Opportunities for Print Student from USA in July-Aug 2012?

Recently I had an email from Rachel Singel, 

an American printmaking student in her 2nd year at the University of Iowa. 

Her artwork is inspired by the landscape 

and she would love to see New Zealand's incredible scenery firsthand,

so has started planning to come to NZ about 15 July - 15 August 2012.

She would really love to come and stay with / work with another printmaker, if at all possible,

to meet some NZ printmakers, and to assist with any work at all while she is here.

An artwork by Rachel Singel (USA)

I was wondering if you NZ Printmakers knew of any opportunities or workshops
that Rachel could collaborate with during her time here in NZ next year???
Or if anyone would like to host Rachel for a few days, please click here to email her. 

Your suggestions would be greatly appreciated!



Fine Art Papers September Specials!

Almost every printmaker I know loves paper,

so on behalf of Randall Scott at Fine Art Papers

 I'm so excited to tell you about their September Specials Catalogue!

They are offering 10% reduction on published prices from 1-30 September

for all full packs, mini packs, watercolour packs, and watercolour rolls.

Oh, look at all that pretty paper in their storeroom!

Yes, that means 10% off full or mini packs of all your favourites: 

Fabriano

SaundersWaterford

Arches

BFK Rives

Hahnemuhle

Incisioni

Tiepolo, etc

Oh, that makes me want to stock up on all of them!!!

 Click here to see the September Specials Catalogue pdf 

 visit their website: www.fineartpapers.co.nz

or click here to email them

or phone them on (03) 379 4410

All packed up ready to go to your house...

Fine Art Papers is based in Christchurch, 

currently operating in temporary premises in Opawa between 12-3pm Monday to Friday.

Their old premises in Madras St sustained damage in the February quake, 

but will be repaired at some time in the future. 

Sadly however, their historic Lyttelton premises 

which they occupied in the1990s has sadly been demolished.

Fine Art Papers still love supplying paper to printmakers! 

Here is a photo of Kay & Randal in 1995

at their old historic building in Lyttelton, 

which was demolished as a result of the February quake. 

Note from me:

 As per a conversation of our NZ Printmakers Facebook page,

for those of you reminiscing about the fabulous Lana Royale paper from 'the good old days',

Randal suggested the new Revere Ivory is quite close, except that it is a softer paper.

If you give it a try, post a comment below to let us know how it compares.

Barry Cleavin Exhibition Update

There will be a function on this coming Saturday 3 September at 11.30am, 

to celebrate Barry Cleavin's latest work 

Exercising The Black Dog at PaperGraphica in Christchurch.

Barry Cleavin, Exercising The Black Dog #12, 2011
Etching / aquatint on paper, 25x32cm, edition of 15.

You may remember the opening function was cancelled 

due to the snow a couple of weeks ago. 

They have also decided to extend the exhibition for a couple of weeks,

it will now finish on 17 September.

Works from this show are viewable here on PaperGraphica's website.

Tea Party with Fleur Williams, 18 September, Wellington

You can join artist Fleur Williams on Saturday 18 September

for an afternoon tea with lashings of cream 

and a guided tour of her personal collections 

including prints, paintings and objects d'art 

in her Wilton home and studio.

Tour and afternoon tea $15

For more information about this event or to book your place 

contact Solander Gallery by phone
or at info@solandergallery.co.nz

Fleur Williams, At Home - At Ease As If In One's Own Home, 2010
Mezzotint and etching, paper size 41x55cm, edition of 4. 

Rugby World Cup is almost here!

It's almost Rugby World Cup time here in NZ! Only 2 weeks to go!!!

So I thought I'd share a print for you rugby-mad printmakers...

Brad Novak, Eye Chart for Rugby Fever 1.1, 2011
Screemprint, 76x53cm, edition of 80.

Click here for Brad Novak's website if you are keen to purchase one

for yourself or as a nice Rugby World Cup souvenir 

8th British International MiniPrint Exhibition

The 8th British International MiniPrint Exhibition

is open to all printmakers, and any printmaking technique. 

Approximately 200 prints will be selected for the exhibition.

Criteria for selection will include:

originality of image, technical ability, and skill in producing the prints.

Prints can be up to 8x10cm

Deadline for entries is 21 September

A minimum of 10 prints of each submitted print must be available,

and these should be sent to the Printmakers Council on notification of selection.

