Dear Everyone ~
I’m delighted to announce the arrival of two sets of cards made by two cherished members of my creative community. This is a rare treat for me, as most of the items in my shop come from enterprises abroad, made by people I will probably never get to meet.
Janet Bouldin, who lives not far from Chicago, is a customer and student who has become a dear friend. She didn’t really begin her art practice until her retirement (from teaching English). Now, she is an avid sketcher and watercolourist. She took her first workshops at Bari Zaki Studio shortly after I opened in 2015. Most recently, she has taken Bookful of Art, which Cat Bennett and I co-taught.
I have noodged Janet to “go public and tactile” with her art for quite some time. She had an exhibition scheduled in Marblehead, Mass. back in July, but it had to be postponed indefinitely. Now, I am thrilled to be the first purveyor of Janet’s Tableaux cards, and to share her thoughts:
“ Capturing what’s right in front of me—painting a favorite coffee mug for example—allows me to preserve a fleeting moment. It’s a way of journaling for me, of keeping track of where I’ve been, where I am, and sometimes pointing a path forward. ”
“ Drawing and painting are calming for me, keeping me in touch with myself. It’s a way to tell bits of my own story as it unfolds… When I go too long without doing it, I start to feel a void. If someone buys or receives one of my cards, I hope it reminds them to pay closer attention to the small moments of visual pleasure in their own lives. ”
Janet’s images are printed as postcards on matte gloss stock (on the image side, and uncoated on the message side). I am pairing them with Rivoli envelopes, two Vanilla and two Rose, with beautiful pointy flaps.
* * * * *
Cat Bennett is a career artist and illustrator. She is also my co-instructor on Zoom, and has taught workshops in person at Bari Zaki Studio in the “good old days.” Cat has written three books to encourage people to develop their own art practices, and she is lyrically articulate in sharing her reflections on this:
“ Drawing is a beautiful meditation and helps us look more closely too. Last fall, I took to drawing the fading plants in a neighbor’s garden to calm my nerves in these uncertain times. ”
“ As I drew, I began to find real beauty in these dry, broken plants and to notice that they held life in them too. In spring their seeds or roots will sprout into lush new plants. I felt nature was speaking to me and telling me that all the beauty of life will soon return. I hope the cards remind us of that. ”
Cat’s cards are letterpress printed at Fat Chick Press in Boston, on Mohawk Superfine, in our favourite finish (Eggshell!). The companion A-7 envelope is also Superfine.
Elf advisory:
If you are able to come curbside, you can pick up some of Janet and Cat’s cards on Tuesday and Wednesday (noon–6:00) and on Thursday (11:00–2:00). Otherwise, if you place an order by Tuesday, we will ship before closing for the Holiday.
Tableaux postcards
Botanical silhouettes
Living in the moment, Bari