New and Improved

New stamp designs - all ©09 Evertson

Signs, symbols, letters, numbers, pictographs, glyphs, runes, hieroglyphics, etc; I spent the past week primarily on my Hand ᔓtamp project. there are possibilities in this work that goes beyond my original thought of a seal or chop. As shorthand picture or idea stamps, I see that they form tiny addenda or tangents somewhat similar to the way a traditional oriental chop may work to express an ideogram that completes a subject. In the sketchbook they seem to run in series of word or picture associations. Three letter words: WOW, HOW, NOW. Four letter words: VERSO, EXIT. Magic squares to tic tack toe to checkerboards to see saws. CHAOS to ARTIFACT to moon with clouds. Free association on a small scale, similar to the way I deal with collage whether on the computer or cut and paste.

Probably the fundamental skill of artists in general is this associative ability and translation of the idea via the artist's media. Poets and musicians come to mind as well. In science there is the famous example of August Kekule discovering the structure of benzine after a dream of an ouroboros.

New stamp designs - all ©09 Evertson

Ouroboros: bottom middle

So for the time being I am continuing on the association path and letting the tangents travel as they will. Free association, automatic writing or chance. Perhaps a pattern will appear; or at least the appearance of pattern.

I tend to wake up with a few ideas and sketch them for later workup on the computer. I work the designs at 2x scale as the stamp bottom I'm working with is small, about an inch (2.5cm). The carving time depends on the design; from 30 minutes to over an hour. After the hand is carved I paint on a resin hardener before testing the design. When I'm satisfied with the design I apply more hardener to the hand's surface as well as coloring with pigmented wax and paint.

construction of box - clasp in foreground

Completed cork box for "initial" stamp - Evertson©09

I worked up a small box for one of my initial stamps (WᴹE)

using binders board covered with cork. I carved the small wooden clasp that is attached to the box with fine braided copper wire. The box is lined with felt. The box took so much longer to make than the handstamp contents it makes me wonder how the boxes that hold my traditional stamps are made. People working for pennies a day? The small clasp boxes are sometimes quite the works of art in themselves. I'm still working on the overall concept of where this project is going but after working on the box I've decided they could only be offered on a limited basis. (if..if..if)

Around the World Mail Art

Artist and photographer Ginny Lloyd sent a postcard based on a selection from her book GINA LOTTA POST. Ginny is involved with mail art, visual poetry, artist books and artistamps among a host of other activities. Plus she's about to move to Jupiter. (Florida)

Ginny Lloyd - "Homage to Poland"

From Luxembourg, artist Branka Djordjevic′ sent a small painting from her "Little Pieces" series. The series was begun in 2000; this example is painted on paper and mounted to mat board. Very lush and textured.

Branka Djordjevic′ - "Little Pieces"

Many thanks for the art surprises in my mail!!