I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Barb Nelis from Redondo Beach, California. She regularly hosts an envelope swap that I’ve had the privilege of participating in and highly recommend it. Barb took some time out of her busy day to answer my Questions for Inquiring Minds. Thank you, Barb!
Barb collates envelopes from her swap
How long have you been doing your envelope swap?
I started my envelope swap about six years ago. After three years I thought I needed a break and took a long sabbatical. I discovered I missed it and restarted my envelope swap two years ago. I just happened to save all the names, snail mail addresses and email addresses of the people who were in my swap. I sent everyone a handmade postcard and e-mailed them saying I was bacccck. I got a huge response. It seems I was missed. Mail art lives! YAY!
What inspired you to start it?
Good question. I am glad you ask, maybe it will help another fellow artist start their own swap. I have been in many swaps through the years. Altered books, Artist’s Trading Cards (ATC), postcards, deco’s, envelopes, you name it, I swapped it. But there were always rules, rules, and more rules. Some of the rules were very strict too. Like when they had themes. Who wants ten postcards of Alice In Wonderland going down the rabbit hole? What’s the point?
The last straw was when I got kicked out of the Goddess ATC swap. Yep. That was me. I was a millimeter off one or two of the cards. Apparently the swap meister measured each and every card. That is the day I said “I am starting my own swap.” Everyone will be welcome, newbies, advanced artists, whoever wants to play. There will be no “themes”. No sizes. All sizes of envelopes are welcome. All media is welcome. My goal is to stamp out “Naked Mail”. Everyone should be having fun and not worry about rules.
What are your favorite creative outlets and what is it you like about them?
My creative outlets are Mail Art, rubberstamping, making collages, Mail Art, knitting, silk ribbon embroidery, quilting, and making journals. I am also writing a book.
What I like about them is they all start from one single item. A piece of paper, a magazine page, some fabric or yarn you found that you can’t live without. The creative idea begins to grow from there. Sometimes the idea does not develop instantaneously but it takes shape and develops in your mind over time.
What do you think about mail art? What is the value of mail art?
I love mail art. I still have the first piece of mail art I ever received and I still communicate with the mail artist. It was a postcard made from a pizza box with some very weird stickers on it. Very clever. When you send a creative piece of yourself through the mail, via snail mail it’s the best. You laugh all the way to the post office (as it usually needs extra postage) and the postal worker always needs a laugh. Would you want their job? And the best part of mail art is when it arrives at the other end and the person says, “How did that go through the mail?” Help me stamp out “naked mail”…..join my swap.
What kind of correspondence do you enjoy? What do you like about letter writing?
Well there’s mail art of course! I like to write snail mail letters and send greeting cards for every kind of occasion. I am the Hallmark Queen. I would never have to buy another greeting card again, but of course, I do. I think it’s important that you have a box or two of nice note paper (with envelopes – hopefully you decorated them), some greeting cards and postage stamps on hand at all times. You will write to family and friends more often. Running out to the store for one card cuts off your creativity, in my opinion.
What do you like about letter writing?
Writing keeps you connected to people. It’s real. You can hold a letter or card in your hand or save it, if you want to. You know the person took the time to think of you and value you. They just didn’t dash off a text message sending you an abbreviated ‘thx’. You have to wonder if they could spare a minute. Have you ever saved an email to put in your journal? Hmmmm.
Do you have a fond memory of letter writing that you’d like to relate?
Yes, I would like to share two memories. My first memory of letter writing was when I was a young girl in Girl Scouts. We had to get a pen pal for a badge we were trying to earn. Our scout leader found names and addresses of other Girl Scouts we could write to. I picked one and we wrote for many years. That was my first experience with letter writing.
The other memory is more recent. A few years ago a friend of mine found a letter I wrote to her in 1959. I was in 8th grade! She kept my letter all those years and mailed me a photocopy of my letter. When I read it I laughed out loud. I write and talk the exact same way I do today.
People often say that email has caused the demise of letter writing. Do you think this is true? Is letter writing dead?
Yes and no. Email has made people lazy. Email is immediate. Snail mail takes time and thought. You have to get out your paper (if you have some), find a nice pen that doesn’t leave blobs all over the paper and of course, you need postage stamps. I would think a lot of people pay their bills electronically, I do. So maybe they don’t have postage stamps and they think “what the heck, I’ll just send an email saying thank you.” If this is the best you can do, it is what it is. But since you ask me and I am not famous for my subtlety, that does not fly with me. That is being lazy and it’s not the right way to respond to someone who did something special for you.
