Owney the USPO Mascot

Owney, Railway Mail Service mascot

In 2011, the USPS offered a Forever stamp honoring a dog who followed a mail clerk to work in 1888 and became a mascot because it liked the smell of mail bags. He traveled the country in railroad mail cars, always returning to Albany, New York, where he originally hopped aboard.

Along with the release of this stamp, USPS also offered a number of high-tech tidbits to try to get youngsters interested in stamps. They also opened a contest to First Day Cover artists to create covers to be included in an exhibit at the National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C., along with Owney - who is now stuffed and on exhibit. 

I forgot about the contest until Monday morning when I was at the post office to mail a package. The postal employee who aided and abetted some of my early adventures with stamps excitedly approached me with some news - Our Postmaster had been to the postal museum in Washington, and she took a photograph of my cover - in the museum exhibit. I thought that was pretty special.

A Thank You Returns

I've been 'under the gun' to get art work completed for the Western Heritage Artists Show and Sale which opens on the 15th of March in Great Falls, but I also owed a Thank You to a patron. I completed a Harley motorcycle image for her in January, and simply had not had the chance to thank her for her purchase.

Yesterday, I received the card back as NOT DELIVERABLE. If I could show you the entire address line, which I won't, it can clearly be read by anyone who can actually READ. I suspect a machine could not read it, so therefore it was kicked back to me. I'm not at all happy.

It is now going back to the post office, and I will get an explanation for this 'human' error, because I can't accept this ridiculous rejection.

Russell Vignettes from the Past

This is a piece of mail art for a couple that were subscribers to my First Day Covers in the 90's. They also purchased a number of Russell related covers from me. I have no idea how many of these I did, nor the number of Russell images I produced in miniature. The Reinke's are more than generous patrons. They are friends. They hung my "art mail" on the wall and made me feel like family. They still do.

The envelopes were produced in 1989 with two runs through the press: The first run was the frame, and the second run was a colorized (by me) version of the stamp in the upper right corner, which was from a C. M. Russell painting entitled "Jerked Down". Some of the envelopes from the first run were reserved, and the one above is an example of an image that I did twice - hence the number 2 behind the title in the lower corner.

This one includes a little extra line treatment on the basic frame by way of the crown, and the color of the frame is different. One of these days perhaps some more of these will see the light of day.

Memories are made of this.

Trumpeter Swan #26 in Series

This is the first time in twenty-six years that the subject for the Federal Waterfowl stamp has been a swan. I have a thing for the duck stamp... All twenty-six have been portraits just like this one. I may be a bit slower getting them to subscribers this year, since I have a puppy in the studio. He's a water dog (Golden Retriever) and already knows how to fetch. He will, however, be fetching no Trumpeter Swans.

Two More for the Flyway

This makes an even dozen. I have one more to do and then I can start doing commissioned work that I garnered at the Footprints on the Trail Show.

Two More!

Two more sincere Thank You's on their way to patrons who purchased during the Footprints on the Trail show.

Two more Fly Away.

After being out of town for three days, I've returned to catch up with thank yous. More tomorrow as well.

Riding Shotgun and One for the Road

I wonder if I have any more wrecked car or gun related paper... Why, yes, I do. Now, to get my Thank you's taken care of.

Two More for the Mailman

It looks to me like I'm going to be at this for a couple of weeks. I only have one patent medicine left if anyone is interested...

Not to worry. The active ingredient in this one is tap water.

Red Dots Get a Thank You

Patrons who purchase art from me get what they deserve - a proper THANK YOU.

Ruddy Duck, 2015

This is my Federal Duck cover for the 2015 Federal Duck stamp. The cost of the stamp went from $15 to $25 this year, but that didn't deter me. It is also the 25th Duck stamp issue I've done.

