Postmarked 2012: Postmarked Update

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Postmarked Update | September 11

Postmars from inmates at San Quentin, CA and El Paso, TX and lots of great local artists. We also received mail from Paris, Maine, New York and Chicago.

Ray Ho, San Quentin, CA | No. 185

Missoula, MT | No. 186

D.F. Steffer, Rochester, NY | No. 187

Richard Canard, Carbondale, Illusion | No. 187

Arlene Moreno, Rancho Cucamonga, CA | No. 188

Postmark Unknown | No. 189

C. Rizuto, Sunnydale, CA | 190

Claudia K., Santa Ana, CA | No. 191

Cherie Savoie, Norco, CA | No. 192

Cherie Savoie, Norco, CA | No. 193

Cherie Savoie, Norco, CA | No. 194

Cherie Savoie, Norco, CA | No. 195

Rolf Kissman, San Quentin, CA | No. 196

D. F. Steffer, Ontario, NY | No. 197

D. F. Steffer, Ontario, NY | No. 198

D. F. Steffer, Ontario, NY | No. 199

Ashley Russell, Postmark Unknown | No. 200

Ashley Russell, Postmark Unknown | No. 201

Claudia K. | No. 202

Claudia K. | No. 203

Lovebird K., Greensboro, NC | No. 204

Robert Regalado, Lancaster, CA | No. 205

Artist & Postmark Unknown | No. 206

Denise R., Waterville, ME | No. 207

Gary Harvell, San Quentin, CA | No. 208

PermaDirt Mail Art Workshop, Claremont, CA | No. 209

Armando Peralta, E.P. C.J.A., El Paso, TX | No. 210

Herve Alexandre, Paris, France | No. 211

Judith Mangianeli, Garden Grove, CA | No. 212

Cherie Savoie, Norco, CA | No. 213

PermaDirt Mail Art Workshop, Claremont, CA | No. 214

Artist & Postmark Unknown No. 215

Armando Peralta, E.P.C.J.A., El Paso TX | No. 216

Artist & Postmark Unknown No. 217

Artist & Postmark Unknown No. 218

Gary Harrell, San Quentin CA | No. 219

History of Postmarked

The Prison Library Project receives hundreds of letters every week from inmates across the country. These letters (and envelopes), requesting books and dictionaries, are often beautifully illustrated. In the spirit of these talented prison artists the Postmarked show was created, using the envelope as a canvas to create and share mail art.

The art of letter writing and the use of "snail mail" is on the decline, a casualty of the electronic age. But who among us would not smile if we received a letter in our mailbox? Who wouldn't thrill to find art instead of junk mail and bills?

The Postmarked show is a chance for all of us to reconnect with the magic of "snail mail" while helping a population whose voice, if heard at all, is limited to the humble envelope, letter and pen.

Call for Mail Art

Requesting your original mail art for display and sale to raise funds for The Claremont Forum's Prison Library Project (PLP). The PLP is a prison book and literacy program which sends thousands of books, study aids, educational and spiritual resources to inmates nationwide.
Please send submissions of mail art of any size and medium to:

Postmarked 2012
Prison Library Project
112 Harvard #303
Claremont, CA 91711

Submissions accepted June 25, 2012
Deadline is September 30, 2012

Note: ONLY the side with the official USPS Postmark/barcode will be displayed. Your mail art may be painted, stamped, collaged, printed, and/or otherwise decorated or constructed. It may be any shape and size that will go through the mail and receive an official postmark. It may get worn or torn through the mail, but the handling process is an important part of the theme. Only the side with the postmark can be displayed, due to space limitations, but the art doesn't have to be limited to that side. You may include any message inside the envelope, which will be opened only by the person who purchases the art envelope. You may submit more than one piece… and begin sending now!