39, 40, 41...

Nearly a year later and pieces for the Millennia Mail Art Project are still coming back to San Francisco.  These three spent time up in British Columbia.  All three with contributions from Kathy Tycholis, Ilsoo Kyung MacLaurin, and Tony Yin Tak Chu, plus   Suzanna Wright added a layer on #41.  Another artist named Joanie added a layer to #39 and #40. 

All of the completed pieces can be seen at tofuart.com

SF 49

SF49, mixed media, map collage on canvas, 24”x24”

A new map of San Francisco made from old maps.  The original is 24”x24” and made from a series of 49 cut outs of the San Francisco map.  It is made from maps of many of the different places where San Franciscans originally came from before coming home to the City we love.  Over 100 countries are represented in the finished piece.  The 49 maps are laid out in a 7x7 grid — a nod to the “7x7 mile” size of our City that is approximately, very approximately, 49 square miles.  It’s the City where 49 is an especially magical number.

Prints, phone, laptop, iPad covers and more available with this image from Society 6.

Number 38

10 months ago I started sending out cards and began the Millennia Mail Art Project.  The idea being that each recipient adds a layer to the card and the final participating artists sends the card back to me.  Many of these cards have literally traveled around the world by mail before they make it home to San Francisco.  And there are still quite a few out there in circulation.  This week #38 was in my mailbox.  This is one of the cards I did not even start.  I am delighted when I see these online and someone has written they were “inspired by Tofu.”  This stitched up little gem includes layers from Hanna Andersson in Sweden and Roben-Marie Smith in Florida (and other artists who did not leave enough information – they should contact me).    Keep ‘em coming…

Recycled, sewn up and mailed to me....

Mail coolness from Rebecca Guyver in the U.K.  This piece has sewn scraps of paper and plastic bags.  And to make it even more special, a Jane Austen postage stamp.

Now for iPads!

You can get my artwork on cards, bags, iPhone cases and prints from Society 6.  Now you can get an iPad Case.  And, go to this link for free shipping on iPad cases and most products (valid through April 14, 2003 – midnight PDT)

Hide Some Art in a Book

In December 2010 I did a project inspired by the small bits of ephemera one comes across hidden in old books.  I decided to make some little pieces of art, enclose them in glassine envelopes, add instructions to hide each piece in a book and then mail them all out to different individuals.  Details of the original project can be found in this earlier blog post. 

I have always wanted to expand the project and get other artists involved.  This weekend I worked with my friends at San Francisco’s Correspondence Co-op to create hundreds of more pieces of art, all to be sent out and hidden in books by their recipients.  Pamela Gerard’s blog has more photos and details of the fun we had on Saturday.

Above are shown some of my pieces, MUNI-inspired and full of lines representing the wires that wrap and connect our City.  Below you can see us all working on our pieces, each one was stamped on the back with the message: “Hide some art in a book.”  I stuffed and sealed my envelopes before addressing them.  100 pieces of art are on the way to the post office, but I am not sure who will be receiving which piece.

Remember, if you get some art, just hide it in a book and forget it’s there.  Maybe make some art yourself and send it on to friends.  If you would like a copy of the set of instructions sent out with each piece, you can find the PDF here.  And, yes, I’d be happy to hide a small piece of your art in one of my books too.

Magenta Mail

A bit of coolness in the mail from Holland from the artist Suus in Mokum.