Design for a postcard mailing to advertise Fossils, an art exhibit given by potter Gary Pletsch.
Gary was a brilliant clay artist in Pittsburgh, and in creating the exhibit Fossils, he was struck by how some of the oldest objects in the world are pottery shards discovered in ruins of ancient civilizations. These shards are almost always found along with bones of the people who used the items, their histories intertwined.
With that inspiration, Gary crafted a number of clay shapes that appeared vaguely bone-like, and these were buried in large framed-in tables filled with sand. Visitors to the exhibition were encouraged to sift through the sand to discover various objects, and consider whether the object was natural (bone) or man-made (pottery). It was a beautifully immersive experience.
For the invitation to the exhibit and opening reception, we wanted something that was rough, unfinished, and of the humblest origins. Using a heavy typeface, I printed the invitation on corrugated cardboard hand-cut to shape, with the goal of creating something that looked primitive compared to other postal mail received by the recipient. Because of the unusual nature of the piece, it stood out, and recipients said it was the first thing they looked at when it was delivered to their mailbox.