Real Mail

Back in the olden days, people bought things from me in person and wrote personal checks. I collected addresses from these transactions and built a mailing list of 1000 names. Whenever I had a big event, I would get postcards printed and then hand address all 1000. Yeppers, by hand.

Kaweah Post Office #4, pencil and colored pencil, unframed, 11×14″, $275

Printing and postage costs became prohibitive, and big events became fewer, winding down to a big fat nothing last year.

For April’s show Still Here, Arts Visalia will have postcards printed and mailed. This means I have to provide a mailing list, so I pulled out my address files.

It was sobering to see the number of people who have died, moved, and divorced. It was also quite astonishing to realize that many were simply names and addresses, with no memory of how we met or what they bought. 

My list is now about 250 names, all of whom I can identify. If you would like to receive a real paper postcard with a real stamp in your real mailbox, use the Contact button on my website or email me (spelled out here to confound the robots) cabinart at cabinart dot net. The gallery has promised to not use the addresses unless someone requests to be added to their list.

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7 Comments

  1. I have one of those postcards, it’s on my refrigerator. It is of Moro Rock, Alta Peak and Kaweah River. It was sent in 2001. I’ve enjoyed it all these years!

    • WOW Virginia! Thank you, and maybe it is time to clean off your refrigerator door. 😎

  2. I know what you mean about going through one’s contact list and seeing the number of people who have passed or divorced. And especially coming across the “who is this and how do I know them?” entries.

    That’s why I have been adding notes to new entries, such as “met at Mineral King, 2015” or “comments on my blog a lot,” etc. It’s not fool-proof, but it does help jog the memory sometimes.

    • Sharon, that is helpful in the cases where there is a place for those reminder notes. When I built my list, I didn’t need those notes. Sigh.

      • Too many times (way too many!) I’ve added someone in my list and thought, “Oh, I’ll remember who this is.” Nope. I think I’ve learned my lesson now.

        Most contact programs allow for notes. I happen to use Gmail. For your entry? My notes include your cabin number and “Owner, Cabinart.” I probably don’t need either to remember who you are, but I’m a stickler for thorough and complete information.

        • I’m now using a Word Exell (is that how it is spelled? who cares) spreadsheet. Before I just typed it into a blank page. Google is against my principles… right there with FB and Twitter. I’d quit Amazon if i knew how to get stuff without them.
          Yes, thorough notes in case you get dropped on your head.

          • I get it. It’s the principle. But sometimes I sacrifice principle for convenience (kind of like using Microsoft Excel).

            If I only supported companies with whom I am like-minded, I would be living inside Hobby Lobby, naked, eating Chick-fil-A or In-n-Out. And that’s not a pretty picture!


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