CATALINA CARIAGA

 August 2025 Postcard from Catalina Cariaga: 

Catalina Cariaga wields the typewriter to create art and poetry. So I was quite honored to receive a postcard that displays the typewriter’s marks. I’m also amused that she typed up Ilokano phrases, like

 

“Ayayatanka! for “I love you!”

“susmaryjosep!!!” which is a derivation of the common expression “susmaryosep” that’s a conflation of Jesus [and his human parents], Mary, Joseph

“Ay Nako!!!” which is another common expression (whose other variation had been used to name my poetic invention “hay(na)ku”

“Wen, Kabagis” for “Yes, Sister”

 

These phrases are all integrated into an original collage that Catalina created on a postcard-sized backing. Agyamanac unay, Kabagis (Thank you very much, Sister)! Ayayatanka met!

 

RICHARD LOPEZ

 August 2025 Postcard from Richard Lopez:

One of the sweetest human beings in the world is a poet, and I'm glad that Richard sent me a card that shows summer at its sweetest. Thank you, Richard! May the sun, ocean, and sand always treat you and your family with much love!

JOEL VEGA

 August 2025 Postcard from Joel Vega

Joel Vega is a well-rounded artist and poet who also sends my first international or non-U.S. postcard as he writes in from Arnhem, The Netherlands! If you click on the above link attached to his name, you’ll see a stupendous ekphrastic poem that melds his interests/expertise in both art and poetry! On his postcard, he writes:

 

“The front [of the postcard] is Dutch for ‘And We Live happily ever after.’ Don’t we look for fairytales in the fast routine and rush of life?”

His words resonate for me, as someone who writes fairytales as novels. That is, I insist on depicting happy endings despite presenting the travails of peoples living within authoritarian contexts. In fact, in a wonderful synchronicity with his postcard message, my first novel DOVELION has the subtitle of A Fairy Tale for Our Times and about 95% of its sections begin with that phrase associated with fairy tales, “Once upon a time…”. 

Bedankt, Joel! It’s wonderful to hear from you!

ULYSSES DUTERTE

 August 2025 Postcard from Ulysses Duterte:

Ulysses Duterte sends a postcard that’s marvelous for several reasons! First, it presents one of his accomplished drawings that reveal him to be a superrealist master. Second, he recycles another postcard (from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum) as backing. Third, he integrates on his drawing what I’ve come to consider his trademark vertical line (see the red-orange line in the bottom right corner of drawing) that, while seemingly non-related to the drawn figure serves to deepen the space while introducing a surrealistic opening to a parallel universe (or so this art critic feels 😊 ). You can see other works with his vertical lines at his online exhibition "No Timer, No Countdown." Thanks for this thoughtful postcard, Ulysses!

ALEX GILZEN (ii)

 August 2025 Postcard from Alex Gildzen:

Renaissance Man Alex Gildzen bestows treasures--see below. I can only be grateful, Alex! I hope to write more about collections and your mother! Thank you!

A DISCUSSION ON ONE OF THE ITEMS RE. HELEN KOVACH GILDZEN:

There can be an art to collecting that goes beyond mere acquisition. As I’d hoped, my Postcard Exchange Project, despite being in its early stages, is proving to be generative of interesting experiences through the act of exchanging postcards. I’ve traded books, artwork, poems, and pleasurable messages through the conceit of trading postcards.

 

My most recent postcard exchange even generated a treasure trove of archival material that includes the exhibition catalog of another kindred spirit who knows how collecting can be doorway into other fruitful experiences. At age 94 when she passed, Helen Kovach Gilden left her autograph collection to Kent State Universities Libraries, with the acquisition help of her son, poet-artist Alex Gildzen. I show images from an exhibition catalog (I somehow doubt that Richard Nixon ever knew to appreciate her forgiveness, but who knows?). Just check out that list of people who wrote her!!

 

Anyway, it’s still early days for my Postcard Exchange Project. But I look forward to more of its generated experiences that I know I otherwise might not have were it not for this simple impetus to share cards.  Thanks to all who’ve sent me cards so far, including Alex Gildzen and, through him, Helen Kovach Gildzen.

 

BARBARA AND HARRY LEE

 August Postcard from Barbara and Harry Lee:

What a delight to have long-time family members who live too far away from us use this project to share resonant moments from our pasts, specifically our vacation in the wonderful Ucluelet island of Canada! Much love to Harry and Barbara!

MEREDITH CALIMAN

 July 2025 Postcards from Meredith Caliman:

I hold Kauai in my memory as the most beautiful spot I've ever visited on Earth. So I'm delighted to receive these postcards from Meredith as she vacationed there. Gorgeous views, of course, which make me recall another image from my Kauai trip years ago--an image that's actually found its way into my poetry: a waterfall against the edge of a cliff that glinted like a sterling silver necklace (the simile that I've used). Thanks, Meredith, for reminding me of Beauty!