Peterborough Author Collaborates With North Carolina Author To Compile Mail Art From Around The World Documenting COVID-19

Local artist and author Erica Richmond of Open Sky Stories, will release a new book ‘The Mail Art Stories Project: Mail Art in the Time of Covid-19’ on April 20.

Erica Richmond and Shannon Fitzgerald. Photo’s courtesy of Open Sky Stories.

From April 2020 - August 2021, Richmond and Shannon Fitzgerald (Hillsborough, NC, USA) collected 119 pieces of decorated envelopes from a total of 52 people living across 11 countries.

Now compiled together, this book tells the story of individuals experience living within the pandemic.

“In all the stories that were shared, there was an overwhelming cry for connection that often felt met by this simple act of sending mail to complete strangers.” says Richmond.

The youngest participant was 7 years old. Many had never created mail art before, while others were well-experienced, starting their journey through the art form as early as the 1970s.

There are submissions from pen pals (one from Sri Lanka and one from Spain) who met during Covid19 and chose to participate together. There are submissions from a young boy and his Nana who were missing each other. There is a submission from a family who chose to complete this project as a team.

The Mail Art Stories Project will be available for sale on April 20 via Amazon, through openskystories.com or boldmovesstudio.com and can soon be ordered through any bookstore via Ingram Spark.

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