Mail art envelope, created by Rocola, containing two fliers advertising a pot luck dinner printed on white paper with numerous stamps. The two fliers are hand-drawn advertising for a 1989 Dada art event, featuring rows of cartoon rabbit-like faces with handwritten notes announcing various artists ‘have been dropped,’ along with venue details, dates, stamps, and playful annotations. Each stamp is slightly different and has a unique heading. The white envelope in which all is enclosed is stamped with bold pink and green graphics, including a ‘WROGGLED’ seal, an abstract splattered emblem, and diagonal text reading "You’ve fallen in love with the newest, most fashionable, and historically valid art." Mail art recipient: John M. Bennett.
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State University of New York at Buffalo. Poetry Collection
State University of New York at Buffalo. University Libraries
IN COPYRIGHT. This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). Contact the Poetry Collection for more information.
Mail art piece, created by Mumbles, with four separate mail art items contained within a colorfully decorated envelope. The design on the front of the envelope displays an abstract artwork with sweeping black brushstrokes over a softly blended background of pastel green, yellow, red, and blue, creating dynamic, gestural curves and movement across the page. It is signed and dated "John E. 5/90". Included within the mailing envelope are a handwritten note on white paper to "John" from "John E.", a typewritten story called "Mother's Milk" followed by a continuation of the story entitled "Mother's Milk II", and, finally, a copy of a newspaper article discussing film director David Lynch and his "Twin Peaks" television show cut out of the Wichita Eagle, dated May 22, 1990. The back of the containing white envelope has a handwritten address and a canceled postage stamp. Mail art recipient: John M. Bennett.
Mail art piece, created by Mumbles, consisting of a white envelope that has a multi-color hand-painted face on it. The painted envelope has layered abstract washes in pink, orange, yellow, and gray, addressed by hand to ‘The Spitter, 137 Leland Ave., Columbus, OH 43214,’ with two Christmas postage stamps in the upper right hand corner. The front of the mail art contained within the envelope has a handwritten note in black on white paper containing a typed poem titled ‘ODE DU 25’ with a handwritten note at the top, a pink brushstroke near the bottom, and a small pasted color photograph of two people in yellow hazmat suits. The second envelope insert is a black-and-white graphic of a surreal face made from two rectangular photographic eyes forming glasses, with a simple line-drawn nose and mouth below; a purple stamped address reading ‘MUMBLES, P.O. Box 8312, Wichita, KS 67208’ appears along the left side. The verso of this image contains a short poem written by the mail artist covered with handwritten notes in black and bright pink marker, including comments about making a ‘great little booklet’ and a description reading ‘Have a nize-daze at the French bread inferno,’ with visible folds and staples along the edge. Mail art recipient: John M. Bennett.
Mail art piece, created by Mumbles, contains a sheet of four black and white homemade "mumblepost" postage stamps. The envelope is light brown and has a colored copy of one of the enclosed "mumblepost" stamps. Besides the affixed U.S. postage stamp there is also an "Easter Seals" stamp on the front of the envelope. Black-and-white illustrated poster titled “Nirvana Now,” featuring a central horned, impish creature framed by two large cobra-like snakes, with dense handwritten poetic text filling the background and the artist’s name and date at the bottom. Mail art recipient: John M. Bennett.
Mail art postcard, created by the Cracker Jack Kid, displaying an abstract, high-contrast black-and-white image resembling a symmetrical, ghostly figure or inkblot, with blurred white forms emerging from a dark textured background. The word 'REJECT' is printed on the front in dark maroon ink with a U.S. postage stamp affixed to the back of the card along with a note in black ink to the mail art recipient Daniel Mark Graham concerning an art show focused on rejection.
Mail art piece, designed by Carlo Pittore, consisting of a white envelope decorated with rubber ink stamps, copied photographs and textual writing. Its decorated envelope, addressed to recipient Daniel Mark Graham in Buffalo, N.Y., featured collage elements including repeated portraits, stamped illustrations, a red paintbrush graphic, and a colorful “Understanding the Sun” postage stamp. The contents of the envelope includes a handwritten letter, dated October 1, 1981, on white paper with a business card clipped at the top, listing five numbered points about publishing, announcements, availability in Maine and New York, gallery lighting, and a question about a publication name. The second page of the handwritten letter lists numbered points 6 through 12, written in black ink on white paper, with requests for mail art, aesthetic concerns, personal questions, and encouragement to continue corresponding, ending with a red “POST ME” stamp and a paintbrush graphic signature. Mail art recipient: Daniel Mark Graham.