This is to reduce postage and administration costs to artists,

and to ensure customer orders can be quickly satisfied.

For monotypes and monoprints, 10 similar images must be available.

More information, entry forms and online payment

can be found on their website http://www.8thminiprint.com/

Printmaking in September!

September and Spring are just around the corner,

and I'm very excited about all the print-related events coming up,

such as the 1-year anniversary of this NZ Printmakers website

and the Impact7 International Print Conference in Melbourne.

To make it even more exciting for printmakers 

there may be some awesome 'specials' being offered 

by some of my favourite printmaking suppliers!

Just so we can use September to celebrate how awesome printmaking is!

So keep reading to find out what specials are on offer in September,  

let me know if you have any events or exhibitions planned for next month,

I'll add details as they come to me...

AGS Art Expo, 26-28 August

Auckland Grammar School is hosting an Art Expo 

on 26-28 August in Epsom, Auckland

Works include several printmakers such as

Philipa Bentley, Dick Frizzell, Susan Hurrell Fieldes, Susanne Khouri, Jeff Lockhart,

Otis Frizzell, Brad Novak, Diana Smallfield, Mike Weston, and many more artists...



Philipa Bentley, Stag Beetle

Hand-painted screenprint on paper, 43.5x54cm, edition of 50.



Weston Frizzell, Behave Yellow
Screenprint on paper, 57x77cm, edition of 180.

Susan Hurrell Fieldes, The Heart Afraid of Breaking
Monoprint, 30x21cm

See http://agsartexhibition.school.nz/artist.php for more deatils

if you are interested in attending or purchasing some prints.





Level 3 Print Portfolios 2010

Wow, isn't it amazing how fast the year is flying by?!

People are already talking about end-of-year stuff already!
Which reminds me...

The other day I came across this website of student portfolios for Level 3 Printmaking.

Top Art is an annual touring exhibition 

featuring some of New Zealand's top secondary school Visual Art portfolios. 

The exhibition is coordinated by NZQA.

Here are some examples from 4 of the top students in Print 2010:

Nadia Rivai, Rebecca Telford-Brown, Rory Grant, Troy Butler 

(Click on their names to see their full portfolios)

Nadia Rivai

Rebecca Telford-Brown

Rory Grant

Troy Butler

These students involved in the Top Art exhibition 

gained Excellence for their work at NCEA Level 3 in 2010.

The website also provides an opportunity for secondary students and teachers 

to view the high standard of art produced in schools 

and gain an understanding of what is required to achieve Excellence in Visual Art at Level 3.

I'm sure all you NZ Printmakers will be impressed with
the very high standard of these students' excellent Printmaking portfolios.

Digital Textile Printing Webinar, Auckland, 26 August

For those of you interested in print via digital, or in textile printing:

There is a free 'webinar' about Digital Textile Printing

 at 12.30 – 1.45pm on Friday 26 August 

AUT University, Lecture Theatre WB 327, Wellesley St, Auckland City

Debra Laraman & Donna Dinsdale, BOP Polytechnic.

Digitally printed silk dresses, 2007

Photo showcased on http://www.tdl.aut.ac.nz/

In this presentation, which is co-presented by Kerry King of (TC)², issues such as 

pre-treatment, substrate, ink set, steam quality and after-washing 

will be reviewed as to their influence on the final product. 

The latest advances in hardware and ink chemistry 

for digital textile printing applications will also be discussed. 

The presentation will highlight the emergence of digital printing 

as a tool within the textile production arena. 

Challenges and opportunities related to printer speed, quality and colour 

will be addressed as well as special applications 

including grand format and direct to garment printing.

There is also another 'webinar' on Friday 2 September
discussing the applications growing opportunities in the digital print area.
The discussion will also highlight challenges and strategies
for linking digital sampling to printed textile production.

Free admission. To register, please email peter.heslop@aut.ac.nz 

Pakiwhaitara - Stories to Tell, Christchurch, til 31 August

Pakiwhaitara - Stories To Tell is a portfolio of 20 artists 

from Australia, Mexico and New Zealand

which is currently on show in the Rakaia Centre Library
at Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology now until 31 August, 

as part of the School of Art & Design's Spark Week 

and in conjunction with the Christchurch Arts Festival.

