My etegami are often accompanied by fragments of poetry. No, not my own. Poetry that other people have written. Sometimes the drawing will bring a poem to mind. Other times a poem I've read or heard will compel me to express it in etegami. This is especially true of haiku poetry, and even more true of the haiku of Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), the internationally renowned wandering poet of Japan. When I drew this closeup of a single white flower, it was his haiku on the sound of the temple bell that came to mind. Maybe the numerous yellow stamens reminded me of the knob-ended sticks that are used for hitting some kinds of gongs or temple bells. Whatever it was that went through my subconscious thoughts, the simplicity of the image and the simplicity of haiku seemed to be a perfect match. Try pairing an etegami drawing with one of your favorite haiku, or compose one of your own for the purpose.
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Very good article Debbie! I have tried it and loved it, thanks for the idea! Sent you yesterday my etegami recipe.
ReplyDeleteGreat! I look forward to getting your etegami, Yun.
ReplyDeletebeautiful cards!
ReplyDeleteThanks Karin, I look forward to getting your mailart!
ReplyDeleteWow I love that haiku and your pretty flower. Great combination. My friend and I have been exchanging hand-drawn postcards with accompanying original haiku. It has been great fun. We have a diff theme each week. The first was "fruit". This week it is "mountain".
ReplyDeleteDo you post these cards on your blog? I'd love to see them.
ReplyDeleteHi Debbie, beautiful etegami in your gallery. Question: Is it safe to send soft washi postcards through the mail? Is it better to send in an envelope? I'm afraid the paper will be destroyed during the rough mail handling process. Please advise. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteIf you have ANY concerns about the card getting damaged en route, please put it in an envelope. That costs more postage, but I think it is worth it.
ReplyDeleteWhen using an envelope, people often decorate the envelope too. This is so that all the people involved in the process (post office personnel, etc) can enjoy the artwork. I started laminating my cards a few months ago because the extra-soft washi cards I use were getting damaged so often when I sent them to overseas addresses. (this never happens in Japan)
Remember, I won't be returning your submission, but I will send you one of my cards in return, as long as you write your return address clearly. Thanks so much for being willing to participate! : )
btw, the gallery for received mailart is a separate blog from this one: http://mailartgallery.blogspot.com