Thursday, March 24, 2011

Amy Sol and Lost Mail


A little note before I get to Amy. My fear regarding sending such valuable little things via mail was finally realized. I discovered that Israeli illustrator Asaf Hanuka's reply was lost by the U.S. Postal Service two months ago in the forwarding process from my old address. However, after much deliberation, I decided to go out on a limb and ask him to re-create it, which he's kindly agreed to do. Although I am still mourning the loss of the original (part of me wonders if there have been others lost), I've learned that things usually work out for the best. I am excited to see what he sends.

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I have a great affection for Amy Sol's work. It probably stems from my love of wood in combination with my appreciation for pop-art that isn't made for shock value. Her works have a sort of gentle wholesome beauty that you can get lost in. Amy's art is distinguished by the fact that it's mostly painted on wood and, according to interviews, she says that the direction of the grain guides the motion within the work itself as well as her choice of paint colors, which are always velvety grays and pastels.

The subject matter is the same: girls and animals and flowers. So often this type of art is created by women because it represents a place within us created in childhood; a sort of Disney princess moment that we'll never see. To put it on a canvas makes it real and to do so over and over never gets tiring. To see it re-imagined by someone else only inspires us more.

Sent: Tell me three facts about yourself.



Received:


Friday, January 14, 2011

First Post of the New Year: Saelee Oh

Happy 2011 everyone! Firstly, a HUGE thank you to all the wonderful artists who responded in 2010 and to those who simply received, thank you again for sharing your talent with the world; you are inspirations! Also, thank you to the followers of this blog, especially all of you who left such supportive comments and posted about Mailbag Art Museum on other sites. As of this post, the return rate is now one in three (13/39), which, by the way, is significantly more than I ever expected when I started this project last August (I was shooting for one in five). It just goes to show that no matter how busy we are, it can be pretty hard to resist the prospect of a little lighthearted fun.

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Saelee Oh is an L.A. based artist working with autobiographical themes of nature and femininity. Her art has been shown in Jonathan Levine Gallery as well as asian pop-art gallery and magazine Giant Robot and retailer Poketo. She recently worked with several other artists on a public service/art project sponsored by Juxtapoz to improve neighborhoods in Detroit and turn them into art houses. This actually reminded me quite a bit of the Benesse Art Site on the island of Naoshima in Japan, which I visited in 2007. It's nice to know that this same type of project is happening closer to home as well.

Saelee was actually the eighth person to get MBAM mail way back in September. On the back of the card she explains that she has been traveling for the last six months, searching for a new place to live (she documented her adventures richly in the photographs on her blog). For more information about Saelee Oh, I also recommend this interview she did for Miss Omni Media last March.

Sent: "Do you ever find yourself wishing you could live inside your art?"


Received: