Nicole Eippers (4)

The axolotl is one of my favourite animals. I don't know whether this is because of the name, or because of his/her appearance, or probably both! As a child I had a picture of an axolotl in my animal encyclopedia, and years later, when I saw him/her in a zoo in real, I still thought this an intriguing creature.

Thanks to Nicole Eippers I now received this friendly Axolotl in my mailbox!
Together with, of course, Nicoles famous Flying Pig - Cochon Volant.

Nicole has an ongoing mail art project, see her blog Piggy One Mailart.

Hartelijk dank, merci beaucoup, Nicole, ik ben er blij mee!

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!