Latest Textile Design

I still need to iron this out, but was excited to show the results.

Most Recent Art Furniture Piece

The Only Thing Worth Doing at the Mall on Black Friday

The Mannequin Challenge is a viral Internet video trend where people remain frozen in action like mannequins while a video is recorded, usually with the song "Black Beatles" by Rae Sremmurd playing in the background.

#mannequinchallenge

Stone Walls

“Sometimes we seek that which we are not yet ready to find.” 
― Libba Bray, Rebel Angels

Your secret corridor,

Your foggy fiction,

Could only live

In suspense.

Your grey-faced

Fiddling

With

Maybe,

Degraded walls

Of stone

And bone.

Softness on either side

Was lost

As you

Measured

The width

Of meaning

And miscalculated

The price of

Closing your

Eyes.

Your story

Had no clear exits

And entrances,

Just the way you liked--

Hanging in mid-air,

Unfettered by

Gravity,

And speculation,

Your mind aptly directed

Each twist and turn.

Bricks of

Red clay and

Robin’s Eggs,

Were sound

Here, yet

Unsecured boards

And expanding cracks

Still found you.

You scoured
The perimeter

Wondering  what

Got loose?

You sent up flares

To spot your

Uncooperative

Creation.

You found a way

To contain

The animal.

You hid it inside

Thick folded notes

Turned over and over,

Dusted

With grains

Of hourglass

Sand.

Diane Keys 11/2016

Inanimate Symphony or Things to Do when you are bored and broke

You Know You Famous .....

I can add this to my list of Fictitious Diane Identities from the rumor mill.

I LOVE this one, it is a serious first and gives me MAJOR STREET CRED cuz that's the world I live in!!

Primo fictitious identities to date:

  dominatrix
(could of made a LOT of money with that one--think people were hoping I was)
I had a toddler at the time, so the playpen must have been my inflatable dungeon used between naps

Undercover FBI
no real explanation for that one

and now
 Heroin addict

 At least they think I'm recovering and on methadone, which is apparently the same as ADD meds for kids--who knew? 

I even have SYRINGES!!  

Used to shoot up my diabetic cat with insulin

oh and
Cult Leader
Now THAT one is true!!  Viva la Dkult! 
Living Your Life so You Don't have to!!
JOIN TODAY!! We have good soup!!

what are the BEST rumors out there about you?

As long as people are talking about you-you still famous!!

Video Journal--Speechless

Video Journal: Invalid Response

Video journal -- It's normal

Mail Art to the Hobbit

Was driving one day and saw the most amazing thing. On what looks to be its own large plot of land was this:

I wanted to know the mind behind this magical and creative construction and then I noticed the adorable little mailbox!  I decided that I just HAD to send mail art to the Hobbit who lived here. I hoped for a return, but didn't really expect one. 

This is the letter I wrote:

Then lo and behold, I received an envelope from.....the Hobbit!!!!

Such a beautiful card and note. I wasn't even sure the Hobbit spoke English much less could write! I am anxious to write again as I have so many questions.

I will update here if I get another response!!!

Video Journal--Brainless

Video Journal--Off Brand Lightning Bug

Visual Journalling --White Out

SAVE THE DATE!!!!

My Conversation with John Bennett

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.

Newest Home Decor Piece 4Sale --flower/plant holder

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

Recycled Shutter Table

Table made from salvaged materials

Coca Cola Home Decor

Met Richard Canard and all I Got Was an Amazing Experience!! AND a T-shirt!! PART III

Here are the 'poems' I took from the Take a Poem, Leave a Poem wall. I found the paint chip somewhere between Carbondale and Illusion.

Many have asked where RC makes his elevated fortune cookie wisdom cards and other genius? ( I always thought it would be so cool to be a professional fortune cookie writer). He makes mail art magic with a "C" right at this same kitchen table. The video doesn't want to work but trust me, it is genius.

LP  is a warehouse of fascinating information given that she is in the medical field.  She shared the mind bending fact over (or after ) dinner that, "Viruses are not alive." 

Viruses can take down human beings and yet they are not even living things. hmmm.  And we think we are the most glorious creation on the planet? I guess the virus and the cockroaches rule the world. They are more ruthless and resourceful than all of us combined. 

Hopefully our mail art activities have earned us a special place in mail art heaven--never ending rolls of stamps and no need to look up addresses. 

This is how LP is. She interjects comments that make you stop and think, although usually they are things you would rather not think about, but then you are glad you did i.e. "everyone and everything dies". She is like a bubbly, sassy, fun, funny, whacky, mail art making Morticia.

I feel a little more prepared if I ever go on Jeopardy, "I'll take 'Dead Things that Kill" for 500". And she supplied me with  supporting facts and visuals too. She is thorough.

****VIRUSES HAVE CUT PART III SHORT******

RC has two sons. One of them at least creates art. He challenged his son to create art on different surfaces/objects/materials i.e. lightbulbs, rubber, wood such as this:

Gorgeous hand painted chunk of wood by Son Canard

Note from our sponsors:  

Just a reminder that this GENUINE RC TRASH IS FOR SALE!

Send money, ask questions later. All proceeds go to fund Camp Canard

I then decided it was time to start my hard hitting interview with RC based on the questions submitted online. I don't think he is the kind of person that likes to be put on the spot, but he kindly cooperated after I told him he was fulfilling my fantasy of being a reporter. 

I looked through a bucket of black pens for one to write with. As with all of us, the odds were NOT good of finding one that worked. Most were fine tip. I got lucky after the first few, but like I do at home, for some reason just threw the dead ones back in the box. Apparently RC does the same. Maybe we think they are just being moody and will come back to life another day.