The Pakiwhaitara:Stories to Tell portfolio and its packaging

The portfolio artists have each contributed their interpretation of a myth or legend 

that has a personal resonance for them, based on fact or fiction, past or present. 

The resulting imagery and stories reflect a diversity of cultural backgrounds, 

Maori, Pakeha, Zenadh Kes, Tongan, Chinese and Mexican. 

The images also present a range of attitudes, 

from respectful to provocative reappraisals of past and present stories and issues.

The Maori title is a blend of whai: to search 

and pakiwaitara: stories, fact or fiction.

Riki Manuel, Te Waka o Aoraki, 2010
Woodcut

Sam Reed, Mitch, 2010
Screenprint 

Kiri Te Wake, Forbidden Fruit of the Underworld, 2010
Mezzotint

Te Maari Gardiner-Ngata, Hika Ra Taku Ahi (Strike My Fire), 2010
Screenprint

The artists are Anna Dalzell, Simon Edwards, Te Maari Gardiner-Ngata, 

Victor Hernandez, Ben Hodges, Kim Lowe, Euan Macleod, Kulimoeanga Maka, 

Riki Manuel, Arturo Meade, Xavier Meade, Elizabeth Moyle, Hannah Page, 

Samuel Reed, Michael Reed, Glen Stringer, Dylan Taylor, Kiri Te Wake, 

Sandra Thomson and Wayne Youle.

Many of the editions were produced in collaboration
with the School of Art & Design, Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology. 

Barry Cleavin exhibition, PaperGraphica

PaperGraphica in Christchurch are hosting some new prints and a small publication

by Barry Cleavin, titled Exercising the Dog

Barry Cleavin, Exercising the Black and Tan Dog #1, 2010
Etching, aquatint, 28x31cm, edition of 15

The exhibition was scheduled to open tonight, 

however the opening event has been cancelled 

due to the snowy weather and the chance of icy roads later in the day.

Another function is being planned for later in the show.

The exhibition closes 3 September.

Collateral, Printmaking as Social Commentary - last week!

Just thought I'd share a bit more information about the NZ Printmakers

who are involved in the Collateral: Printmaking as Social Commentary exhibition,

and the story of how it came to being...

Michael Reed, Business As Usual, 2011installation of 15 screenprinted cotton bandages

Runners for the Corridors of Power: Carpet Bombing

and Right, Might, Profit, 2009 

digital dye injection on nylon

Photo © 2011 Sait Akkirman, 2011

In 2009, Elizabeth Rankin (Head of the Art History Department of Auckland University) 

presented a paper at the Impact 6 international printmaking conference, in Bristol, UK.

The topic was the graphic art of protest in South Africa 

and linked this with the work of Heyman, Reed, Thomson and Victor. 

Her presentation led to the four artists being invited to contribute 

to an exhibition called Mark/Remarque as part of Philagrafika, in Philadelphia, 2010. 

Now, an exhibition of the artists’ works is to be held in New Zealand,

thanks to the Gus Fisher Gallery at University of Auckland, 

the research programme of the School of Art & Design 

at Christchurch Polytechnic Institue of Technology, 

where Michael Reed and Sandra Thomson are teaching staff.

Sandra Thomson, Dirty Linen, 2006

Screenprint on fabric, four panels

Photo © 2011 Sait Akkirman

Sandra Thomson, Hush Money, 2007

Screenprint on two fabric sleeves

Photo © 2011 Sait Akkirman 

Sandra Thomson exploits the versatility of screenprinting 

to create linear forms reminiscent of medieval woodcuts 

in order to explore saintly stories, 

as well as more contemporary incidents of suffering in the church. 

Her works sometimes depict fingerprints like informal metonyms of the printmaking processes, 

and she prints on fabrics that may be shaped into indicative apparel. 

Michael Reed, Business As Usual, 2011

Installation of 15 screenprinted cotton bandages

Photo © 2011 Sait Akkirman, 2011 

Michael Reed, Drapes for Real Men: Money Mob International and Collateral, 2009 & 2011

screenprint, stencilling, painting & stamps on textile

Photo © 2011 Sait Akkirman, 2011

Michael Reed too uses fabric supports for many of his prints; 

to convey a social imperative he deploys the connotations of the varied forms of textiles

 - whether drapes, carpet runners, or bandages - 

to contribute additional layers of meaning to the transfixing texts imprinted on his works.

