FeMail Artists - West Coast Correspondence Art School

There is some discussion about where this was taken but it is late 80s. I know because I am wearing a fave work outfit. Think it was Judy Hoffberg who took the  photo.

The Most Dada Thing: Neo-Dada in San Francisco

Tuesday, November 1, 2016 through Saturday, December 31, 2016
San Francisco Public Library, Skylight Gallery, 6th Floor, 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco, California, 94102

The San Francisco History Center's SF Punk Archive and Book Arts & Special Collections are pleased to present The Most Dada Thing, an exhibition of artifacts left behind by the Bay Area Dadaists and the creators of Inter Dada 84. Inter Dada 84 was an internationally attended celebration of the spirit of DADA. It took place over seven days in Sept, 1984 in multiple SF locations, showcasing performances, videos, films, mail art, photography, lectures and carousing.

As part of the SF Dada World Fair my collection of Inter DADA 84 posters, publicity cards, etc and a selection of mail art are on exhibit at the SF Library's 6th floor Skylight Gallery. It will be available to see through December 31st. Check out the photos at the blog.

Also the book InterDADA84: True DADA Confessions is for sale at City Lights Books or at my online store. Videos are at the Interdada 84 blog.

This exhibit is sponsored by the San Francisco History Center’s SF Punk Archive and Book Arts & Special Collections.

 

Fluxus Toast Score Performance @ Chicago Fluxfest

A COLLECTOR’S THOUGHTS

I’ve been a collector most of my life.  I started out as a child collecting seashells, marbles, comics, stamps, posters, cameras, postcards, etc.  I’ve managed to pare down most of these collections with an over ambitious mother who gave away many of my childhood collections.  Now I am more focused in my collecting practice adding to my largest collection, artistamps {artist made stamps).

by Otto Sherman

I’ve had success obtaining some of the items in my collections on auction sites, have sold some of my own works online and I’ve been happy with the results.  Some tips follow to help a new collector or a refresher for the experienced:

What is your collecting goal?

Pick a passion; something you are drawn to; create a focus to your collecting and become knowledgeable of the art, the history, and the artists.  Give it your own point of view. If you choose something unusual you may find your sources may be less yet your finds can be more rewarding.

How will you add to your collection?

If you are on a budget and you make art too, you can trade or barter. You can buy one piece at a time or if you prefer you can acquire whole collections.  Online auctions are great for that. Don’t be shy about asking for a discount.  Senior women artists are considered a good bargain right now.  They have established a track record and usually make high quality art.

by Chuck Welch

How can you attract artists or find them for your collections?  How will you communicate with the artists? 

Social media is a wonderful way of locating other like minded collectors and artists.  This includes websites, blogs, online auction sites for fine art like Invaluable, and attending live auctions and exhibitions.  Identify underappreciated artists or underappreciated works by acknowledged artists for other sources of bargains.  

On Facebook you can setup groups on themes to attract like minded members to follow, put out calls for work and host discussions. Some of my best tips have been found online.  Tweet about your interests.  When I first started posting my Gina LottaPost Artistamps Museum and Archive I was surprised by the overwhelming positive response.

What are the benefits of networking?

You may find other collectors who will trade for works by an artist you collect.  Social media is a great place to discover networking events and conferences, and congresses
.

How will you organize and store your collection?

Creating a database at the minimum from the inception of your collection will provide you with more access to the works, information you’ve gathered for notes can be used for provenance and appraisals.

by Steve Smith

Start your archiving of your records from the beginning by creating and maintaining a database of some sort listing your acquisitions, the artist, where they are located, and any other notes that you might want included.  By starting this early it will be easier to maintain instead of creating this database later. It may be more practical to uniquely classify your collections by not archiving each in the same manner.  For instance my film photography is archived completely different from my digital photography based upon the usage and accessibility of the digital. It’s easier to make multiple digital copies for subject files where as the negatives have a contact sheet and a year and subject reference.

©2016 ginny lloyd

How to Beat the Post Office Mail Art Show

How to Beat the Post Office Mail Art Show
Santa Monica College's Art Department - an international mail art exhibition Oct. 15 to Nov. 2, 1979
A lecture on mail art by Judith Hoffberg and a mail-art workshop conducted by Michael Mollett, Jeff Ginsberg, Don Emery and Lon Spiegelman.

William S Wilson (Bill) - 1932 to 2016

Sad news - Bill and I grew up across the river from each other and our families were connected since 1600s. It was Ray who first learned of the connection and brought us together. He was incredibly generous sending me a large box of Ray J postcards and note pads to hand out to workshop participants. I miss him!

This is a test video taken with a drugstore toy camera that shares Bill's fun side.

CHOREOGRAPHY FOR COPY MACHINE (PHOTOCOPY CHA CHA)

Another fabulous copy art film. By Chel White 1991