During 1999 the Shopping Trolley Gallery showed the work of mail artists as it carried out its shopping trips in the local High Street. An extension was created this year to enable its work to be carried further afield: the Shopping Bag Gallery (SBG). In this way mail art was shown during a day trip to Calais during the Summer, and across France down to the Mediterranean during a three-week holiday in September.

The ArtFull Snail 

During 1998 the ArtFull Snail Mail Art Project developed under the aegis of the Shopping Trolley Gallery. Having lost many a colourful flowering plant to my resident snails, I started some time ago to paint their shells which resulted in a convenient arrangement for everybody: the snails lived happily and I got some colour in my garden. It also amused my neighbours, who kept returning to me the painted snails they found in their gardens... Networking artists were encouraged to do the same, and all over the world unsuspecting snails were sought, trapped, painted and released again. Those artists who could not bring themselves to touch the snails or did not have any around were asked to express their views on the artfullness of snails in general. I made a book with all the work I received, which was then sent to every participant and a copy deposited in the British Library.

Every year the Singhalese Community that lives in South London celebrates the coming of the New Year. These celebrations relate to the coming and going of the seasons, Spring bring considered the beginning of the year because it is the time for sowing. In 1999 the festival took place in a public hall with gardens which used to be a farm before being engulfed by London. It was organized by the Thames Buddhist Vihara, the monastery I visit for meditation and general uplifting. We had our first New Year Mail Art Show there on the theme of 'peace in unity' to wish the Sri Lankan people a better future. We received contributions from 29 artists, and the work was much admired by the public, not less because it came by post from so many far-away places. It was recorded and shown later on Sri Lanka's national TV.

The Strech Project