close tomorrow (03.22.11) at 10:00am, PST. I will announce the winner in my next blog post.

Good luck to all!

–JH

Read Full Post »

What I’m doing on my summer vacation, part 1…

Hello beautiful postal people!

fireworks on the water

The July 4th holiday has come and gone, and what do I have to show for it? A pile of completed work! I’ve been busy over here at the RLD HQ; it seems like the months of July and August are hustling and bustling by. There’s always alot of talk at this time of year about things like vacation and taking it easy; somehow or other, I managed to be out of the room when that conversation was taking place.

junk mail_01

So what’s been up? Well, I’ve been hard at work on a project entitled “So Many Products, So Little Time: The Junk Mail Show”, which is opening in San Francisco this week (scroll down to the bottom for show info). The theme of the show is — wait for it! — junk mail. How brilliant is that?! Curators Sarah Smith and Andy Vogt are definitely My Kind Of People.

the adventure begins!

Tell me if this sounds familiar: every teeny tiny scrap of paper at your house gets saved, especially if it has some sort of unusal texture or printed design. You just can’t bear to part with a single piece of ephemera: coffee filters (unused. you gotta draw the line somewhere), candy wrappers, birthday cards, cake mix boxes…it’s all just raw material to create mail art. I understand completely, because your plight is my plight. In this age of shredding all incoming credit card offers and auto insurance fliers, I spend alot of time separating the wheat (security envelopes with cool inside lining patterns) from the chaff (all that other crap that comes inside the envelope), and have acquired quite a collection. So when I was invited to join in on the junk mail fun, gathering together my tools of action was not really a problem.

look at these beauties!

Once I had created my envelope-covered 5×7 panels, it was time to begin gocco printing! Armed with photocopies of 1920’s and 30’s junk mail slogans (“Growing!”, “My Secret”, and “SENSATIONAL!” to name just a few) as well as a fistful of screens, I began to print. Flourescent ink over the top of those security tints is pretty exciting, dont’cha think?

whee! good things are happening!

Gotta let the gocco ink dry, but that’s o.k. I’ll make some fauxstage to attach to each panel. I think it should tie in with the theme of the show…

your junk is my treasure...

Laid out on the table, the riot of color and texture on all 16 panels is a sight to behold. Looking at the panels as a group made me realize how much junk mail comes from specific types of companies, primarily credit card and insurance dealers of some kind. It was also liberating to realize I’ll never have a shortage of junk mail/security envelopes, and that,  by extension, I’ll never have a lack in the “materials” department (as far as a project like this is concerned). I have a feeling that this group of 16 is the first of many such prints/panels…

in the home stretch of "done!"

If you’re in the bay area and interested in coming to see the show, here’s the info. Each of the panels that you see in the above photos is for sale; additional mail art will be created specifically for each purchaser on the back of sold panels. Once the show comes down, panels will be mailed to purchasers, thereby creating mail art out of junk mail! If you are unable to make it to the show or opening but want to see more, let me know — I’m sure we can work out a solution!

And it might interest you to know: the SF Weekly had a bundle of nice things to say in today’s (July 7th) edition of the paper. All that being said (written?),  I hope to see all of YOU, my postal loving, junk mail hoarding friends, on Friday night!

In all things postal, I remain —

–JH

Read Full Post »

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

photo by Von Span

Back in the day, there was something called a “telegram”. Today we just call it “social media”.

Last week really was a red letter day for me, when it comes to buzz. Monday morning brought an email from “Good Mail Day” co-author Carolee Wheeler. “You’ll never believe it,” she excitedly penned. “ABC News has reviewed GMD!”

And review they did. Coming in at paragraph four (right underneath Martha Stewart!), journalist Jennifer Forker had nothing-but-nice things to say. From “the authors of “Good Mail Day” think a good day brings good mail (not that junk stuff) or, better, artsy envelopes” to “…their book includes an array of inspiring, four-color examples” (thanks Von Span!), we couldn’t be anything less than thrilled with ABC’s review. Thank you Jennifer!

photo by Von Span

In the April issue of Nylon magazine, GMD contributor Jennifer Pappas wrote an article titled “Urban Planning” which shows takes us down to  South America and shows us a good time — everything from tango to trapeze swings are covered! In her contributor bio (p.68), Jennifer gives a shout out to mail art in general (yay!) and GMD specifically (super yay!). If you’re reading this Miss J., I’ve put a little something in the post for you… 🙂

photo by Von Span

And then, at the end of the week there was more great news to come!