For a number of years now, the USFS has provided two different formats for the Duck stamp, both lick-and-stick and self-adhesive. I ordered the number that I needed in early June, and they were waiting for me at the Last Chance Station post office on June 26th, which was the earliest I could have them and was the First Day they were available nationwide. An error in filling my order presented me with a wild sight when I opened my package: Instead of sending me nine of the lick-and-stick stamps, the USPS sent me NINE sheets, each sheet containing twenty stamps. In other words, I had $4,500 worth of stamps instead of $225. I'd never seen so many Duck Stamps in one place at one time.

Quick Finish! Western Heritage Art Show

I'm going to be participating in the Quick Finish and Auction fundraiser to support the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center on Thursday evening, the 20th of March during the Western Heritage Artists Show and Sale.

 

There will also be a Quick Finish on Saturday evening prior to the Art Competing for Causes fundraising Auction, and I'll be participating in that one as well. For more information about this event, visit the Art Competing for Causes event Facebook page, or the Western Heritage Artists web page.

This years show and sale is the 33rd annual event to be held at the Holiday Inn, and it begins on Wednesday evening with the Preview event. Artists are encouraged to enter one piece in the Juried Lobby show and offers the public an overview of the art that they'll find in the artist's rooms through Sunday afternoon. Best of Show, People's Choice, Artist's Choice, Best New Artist as well as First Place in each category receive cash prizes and ribbons.

I have not decided which of the above pieces I will finish on either Thursday evening or Saturday evening, but I have done Russell 'Brownies' for the past two years for the Quick Finish events, and they've been well received. I'm not going to meddle with success until I run out of  'Little People'. I will have both of these pieces cancelled at the C.M. Russell Post Office on March 19th. This year is special since March 19th is the 150th Anniversary of Russell's birthday. These mail art pieces are all the more special to me, because Charlie is the reason I started doing mail art as a youngster. Old Soak is in the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, Wyoming, and W.C. Fields is in the Russell Museum collection in Great Falls. I have seen both, and photographed W.C. Fields several years ago when it, along with several other of Charlie's 'Little People' were on display.

Common Goldeneye #23 in Series

This is my art work for the 2013 Federal Duck stamp issue. I'm finally back to doing some art in my studio, and these needed to be done for subscribers that have been waiting for three months for something that they've paid for already - at least the stamps. And - it's not quite duck season. I'll be back to the Charlie Stalnaker story in short order.

Candy Man - from C. M. Russell

The Western Heritage Artists Show will begin next Wednesday, March 13th at 6:00 PM, and will continue through Sunday, March 17th at 5:00 PM.  I've participated in this event for 4 years, and I'm pleased to say that every year it has become a more fulfilling experience. With an art show like this, each artist in a separate room, it is often difficult to get to know the other artists. Some return, some do not. There are several events that make it a little different than other shows in Great Falls during Western Art Week, and I'll point out just a few of them:

PREVIEW NIGHT

On Wednesday evening at 6:00 PM there will be an award ceremony and a welcome for the new artists for this year's show. The Lobby Show accepts one work from every participating artist, and the work is Juried earlier in the day. The artist rooms are open until 10:00 PM.

QUICK FINISH

to support the Lewis & Clark Foundation

Event begins at 6:00 PM Thursday evening 

This event offers patrons and supporters an opportunity to watch while the participating artists complete - or finish - a piece of art work in 45 minutes. It's like being in twenty studios and one gallery all at one time. The piece you see above will be completed by me. Last year's Quick Finish piece was a HUGE success, and I've used another piece from the C. M. Russell Museum Collection for this year's event. This little Russell 'Brownie' sits atop a birch bark and wooden candy box, and the Museum provided me with a high quality photograph to use as my model.

PAINT AROUND

and Roaring Twenties Sapphire Bash

This event begins at 4:00 PM on Friday, with the Paint Around beginning at 6:00 PM, as artists start a piece of art work, and then move to the next artist's station and work for five minutes using what has been provided by each artist. The event is followed by a Live Auction of the finished pieces. This event was also a HUGE success last year, and I'm participating again this year

.ART AUCTION BENEFIT
to support the WOUNDED WARRIORS PROJECT and
MONTANA WOUNDED WARRIORS

This is one event that shouldn't be missed. Beginning at 4:00 PM on Saturday March 16th, it will feature both a Silent and Live Auction. Please visit this page for a quick glimpse of what the Western Heritage Artists have provided to support our Wounded Warriors, not only nationally, but here in Montana as well. The piece that I have submitted for the Live Auction can be viewed HERE.