Mail art piece, by Rochelle Thompson, on a white postcard with a black and white illustration of a person's face, somewhat abstract. There are two unique stamps on the back as well as a sticker with an image of a fish. The text of the postcard thanks the recipient for a previously received underwater photo. U.S. postage stamps are affixed. Mail art recipient: Daniel Mark Graham.
Mail art piece consisting of a handwritten white postcard to recipient Daniel Mark Graham from mail artist Carlo Pittore. The text of the postcard details the artist's history of art shows. telling about one-man shows and congratulating Graham on a newly opening exhibition. The postcard is adorned with a repeating stamp pattern of vintage-style illustrated trumpet players in hats and ruffled collars, overlaid in red and blue with the text “Pittore Euforico,” resembling decorative wallpaper or wrapping paper.in black, blue-green, and red-violet colors. There is also a blue-green visual stamp of a paint brush on the front with a U.S. postage stamp affixed. Mail art recipient: Daniel Mark Graham.
Mail art piece, created by Rochelle Thompson, consisting of a color xerox photo copy of a vintage postcard showing a man and woman embracing outdoors. At top of picture in red text is "Get busy, I'm sterilized" and "In Corry, Pa." at the bottom. The image of the couple, attached to the postcard with glue, has become detached and is now being held together with an orange plastic clip. The mail artist's great uncle had sent his mother this card dated August 25, 1982 with dense handwritten message on the left and a mailed address and postage stamp on the right. Mail art recipient: Daniel Mark Graham.
Three-dimensional open-patterned cardboard clothing box mail art piece, created by Amelia Etlinger, lined with yellow cloth, green and yellow paper, containing a bundle of colorful fabric scraps, green cellophane, various multi-color cloth and fibers, and dried flowers tied together in the center. It is printed with “Denby’s", and heavily reinforced with overlapping strips of brown packing tape and small inventory labels. Mail art recipient: Karl C. Gay.
White postcard mail art stamped with red and blue ink created by Carlo Pittore. A U.S. postage stamp and artist-created paper stamps are affixed to the back with a repeating pattern of red illustrated trumpet players in period clothing, overlaid with faint blue imagery including musical staff lines and abstract shapes. Mail art recipient: Daniel Mark Graham.
Mail art piece, created by Gene Elder, containing a number of printed and photocopied newspaper articles, chain letters, and court proceedings all adorned with handwritten notes and comments. The topics addressed within the materials ranges from the tomato debate between fruit or vegetable to a get-rich-quick chain letter. Most of the materials contain an ink stamp of the artist's name and address. The envelope containing the maill art piece is dark yellow and affixed with a U.S. postage stamp. Mail art recipient: Daniel Mark Graham.
Mail art piece, created by Gene Elder, composed of a white envelope addressed in black on the front and stamped in purple ink on the back with a U.S. postage stamp affixed. The back of the envelope has"MUD underground" written above the address reading: "Gene Elder, 120 Burr, San Antonio, Texas 78209". The envelope contents include a handwritten press release and a photocopy of two pages of a book with red markings bracketing several paragraphs. Also included in the envelope is a typed and handwritten press release dated April 15, 1982, from artist Gene Elder of San Antonio, Texas. The page includes an illustrated letterhead featuring a stylized monument and pyramids, handwritten headings in black ink, and “Press Release” written in red. The text calls for artists to submit mail art for an archive under the San Antonio Museum of Modern Art. The page includes underlined sentences, arrows pointing to the mailing address, a handwritten signature from Gene Elder labeled “Corresponding Secretary,” and repeated printed address information at the bottom. Mail art recipient: Daniel Mark Graham.
