Snail Mail My Email
by alicedoolittle
We have another great Letter Writing project to share with you – “Snail Mail My Email“- an art project that sent over 10,000 letters to over 70 countries on all seven continents last summer! Created by artist Ivan Cash, the project invited participants to email notes that they would like to have handwritten “complete with customizable options like a doodle, flower petal, or lipstick kiss if desired.” Over 200 volunteers turned those emails into creative and exciting letters that were mailed to the recipients free of charge.
It is a curious thing to have someone hand write your letters for you, but the photos on the project’s Flickr stream show the poignant nature of handwritten text regardless of who has written it. The creativity (added color, drawings, fun use of the page with different fonts and shapes) that the writers employed coupled with the surprise of finding personal mail in your mailbox is just… well, delightful!
As their mission statement explains, while the project’s goal was to cultivate appreciation for letter writing, “it also has also brought into light what the appeal of snail mail symbolizes: the importance of slowing down, being mindful and deliberate, and truly connecting with other people in more thoughtful and meaningful ways. We hope this project will remind you of the warm, fuzzy feeling one gets from receiving handwritten mail, and that it will inspire you to write your own letters in the future.”
It certainly inspires us – it is wonderful to see how very simple messages were brought to life by the creative volunteers. Does this project inspire you to write letters, and maybe add color, drawings, small inclusions, or to just be a little more free about how you express yourself? Does it inspire you to slow down and be more deliberate and thoughtful in your communication with friends and family? We hope so!
