THE STORY
From 2012-2019 Artisanal Postcards was the arm of the studio that aspired to use the services of the global postal system as a method of distributing art; art that was delivered to and fit in a mailbox. Inspired by the dadaists, it was comprised of two distinct creative nodes: The Random Acts of Mail Art Project and Mail Art Subscription Services.
Through the Random Acts of Mail Art Project (a completely commerce-free endeavor that aligned with the concept of Random Acts of Kindness) over 500 postcards were mailed in 2013 to cities all over the United States and to countries including Australia, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Singapore, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom. Recipients were nominated through social media in an effort to reach out to those creative types who appreciate handmade works and to broaden the audience who might. Nothing was expected in return; it was simply a small creative gesture meant to cut through the noise of daily life.
To read more about The Random Acts of Mail Art Project, visit Design Observer.
Each “artisanal” postcard was a collage with the number in which it was made and titled with found words/phrases pulled out of context from the Real Estate Section of the New York Times. Most of these can be viewed on Instagram @jillstollcollage.
A completed mail art subscription, snail mailed small works of collage in postcard form to longtime subscribers Fins-Markowitz, January - December 2015.
Artisanal Postcards Numbers 1,117 • 1,033 • 1,075 • 1,098 • 1,105 • 1,166 • 1,134 • 1,145 • 1,196 • 1,180 • 1,151 • 1,168
A completed mail art gift subscription, snail mailed small works of collage in postcard form to Elizabeth from her sister Marcia, July 2015 - June 2016.
Artisanal Postcards Numbers 1,142 • 1,154 • 1,252 • 1,161 • 1,189 • 1,203 • 1,193 • 1,237 • 1,221 • 1,279 • 1,286 • 1,175
A completed mail art gift subscription, snail mailed small works of collage in postcard form to Travis from Meghan, December 2014 - November 2015.
Artisanal Postcards Numbers 1,124 • 1,111 • 1,170 • 1,148 • 1,139 • 1,045 • 1,183 • 1,027 • 1,055 • 1,078 • 1,167 • 1,094
A completed mail art gift subscription, snail mailed small works of collage in postcard form to Paul from his daughters for Father’s Day, July 2014 - June 2015.
Artisanal Postcards Numbers 887 • 900 • 925 • 977 • 987 • 1,012 • 1,031 • 1,052 • 1,071 • 1,097 • 1,102 • 1,196
A completed mail art subscription, snail mailed small works of collage in postcard form to BB, June 2014 – May 2015.
Artisanal Postcards Numbers 894 • 1,110 • 919 • 980 • 1,025 • 941 • 1,038 • 997 • 1,092 • 1,066 • 1,060 • 880
A completed mail art gift subscription, snail mailed collage postcards, each one handmade with a personal note to my dear friend Dianne, July 2014 - June 2015.
Artisanal Postcards Numbers 895 • 920 • 942 • 1,017 • 1,043 • 1,076 • 1,093 • 999 • 1,125 • 985 • 1,106• 1,061
A completed mail art gift subscription, snail mailed collage postcards, each one handmade with a note to Leigh and Ian, June 2015 - May 2016.
Artisanal Postcards Numbers 1,137 • 1,163 • 1,187 • 1,191 • 1,169 • 1,151 • 1,244 • 1,207 • 1,130 • 1,223 • 1,275 • 1,254
A completed mail art subscription, snail mailed small works of collage in postcard form to JD, March 2015 – February 2016.
Artisanal Postcards Numbers 1,125 • 1,082 • 1,101 • 1,103 • 1,136 • 1,174 • 1,164 • 1,225 • 1,185 • 1,194 • 1,201 • 1,152
A completed mail art subscription, snail mailed small works of collage in postcard form to Anabelle in New Orleans, July 2016 - June 2017
Artisanal Postcards Numbers 1,349 • 1,324 • 1,335 • 1,556 • 1,529 • 1,581 • 1,505 • 1,474 • 1,447 • 1,380 • 1,612 • 1,408
A completed mail art subscription, snail mailed small works of handmade collage in postcard form to Erin, April - September 2017
Artisanal Postcards Numbers 1,626 • 1,648 • 1,664 • 1,699 • 1,717 • 1,600
A completed mail art gift subscription, snail mailed small works of collage in postcard form to Aunt Linda from Ava, July - December 2016.
Artisanal Postcards Numbers 1,304 • 1,347 • 1,378 • 1,406 • 1,472 • 1,443
A completed mail art gift subscription, snail mailed collage postcards, each one handmade from a mother to her daughter, July - November 2017.
Artisanal Postcards Numbers 1,652 • 1,673 • 1,379 • 1,702 • 1,721 • 1,738 • 1,760
Six month mail art gift subscription, variety option, mailed as a postcard, to Dillon from Austen.
Artisanal Postcard Numbers 1,541 • 1,593 • 1,489 • 1,623 • 1,645 • 1,546
A completed mail art gift subscription, snail mailed collage postcards, each one handmade with a note to Sara and Peggy from Kicki, July 2016 - June 2017.
Artisanal Postcards Numbers 1,323 • 1,348 • 1,379 • 1,407 • 1,437 • 1,445 • 1,528 • 1,554 • 1,580 • 1,611 • 1,634 • 1,503
A completed mail art gift subscription, snail mailed collage postcards, each one handmade with a note to Sarah Keith from a friend, July 2016 - June 2017.
Artisanal Postcards Numbers 1,327 • 1,350 • 1,409 • 1,449 • 1,475 • 1,507 • 1,530 • 1,558 • 1,582 • 1,613 • 1,381 • 1,636
A completed mail art gift subscription, snail mailed small works of collage in postcard form to Patrick, July 2016 - June 2017.
Artisanal Postcards Numbers 1,328 • 1,410 • 1,637 • 1,559 • 1,351 • 1,450 • 1,508 • 1,583 • 1,382 • 1,476 • 1,531 • 1,641
A completed mail art gift subscription, snail mailed small works of collage in postcard form to the Miller-Winters from Kicki, August 2016 - July 2017.
Artisanal Postcards Numbers 1,353 • 1,383 • 1,411 • 1,477 • 1,504 • 1,675 • 1,532 • 1,555 • 1,584 • 1,615 • 1,638 • 1,446