Mail Art

I challenge you to get creative and decorate your own postcard to send to a loved one! What better way to both stay connected and to support your local post office and the USPS than to treat a friend to a pleasant surprise in the mail.

This project is inspired by the artistic movement of “Mail Art” in which artists would send postcards decorated with small scale artworks and/or poems through the postal service as a way to explore alternative and inexpensive ways to distribute and share their art. In the 1960s artist Ray Johnson who is considered to be the first mail artist, sent postcards to his friends that often came with instructions inviting them to add to the artwork and send it along to someone else. Since then many notable artists have participated in the movement. Throughout his career conceptual artist Sol LeWitt exchanged a number of postcards with longtime friend Lucy Lippard. Fifteen Postcards (see image below) is made up of fifteen cards that were individually mailed over a period of fourteen days. Each part of a larger multi-card drawing, when all put together the postcards present all possible combinations of yellow, black, red, and blue.

To get started on your mail art, find a piece of cardboard that is roughly 5 x 6 in. This will be your postcard with your letter on one side and your art on the other. Next, take a look around your house for any collage materials (magazines, tissue paper, newspaper, construction paper, stickers—artist’s choice!), glue (or tape or mod podge) and scissors. Now take the time to sift through your collage materials and use your scissors to cut out anything that catches your eye. Once you have cut out all of your pieces, you can start to put together a composition on the front of your postcard. Arrange your cut out words and images on the front of your postcard and when you are happy with your design, glue each piece onto your cardboard. When the glue is dry, you can then take a marker(s) and add any final touches you may think your mail art needs (optional). Finally, write your lovely message on the reverse of your postcard—don’t forget to address and stamp your letter—and find a mailbox or stop by the post office to send your magical mail art on its way!

Suggested Materials:

-5 x 6 in piece of cardboard

-Collage materials (magazines, newspaper, tissue paper, construction paper, stickers, etc.)

-Scissors (to cut out your collage materials)

-Glue (or mod podge or tape)

Below see Ray Johnson’s, Sol LeWitt’s, and my mail art!

Happy Making!