The internet is a valuable resource and I am glad we have it. But for letter writing? No.
Do you have a favorite book or resource you would recommend that is related to letter writing or mail art?
No, I do not have a favorite book regarding letter writing. I had an Emily Post book that I used for many years until it fell apart. She had samples of letters I often used to help me write thank you notes, sympathy notes, etc. I think getting yourself a good book about letter writing is an excellent idea. They are filled with useful ideas about how to write notes and letters.
When I am at a loss for what to say I go to my Hallmark stash and read through my cards. Some cards have pretty profound pearls of wisdom in them. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Just spin what they have to say. Make it sound like you. If you can’t, buy a card and send it. This is the important part, that you acknowledge the gift, party or loss of a love one.
A Mail Art Book? The first place I would go for information is the Internet. Goggle ‘mail art’. Wikipedia has a great definition of mail art. You will be busy for hours on your postal adventure.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to get into the “epistolary arts”?
I have no shame, epistolary arts??? I had to look that word up! Oh, you mean letter writing. Yes, I have a few words to say.
If you want to write, just write. Be yourself. Write like you talk. People will love it. Do not spend thousands on fancy note cards or pens. That comes later when you are hooked. Write to someone you are interested in. Write to me. I would love to hear from you. I will write back to you via snail mail with a decorated envelope! Start writing those thank you notes you owe everybody! Write to people who invited you to their parties too. Tell them thank you for inviting you and you had a nice time (maybe you didn’t) but you owe them a thank you for all the time and preparation it took them to prepare for their party that they invited you to. Everyone appreciates a thank you. Everyone. It will go a long way. Start sending greeting cards. Write a small blurb at the bottom of the card wishing them Happy Birthday or whatever. Slip in a bookmark and tell them “when I saw this bookmark I thought of you.” They will think they received a dozen roses.
Always send a sympathy card. Again, just be yourself. Write from your heart.
Tell us the details of your swap and who is allowed to join?
Everyone is welcome. All media is welcome. Rubberstamp, collage, digital art, hand-draw your work, make your own envelopes (decorate them), whatever, surprise me.
All sizes of envelopes are ok.
Send me 10 decorated envelopes (or 5 decorated envelopes)
They can be all alike or all different. You decide.I will send you 10 (or 5) different envelopes in return.
Include $3 for postage – The next deadline is: March 31, 2009
Send them to:
Barb Nelis
420 North Broadway
Unit # 2
Redondo Beach, CA 90277If you have any questions please contact me – I will be glad to help you: rubberfish@roadrunner.com
Anything else you’d like to add?
I would like to share some websites with you about mail art. You will find some interesting pieces of mail art and hopefully get started sending mail art. Start simple. Make a postcard, write a simple message to the swap meister — you have just started your ‘letter writing’ adventure. It will grow from there.
Mail Art Postcard Exhibition
http://digitalmailart.blogspot.comThe Little Red Mailbox
http://littlemailbox.blogspot.comThe Graceful Envelope
http://calligraphersguild.org/envelope.htmlTemplates to make your own envelopes
http://www.greensneakers.com/
Tags: barb nelis, envelope, envelope swap, envies, Interview, letter writing, letters, Link, mail art, mail artist
This is very cool. I’d never known there were people who swapped like this (although I know of PostCrossing, of course).
Susan Helene Gottfried’s last blog post..Fiction Outtake: Cranberries (The Early Days)
You should try it at least once. It is so much fun!
Thanks for coming across my blog, I will definitely be checking yours out from now on!
Masrupial’s last blog post..75. One World, One Hope.
What a Hoot!!! I’ve never heard of such a swap. But I have received some envelopes from Barb Nelis that are Trip-the-Light-Fantastic! Thanks for sharing your whimsy.
great interview. what a cool project. i love the things she is into. art trading is such a great hobby.
william hessian’s last blog post..White Wall Growth
Wow! Thank you! Reading of your post awakened letter-writer in me. I visualized slow mail as eye-to-eye contact with most precious minutes when pen scrawl over the paper list for not convince something but rejoice at the being and thus to become the best proof of our necessity to communicate- to be not alone. Thank you
I always look forward to receiving mail from you. Your personality shines through each card or letter. Keep ‘em coming.