White envelope mail art, created by Carlo Pittore, addressed in black with red and blue ink stamps on front of the envelope. A black-and-white printed advertisement or flyer is centered on a white page featuring a bold rectangular border, a large illustrated head tilted back with an open mouth as if shouting, and the words “Speak Up” and “Speak Out” arranged around the image. The text promotes a book-length interview, includes phrases about questions on the meaning of life, credits “Bern! Porter! Interview!”, and lists pricing and publisher information for The Dog Ear Press in Hulls Cove, Maine. The front of the envelope is addressed to Daniel M. Graham in Buffalo, New York. A red stamp of a person in a top hat is in the top center of the envelope, and a blue stamp with a hand pointing toward the mailing address. Mail art recipient: Daniel Mark Graham.
White envelope mail art addressed in black and stamped in red ink on front and back created by Rochelle Thompson. A handwritten addressed envelope to Daniel Graham in Buffalo, New York is outlined with a multicolored line, featuring a Florida “Mockingbird & Orange Blossom” stamp, a San Diego, CA postmark dated May 10, 1982, and a purple “HELP THE HANDICAPPED” postal mark. A red stamp of an open mouth appears in the upper left. The address and return address are circled with multicolored crayon. U.S. postage stamps are affixed to the front of the envelope. The back of the envelope displays a red stamp of an open mouth with a speech bubble drawn out of it and the return address within the bubble. Mail art recipient: Daniel Mark Graham.
Single white mail art envelope, created by Hans-Ruedi Fricker, with a red marker border including Swiss postage stamps and postmarks, German text labels, an airmail sticker, and a handwritten red address to Dan Graham in Buffalo, New York, USA. Mail art recipient: Daniel Mark Graham.
Two-sided postcard piece, created by Bill Fornof, featuring an abstract illustration of a fried egg floating against a blue gradient background on the front with black ink handwriting and a U.S. postage stamp affixed to back. The back of a postcard has a handwritten message on the left and a mailing address on the right. A purple circular postmark from San Diego, California dated September 2, 1982 appears near the top center, partially overlapping the dividing line. A 15-cent U.S. postage stamp labeled “Architecture USA” featuring the Furness 1893–1912 Penn Academy, Philadelphia is affixed in the upper right corner. The sender’s handwritten name and location appear at the bottom left. Message reads: Our Generation can be the first free of the earth embryos of the future... Bill Ford San Diego, Ca. Mail art recipient: Daniel Mark Graham.
Two-sided paper envelope mail art piece created by Carlo Pittore, that consists of a white paper postal envelope decorated on front and back with artist stamps, stickers, rubber stamp ink, and U.S. postage stamps. The decorated mail art envelope features stamped illustrations of figures, brains in top hats, symbols, and a central green “POST ME” image, arranged in red and teal ink on the worn white envelope. A folded sheet of paper filled with colorful rubber-stamp images and a handwritten letter. Red and blue stamps depict figures blowing horns, a painter’s brush logo labeled “Carlo Pittore,” a Vitruvian-style figure, and a cartoon figure with the phrases “Everyman his own Football” and “Jedermann sein eigener Fussball.” A red date stamp reads “SEP 28 1981.” The handwritten message addresses Daniel, encouraging the exchange of art letters, and ends with a phone number, kisses, a signature “Carlo P.,” and a postscript praising the envelope. The final portion of the mail art piece is a typed acceptance letter from the LIS’81 Lisbon International Show, printed on light paper and heavily decorated with repeated red stamped figures of a man in a suit and hat posed with arms outstretched. The letter thanks an artist for submitting drawings, lists jury members, and includes a table indicating which works were accepted or not accepted. Blue pen marks underline accepted works, and the letter is signed and dated July 27, 1981, in Lisbon, Portugal, with an address block for Carlo Pittore in New York. Mail art recipient: Daniel Mark Graham.
Two-sided paper envelope mail art piece with inserts created by Hans-Ruedi Fricker. It consists of a white paper mailing envelope decorated on front with rubber stamp ink, sticker labels, and foreign postage stamps. The back is colored with green and purple marker. The interior pages of this mail art piece contains a black-and-white mail-art collage composed of cut-and-pasted text fragments in English and German on a textured gray background. The collage advertises a mail-art show and “artistic activities in the countryside,” includes a typed call for artists from H. R. Fricker in Switzerland, and features a torn photographic image of a mountain ridge. Below is a framed historical photograph showing a group of men standing at a rocky mountainside. There are faint handwritten pencil notes in the upper left thanking the recipient for a letter. The last page of this mail art piece is a typewritten "letter" with the phrase "Just such another letter." repeated across the entire page. Mail art recipient: Daniel Mark Graham.
