Sunday, May 29, 2016

Chicago Fluxfest 2016!!

May, 26 2016 DO IT NOW exhibit at the Joan Flasch Artistbook Library, School of the Art Institute of Chicago


I sent in my collection of found correspondence and a tribute piece to Richard Canard--24 anchovy tins with a stamped image inside. The stamp is a half person/half fish and I called them "Fish Chics" and "Manchovies". I did not take pictures in my haste to get them mailed before the deadline.

 I also sent a long knife, but that didn't make it into the show as it scared Keith Buchholz and I totally get that. At least it will forever be in the archive.


 I was only able to make it to one day of the fluxfest, but it was an amazing experience. I feel like I was able to go back to kindergarten.

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Sunday, May 22, 2016

Met Richard Canard and All I Got Was an Amazing Experience!! Finale

Well our first year of the "Feed the Richard" event went extremely well. 


This is the final installment documenting this territable event.

Before I visited Richard Canard, I asked for questions from mail artists. 

I prepared for my big interview by stuffing myself with awkwardly paired desserts. 

I knew this wasn't going to be easy. 

It was like pulling shark teeth to get the answers out of him, but here it is-- everything you ever wanted to know about RC, but were too afraid to ask --possibly embellished for entertainment purposes, but probably not.

(The names of the question posers have been omitted in case they disprove the adage that there is no such thing as a stupid question. )

It has been some time now so I might have forgotten some things, so I hope dear Lucky Pierre can fill in!

1. What is your favorite vegetable?

Squash. My Mother wasn't a fan of cooking, and this was the easiest for her to make.


2. Do you remember your dreams? Any recurring ones? Any in which you have superpowers?

Generally No. Now and then I will remember my dreams. If I spent more time concentrating I might be able to (remember dreams), but generally the world takes over.

3. Where were you when you found out Ray Committed Suicide?

At home in Thomasville, NC. Someone must have called me or I heard it on the news.

4. Pepsi or Coke?  Coke. RC admires the design, but he likes Kombucha. I think he also said he likes coffee, tea, and beet juice. Really not sure on the beat juice thing.

5. What do you do with your time?

I go through magazines, watch and feed the birds, watch some tv-which CAN include Jerry Springer, the History channel and NatGEO, etc.

6. Have you ever bought anything JUST because you wanted to use it for mail art?

Yes.  (I don't remember the story exactly but he bought okra to use as a pun for a mail artists' name--something like Okakroke)

7. What are some things you did as a child?

Tap dancing, cub scouts, choir, piano , football--the regular stuff. Then ended up going from Military School to Art School.

8. What is your advice to a teen searching for direction ?

Continue to be who you are. Continue to do what you are doing.

9. What did you want to be when you grew up?

No Idea.

RICHARD  is ever the diplomat and a wonderful phrase he uses is:

"He/She has great skills that cover a wide range of territory."
"Expresses him/herself well and covers a wide range of territory."

Other quote I remember with no remembered context:

"I am not as smart as Donald Trump"

Random things I wrote down and wish I remembered what they meant:

slug garden          wrote RJ we put blue food coloring in the grits and I poured beet juice on the rice

Alaska (Bear) bare arms         NY Correspon "dunce" School       Western Carolina U

Rev Richard C, the minister  paw paw seeds   Hairy High


Sister Karita Pop Images      Cherokee    Green Salad    Cullowee   Valley of the Lily  Station 11


We left Richards' house at 2 AM ish and decided to drive through the night as Mason had work the next day.

THIS CLIP BEGINS WITH ADVICE FROM RICHARD CANARD TO ALL MAIL ARTISTS EVERYWHERE!!

...followed by rare footage of carbondale at 2:30 am.

And the big finish is the stylings of THE Amazing MRS. Lucky PIERRE!!!!!

Lucky Pierre is kind of like a djinn, or genie--a talisman, a good luck charm, but that is all I can say.

She is a MASTERFUL "hooper" as she called it. I didn't realize that was a 'thing' anymore. She is amazing at it.

Doesn't it make you want to run out and grab a hoola hoop and try it? Actually I DID try it, and I suck.

She takes it with her wherever she goes, and plans on teaching hooping at Camp Canard. I think she is calling it "Hoops for Dupes".



Well, this is the end of the lotsofparts story of how I met Richard Canard and Lucky Pierre.

I loved meeting them both very much as they both express themselves well and cover wide ranges of territory.

I can rest easy now that Richard was fed.

Feeding the Richard was brought to you by the creators of the (tm) Lucky Pierre (tm) line of hoola hooping exercise gear and fashion accessories