Katerina Nikoltsou (35)

In the title I counted nr 35, although that is incorrect: Katerina has made and send me much more great and very much appreciated mail art. Only lack of time made me publish just a few pieces of mail art in the past years.

This Whale in Space is one of the examples of Katerina's wonderful mail art works, mixed media (acryl paint, collage) and caused a big smile on my face, as big as the whale's smile. Thank you very much, Katerina!

Gin

Great portrait, drawn by Gin.

And an add and pass:



Thank you very much, Gin!

Stripygoose (13)

I think I've written more than once before that I am behind in posting my received (and outgoing) mail art (and replying to it). This way I sometimes post newly received items first, and many times I go back and forth, to post mail art received longer time ago.

So these great birds by Stripygoose I already received in March, almost half a year before receiving the previously posted birds.
The landscape makes me long for vacation, and the close-up bird makes me almost hear this bird sing!



Thank you very much, Stripygoose!

Micu (6)

Happy Worms and searching Birds, watched by her, and added to my 'what or whom is she staring at?' card by Micu.

This year, Micu has a wonderful mail art project, themed endangered animals. Please check her website and join!



The stamp shows Penguins, the European Ground Squirrel, and real braille.

Thank you very much, Micu!

Antonia Mayol (5)

Also best wishes for this New Year I received from Antonia Mayol Castelló from Spain.

The animal - besides Humans - which gives me an alibi to post her great mixed media mail art is this Rooster:



I used to create origami chicken like this (and when I folded the legs inwards, it became a Duck).

This Rooster isn't alone, together with Bella Lola he shows up in this composition:





See more art by Antonia on her blog.



Muchas gracias, Antonia!

Ruth Giles

Ruth Giles created a variety of animals in a variety of ways. The Comb Jelly she drew on black paper, which has an effect as amazing as the real illuminating animal must have (this scanned picture shows less than half of the bright light her drawing has).

Meanwhile this Right Whale has been drawn in a different way, and he or she swims in an interesting environment.



And look at this rubberstamp printed Crow!



And the wonderful Cavias (Guinea Pigs), of which I'm wondering how she stamped these.



The envelope shows more interesting and well-known animals, on both rubberstamps and postage stamps.



Thank you very much, Ruth!

Tonipoet (6)

The Komodo Varanus (or Komodo Dragon) always has fascinated me, and I am happy to receive this (presently largest) lizard, created by Tonipoet.

She created a pretty envelope around it, too. I am fond of cartoons and animation movies, so always happy to receive envelopes like this. It is from a movie which I didn't see though (I only saw part 1), 'How to train your Dragon 2'.



Thank you very much, Toni!

Katerina Nikoltsou (20)

A nice envelope arrived from Katerina's place. Greek Post has interesting Bird stamps: Origami Birds!



This wonderful Mail Owl is part of the back side of the envelope:



Inside a great piece of mixed media mail art.

The front side I already posted in the IUOMA 'Onions' group.
On the back side these tiny Elephants. And note the artistamp by Keith Chambers:



And of course the famous goddess Pallas Athena.

Thank you very much, Katerina!

Richard Baudet (4,5,6,7,8,9)

Richard Baudet added a lot of great findings to my 'add and return' project named "What or whom is she staring at?".
In some of the returned mail art Animals play an important role. Those of course belong here, although I'll post them on the IUOMA site, too.

I've showed one here before. Meanwhile Richard has caused more than once more smiles on my face,by, among them, the added-to-and-returns you can see here.











Thank you very much, merci beaucoup, Richard!

Grethe Bjørnhaug

This beautiful mixed media spring Chicken has been created by Grethe Bjørnhaug from Danmark.



The outside of the envelope appears to be a home to Fish. On the back side a beautiful rubber stamp printed one, and less lucky fish in front, on the postage stamps.



Grethe also added the answer to my question: 'What is she staring at?'.
An elephant, of course!



Thank you very much, mange tak, Grethe!

Dean, Artist in Seine (4)

'He keeps on smiling' was the first thing that came in mind when I received Remy, trapped in a real mouse/rat trap!
The second thought which came into mind was 'wow, how good this piece - and how did all mail traveling with it - survive(d) the postal roads?!'.

The good news is that this mouse trap cannot hurt mice and rat anymore, as this will become part of my archieves (until the mice and rats will start to eat my mail art archieve).

Many thanks to Dean, Artist in Seine, who often challenges the Postal systems. And who is a bar code artist, too. See this detail on the back:



And just now I see the French stamp has playing people on it:



The message on the back is a chocolate-related one. Always good, as I love (milk) chocolate:



Truely hope Dean won't set a human trap, as I think it obvious who ate the chocolate. Not Remy, as he loves haute cuisine! (Heleen wiping off traces of chocolate from her face)

And here's the complete back side:



Thank you very much, Dean!

Paloma Paprika

Great mail art envelope...



... containing a kind message, at the backside of this interesting human / ape hand collage:



... and goodies and three great mini zines, among them this one:



... of which this is the inside:



... and this one:



... created and sent from Australia by Paloma Paprika. Thank you very much!

Stripygoose (7)

Awesome colourful Bird from Stripygoose.
And on the back anopther Bird, and Butterflies.
Thank you very much!

Katerina Nikoltsou (14)

Katerina Nikoltsou from Greece surprised me with an awesome invention: the Baggy Boekie! A booklet made out of paper bags, so with room for more mail art.
She was so thoughtful to add some animals to it, so I have a good reason to post it here! (Or was it the 100 euros with which she bribed me to do so? :-) )



I always love to see Katerina's Mail Pigeon. And of course the other animals, a Hummingbird on the front side (see above), and a frog:



And - watch out for them, dear birds and frog! - inside two cats:





And inside the inviting small envelope she added washi tape in my favourite colour!
Thank you very much, Katerina!