Nico van Hoorn (3) & Jaap-Aap (1)

Recently I drew the two famous fellows Jaap-Aap and Edmund, and sent it to Jaap-Aap and Nico van Hoorn.
And very soon after, Nico sent me Jaap-Aap's kind reply: a view inside of the Personal Photo Album of Jaap-Aap!



With a nice portrait / whole body picture.



And Jaap-Aap standing in an amazing watery landscape! Fortunately the Bear didn't notice nor ate Jaap-Aap.



Jaap-Aap watched an interesting Bird...



...And did his own laundry!



He also appeared to be an experienced operator of the mixing panel (I was not sure whether Jaap-Aap was mixing sounds or mixing lights, or both, or if he was operating the railway logistics, but after some investigation I found out that Jaap-Aap was making Radio!)



Meanwhile I could enjoy a picture of a pictogram, a person pushing the pedestrian's traffic light button.



And Jaap-Aap started to create Art.

Thank you very much, Jaap-Aap and Nico, hartelijk dank!

Wilma Duguay

When I think of Wilma Duguay, I think of the Sea!
Wilma Duguay sent this beautiful drawing from Canada. When I saw the pencil drawn animal, the first thing that came into my mind was: 'that must be a Sea urchin skeleton!'
Fortunately Wilma wrote the name of this animal next to it. Fortunately, because I never had heard of this animal before: the Sand dollar.

And indeed, this Sand dollar (in Spanish speaking countries also called 'Galleta de mar' - 'Sea cookie') is a curious animal. Read more about this echinoderm (stinged-skin) on wikipedia.

This makes me also wonder about the number '5'. Why, like also Starfish and Sea urchins have, Sand dollars always have a fivefold radial symmetry? (And why do we mammals have five fingers/toes each hand, each foot?)



On Wilma's mail artwork there are more weird Sea animals to see and to enjoy!

Thank you very much, Wilma!


Update November 10th, 2010:

Wilma surprised me with a new letter, and put forward to make this apposite Sea magnet part of the Existing Odd Animals. So here you are!
(I added the back side next to the wonderful Sand dollar, Starfish and Shell.)



This fine work of art (only 5 x 4.5 cms) has been made by Linda Kobera, a painting artist who's pasisonate about miniature art.
More about Linda Kobera you can see on her website.

Again thanks a lot, Wilma!

Carolien van der Gaag

The Heron!
Such a common bird, I always thought, as the heron always is around in our country. In the park, in the zoo (as a free bird, where he/she likes to snatch the zoo animals' food), on top of the street-lights, houses, schools, etcetera.
But this beautiful painting by Carolien van der Gaag changed my mind. The Heron indeed is a weird - and interesting - animal!

I once saw a documentary about the heron in the big city (titled 'Schoffies', which means 'Rascals'). And I'm sure, if I'll see this documentary ever again, thanks to Carolien's choice this will be with a completely different view.

Beautiful also is the completely painted A4 sized envelope.
With on the backside this goose...



... and in front this parrot.



On the backside of the Heron there are a lot more to think about!



Finally, very happy I also am with this mail art postcard! Which shows a cute interaction between the two pictured birds.



Thanks a lot, hartelijk dank, Carolien!