Is there anything better than getting an unexpected letter in the mail from a loved one? One of my favourite parts of Christmas is sending letters in the mail, and also checking my mailbox too! Growing up, my community mailbox was a quick walk down the road. However, now that I am living in Toronto, my mailbox is directly on my house right outside the front door! Our house is quite old (probably built in the late 1800's - early 1900's) so the front door even has a vintage letter slot (although it isn't used anymore). I imagine how exciting it must have been to receive a letter in the mail - hearing the metal clink when a letter slides through - a house cat perhaps checking to see what had arrived that day. Nevertheless, wherever you receive your mail, it is always an exciting venture - especially with technology slowly drowning out this art form. I love seeing people's handwriting - it's almost like an extension of oneself. Whether it's all in capital letters, cursive, or quickly written, there is so much to see and feel.
For this artwork, I collaged using different patterned magazine paper. Most of the patterns are from a Vogue Fall Fashion Magazine from a few years ago. When I think of Christmastime, mice come to mind. I'm not sure if it's because of the Nutcracker, or the little felt mice ornaments you often see at stores around the holidays, but either way, there is a cozy feel to them. Even though mice are so small and seemingly insignificant to the world, they have a whole little universe of their own. Sometimes, I feel like a mouse! The artwork depicts two mice walking around the city during the Christmas season. They are all bundled up ready to take on the town. One of the mice has a London Fog in hand, and a shopping bag in the other - there is no saying where the day will take them! I love walking around the Annex neighbourhoods and Yorkville area during the holidays. There is something about being in the city during Christmastime - even though the weather is chilly, the aliveness of the city makes everything feel so bright and cheerful.
I hope to make more cards in the future portraying mice in the different parts of the city!
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