Beginner's - ArtTrader Magazine
Beginner's - ArtTrader Magazine
Beginner's - ArtTrader Magazine
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Art TRADER<br />
m a g a z i n e<br />
Has Mail Art had an impact on you as an artist?<br />
What a question. It’s more like: How has Mail Art NOT impacted<br />
me as an artist—and a person?<br />
I never considered myself an artist at all until I found success<br />
and acclaim with my bears, after which I slowly let in that I might,<br />
possibly, be good at soft sculpture. It took me a while to really<br />
embrace the idea that I might be an actual “artist” in that realm.<br />
The idea that I might someday be an artist in another realm, in a<br />
more traditional sense, never even occurred to me until I found<br />
mail art. I recognize that I’m still finding my legs, my voice, in flat<br />
art; I don’t think I’m as far along the 2D artist path as I am with my<br />
bears, even after several years of trading and practicing. But even<br />
taking baby steps, I’m progressing, and I can feel it unfolding in<br />
front of me. I can see the growth potential. I can look at my flickr<br />
and see how far I’ve already come, even though I think I have so<br />
far left to go. Here’s a telling admission: I used to do pencil sketch<br />
portraits of my friends back in college. But I literally never put color to my drawings, ever, in my life, until<br />
I made my first ATC. I kid you not.<br />
I love the people I’ve met, trading art. I love their varied visions: their unique voices, their divergent<br />
histories. I love learning new things, and stretching myself. It’s amazing, but truly, I see things with<br />
new eyes! I’ve discovered so many things I never knew I could do, talents I never knew I had, which<br />
is so affirming. I’ve had opportunities to write and publish articles and participate on jury panels since<br />
becoming a part of the mail art community. And I’ve made real friends who send me real artworks<br />
which make my world more beautiful, and more broad. I even wrote a book, COLOR: A Collaborative<br />
Perspective, which I self-published on Lulu. All these things are direct outgrowths of my involvement<br />
with the Mail Art community. It’s been absolutely life-expanding.<br />
I don’t think it’s an overstatement to credit Mail Art with making my world measurably happier, bigger,<br />
and better.<br />
Long live the ATC!<br />
Find Shelli on the web at:<br />
www.potbellyarts.com<br />
eMail: Info@potbellyarts.com<br />
Blog: www.potbellyarts.typepad.com<br />
Etsy: www.potbellyarts.etsy.com<br />
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