FROM EXHIBITION WALLS TO LETTERBOXES

Last year, as part of my exhibition at Arts University Plymouth, I painted ten vintage postcards with a bold metamorphosing pattern. Each postcard was part of a larger, unified artwork, yet could also exist individually. I chose postcards from Plymouth, the show’s location, so they could become small souvenirs of the event. Hunting for them was just as fun as painting them. Looking through shops and hoping each had a story on the back added its own excitement.

I invited visitors to the exhibition to nominate someone to receive a postcard, creating a moment of shared participation. Then the MA show, hand-ins, and life took over, and the postcards remained unsent.

Over a year later, and in the spirit of Christmas, I’ve finally sent them. The idea has shifted slightly. Rather than going to the friends nominated, I decided to send them to the people who nominated them, as a thank-you for joining the project and supporting the work. Sending them now is a small gesture, but one that reflects the heart of the project: sharing, inviting participation, and connecting through art.

If a postcard has arrived for you this Christmas, I hope it brings a smile and reminds you of where you first encountered the artwork.

I’m planning to do this again next year. If you’d like to be in the running to receive an art postcard, make sure you’re on my email list. That’s where I’ll choose next year’s recipients.