Saturday morning brought the launch of a fresh new online magazine called  “Letters & Journals”. FAB! I’ve contributed an article titled “Stationery Secrets of the City by the Bay”, so if you’ve ever wondered where an envelope obsessed, mail art junkie like me would shop here in SF, well — mystery solved! I share three of my all-time favorite places, as well as a bit of history about each. I’ll let you wander over and discover the whole magazine for yourself. Editor Jackie Flaherty has plans to bring “Letters & Journals” into print at the end of the year.

Of course, Sunday night was the National Geographic wing-ding.

I’m hoping one of y’all recorded it for me!

Needless to say, it was a busy week. There are plenty of other exciting projects in the hopper; I’ll share the late-breaking news of the moment with each and every one of you as it happens!

In all things postal, I remain —
–JH

PS: two wonderfully paper-ish items of interest this weekend, if you’re here in the bay area…
: the Vintage Paper Fair
: PCBA’s Printer’s Fair

Read Full Post »

Happy Easter to you!

Three cheers for bunnies!

I snapped a quick photo of these tiny friends frolicking on my kitchen table — I believe they’re on some sort of treasure hunt for postage stamps (that’s the rumor I heard around the house…)

Hope your day is filled with fashionable bonnets, hand-dyed eggs, and lots of Cadbury chocolate!

–JH

Read Full Post »

March is pretty much over and done with. That means National Letter Writing Month will soon be in full swing!

A box full of happiness...

Once again, I bring you news from the world of mail!

You may have known (or perhaps you didn’t) that April is National Letterwriting Month — time to break out the special stationery, peculiar perforations, and unusual envelopes. Of course, I shouldn’t really have to provide a reason (excuse?) for you to assemble the tools of happiness in one place, but I understand: once in awhile, it helps to have a little -ahem- validation, a bit of the “no really, I think it’s quite alright that you have A4 envelopes in every size/paper weight/color known to man” .

So I’m here to be your cheerleader.

Explains the USPS: “To mark this special time of creative correspondence and the friendly exchange of passionate, poignant prose, the Postal Service is extending this popular campaign by carrying it over into May, culminating with the writing and sending of cards and letters for Mother’s Day, May 11.” Says Postmaster General John E. Potter: “National Card and Letter Writing Month is an opportunity for all Americans to rediscover the timeless and very personal art of letter writing; since the beginning of recorded history, famous people, from Moses to Martin Luther King Jr., have written letters that helped shape the destinies of entire nations.”

Three cheers for that! Missive makers and mail artists, gather your tools of choice!

this is what happiness looks like, close-up...

How will you celebrate? Who will you send mail to? Perhaps you establish a specific goal for yourself (“I’ll write a postcard a day!”) or get in touch with someone you’ve fallen out of contact with (college roommate/best friend from high school/treasured auntie)? If you’re a regular reader of this blog, then I’ll assume we share some common traits: you love sending things through the mail, as well as receiving them. It’s that notion of “give/receive” that is crucial to mail art and writing letters, the sentiment that one can build a  feeling of community via the mailbox.

Often, when mailing something away to someone, I spend just as much time considering their reaction. Perhaps my letter will somehow make a bad day better. A silly joke or gag written on the front of a postcard might invoke a fit of giggles; perhaps a zany, “object de mail art” inspires a conversation around the work water-cooler. That’s the truly amazing thing about mail: people respond to it, in one way or another. When you send something to somebody, it lets them know you were thinking of them. Often, we can write things on the back of a postcard that we would have a hard time telling another person out loud.

Funny, right?

Here then, are a few tidbits to get you jump-started, to start April off with a          –bang!–. Whether you’re interested in getting a new pen-pal (and who isn’t, really?) or looking for a bit of inspiration (from Crane’s, of course!), I have hand-picked a few of my favorites, and share them with you.

— Crane’s “Letters You Keep” contest from 2008; an amazing look at the letters people cherish and save, through thick and thin…

— purveyors of postal delights: the Letter Writers Alliance. Need I say more?

— Becky and Chris of “Going Postal” will be more than happy to help you find a pen-pal…

— my friends Ward and Linnea over at Atelier Gargoyle provided the incredible sealing wax you see in the photos above. It has a bit of rubber in it, so that it won’t crumble or break going thru the mails! (PS: they’ll custom-design a wax seal for you…don’t say I didn’t warn you!)

— last but not least: the “Unwritten Letters” project; don’t let this happen to you!

In all things postal,

I remain —

–JH

Read Full Post »