The publication that accompanies the exhibition was designed by 

3 Bachelor of Design Visual Communication students from CPIT: 

Josh O’Neill, Richard Burson and Kit French. 

Working as a team, they liaised with the curator and writer, one of the artists and the printer, 

under the guidance of their graphic Design Tutor, Rob Lovelock. 

The catalogues are available from the Gus Fisher by donation to Gapfiller, 

a creative response project of installations and performances 

in earthquake-damaged Christchurch. 

Sandra Thomson, Evidence Singlets, 2006
screenprint on six singlets presented on coathangers;
second set of six, stained and bagged in plastic
Photo © 2011 Sait Akkirman, 2011

The exhibition is to be held at the Gus Fisher Gallery, Auckland 

until 20 August - so get in and see it this week!

(or check out 20 of the images from the opening on ArtsDiary)

Laser Expands Print Boundaries

Recently I heard about an interesting project exploring 'Intaglio',

in particular, the boundaries between traditional and contemporary printmaking technologies,
using laser to cut and etch in printmaking.

The course was being taught by Lynn Taylor and Chris Fersterer at Otago Polytechnic

with students studying design, fashion, communications, interiors and product design.

Student work: Relief print by Finn

 Traditional intaglio etching often conjures up notions of craftsmanship and tradition,

with costly metal plates, dangerous acid processes and carcinogenic resist compounds,

of applying ink into the surface of a printing plate

 then forcing the paper into the surface of the plate to transfer the image.

Student work: Horse with map etched into surface, inked

These students were encouraged to explore how the intaglio printmaking process

may be integrated with contemporary tools and processes such as laser etching

to provide a new expression of the printmakers' art.

The intaglio press was also used to produce art works on paper

including fine detailed etchings, coloured woodblock images, embossed surfaces and more.

Using laser provides a quick and safe way to cut and etch different materials, 

allowing for creation of images from digital sources.

This process integrates old and new technologies,
with qualities that are an amalgam of both technologies rather than one or the other,
enabling generation of unique images, as well as the production of multiples or a series.

Students were given plenty of scope to fully experiment
with a variety of applications for the process.

Student work: Ashley's books using hand-cut stencils

The students worked with Adobe Illustrator and AutoCAD to create vector files

that would cut shapes right through or etch into the matrix.

Simple laser cut cardboard plates were very versatile – fantastic for embossing and relief printing.

Perspex plates etched quickly at a lower dpi worked the best for intaglio printing.

Higher dpi images had too many ‘dots per inch’

and printed like an over aquatinted plate (the ink did not hold well).

Student work: Olivia's paper cup and inked perspex plate

The first week was experimenting and the next two weeks they were working on their own projects.

They were asked to make up their own individual projects considering consider: 

the viewer, the process, as well as their conceptual concerns.

The students gained ideas from artists and designers

such as Cardboard Safari, Anthony Roussel and Tord Boontje.

Although these artists use laser cutting to produce the final product,

the students also explored printing, and how both the print and the plate could be used.

Student work: Danielle's acrylic piece (white) 

and shadow (black) inspired by a cameo brooch

Student work: Danielle's 'cameo'
translated into fabric

The most revolutionary part of the learning experience was when students asked 

 ‘what will happen if I do this…?’ and the answer was ‘I don’t know, let’s find out’.

Asking questions when they didn’t know the answers became exciting,

and it was liberating for the students to realise there was not one right answer but many.

Students work: Richard's Lamp
with mix of real, printed and laser-cut leaves

A lot of student work is based around an interface with the computer as a tool.

By creating imagery on a laser cutter and then printing with it
the 'mark of the maker' became apparent.

Some students were hesitant to leave the virtual world
but experienced immense satisfaction when they did!

Thanks to Lynn Taylor for allowing me to share this with you NZ Printmakers.
I hope it inspires you to experiment with utilising new technologies
in your printmaking, along with and enhancing traditional processes.
I'm looking forward to experimenting with this myself! Looks fun!!!