Two-sided mail art piece submitted as part of the Millenium Mail Art Project by creator Zav Albatroz. On the front, a painting shows a black cartoon bomb with a lit fuse emerging from a colorful cluster of flowers on a cream background. The back of the artwork shows handwritten notes in red and purple ink, a printed label with stylized eyes and text, and a handwritten date “Paris 1999” on cream-colored paper. Mail art recipient: Sticker Dude.
Two-sided white paper window envelope mail art piece created by Carlo Pittore. The front is decorated with rubber stamp ink and U.S. postage stamps while the back is illustrated in red and blue, with green-blue rubber stamp ink and stickers. In the textual portion of the mail art, an open handwritten letter, written in green ink across two facing pages is found. The left page begins with a red stamped date “AUG 22 1981” and addresses “Dear Daniel,” thanking him for acknowledgment and congratulating him on an exhibition. The writer explains financial reasons for not participating, listing numbered points about shipping, return shipping, publicity, and miscellaneous expenses. The right page continues the letter with appreciation and well wishes, signed “Carlo P.” There is an upside-down address written on the right page and a small pasted black-and-white image of repeated faces near the lower right. The back side of the envelope is decorated with American flag imagery, stamped faces over map outlines, and the phrases “Pride in America” and “Begins With Me.” Mail art recipient: Daniel Mark Graham.
Two-sided yellow paper envelope mail art piece, designed by Carlo Pittore, with both its front and back decorated with artist stamps, U.S. postage stamps, stickers, and rubber stamp ink. Enclosed is a yellow handwritten letter decorated with rubber stamp ink and combining a typed artist inquiry letter and a handwritten response. At the top is a typed heading for mail art recipient “Daniel Mark Graham III – Paintings, Assemblages, Sculpture,” with a Buffalo, New York address. The typed letter is addressed to La Galleria dell’Occhio in New York City, expressing interest in exhibiting work. The page includes multiple rubber stamps and postage-style graphics labeled “POST ME” and “Pittore Euforico Carlo Pittore.” A handwritten reply in pen from mail art creator Carlo Pittore appears across the lower half, dated July 13, 1981, explaining the small size and limitations of the gallery. The page contains signatures, stamps, and handwritten annotations throughout. Mail art recipient: Daniel Mark Graham.
White paper mail art envelope piece, designed by Carlo Pittore, decorated on the front with artist stamps and U.S. postage stamps. Textual material contained within the envelope includes a handwritten letter on pale yellow paper, written in blue ink and dated July 21, 1981. A small printed card with an illustration of a man blowing a horn and the name of the mail art creator “Carlo Pittore” is stapled to the top left corner, showing a New York address and phone number. The letter discusses enthusiasm for a response, encloses information about a gallery, describes its physical dimensions and street-viewing setup in New York’s East Village, and notes that it is an alternative, artist-run gallery. The text explains that the gallery space is nonprofit, with no sales or insurance, and invites the recipient to set up a show with assistance as possible. The writer proposes exhibition dates in January 1982, mentions being in New York City starting October 1, and signs off informally. The paper shows creases, small tears along the top edge, and light wear. Mail art recipient: Daniel Mark Graham.
Two-sided paper postcard mail art piece created by Haddock. The front is covered with a distressed black-and-white collage shows several antique dolls’ faces, with one human face inserted among them. The back is a handmade mail art envelope decorated with with drawings, stamps, handwritten notes, a pink highlighted address to recipient Baron in Cleveland, Ohio, and a yellow smiley-face sticker. A handwritten note says, "Yo! Hope yer doing well in Cleveland! Happy summer 2001!! Ain't life fun?? - Jolly Haddock".
Two-sided postcard mail art piece created by State of Being. The front is a black-and-white photographic triptych reproduction of a man in profile, with the final image altered by a drawn cartoon animal face over his head. The back is printed in black and blue, decorated with rubber stamp ink with a U.S. postage stamp affixed. Includes a mail art envelope with handwritten messages, crossed-out words, postage stamps, and a “MAIL ART / State of Being” label, addressed to the Cleveland, Ohio mail art recipient Baron.
