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From: the Pen and the Inkwell
Date: 25 Aug 2004
Time: 19:18:09 -0500
Remote Name: 69.224.49.162
Okay, so it was informative, and I loved the illustrations, but I have to say that the intrigue of the Griffin & Sabine trilogy (both of them) captured my attention and demanded that I never put the books down until complete. Not so with Urgent 2nd Class. I did, however linger in the Postcard, and Handwriting & Type chapters. All I can say is thank God for color copiers! I have made collage art with originals before and at times wished that I had stopped 5 minutes earlier. I guess it's better than wishing that as you are cutting someone's hair ... What I am getting at is that when you have a cherished piece of documentation, the only true value after collaging it is to the artist, who knows the sentimental value of what went into the piece. I have no problem using dubious documents in my creations when they are of no sentimental value to me, but as earlier posted, I love to re-read a letter over and over until it is worn. If a smudge of hot chocolate appears on the edge during one of my trips down memory lane - even better, well maybe not better, but I wouldn't panic. However, if I purposefully altered that piece of history in a current mood and returned to it years later, in another mood, the original emotions it provoked would also be altered. That is just not an option to me. I have some letters that I have recently been perusing and was considering putting them in an altered book and adding illustrations, but I couldn't handle even gluing one side of the envelope to the page so I could lift the letters out unharmed. You see, both sides of those envelopes contained precious memories I was unwilling to part with. Nick, you call the risk "a stimulative edge" I call it "ohmiGod! what have I done?!" Okay, I have to admit here, pretty much the only ephemera I use is personal and something that was originally addressed to me. Even when I shop the old antique & used book stores in Monterey, when I hold a postcard that was handwritten, I imagine the excitement the original recipient felt when they went to their mailbox and retrieved it. I buy it for the purpose of using it, then when I get it home, I perish the thought of "defacing" it and end up color copying it. I have a wall shelf that houses unique antique teacups and saucers. There are small drawers below and in each different drawer I have small treasures like spiced pumpkin scented candles, antique postcards, old parlour games and the last houses my trading card collection of a collage swap that I participated in with Julie, Leigh & Nick. People who look in the drawers are always pleasantly surprised at the opportunity to eavesdrop on a conversation by poste from years (now a full century) past. Even my wedding ring is from an estate ... from the 1920's. When I look at it, I imagine the original recipient's heart beating fast as her love proposed to her and the dreams they had before WW2 became a part of their history. Perhaps he was a soldier, she an artist like me. Did they survive? Were any of their letters saved or preserved? Was she as obsessed with getting the paint out of the detailed filigree setting as I am today, or was she the type to take this ring off when she painted or did simple chores like washing dishes? Maybe she had a maid ...? I love making up facinating stories in my head (and sometimes aloud) about people. This is especially fun at Disneyland ... you can never know what interesting story accompanies a person as they are exiting the Monorail ... Anyway, I enjoyed Urgent 2nd Class, it would make a great gift to those who wonder, "how DOES he do it?" Personally, I preferred The Forgetting Room. Respectfully Yours, the Pen and the Inkwell