Anthony Davies' Tin Drum, Eltham, 19 August - 16 September

Anthony Davies new series of silkscreen prints explores Gunter Grass' novel The Tin Drum,

which will be exhibited at Aratoi, Wairarapa Museum of Art and History 

from 19 August -16 September

Anthony Davies, from the series The Tin Drum
Screenprint

English-born Davies trained at the Royal College of Art, London

and was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society of Painters and Etchers in 1994 –

the same year that he moved to New Zealand.

He later founded the Hotspur Studio, Whanganui.

His work is in prestigious collections throughout the world,

and he has taught printmaking at Elam School of Fine Arts,

Whanganui UCOL Polytechnic and Inverlochy Art School, Wellington.





Mini Print International Asia Pacific

Mini Print International - Asia Pacific is a print competition open to all printmaking techniques,

in which artists from all over the world are invited to participate.

The recognition and exposure for winning artists could be great 

& the award has the biggest prize pool of any mini print exhibition in the world.

Judged by a jury of internationally respected experts, five works are awarded winners.
Prize Pool is $25,000 (comprising of five $5,000 prize packages)

The award winning artists are each granted a $5,000 prize package,

which includes an exclusive invitation to hold their own solo show,

a full page exposé in the awards catalogue, exposure on our international website, etc.

Image size up to 10x10cm, on paper no larger than 18x18cm.
The technical and formal quality of the works is expected to be very high,

encouraged by the juried nature of the exhibition.
Every entrant selected by the jury to exhibit will be showcased in prestigious full colour awards catalogue.

The opening of this year's exhibition will take place November 2011 in Melbourne, Australia,

with subsequent touring events in Sydney and Hong Kong, at venues to be announced.

Entries close 31 October 2011

See Mini Print International's website for rules and entry details.

NZ Printmakers in Lessedra Mini Print 2011

Congratulations to these 5 NZ Printmakers

whose works (listed below) were recently accepted to the Lessedra Mini Print 2011!

I thought you might like to see a few images from these NZ Printmakers:

EMMA MCLELLAN

Changeling I, 2011, Screen Print (Unique), 10x10cm

Changeling II, 2011, Screen Print (Unique), 10x10cm

Changeling III, 2011, Screen Print (Unique), 10x10cm

Emma McLellan, Changeling, 2011

PRUE MAC DOUGALL

Pecking Order, 2011, Solar Plate Etching, 25x20cm

Enamour, 2011, Solar Plate Etching, 15.5x12.5cm

The Beginning and The End, 2011, Solar Plate Etching, 27x21 cm

Prue Mac Dougall, Enamour, 2011

REBECCA THOMSON

Untitled I, 2010, Collagraph, Graphite, 16x10.5cm

Untitled II, 2010, Collagraph, Graphite, 16x10.5cm

Twin Single (Bed Heads), 2010, Collagraph, 15.3x21cm

Rebecca Thomson, photo with artworks
(specific entry photo not available)

STEPHEN LOVETT

Untitled (Punch Out # 0502113302011), 2011, 

Screen Print (9 Color) over Hand-finished Digital Ground, 18x18cm 

Untitled (Punch # 080302011.114-110), 2011, 

Color Screen Print over Hand-applied and Hand-finished Digital Ground, 18x18cm 

Untitled (Punch Trough # 111306032011), 2011, 

Screen Print over Hand-applied and Hand-finished Digital Ground, 18x18cm

Stephen Lovett, Untitled (Punch Out # 0502113302011), 2011

SUSAN HURRELL FIELDES

Leitmotiv Series – Lessedra I, 2011, Monoprint, 19x25cm

Leitmotiv Series – Lessedra II, 2011, Monoprint, 19x25cm

Susan Hurrell Fieldes, Leitmotiv Series I & II, 2011

Well done!
Such a great variety of images and techniques,
we are very proud of you!

Collateral, Panel Discussion, 13 August

In association with the Collateral: Printmaking as Social Commentary exhibition

on at Gus Fisher Gallery in Auckland from 1 July - 20 August,
a multi-disciplinary panel of researchers will respond to issues raised by the exhibition
on Saturday 13 August at 1pm

The panel will including themes of political violence and human rights.

Speakers include Dr Tracey McIntosh (Sociology)

and Dr Susanna Trnka (Anthropology) from University of Auckland.

Linocut Workshop, 20 August, Invercargill

For those of you way down south, there is a Linocut Workshop

10am - 4pm on Saturday 20 August 2011

at Aurora College in Invercargill

Cost $35, plus a materials list will be provided on enrolment. 

