National Parks of America on stamps and photos

Last week I went to the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich and while there, visited the Ansel Adams exhibition.  We were lucky to arrive just in time for a guided tour which gave insight into the life and career of this great photographer. Many of his photographs were taken in the National Parks and Yosemite was one of his favourites.
I'd recently read an article in Stanley Gibbons Stamp Monthly which featured a set of stamps issued in the USA in 1934 commemmorating the National Parks, and sent it over to a friend in the USA.  At the week-end I received a letter back containing the set of 10 stamps.  Just like Ansel Adams, I think my favourite is the Yosemite 1c green stamp, which has an almost identical view of El Capitan.


Other stamps in the set include 5c blue showing "Old Faithful" geyser in Yellowstone park, and 6c blue showing Crater Lake and Wizard Island.  I will be interested to see if Ansel Adams photographed any of the other locations on the stamps.

Although I use a lot of stamps in my collages, I also collect and these beautiful stamps  will definitely be remaining in my collection!

First Class by Chris West

I was given this brilliant book for Christmas! It's full title is "First Class - A history of Britain in 36 postage stamps", by Chris West.  I have to admit, it was on my wish list, as I like to do plenty of background reading to the hobby of stamp collecting as well as my creative activity of making collages from stamps.

It's a great way to learn about the history of Britain by relating the different eras to the stamps issued at that time, as each chapter is headed by a stamp of that period.  It has also brought the stamps alive as I'm sure I'm not the only collector who has been guilty of collecting for collecting's sake, without always taking too much note of why the stamp has been issued. Some of the stamps are very familiar to me and others not so, but that's probably due to my "gap years" in stamp collecting!

Since I've been making collages and exhibiting them, I've become so much more aware of the stories behind the stamps - not all of them of course, but researching their stories has become an important part of the creative process and being able to tell their stories has also become part of the fun!

Christ West says on his introductory page, "Stamps tell stories. They speak to us across generations - if only we'd stop squeezing them into albums, and worrying about their catalogue values, and just listen to their voices instead."  So very true! I have had so many comments to this effect from viewers of my work, some stamp collectors themselves, and others who are not but are pleasantly surprised by what they see.  I'm often complemented about having them on display rather than shut away in a drawer. One comment from a visitors book read, "I never knew stamps could be so interesting!" I hope along the way that I may have brought a few people back to stamp collecting and also given some youngsters an interest in the hobby.

Rachel Markwick stamp collage cards on ebay shop

UPA (Universal Postal Auctions) now have a selection of my greetings cards on their EBay stamp  shop page.

Currently included are The Union Jack, Flag of Australia, Canada, Unicorn, Colosseum and various ships, and many more popular designs.   The stamp collage Heart card, suitable for both Valentine's day and to give as a Wedding or Birthday Card is also featured.   All cards are A5 size, with the exception of the Heart which is square, and include envelopes and are packaged and priced at £3 each plus postage.

The Sower stamps of France

I've just been reading the latest edition of Gibbons stamp Monthly magazine, and in particular a very detailed article on the Printing of the Sower Stamps of France.  I suddenly realised that I have always wrongly thought that this particular stamp depicted the iconic image of Marianne, and had given one of my stamp collages the title of "Marianne trawler" as I had used these stamps to make up the sails of the boat.  For this reason I am now going to follow a long tradition in the shipping industry and rename this particular vessel, "The Sower", with apologies to any collectors of French stamps for my previous error.

The Marianne stamps have recently made an appearance in another stamp collage of an iconic French landmark, The Eiffel tower!

Star Spangled Banner - Flag of USA Stamp Collage

Work going on in the studio means it gets rather untidy ...  but the latest USA flag collage is almost completed, having searched for suitable stamps to include.

I finally found a stamp showing  Franklin D Roosevelt, mentioned in previous post, as he was an avid stamp collector. He's in the top left hand corner of this detail of the flag.

Getting stuck in

There's so much to do in my studio.  I have a bit of a butterfly brain and sometimes find it difficult to stick to one task, so nothing gets finished quickly.  And when I'm working, I'm afraid everything gets turned upside down in the search for materials!
 I have also set myself two new projects: a larger USA flag, and also the Leaning Tower of Pisa.  Both of these are sketched out onto their supports.

I've been sorting out the US stamps and trying to decide which to use.   I found an old book called United States Stamps and Stories - The exciting saga of U.S. history told in stamps, issued by the US Postal Service in 1972.  It's a great little reference guide giving backgrounds to the US presidents, historical events and facts about US landmarks. Many stamps have been issued featuring the Statue of Liberty, presented to the people of the USA by the people of France on 4th July 1884.   Obviously, I'm trying to include as many different stamps as possible but am limited to those which are predominantly red, and blue - the white bands on my flag will probably be left blank.  The first president of the USA, George Washington (president 1789-1797)  luckily appears on many red definitives and there are numerous blue Statue of Liberty stamps to choose from too.   Other US presidents I can include are  John Adams (president 1797-1801) and Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809).

The hunt is still on for a stamp of Franklin D. Roosevelt. It would be great to include him as he was a life-long stamp collector. My little book quotes him as saying, "The best thing about stamp collecting is that the enthusiasm which it arouses in youth increases as the years pass.  It dispels boredom, enlarges the vision, broadens our knowledge and in inumerable ways enriches our life.  I also commend stamp collecting because I really believe it makes one a better citizen."     There are many US stamps which promote the hobby so, in the absence of FDR,  I will also try and include on of these.

Haute couture on the Eiffel Tower

Haute Couture, or High fashion takes on a whole new meaning!   I'd been thinking about the Eiffel Tower as a possibility for a stamp collage, and having drawn it out, took some time to get started. Quite a daunting but indeed challenging project! The next stage was to search through the stamps to find suitable ones to make up the structure, but I hadn't really considered the complication of the iron-work and no French stamps I had seemed quite right.  Then I realised I would need to cut the stamps to resemble the metal structure of the Eiffel Tower. In my search  I found several of the 1953 - 55 National Industries and Literary Figures issue which includes a 30F illustrating the Haute Couture industry, showing a model with the Place Vendome in the background.  You may be able to spot her leaning over the tower platform! Her dress also makes up some of the ironwork.
Trees  in the form of the green definitive Marianne stamps from 1945 to more recent issues have been used to resemble the trees that line the avenue leading up to the Tower.
It's funny how things come together!

 
E