Two-sided cardboard homemade postcard mail art piece created by Haddock. The front is decorated with a mixed-media collage of cut-out letters filled with smiling teeth, layered textures, and stickers, including a yellow “Organic #94067 Zucchini” label. The verso is a colorful mail art envelope covered with collage elements, drawings, stamps, and handwritten text. The envelope includes a large hand-lettered recipient name “BARON” with a Cleveland, Ohio address, a yellow background with black shapes, small pasted images including a cartoon radio broadcast scene, a smiling childlike figure drawing, a spider web with a spider, and a buffalo postage stamp. Handwritten messages, labels, and rubber-stamped text appear throughout, including a change-of-address notice for mail art recipient Haddock and playful commentary referencing newspapers and radio. The envelope is worn, taped, and layered with cut paper, sticker labels and ink and decorated with clippings and U.S. postage stamps affixed.
Two-sided cardboard homemade mail art postcard piece. created by Paghat the Ratgirl. The front of the postcard is covered with a surreal collage on a blue bubble-patterned background featuring cut-out figures, mechanical shapes, a skull-like face, and text reading “Don’t confuse form-fitting with butt-hugging” and “Free Psychic Readings!”. The back is covered with yellow-orange paper and decorated with clippings, artist stamps, stickers and sticker labels. with U.S., Indian, Italian, New Zealand postage stamps affixed. Mail art recipient: Baron.
Two-sided cut cardboard postcard mail art piece created by Haddock. The picture portion of the postcard is decorated with a disturbing collage shows a human figure made from cut-out anatomical drawings, splattered with red paint, with fragmented text and mismatched body parts arranged on a worn paper background. The verso is decorated with stickers, labels, clippings, and tape with postage stamps affixed. Mail art recipient: Baron.
Two-sided paper U.S. postal card mail art created by Dopesick SF. The back of the postcard presents a black and white print of Bob Dylan holding a guitar with DOPESICK SF printed beneath the picture. The front of the postcard is colorfully decorated with clippings, stickers, flowers, bold graphics, and a comic-style monster face. The address is handwritten to deliver to recipient Baron in Cleveland, Ohio.
Two-sided cardboard mail art piece submitted as part of the Millenium Mail Art Project. It is a colorful crayon-style drawing showing a pregnant figure holding a fetus while a glowing mushroom cloud rises over a dark city skyline. The verso of the mail art piece displays a pastel drawing of a fetus affixed with Canadian postage. Mail art recipient: Sticker Dude.
Two-sided paper postcard mail art piece created by BoscoGraphix. The front of the postcard is covered with an abstract, layered collage with warm orange and green tones, featuring faint human silhouettes, circular diagrams, handwritten text fragments, and a small sun-headed figure amid textured paint splashes. The back of the postcard is yellow and layered with a “Hot Cocoa” label, bank receipt printouts, stickers, U.S. postage stamps, and a pasted address label directed to Baron in Cleveland, Ohio.
Two-sided plastic and paper postcard mail art piece created by Ficus Strangulensis. It is composed of a flattened and laminated plastic 4-piece Chicken McNugget box with an illustration of Ronald McDonald taking up most of the space. The bottom of the flattened Chicken McNuggets plastic box has a mailing address and return address stickers and a stamp in red ink of the upper half of a face and the word "Ficus" on a "Hello my name is" sticker. U.S. postage stamps are also affixed. Mail art recipient: Baron.
Two sided plastic mail art postcard piece created by Ficus Strangulensis. On the back of the postcard is an abstract collage of layered packaging strips, tape, and colorful fragments crisscrossed by looping red threads on a translucent background. Cloth, paper and other found objects are laminated in the plastic. On the front, the postcard is addressed to “The Baron” in Cleveland, Ohio and includes a handwritten message about duct tape and sound. It is decorated on the front with printed and handwritten labels including a return label for “Ficus Strangulensis” in West Virginia, and a 22-cent U.S. postage stamp. Mail art recipient: Baron.
