Nancy Nikkal and Bascove “Type-O” Mixed Media — Nancy Nikkal and Bascove
“Type-O” Mixed Media

The USPS Art Project

Exhibition Dates: April 24, 2021 – May 29, 2021
Exhibition Location: Greenly Art Space  2698 Junipero Ave #113, Signal Hill, California 90755
Virtual Opening Reception: Saturday, April 24, 2021 @ 4PM PDT | 7PM EST
Register at: https://www.greenlyartspace.org/

The USPS Art Project is a mail art artist collaboration project created by Christina Massey in April of 2020 as a way for artists to feel connected while practicing social distancing and supporting the United States Postal Service by sending and receiving packages. The project is free and open for anyone who wants to participate. The goal is for unique collaborative artworks to be created, allowing the artists to establish deeper connections by working together, and, in doing so, support the US Postal Service. Artists raise moneys for the USPS through the act of purchasing postage for shipping artworks to co-artists and galleries.

Hundreds of artists have joined in the project already, ranging from sculpture to painting, drawing, mixed media, fiber art, and more. The project has turned into several exhibition opportunities—a hybrid traveling exhibition/thematic exhibition—that began in August in Pelham, New York, with exhibitions in New Haven, Connecticut, Dallas, Texas, Denver, Colorado, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and an upcoming show in Signal Hill, CA opening on April 24th and viewable by appointment with Greenly Art Space.

There are several locally based artists in the exhibition. Some collaborations traveled across the country to be created together. Artists partnered with friends, family, and even strangers as they made connections via social media and agreed to collaborate together. The project is open for anyone to participate, the instructions on how to begin are below!

Abby Houston and V. Morgan, Night and Day, Acrylic and collage, watercolor, natural dried flowers — Abby Houston and V. Morgan, Night and Day,
Acrylic and collage, watercolor, natural dried flowers

Rachelle Doorley (of Los Angeles, California) and Alexandra Cornell “Poem” Mixed Media

Seren Morey and Carri Skoczek, (of New York), The Eyes Have It, Beads, Ultralight acrylic, pigment dispersions and clay on panel — Seren Morey and Carri Skoczek, (of New York), The Eyes Have It,
Beads, Ultralight acrylic, pigment dispersions and clay on panel

Amrta Art (of Los Angeles, California)  and sister Anna S. Nelson (Nashville, TN) “Wish You Were Here” Oil with Gold Leaf on Canvas

How it Began:

The project began as a simple idea—two artists partner up, each starting an artwork and sending it to the other to complete. These projects would be posted on social media with the hashtags #USPSARTPROJECT and #ARTISTSFORTHEUSPS. Christina Massey, the project’s founder, started by texting a single friend, then a small group of friends, and rather quickly, the project took off to where it is now. As of April 2021, there are over 1,000 artworks created in this manner since the project’s inception by hundreds of artists.
The show at Greenly Art Space shows over 150 of these collaborations.
Before & After Examples:
To begin, one artist starts a piece and mails it to the other to finish.

Started by Carol Stanford (left) Finished by Robin Glassman (right)

Started by Sarah Lutz (left) Finished by Katharine Dufault (right)

Started by Karen Nielsen-Fried (left) Finished by Wendy Letven (right)

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

FREE and Open for All to Participate

1.) Find a friend, colleague, or family member with whom to collaborate. Each partner begins an artwork and ships it to the other person via the USPS. If you are having trouble finding a partner, there is a Facebook Group called “Artists for the USPS” where you can find partners and share your experiences!
TIP! — Sign your artwork BEFORE you mail it, so the finished piece has both signatures!

TIP! — Take a photo of the “before” and share with your finished piece!

2.) Follow all CDC health guidelines when shipping and receiving packages.

3.) Post to social media both your half-begun artwork and your completed artworks by tagging @uspsartproject in your captions and using the hashtags #USPSARTPROJECT & #ARTISTSFORTHEUSPS.
Artists complete the artworks sent to them.

Please contact us if you are interested in hosting a show! We are looking for locations in those states where we have not yet shown (NY, CT, TX, CO, PA, CA), so the project can be seen and enjoyed by more people around the country!

FIND US ONLINE:
Instagram: @uspsartproject
Facebook: @uspsartproject
Website: http://www.uspsartproject.com
GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/usps-art-project
Founder: http://www.cmasseyart.com/