My postcard newsletter has inspired me to publish an illustrated postcard zine. I’ve always wanted to publish an illustrated magazine but it’s a big project for one artist who wants to publish a lot of content regularly. My best attempt was Lovejoy News, a micro-news report I blogged when I lived near Lovejoy street in NW Portland. I was always in a rush to meet my deadlines so my illustrations were questionable. When I made the first printed copy I felt a little embarrassed. Also I had no idea how to gather any sort of following so I moved on to other art projects. I’m very excited now to return to this dream via a scaled down version: Just one postcard a month. Above is January’s postcard image made into two parts, I’m not sending it out as issues since my audience has already seen it, this is just the inspirational template. You’ll have to subscribe or tune in to this blog in February to see the first issue! Here’s the poem from the postcards!

Stretch

All the leaves are on the ground now.

The beautiful crow swoops out of the bare branches 

toward my window then past. 

Spiky brown seed pods dot the otherwise bare brush.

Rain begins to hit the window as crows 

fly though the back yards below the roof lines 

to perch in a fir. 

I used to worry that one day 

I wouldn’t be able to walk in the woods

And I have stretched 

ever since 

to hold each of the moments;

To plant them inside like trees.