Two-sided paper mail art envelope piece created by Cornpuff. The front and back of the white mailing envelope is decorated with black ink and rubber stamp ink with U.S. Postage stamps affixed. A black ink line drawing of two people boxing in a boxing ring is found on the back of the envelope. On the front of the envelope, the handwritten address in black ink appears as "The Bennetts, Columbus, Ohio". The question"WHY DID YOU HAVE TO LOSE BUSTER?!" is written in the lower right corner. Mail art recipient: John M. Bennett.
Two-sided mail art postcard piece designed by Cornpuff. On the front of the yellow postcard is the handwritten address to The Bennetts in Columbus, Ohio. On the back is a colorful, layered collage showing a mountain landscape with a forested ridge and overlaid by a cut-out photo of two people standing on a hilltop, with handwritten text reading “Condition…” along the bottom. It is also decorated with sticker labels and U.S. postage stamps are affixed. Mail art recipient: John M. Bennett.
Two-sided paper postcard mail art piece, designed by Cornpuff, and decorated on the front and the back with black ink and multi-color line drawings and with U.S. postage stamps affixed. The front of the postcard shows a colorful hand-drawn illustration with a simplified figure striding forward with exaggerated legs, directional symbols, and handwritten text reading “Walking back to Oregon… ORE. WASH.” Mail art recipient: John M. Bennett.
Two-sided yellow paper postcard mail art piece, designed by Cornpuff, addressed to the Bennetts in Ohio. The front and back of the postcard are yellow and decorated with thick black ink line drawings with U.S. postage stamps affixed. Mail art recipient: John M. Bennett.
Two-sided homemade mail art postcard piece created by Cornpuff. On the front, is cardboard with a color photograph collage showing a forest clearing with cut trees, a person standing in the landscape, a small inset image of a cat inside a box, and cut-out shoes floating above, with handwritten notes along the border. On the back of the postcard on a blue-green background are clippings with a pasted color photograph of a cleared forest and U.S. postage stamps affixed with a pasted a wavy cut-out shape and handwritten address to Columbus, Ohio. Mail art recipient: John M. Bennett.
Two-sided mail art postcard piece created by Cornpuff. The front is a photo-collage showing a person chopping at a tree stump in a clear-cut forest, with hand-drawn speech bubbles, a scribbled sun, and text reading “7:41 AM” layered over the scene. It is formed of corrugated cardboard with a color postcard affixed to the front and decorated with stickers and black ink. The back is plain brown and decorated with stickers and with U.S. postage stamps affixed. Mail art recipient: John M. Bennett.
Two-sided multi-colored homemade mail art postcard designed by Rochelle Thompson. On the front, a fantasy-style illustrated cover titled “Adventures in Paradise” shows a surfer riding a glowing, curling wave with a serene face formed in the water beneath, set against a dramatic sunset and distant mountains. The back of the mail art piece is a handwritten postcard filled edge to edge with blue-ink writing, oriented sideways. It includes a long reflective message, a printed illustration of a pen on the left margin, and a stamped return imprint from “The Desk of Rochelle Thompson.” Two U.S. postage stamps appear in the upper right, and the address is written in blue ink and outlined in green, addressed to recipient Daniel Mark Graham in Buffalo, New York. Postal cancellation marks and handwritten notes surround the stamps.
Two-sided cardboard mail art piece, created by Elaine Gossamer, and submitted as a part of the Millennium Mail Art Project. It is a mixed-media collage of overlapping Canadian postage stamps featuring berries, layered over thick brushstrokes of blue, purple, white, and brown paint. Mailing and return addresses are written on blue scraps of paper on the back. Mail art recipient: Sticker Dude.
Two-sided homemade mail art postcard created by Midnight. Its front consists of laminated paper which is printed and colored. A stylized, hand-colored photo shows three shirtless people standing close together, with purple background shading, orange pants, teal dots across their chests, and handwritten text reading “carrot flaps and illustrated men.” The back of the postcard consists of white paper decorated with purple rubber stamp ink with U.S. postage stamps affixed. Mail art recipient: Daniel Mark Graham.
Two-sided cardboard mail art postcard piece, designed by B.J. Tisa, with the front covered in a black-and-white photograph of a storefront with a person standing in the doorway. It is mounted on a white background with a strip of blue color swatches and handwritten notes displayed beneath it. The back is brown cardboard with a handwritten address and a U.S. postage stamp affixed. Mail art recipient: Daniel Mark Graham.