I hope to visit with old acquaintances and make some new friends as well!

Dogs for Defense - 1943 - 200th post

I'm leading this one off with the finished image. This is a manila envelope, 8 1/2 " by just over 11", and has a  1 1/2 cent Martha Washington stamp affixed. The stamp is postmarked Grand Central Annex, New York, N. Y. There is no date stamp, but the year is 1943.

This envelope is addressed to Forrest Carville, Burns, Mont. The contents are even more interesting, but I'll get to that in a moment. Forrest & Edna Carville lived Northwest of Burns near Savage. They are listed as being there in 1909, and probably homesteaded, although I don't know if that can be verified. I'm checking on that. There should be property records that would indicate either a 160 Acre homestead, or if they both filed, it could possibly have been 320 Acres. Regardless, they lived there until 1961, when Forrest died. Edna remained until she died in 1991. They had no children. If you don't know what Eastern Montana is or was like, I can tell you: They were pretty isolated, probably 15 or twenty miles from the nearest General Store.

Although the embossed seal in the lower left corner of the certificate is not really visible, I can tell you what it says: Quartermaster General of the U. S. Army, OFFICIAL across the center of the seal, and War Dept. across the bottom. I don't know whether Forrest donated a dog, or if the dog they did donate was named Puppie. I have never seen anything like this, and I found it in an antique shop in Glendive, MT. I paid a whole dollar for it - and didn't open it until I was back home.

This is the other piece of smaller paper that was in the envelope, and it repeats the corner card which appear in the upper left hand corner on the envelope.

I will be offering this at the Western Heritage Artist show during Western Art Week next month, with a portion of the proceeds to support the Montana Wounded Warriors and the Wounded Warriors Project.

I'm hoping that All three pieces will find a new home.

Three Sisters - Memories are Made of This

 

  

 

My first post of the new year. I have no idea how many pieces of mail art I actually posted in 2012, but it wasn't as many as I would have liked. Life got in the way more than once.

These three sisters of mine gave me a whole lot of memories this past year, and then topped it off with some wonderful reminders during the Christmas Season.

The time we spent at the 5 Spot in the Queen Anne district of Seattle was one of the highlights.

It really doesn't get much better than that.

For all of you who are still faithfully following me in my little corner of the Blogosphere, I wish you all a very Happy New Year and I hope you are all as blessed as I've been - with family.

L. A. Huffman, Mrs.White Elk & The Ring, Part II

This is as close as I'm going to get to a finished product until this Saturday evening, September 29th, in Miles City at the Custer County Art & Heritage Center's 37th Annual Exhibit and Auction. If you are interested in seeing the difference between the artist proof and this one, you can find the first one in my previous post.

Some information has been passed to me by Joan Hantz, who works and teaches at Chief Dull Knife College in Lame Deer, Montana. I wanted to know more about Mrs. White Elk before the Quick Finish so that as I'm working to finish it I have something to talk about. Joan kindly provided with this:

Census records for June 30, 1888
White Elk, 36 years old
Shaving Woman, wife, 31 years old.
Crooked was their son and he's listed as being 13 years old.
Magpie Woman, Mother in law, 71 years old.

Census records for 1896
White Elk, 44 years old and now registered as Jule White Elk.
Shaving Woman (Mrs. White Elk), 39 years old and registered as Anna.
The son Crooked did not appear in this census.

Records indicate that White Elk was still living in 1914. He was born in 1849. No records indicate a birth or death for Mrs. White Elk.

