Mercury's Mail Art Workshop will bring collage art to Chinatown this weekend

It's the latest event by The Mercury Association of Mail Art.

Receiving yet another email may inspire a feeling dread, but think about the absolute joy of opening a physical mailbox and finding a handcrafted card inside. This weekend, relish in the delight of snail mail with Mercury's Mail Art Workshop.

The workshop is led by PostArtist General Sarah Gallina, a local artist, who will bring a bevy of cool collage supplies to help each participant create artwork for an oracle card mail exchange. Expect witchy, artsy vibes combining the silly with the sacred during the event on Saturday, August 19, at Chinatown Soup art center; tickets are on sale here for $45.

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This weekend's event will be the second secret snail mail society Gallina's held through her organization The Mercury Association of Mail Art. The workshop's devoted to the Roman god Mercury (a.k.a. Hermes in Greek mythology), the trickster deity who rules over the postal system. The event will explore the mystical guises of Mercury through rituals, channeled messages and a pilgrimage to a mailbox.

"You may recognize him from the mischief of 'Mercury Retrograde,'" Gallina says, "but how well do you really know this pansexual traveler, psychopomp, magician, guardian of thieves, master linguist, and god of exchange?"

In addition to getting to know Mercury, you'll also hear the history of the mail art movement from Ray Johnson to Miranda July to renegade artists creating art in response to oppressive regimes.

Plus, expect to create snail mail art in the form of an oracle card group exchange. Everyone's invited to create collage art oracle cards portraying the many faces of this great messenger deity for exchange through the mail. Gallina will add all participants' names to an address book for future mail exchanges as well.

"The idea is that the mail is activating this artwork and infusing it with magic," Gallina tells Time Out New York. "Then the person who receives the oracle card can then put a little channeled message or maybe just a drawing or doodle or receipt inside the envelope and send it back to that person. And if they want to, it can just endlessly go back and forth forever."

All are welcome, no experience necessary—"welcoming artists, writers, astrologers, potion makers, witches, snail mail lovers, and any newbie with an itch to make art and learn," as Gallina puts it.

While Gallina will provide plenty of collage materials, stamps and envelopes, she asks participants to bring a pair of scissors.

For Gallina, the post office has always maintained an air of fascination.

"I've always really been interested in the mail," she says. "The idea is that I'm trying to merge mystical realms with fine art realms and bring them in one space."

If you miss this weekend’s workshop, don’t worry. Gallina plans to host future events at different price points, including free options. Keep an eye on her Instagram for details.

“It’s so energizing,” she says. “Everybody brings such good energy into the space, and I love the idea that people may forge connections afterward or feel inspired to create things afterward.”

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