Two-sided homemade mail art postcard piece created by Rochelle Thompson. A collage based on a vintage photograph shows two people standing outdoors, one holding a very long snake, with handwritten notes and added color, the word “ANACONDA” along the side, and small illustrated snake images at the bottom. Clippings with color added are affixed with glue to the front. On the back is a handwritten postcard covered with notes, drawings, and red stamped open mouths, addressed to Dan Graham, with U.S. and Hong Kong postage stamps circled in red on the upper right. Rubber stamp ink with color are added and U.S. postage stamps affixed. Mail art recipient: Daniel Mark Graham.
Two-sided handmade mail art cardboard envelope, created by K. Champlin, with bird postage stamps, clear tape, and a drawn row of small television screens, some showing abstract patterns, with handwritten messages (Stay tuned for space travel!) and an address to Buffalo, New York. Clear plastic cover on back with found object added to back. U.S. postage stamps affixed. and an "open here" message with a down-pointing arrow at the top. Mail art recipient: Daniel Mark Graham.
Two-sided collage-style mail art postcard piece, created by Rochelle Thompson, featuring a turquoise running nude figure, grid background, red and yellow handwritten notes, a “Crazy Horse” U.S. stamp, and handwritten addresses for Daniel Graham and Rochelle Thompson. On the front: a mixed-media collage on a vintage newspaper advertisement shows repeated cut-out figures in motion layered around a group photo, with colorful paint marks and handwritten text reading “Some some some people and me, too." The back is covered with white printed paper with red color added. U.S. postage stamps affixed. Mail art recipient: Daniel Mark Graham.
Two-sided paper postcard piece created by the Cracker Jack Kid. A high-contrast black-and-white image is on the front that shows a mirrored, abstract human-like form against a dark background, with the word “REJECT” stamped across the center. The back of the postcard bears black inked rubber stamps with a U.S. postage stamp affixed. This is a mailed postcard with a typed return address for “Cracker Jack Kid” in Omaha, a handwritten note to mail art recipient Daniel Mark Graham, a “Crazy Horse” U.S. stamp, and a 1982 Omaha postmark. Mail art recipient: Cracker Jack Kid.
Two-sided mail art postcard piece, created by Rochelle Thompson, consisting of white cardboard decorated with printed paper and hand-colored images. The back of the postcard is decorated with stickers, a U.S. postage stamp and is addressed to Daniel Graham from Rachel Thompson with a call for entries for a mail art exhibit entitled "Body Building". The front of the postcard displays advertising for this mail art "Body building" show depicted here by a picture of a female figure wearing a bikini in a kneeling pose which is shown twice on the card. Mail art recipient: Daniel Mark Graham.
Two-sided manila paper mail art envelope, created by Arturo Giuseppe Fallico, and containing five individual mail art pieces. The beige hand-written mailing envelope is addressed on the front to John Bennett in Columbus, Ohio with a U.S. postage stamp affixed. The envelope back is decorated with black ink rubber stamped images, stickers and tape. One of the stamped images is of a rudimentary city map labelled "PARK FAST" and the other stamped illustration is of a Neanderthal-like man labelled "OUR EARLY PREHISTORIC MAIL ART ANCESTOR." The first mail art piece contained in the envelope is a graphic collage on a light blue background featuring scattered icons, textures, and dots, centered on a stamped image of an eagle above the words “MAY 8 NEW YORK.” The second envelope insert is a sheet of blue paper with "for John ALL my art." and signed "Arturo" hand written in pencil. The third envelope insert is a sheet of blue paper with a decorative black ink frame stamp enclosing the address of the mail artist Arturo G. Fallico. Following this mail art piece is the fourth envelope insert which is a handwritten letter titled “MAIL • ART,” dated January 27, 1991, with a note to John about exchanged art and international mail, signed by Arturo, and featuring a printed pointing hand graphic indicating a return address. The fifth and final mail art piece contained in the envelope is a mostly blank white page with a small pasted newspaper clipping near the upper right, titled “Prisoner cleans toilet but destroys bathroom.” Mail art recipient: John M. Bennett.
