Still Connected

It has been a long time since I’ve posted anything here. I do not want to write about this period of Covid 19. I have many thoughts and emotions; all mixed and ranging from anger to gratitude. So that’s all I’ll say.

One thing for sure though is that as for many of us, the appreciation for human connection is ever more appreciated.

Whilst the lock-down has disallowed meeting in person; there is no force or power that can prohibit being connected ‘in-spirit’ with thought and prayer and on the backs of memory.

I have been busy in my studio, more slowly, but steadily and surely.

One of the processes that I truly love so much, has been that of a postcard exchange. I have been exchanging art-postcards with Joan Martin since October 2012 and with Ana de Vlieg since April 2014.

It is wonderful to receive these cards (usually in person, over a cup of coffee and or meal shared) where we each in turn respond to the image on the front of the card, and to the message behind. The cards have come to be a recording; a map of our lives and which solicits memories of both joy and pain.

It is interesting to see how themes have emerged; themes of colour; subject matter and of concept. The cards too, reveal a friendship between creatives; and a creativity between friends.

Joan and I exhibited the first ‘series’ of our exchange in 2014 as part of our exhibition ‘Understory’. We expect to exhibit the full series again; especially since we near the ONE HUNDRED mark. My last card replied to Joan was card no. 91

We won’t reveal all the cards ‘till we’ve exhibited them as a whole. For now though, here is a glimpse of a few of mine exchanged with Joan.

Pink Blooms and Sienna Earths - 2017 May

My friend Ana and I started exchanging Mail-Art (postcards) in April of 2012.  

With no-thanks to the (un)reliability of the SA Postal Service, we cannot post these through 'the system'.  This means that we 'have to' meet to handover our cards.  So where we can, it's usually over a cuppa and sometimes lunch.

Ana loves all-things-bright; bright blooms and colourful prints. She is as bright in life too. I on the otherhand tend towards the earth tones.  

Looking back over at our cards, and the photos of some of our exchanges, it is evident that Ana's love for bright and happy colours must be influencing me positively.

You can see the images of our exchange on my facebook artist page - Lara Mellon Artist

Don't Run

Our much-longer-than-anticipated transition period (whilst we build our new home) could have had me feeling like running away often I'm sure .... if it weren't for creating art, in whatever form.  

Joan and I have been exchanging mail-art (postcards) since 2012.  Recently our friend Ana De Vlieg has also begun exchanging with us. I will blog about our postcards too.

It is the most wonderful thing, to have this connection, and a good reason too to meet over a cuppa and occassionally over dinner. I look as forward to receiving a new card as I do to responding with one.

We often include portraits and other images from the Sktchy App that Joan introduced us to.

I have loaded all of Joan and my postcards right from 2012 so you can see them here on my Lara Mellon Artist Facebook Page.

My last postcard was digitally printed from an oil painting that I did in response to a beautiful image off Sktchy.

You can also see some of these images on my Instagram link.  

A really great aspect of the postcards is that they're 'in-conversation' so have personal meaning and create a record of where we've 'been at'.  They are also experimental so we get to stretch ourselves a bit with a playful approach and the connection with another artist-friend is invaluable.

So, there's no need for me to run off anywhere .... these exchanges keep me relatively sane, and certainly hopefull and looking forward.