Lost in the Mail

I'm hoping one of my most recent projects doesn't gall the US Postal Service too much. Above and below are images of my test case for the Missives. The Missives are 4x6" mashups of my pre-digital life. As I make these little works, I'll be randomly sending them out to friends, family and strangers alike. They are collages of various multiples of snapshots, bad or blurry photos and other misc. material. I was doubtful that this one would make it through at all. There was a sliver of thickly cast latex paint at the top which I knew would not have made it through the sorting machines. I was surprised and pleased that less than 3 days later, sans the latex paint and one collaged wedge of photo. Impressive service. I tend to produce a lot of stuff work, and it tends to pile up sometimes. This piling up is part of my process - sort of like aging a wine or a cheese. At some point either the work or I am mature enough to finally administer the coup d' grace and reach a "completion" for the piece.
But it's refreshing to put something together and ship it out straight away. To share it more directly and immediately. The Missives are part of my renewed initiative to share my work more immediately. Each Missive is numbered and archived on my website, along with the date I mailed it and the zip code to whence it was sent.

If you, dear reader, are interested in being added to the club of random Missive recipients, shoot me an email with your mailing address at info[at]christopheralbert[dot]com and you too can intermittently, and unexpectedly be blessed with a little blessing of strangeness in your mailbox..

Ellenville Promenade

I took a little drive to Ellenville, NY yesterday. I'll be one of the artists participating in the 10x10x10 project this year and my jaunt was an initial scouting trip to get the lay of the land. Now entering its fourth year, 10x10x10 is an storefront exhibit has followed the formula of 10 artists from 10 Hudson Valley communities in ten vacant storefronts---although this year, one of the artists hails from Texas.
I originally met 10x10x10 organizer Judy Sigunick last year when she came to Beacon to participate in the Windows on Main St. panel discussion. Here are some of the sights as Judy, Rhinebeck artist Elizabeth Peters and her daughter and I did our walkthrough.
What am I going to do for the project? I don't know. I've got a list of various ideas and concepts growing right now. What I do know is that my installation/project will have different components that I want to evolve and transform through the run of the exhibit.
The project opens on July 11 and it will run through the end of October.