Linocut produces bold dramatic prints similar to woodcut. 

In this class you will plan an image, carve a lino plate (probably several), 

work in positive and negative, and print your masterpiece for display. 

Linocuts make fabulous greeting cards. 

This is a wonderful way to begin an exploration of printmaking. 

Tutored by Carmen Morales, who has recently come to New Zealand from Chile. 

She has a Bachelor degree in Fine Arts 

and has exhibited internationally in printmaking and artist books.

For more information or to register, contact Lesley du Mez on 032188180 

 www.southlandeducation.org.nz   

How Shall We Celebrate???

Next month NZ Printmakers will celebrate 1 whole year of blogging!

So, what shall we do to commemorate this occasion???

(I'm not sure, but I think it should involve you, printmaking, and maybe a cake?!)

I'd really like your ideas and suggestions, 

so either add comments below, 

join NZ Printmakers on Facebook, 

or click here to email me.

Ben Reid's Studio

I love seeing print studios so I thought I'd share this with you -

it is an online article from Avenues magazine

including this snippet about Ben Reid's artist studio: 

"I like it; it's a real reflection of me"

says Christchurch printmaker Ben Reid of his Sumner studio/garage. 

Between helping to look after his baby daughter, Isabella, 

Ben works downstairs on his meticulously crafted dry-point etchings. 

After graduating in 2005 from the CPIT School of Art and Design, 

Ben has produced art reflecting his passion for the great outdoors. 

He recently took a 55-hour boat ride in rough sub-Antarctic seas to Campbell Island, 

and the wildlife he encountered will be the subject of a new body of prints. 

"I would always draw and paint, but when I came across printmaking, 

there was virtually no turning back. 

It doesn't matter how much printmaking you do, the joy of it never goes away."

Interview: Toni Mosley

Who are you?

My name is Toni Mosley. 

I have been making prints for almost 15 years, and have loved every moment.

I am a art tutor and have been teaching art for almost as long as I have been printing. 

My practice of creating is a long process due to the time I spend teaching 

and constantly shifting the balance of art, work, and life. 

I think this is the one thing we all struggle with, 

in an ideal world it would be great to submerge ourselves in our work everyday 

but I must say as I dream of that I know that my life inspires my work. 

I had a great mentor that told me you need to have a life to create art, 

this means being involved and having the world outside to work from. 

Currently I have been involved in mostly group shows and will be having a solo exhibition next year.

Toni Mosley, Anchor, 2006

Edition of 13

What is your favourite thing about printmaking?

Process and possibility. 

My passion for print is that it can cross medium borders 

as those working in paint, 3-dimensions and photography can all use print. 

Print has a wonderful sense of tradition but it also allows for experimentation 

and pushing the idea of print beyond that of ink on paper. 

Historically print was used as a way to spread information quickly 

whether by political cartoons, religious scenes to the illiterate 

or even the printing of text with the Gutenberg press. 

Printmaking is a socially based medium, as we work with others and share spaces 

but it is also social as a place for discussion about the image. 

Describe when & how you realised you were a printmaker.

I came from a photography background, 

and had a professor who said I should maybe try some of the historical photographic processes, 

so for my final project I experimented with gum dichromate prints.

This experimentation of mixing that process with other print processes, 

led to me applying for special permission to use the facilities over the summer 

and I had my first solo exhibition from that work the next Autumn. I was hooked.

I still work with my photography as a starting point, but I love drawing and print.

It allows me to use drawing, text, and photography within different processes.

Toni Mosley, Finding My Roots, 2010

Edition of 21

What or who influences your work and/or subject matter?

The simple answer is: People, places and the funny things that happen. 

Can you offer one small piece of printing advice to share with other NZ Printmakers?

Keep printing and learning. 

Push yourself and use the different techniques 

I know how important it is for me to go back and explore the different types of print 

as each speaks a different language and the finish is different. 

So take workshops, see shows, and constantly explore what works best with your image. 

Also never throw out a 'bad' print these can be great places to experiment with 

so try printing a different image on top, or a woodcut, draw, paint then print some more, 

and if that fails you can at least use the back side for proofing other images. 

Paper is expensive so don't let that hinder your progress -

a bad print is still on good paper, so if all else fails cut them up and write a letter to someone on them.