Two-sided mail art piece consisting of a yellow mailing envelope decorated with rubber stamp ink and U.S. postage stamps and containing six individual mail art pieces within created by Nicol A. Kostic. The back of the yellow envelope is ink stamped with a frog and staggered multiple images of a fly. The first mail art piece within the envelope is a black-and-white surreal collage shows a person holding a cigarette with their head replaced by a textured brain filled with layered words (“Happenings,” “Fishkeeping,” “Crystal Flight,” “Nest”). Surrounding imagery includes a lizard, geometric diagram, palm tree, anatomical figure, cityscape, eyeglasses, and a crossword grid, with the phrase “light into your dark unconscious” at the bottom. The second mail art piece within the envelope is a black-and-white surreal collage depicting a seated figure in a suit with their head replaced by a large human eye. Butterfly wings extend from either side of the eye, while small feet and abstract biological forms appear below. Surrounding elements include a maze diagram, footprints, cellular or microscopic shapes, coins or medallions, and handwritten text reading “the point of bursting forth from my bag.” The artist’s name, Nicol A. Kostic, appears at the bottom. The third mail art piece within the envelope is a black-and-white collage flyer featuring a large butterfly with yellow-tinted wings overlaid with words and phrases. The wings contain layered text fragments such as “tactile,” “collage,” “zines,” “poetry,” “print,” and “cerebral art.” Surrounding text advertises an art show, including “Nicol A. Kostic mail art show,” the date “August 25, 1991,” and details for the Collingwood Arts Center in Toledo, Ohio. Additional text notes includes admission pricing and a coupon offer. The composition blends illustration, typography, and print textures in a handmade, zine-like style. The fourth mail art piece within the envelope is a typed letter from Nicol A. Kostic, dated June 20, 1991, describing plans and anxieties about organizing a mail art show in Toledo, Ohio, with several phrases highlighted. The fifth mail art piece within the envelope is a typed continuation of the same mail art letter describing an unexpected discovery of mail art materials, requesting permission to exhibit them, signed by Nicol Kostic, with highlighted words and a small illustrated stamped figure near the bottom. The sixth and final mail art piece within the envelope is a black-and-white collage artwork combines archaeological imagery, text, and surreal elements. At the center is an aerial photograph of a circular stone structure resembling an ancient shrine or ruin. Around it are cut-out images of maggots or flesh worms, raised human arms, and a robed figure seen from behind with arms lifted. Text fragments read “ROOT JUJU CURE,” “spirit, magic, music and dance,” “ANCIENT SHRINE OF THE FLESH WORMS,” “EVENTUALLY CONSUMING THE ENTIRE HEAD,” and “ACTUAL CASES.” A small scientific illustration labeled “A Regular Flesh Worm Greatly Magnified” appears near the bottom. The artist’s name, Nicol A. Kostic, and Toledo, Ohio address are stamped at the top, giving the piece a dark, ritualistic, zine-like aesthetic. Mail art recipient: John M. Bennett.
Two-sided mail art piece submitted as a part of the Millenium Mail Art Project by creator David Forcier. Corrugated board decorated with paint on front, black writing and Canadian postage on back. An abstract expressionist painting on rough-edged paper features thick, layered brushstrokes in dark blues, greens, blacks, and rust reds. White and black paint drips vertically from the top like melting forms or stalactites, while the lower half is dense with swirling, gestural marks that suggest waves, roots, or tangled figures. The surface feels heavy and tactile, with a moody, turbulent atmosphere and no clearly defined subject. Mail art recipient: Sticker Dude.
Three-dimensional piece submitted as part of the Millenium Mail Art Project by creator Genevieve Garneau. It is composed of a rubber kitchen glove painted in mottled greens, blues, and earth browns that lies against a black background. The surface has a scaly, reptile-like texture with visible stitching and staples. On the right side, a small, hand-painted tiger crouches in green grass. Above it, a handwritten return address in white paint reads “From: Genevieve Garneau, 1107 Du Perche, Boucherville, QC, J4B 6E7, Canada.” The piece feels tactile and hybrid—part artifact, part painted relief, blending animal imagery with the form of a worn glove. The piece combines mail art, painting, and object sculpture, evoking themes of industry, pollution, and correspondence. Mail art recipient: Sticker Dude.