We learned that RC's Mother put him in tap dancing as a child. He went to a military academy where he played football, a "stupid game" he called it, and eventually went to school for art.

In a world before identity theft, their student number was their social security number. He called East Tennessee State University "Hairy High School", which I believe meant that it wasn't a a great school. I wonder why RC had "No Activity Privileges"? I would so love to have had that stamp. 

Maybe this is what started his love of pontificating with paper and pen. And does it need to be said how incredibly good looking of a man he is? He is the utmost gentleman. I did not hear him swear one single time and believe he is quite conservative personally, but then again, I would imagine he was quite the ladies' man. Only RC knows. 

He said this was his version of selfies-fun with photo booths and I adore the idea. John Evans also used a lot of photo booth selfies in his work.

 Please don't ever draw this bunny

The one with the mask is terrifying.

First Off I asked him how he got into mail art. He said he read an article in the New York Times about this artist that had an open call to correspond with him via letters. RC was very into writing letters so sent to him. He figured he was a nobody, so was surprised when this accomplished artist wrote him back. He said RJ included a list of other people for RC to mail to.

This began the eternal network and from what I hear, many of our beloved mail artists were part of this i.e. Picasso Gaglione.  Their friendship grew and led into our first question:

"How did you get into making fake RJs?" 

He said someone (sorry don't know specific names maybe he can clue me in) said that all of them were just making RJ fakes. Thus RC was inspired to make this true literally. He copied his style of using weathered cardboard and I think did a damn good job.

 He even has a stamp that says "Fake Ray Johnson"

This is a series of rat traps with envelopes tucked under skeletons arms. Mail Art for life or a slave to the need to make mail art was his point I believe. He gave me one of these and everything RC gives away, he personalizes like someone at a book signing. It is beautiful.

I made this necklace out of the bones RC gave me.

RC brought out box after box while LP and I were high on mail art crack. This is why we stayed until 2am and there was STILL more to see. His rubber stamp collection was incredible. Many were originals he had made. Another box were stamps all related to christianity, an interest of his. He let me have a jesus one that is a near-perfect of Trashpo Jesus.

This particular box contained T-shirts he had either made or were sent to him.

He gave Mason this one.

He got one from Ray Johnson and told us that there were only 2 in existence. But I can't remember what that one was!  I DO remember that many were visual depictions of his punny sense of humor. They were mash-ups of Cartoon characters with heads and bodies exquisite corpsed (Donald Duck head on Mickey Mouses' Body).  He had a classic Farrah Faucett picture (feathered hair, pre-mud roll) with the word "Rocky" on it. 

We moved into the living room after our successful feed the Richard event in which the only casuality was a dish towel that I accidentally lit on fire. He said he hadn't eaten like that in forever. His kitchen is probably still remaining a ghost town as he goes to his sisters' house to eat when he doesn't eat out or use the microwave.

The living room was very dimly lit. He keeps it looking very cave-like. I half expected bats to fly out, but the only thing that flew out was mind blowing collections from his plethora of boxes such as this intriguing one:

 And yes it WAS ful

Because the lighting was bad, the quality of these photos is less than idea, but worth posting.

This is a piece of mail art sent to him by William T. Wiley about him (williamtwiley.com).

John Evans book featuring mail art ephemera sent out by John Bennett that was circulating in the network. His bits ended up in many collages, however, none were shopping lists (John Evans Collages -The Quantuck Lane Press 2004).

 If at first you don't succeed, don't try again.

John Evans Collage that I happen to love because I love black cats.

 A RC piece  "Rabbit Urinating"

 It really bothers me that this photo didn't come out better. This is an original Ray Johnson that RC purchased.

A photo of a young Ray Johnson.

A photo of a young RC

"When I grow up I want to be a mail artist"

RC is from NC and lived just up the street from where I went to high school at North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. Small world!!

We asked how he came about his mail art moniker Richard Canard. He said there was a whole host of reasons behind it as it developed over time. He said it started when he was a child. When you are first learning to write your name, you always start with your first name. As you progress you usually add one letter of your last name i.e. Richard C. 

In the introduction of John Evans' book, Robert M. Murdock writes:

"Mail artist Richard C. (Richard Craven), a friend of Evans, organized a show at the North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, in 1976, for which one hundred individuals who had received Ray Johnson's mailings, Evans among them, lent works for exhibition...Evans frequently stamps his collages with names and slogans....he favors a rubber stamp reading "Canardada" that someone gave him, alluding at once to a duck (in French, canard), to "canard" in the sense of a false story, to Dada, and to the Canadian mail art group Canadada. This kind of layered meaning and verbal/visual punning is a characteristic shared by Evans, Ray Johnson, Buster Cleveland, and other collage and mail artists. "

RC keeps a binder called his Trash Book. It contains his collection of daily trash finds. He is particularly likely to save things like candy wrappers, stickers, cigarette boxes, and other packaging of course.

 I have NO idea what the thing on the left is. It is either one of those electrode things or a pasty. Do I want to know? No. I mean Yes. LP would know what it is. Particularly if it is bloody.

 I really liked this quote from one of his many books.

 This is an envelope sent to him from Ray Johnson. What is inside?

A nasty pink wig that Ray Johnson had worn then shipped off to tobacco town.

We all have the problem of what to do with all the mounds of mail art we have received over the years. Ray Johnson's solution was to make it mail art. He sent RC this box packed with mail art he had received. I sooooo covet this Brillo Box.

This concludes PART VI