Jule White Elk fought at the Battle of the Little Big Horn (1876) at age 27. He was a member of the Elkhorn Scraper Society. He also fought at the Battle of the Rosebud, aka The Battle Where the Girl Saved her Brother. This battle occurred just days before the Battle of the Little Big Horn.

I owe a debt of gratitude to a number of people: Kevin Layton and Mark Browning at the Custer County Art & Heritage Center in Miles City. The story of how Mrs. White Elk and how this photograph came to be are little bits of history I can enjoy for a long time. I thought that the story needed to be told in my way, and both Kevin and Mark were very accommodating.

Gene and Bev Allen are folks I've known for many years. I consider them patrons. It was through them that I first learned of L. A. Huffman, and also sold me my copy of  the L. A. Huffman book. The source for the early signature was a blind stamp - a metal stamp which was used to indent the signature in the photographic paper or card stock on which the photograph was mounted. They also related to me some of the history of the man himself which I did not know. Gene and Bev also provided me with a scan of the lower portion of a Huffman carte de viste as well, which I've used as some of the text on my piece of art.

Michael Lee, a local photographer that I met some months ago, provided me with the copy of the photograph that I'm going to be affixing to the envelope after much trial and error. I wanted this to be on heavy photo stock, and reproducing the image that I had permission to use is not the easiest task. The image I had was a photograph of a photograph, so the image was a second generation image already. Thank you again Michael for all that you did.

I'm as ready as I'm going to be for the Saturday evening event.

A large Thank You to all of the folks I've mentioned, and those I haven't as well!

 

L. A. Huffman, Mrs.White Elk & The Ring

This is the Artist Proof for the piece I will be doing for the Quick Finish at the 37th Annual Art Invitational and Auction on the 29th of September in Miles City, Montana. Three of us will be completing our pieces to be sold during the auction. Mine will be a 100% donation to the Art Center, and my way of telling the story of Mrs.White Elk, and although there are three images that tell the tale of this Indian Portrait, I am using the second portrait that L. A. Huffman created during one sitting in his studio.

I have to do at least a one-off to see what the finished envelope will look like, and to determine what part of the piece I can finish in an hour.

This piece is a bit rough around the edges from where I'm sitting, but I'm really never satisfied. I can tell you there will be some changes in the composition regarding type size and placement. The lower portion I have done in sepia ink comes from an early Carte de Visite that Huffman produced for sale, and several of the elements are "covered" in my effort to use a map that is right for the areas that Huffman photographed.

The Custer County Art & Heritage Center in Miles City, Montana, holds an extensive collection of the well known Western photographer, L. A. Huffman. I wish I could show you all three of the photographs of this beautiful woman, but I have permission to use only the one that you see above.

Perhaps between now and the end of the month, I can tell you a little bit more about this fabulous photographer.

U.S.S. Arikara, Michael Lee, 1969

We met, by accident, at the Last Chance (PO) Station here in Helena. He was in Da Nang Harbor in 1969, although I'm not sure just how close we ever came to each other. He was on this Tugboat, and I was at the bridge which crosses the river just to the left of the first character in his first name. Michael sent me the photo that I used on the envelope, and I have to credit a fellow shipmate of his by the name of Bob Chady for taking this (cropped) photograph. Our initial conversation was driven by the fact I was wearing a cap that my son gave me. One of only two outward signs that I'd been to SE Asia, and Vietnam specifically. He opened The Ball by asking.

He takes photographs. He spent several hours over a couple of days taking my photograph for an exhibit of Vietnam veterans which he is putting together. I have not seen it. I won't see it until November, pretty close to Veteran's Day.

He has skills with a camera and Photoshop that I do not have. I owe him a great deal, not only for the portraits, two of which I now have, but for the shared experiences that we can "re-remember" and recreate in the telling.

Thank you, Michael.

Wood Duck - #22 in Series

The twenty-second Duck that I've done as an open subscription. I'm not doing as many as I have in the past because I've had fewer requests. I did not submit an entry in the Cachetmaker's Contest for the AMerican First Day Cover Society, but - they've always been a favorite of mine.