2 more imperfect postcards from mary randolph carter (& a note from l.b.)

"Landscape: Another 25-cent junk painting that

has that look of Fall in the American countryside.

Still life of table: From my junk master's

collection--it reminded me of Thanksgiving."

mrc

mary randolph carter included

the above in her original notes for

the postcards series. i've been

thinking about art a lot lately,

and maybe the reason it took

so long to publish these is that

i needed them to remind me

that art is not easy to define

and harder, still, to qualify.

louise bourgeois just arrived

in the mail, via a suggestion

from david john at yhbhs.

here's what she said on p. 91:

"If I am asked what I want to

express, then this makes more

sense. At that point there is a

mystery we can at least talk

about, since for a lifetime I have

wanted to say the same thing..."

imperfect postcards V

a little christmas from mary randolph carter:

"Last Christmas day my sister Nell and I dragged in this long weather-worn trestle table from outside and set it up in the front hall of Muskettoe Pointe Farm. There would be forty of us for our sit-down holiday dinner, so it was a last-minute solution! My father had built it and another years ago for one of our weddings. Mother said no one would sit there because it was off the beaten track, i.e. not in the main dining room near the tree and open fire. Her instincts are usually right, but not that night. It was the most popular seat in the house. I think because it was something new and totally improvised. A few hours before dinner began, my son Carter caught the imperfect table perfectly!"

photo: carter berg

imperfect postcards

imperfect postcards IV

from mary randolph carter:

"This photo of my Mother and Father was taken in the sixties by a good friend who would often visit Muskettoe Pointe Farm, our home in Virginia. It is the most romantic image of them caught in the fields beyond our house. They were in love from the time they were 12 years old."

imperfect postcards

imperfect postcards [and splendid lovely style court]

from mary randolph carter:

"This pic from the book (page 213) was taken by my son Carter Berg in his blue Ford pick-up that he lets me borrow to go junking. From the looks of it and the smile on my face it was a successful hunt! I am wearing my favorite old torn-up black and blue checked flannel quilted work shirt that I bought over twenty years ago in a local work wear kind of store. It's so comfortable and comforting."

[there's a truly wonderful post

at style court today. courtney

has chronicled mary randolph

carter's holiday workshop, here.

imperfectly magnificent holiday fun.

style court's earlier & equally

superb post is here.

a pure delight!

vt]

imperfect postcards

imperfect postcards from mary randolph carter (a series)

"An old windup clock

that has sat on my desk

in NYC for years and years.

It's never ticked a tock!

(note the dust!)"

m.r.c.

imperfect postcards: a new series

imperfect postcards from mary randolph carter

it's been busy here,

dear reader. but stay

stay tuned! as soon as

the stuffing's stuffed & the

turkey is basted, there's

something fun in store:

imperfect postcards from

the inimitable m. r. c.,

author of the treasured

a perfectly kept house

(which is sitting on the

desk beside me as we

speak). worth waiting for.

talk to you soon. happy thanksgiving!

photo: mary randolph carter

p. s. carter will be at oblong books friday 11.27

imperfect postcards: a new series