Collaborators
Karen Arp-Sandel (New York)
Katie Malone-Smith (Massachusetts)
Meredith Westfall (Massachusetts)
sally baumer (Massachusetts)
Jaclyn Stevenson (Massachusetts)
Delivery Sequence
Karen sends to Katie
Katie sends to Meredith
Meredith sends to sally
sally sends to Jaclyn
Jaclyn sends to Karen
PROGRESS GALLERY
March 3, 2026—Jaclyn Stevenson’s completed collage has arrived at headquarters.
Jaclyn Stevenson, Feb 28, 2026
February 23, 2026—Katie Malone-Smith’s completed collage has arrived at headquarters.
January 30, 2026—Sally Baumer’s completed collage has arrived at headquarters.
January 29, 2026—Meredith Westfall’s completed collage has arrived at headquarters.
Katie Malone-Smith, January 26, 2026
My collage is complete! In its last stage, I received the collage that was so overflowing with creativity, that I couldn’t fit anymore to it. So I added some off the canvas pieces including a tiny canvas of scraps at the top and a quad of RISO prints at the bottom. I also recently got new business stickers in the mail so I added one of those as a signature/branding of sorts. Big thanks to Karen for all of the creative surprises along the way! I’ll be sending this to Berkeley Commonplace soon!
Karen Arp-Sandel, January 18, 2026
My Collage-A-Box project has been completed, mailed to the Berkeley Commonplace Collage Project and received by them this month, January 2026.
I am so happy with the finished collaboration, as the Originator of this collage. What a fun project!
My challenge to collage onto the cardboard Tea box shape was achieved with all participants in Group No. 20 known as the Scrap Pack, adding tiny meaningful elements. The overall creation fits my vision of a magical portal that opens into a tiny flower garden and green space park. It feels like I can open the door and walk right into the scene where a red piano plays music while a juggler rides on a unicycle and colorful flowers spread their fragrance into the air. You can chat with a Cat over a cup of tea or climb a tree & read a book. Anything is possible in a collage.
My finishing touches to this collaboration are tiny origami designs & flowers, tiny people, and cat characters. Personally, I love working at this tiny scale. Lots of careful cutting and intentional placement of collage elements make this collage special.
I’m excited for viewers to spend time looking closely at this collage-a-box project in the upcoming exhibition.
Thanks to everyone in group no. 20 – you’re the best “ Scrap Pack”!
The before and after photos of Collage -A-Box on the final stage of the mail art collage project. 1-19-26
January 7, 2026—Karen Arp-Sandel’s completed collage has arrived at headquarters.
Karen Arp-Sandel, January 2, 2026
December 31,2025
It was so exciting to spend time on this project after the holidays and while waiting for New Year’s Eve countdown to midnight
I am in position 5 for this collage which originated with Katie Malone Smith all those months ago- last fall!
I enjoyed the opportunity presented by every member’s collage imagery. They gave me a lot of design and placement ideas for my own additions.
I really loved Katie’s 2 dominant elements, the foil red/pink irregular pattern checker board & the giant sky blue ice cream Sunday.
I worked to unify the top & bottom of the collage, which was set up like a half and half division of the square when it came to me.
I added some patterned papers, some postal stamps, some drawing and my signature cats and flowers to amp up the dynamics of the artwork.
Katie I like that you chose this large square for the substrate shape. It’s always satisfying for me to work on a square collage. It feels very balanced, overall. I also enjoyed the vibrant color scheme!
The first image Katie’s Collage at the finish line. The second photo is the way the collage looked when I received it.
Katie Malone-Smith, December 10, 2025
Today, I mailed Jaclyn Stevenson’s original, Sally Baumer’s original and Meredith Westfall’s original. All mailed to Meredith Westfall.
I do believe one of them is late, one is right on time and one is early. But such is life. But I received the pack of all three of them from Karen last month. So off they go to Meredith!
Karen Arp-Sandel, November 5, 2025
Hey Scrap Pack- here’s a little something extra!
Because I am a lifelong mail artist, and Founder of FeMail International Mail Art Network, I gave this delivery packet my full FeMail collage treatment! It’s encoded with all kinds of personal collage iconography from my copious paper stash! It’s traveling incognito to add the element of surprise.
Karen Arp-Sandel, November 3, 2025
I received this collage from Originator: Jaclyn Stevenson on Friday Oct 31. I added to it, and am mailing along to Katie Malone Smith on Nov. 5
I am in position 2 on this collage. I added the images on the left side in response to Jaclyn’s chickens & tomatoes glued to the right side of her collage. I continued with the “ farm & garden” theme she offered, by adding vintage illustrations I cut out from pages in an antique book: The Gardener’s Catalogue. I echoed the tomato red with a dot of red too.
I received this collage Oct.31 from JS. The Originator is Sally Baumer and I am in position 3 in our rotation. I added a focal point image in the form of a retro she-devil in bright red with a cartoony poodle head beside her.
I added to the circle theme, responded to the security envelope paper with pieces from my collection & added another hand making the peace sign, as well as the head of a retro smiling gent. My send-to person is Katie M-S. Mailing date is Nov. 5
I received this collage from JS on Oct. 31.
I am in position 4 in our rotation. The collage Originator is Meredith Westfall. I responded to the accumulated images of people gathered in groups looking out at the viewer and looking over balconies at summer camp. I added more people, using vintage photographic figures who appear to be gazing intently at the photographer. I continued the effect of old black & white photos. I added some colorful elements to augment the color theme started by Meredith. I added some abstract clips that echo the criss-cross patterns of the camp buildings.I added another Cat as a companion for the Cat that Meredith placed in her collage because I do love kitties, too. My send-to person is Katie M-S. I’ll mail this to her Nov.5
Katie Malone-Smith, October 18, 2025
Sent Karen’s original to Meredith yesterday! This is so much fun! Included are some photos of what I have done to Karen’s. Eeek! Did I do too much?
Sally Baumer, September 29, 2025
I pulled down some of Meredith’s blue & green by adding 2 colorful corners and a vintage car. I gave her sweet cat a comfy bacon-strip bed and forwarded second pass to Jaclyn.
Katie Malone-Smith, the Scrap Pack, September 22, 2025
So, I took me forever to find the right kind of packing to send my originator collage out to Meredith. It finally went out today so she should have it really soon since we are in the same state. But While I was delayed, Karen send me hers and I was absolutely WOWed by not just the collage, but her packing material and special details. So, I used to the extra time to make mine special as well. Thanks for the inspiration, Karen!
Karen Arp-Sandel, September 16, 2025
On September 9, I completed and mailed my Originator Collage to my send-to-person: Katie Malone Smith.
My format & prompt for the group is “ Collage-A-BOX” so I started with the idea of a first/ portal and pathway to a special collage world of our making. I’m excited to see how everybody takes it from here… to there…& beyond.
I used a tea box for the irregular shape. It’s a one sided collage.
Meredith Westfall, September 15, 2025
I just completed my originator collage. I kept it simple and left space so there’s room for more. I love the old pic of kids looking at something. I also used a few illustrations from a children’s book. And I added a gelli print scrap I made.
Katie Malone-Smith, September 14, 2025
I have finished a very simple started collage and will be sending it off to Meredith tomorrow, hopefully. It is a 2 piece starter made from paper from the Old Stone Mill Zero-Waste Makerspace in Adams, Ma and a RISO print I made at Looky Here in Greenfield, MA.
And at this point, I like the way it looks upside-down. But I have no idea what will become of it and that is exciting!
