ex postal facto lectures at the SFPL are live!

Fantastic news, everybody: the Ex Postal Facto lectures hosted by the SF Public Library are live and direct!

The first lecture of the day was titled “A Brief History of West Coast Mail Art”. John Held Jr. led the panel discussion featuring Anna Banana, Leslie “Creative Thing” Caldera, Carl Chew, and performance artist Lowell Darling. It was both a great introduction to the west coast “scene”, as well as wonderful storytelling by each panelist.

 

“Artistamps and Their Makers: Seeing the World in Miniature” was the afternoon’s second lecture. Perforations, postmasters, and the particulars of stamp design were covered — moderator Jennie Hinchcliff spoke with Black Rock City Postmaster James Cline, artistamp makers Ginny Lloyd, James Felter and Harley of Terra Candella in a lively discussion.

 

The Ex Postal Facto organizers would like to extend their enormous thanks to the SF Public Library for hosting these lectures, as well as the A/V department at SFPL for editing (and making available) these wonderful videos. Both lectures were sponsored by the Marjorie G. and Carl W. Stern Book Arts & Special Collections Center.

You can learn more online at :http://sfpl.org/index.php?pg=1013402901

–JH

here’s the schedule of events for XPF!

All events (with the exception of Thursday night’s lecture at Chronicle Books) are free and open to the public.

Thursday, February 13th:

5:00 – 7:00 pm: Chronicle Books and Ex Postal Facto kick off the Ex Postal Facto Conference with  “A New Look At Stamp Design”, presented by Niko Courtelis

located at: Chronicle Books, 680 Second Street (between Brannan and King) PLEASE NOTE: this event is currently at capacity. If you register for this event, you will be placed on a wait list.

what’s happening:

-award winning creative director and philatelic designer Niko Courtelis will speak about contemporary postage stamp design and aesthetics.

Friday, February 14th:

5:00 – 6:00 pm: pre-reception and “mail art mixer” for Ex Postal Facto attendees

located at: Arch Drafting and Graphic Supplies, 99 Missouri (at 17th Street)

what’s happening:

-shopping and socializing

-issuance of commemorative Ex Postal Facto/Arch artistamp

after stopping by Arch, walk over to the San Francisco Center for the Book for the opening reception of “mail/art/book”!

6:00 – 9:00pm: opening reception for “mail/art/book”

located at SF Center for the Book, 375 Rhode Island Street (btwn 16th and 17th Streets)

what’s happening:

-“will call” passport pick up/passports also available for purchase

-passport stamping for official Ex postal Facto passports

-mail art creation station-postal cancellation window –> make your mail art, deposit at the postal “counter”

Saturday, February 15th:

11:00am – 4:00/5:00pm: vendor shop & swap, with over 25 vendors of mail art and artistamp items!

located at: SF Elks Lodge #3, The Kensington Park Hotel450 Post Street (btwn Powell and Mason Streets)

what’s happening:

-passport stamping for Ex Postal Facto passports

-25 different vendors selling, sharing, and swapping their wares

-ADDED BONUS: San Francisco’s Chinese New Year parade starts at 5pm; parade route runs 1 block away from the Elks Lodge

Sunday, February 16th:

1:00 – 4:30pm: panel discussion series on correspondence art and artistamps

located at: Koret Auditorium, SF Public Library Main Branch, lower level, 100 Larkin Street (at Market)

what’s happening:

-passport stamping for Ex Postal Facto passports

-1:00pm lecture: “A History of West Coast Mail Art” with guest speakers Lowell Darling, Carl Chew, Leslie Caldera, and Anna Banana. Moderated by John Held, Jr.

-2:30pm lecture: “Artistamps and Their Makers: Seeing the World in Miniature” with guest speakers James Cline, Harley/Terra Candella, James Felter, and Ginny Lloyd. Moderated by Jennie Hinchcliff

-3:45: reception for speakers and Ex Postal Facto attendees

event just added — “A New Look at Postage Stamp Design” !

Niko Courtelis, alongside one of his “Philatelic Atrocities”…

The Ex Postal Facto team is pleased to announce that publisher Chronicle Books will be hosting a lecture on Thursday, February 13^th in conjuction with the Ex Postal Facto weekend. Titled “A New Look at Postage Stamp Design,” creative director and stamp designer Niko Courtelis will discuss not only postage stamp aesthetics, but also the design fundamentals for an understanding of stamp graphics.

design/art direction: Niko Courtelis

PLEASE NOTE: Limited seating is available for this event; attendees are required to have an RSVP ticket. For full details (as well as registration) head over to Eventbrite to sign up.

copy/art direction by Niko Courtelis; “Stamp Story” is a visual documentary about vintage postage. (http://gautamdutta.net)

Niko will have a selection of his “Philatelic Atrocities” on display as part of the SF Center for the Book’s “mail/art/book” exhibition. He has taught graphic design at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY; is design director of World Stamp Show NY2016; and is a former member of the Board of Governors of The Collectors Club in New York City. He is a partner at PLAZM magazine and design.

(did we mention that he is also an AWESOME postage stamp designer? The Ex Postal team is excited to be working with Niko over the course of the conference and can hardly wait to hear what he has to say about designing postage!)

–JH

PS: want to know more? Steven Heller wrote about Niko’s Christmas seal collection for Print magazine; get ready to be inspired!