Following the success of my Ukraine project (or see this thread on this forum), this year I initiated another international philatelic project centered around the theme of peace. This second project aims at creating maxicards with peace-themed stamps, and the date of cancellation is chosen to be 21 September, known as the World Peace Day.
I chose to create the first year’s maxicards in Peace River (AB), Canada. Here are the final results I got:
I intentionally left out the 3 Christmas stamps issued in Canada showing the imagery of peace dove. The 1999 stamps were placed on one single card, because they were issued as a set.
Look at this beautifully designed pictorial cancel! It truly echoes the name of the town.
This is in fact the new cancel that Peace River updated in May (I know this because I wrote to Canada Post about sending my items to Peace River for cancellation.)
On a side note: I had difficulty sending my package to Peace River. The correct postal code that Canada Post gave me didn’t appear valid in the system at the Montreal post office where I planed to mail my package. I called Canada Post to notify them this issue (the lady thought it was the weirdest thing she heard in a week as the postal code she found was the same one). I hope it got resolved now.
The correct address provided by Canada Post is:
PEACE RIVER MAIN PO 10031 100TH ST PEACE RIVER AB T8S 1A0
There are 3 other Canadian towns with peace-related names to where I will send my items next year. My package sent to Taiwan which has 5 peace-related post offices didn’t make it on time this year. So the Taiwanese varieties will be created starting year 2023.
The idea of creating something philatelically worthy and historically significant using my War and Peace postcards and Ukraine support stamps grew out of my discussion with several members of The Stamp Forum. While trying to figure out which stamp would match my postcard the best (for creating a non-traditional maximum card), we were told in April about the new Croatian stamp release showing solidarity with Ukraine. Then as I started collecting these stamps, I came up with the idea of initiating this project that aims at inviting people from all corners of the world to stand with Ukraine.
Today, on the 31th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence, we came together to manifest our support for this democratic nation.
Here are some of the earliest examples of the cards resulting from this international project that calls for the collaboration of people from some 20 countries!
From Taiwan (with the help of Harry): To get the postmarks, my helper went to a post office named 永安, which has a beautiful meaning that is ‘forever safe’ (this is what we wish for people of Ukraine).
From Finland (with the help of Maarit Madetoja):
From Japan (with the help of Mina and Ai Suzuki):
From Moldova (with the help of Ala Nicoreanu):
From Spain (with the help of Juan Antonio Casas):
From Estonia (with the help of Simone D. Casadei Bernardi):
From USA (with the help of Dorin Cojocariu):
From Germany (with the help of Jens):
From Austria (with the help of Jens):
From Australia (with the help of Li Ya):
From Ukraine (with the help of Roman Skabara):
Participation of Canada, France, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, UK and many others has been confirmed too. Thanks be given to everyone for making this project a success!
P.S. I am still looking for a suitable organisation to look after the sale of these cards. If you know someone who may be interested, please put us into contact. Thanks in advance!
In case you are wondering why some elements of my first book are designed in this particular way — especially why the title is so big whereas my name so small — I have made a video explaining the rationals behind my design choices.
For those who are interested in visual art and graphic design (and those who want to hear me speaking ‘Canadian’ English).
Q1: About the Collector’s Edition and the original drawing: The idea is that one can select a photo from the book and you will create an original drawing?
No, to reproduce the exact same photo in drawing would be too boring. The idea is to draw an inedited that is not included in the photo book, based on a photograph of mine or a composite of different shots by others. My book only contains 82 out of the thousands photographs I have taken / published on my Facebook. There are some nice shots that I wish I could include in the book but didn’t make the cut in the end. I plan on including those shots in this project in the form of original drawings.
The Sound of Music picnic area in Werfen, Austria.
For example, the first drawing depicts The Sound of Music picnic area in Werfen, Austria, but it’s from a different angle than the photo that’s chosen for the book (p.47) and contains more man-made objects.
Westminster Abbey in Mission, BC, Canada.
The second drawing depicts Westminster Abbey in Mission, BC, but again it’s based on a different photo than the one on p.12.
Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic.
The third drawing depicts Charles Bridge in Prague using the same image on p.87 as basis, however, I added a foggy effect to the whole scene (as inspired by a photograph I purchased in Prague) and removed the people.
To avoid copyright issues, I prefer that the reference photo on which my drawing is based be taken by me or you. I suggest you look at my travel photo albums and my itineraries (they are all on my Facebook) to select a scene. If you are interested in a location I have passed through but I have not taken any good photo, either you can provide me with the reference photo or I can try to look for online royalty-free resources. So long as the final result cannot be entirely traced to a copyrighted work by others, I am allowed to sell it.
Q2: Can I choose a number?
Yes, absolutely. If you should have any preference for a specific integer between 1 and 28, simply let me know and I will do my best to assign it to you. So far #1, #2, #3, #5 and #6 are taken.
Q3: $140 is really expensive. Can you lower the price?
Those who know me know that my generosity is usually unbounded, and that I prefer to give / donate rather than to sell. However, sadly this time it cannot be. The reason is that 80% of the production of these 28 ‘forerunner’ copies is sponsored by a friend of mine. Even though she willingly gave me the funds and doesn’t mind my not making a profit, I feel beholden to her that I should at least try to give her part of the money back. Hence, I can only afford to give 5 free copies to those who really want to collect my artwork but lack the financial means to do so. As of today’s writing, there are only 3 copies left. If this situation applies to you, please get in touch with me; I will see what I can do for you. I am not trying to impose a financial burden on you; I am really happy and grateful that you should appreciate my arts.
Q4: Why didn’t you opt for Blurb? Isn’t it cheaper?
For Canadian customers, Blurb’s photo books are printed in the US. With shipping and import duties / taxes to Quebec, a copy of my book (with Blurb’s logo on) is estimated at $120-$130 — not that much cheaper anyways. It’s tricky to rely on an online-based service because I don’t get to approve anything nor have any say in the finishing of the book. There is a significant colour / brightness / saturation shift in converting on-screen RGB colour space to CYMK colour space that is used in the printing press. With BookArt, I can get the chance to see the proof of my book, and correct any potential problem so that the final result matches as closely with my expectation as possible. BookArt also offers more finishing options such as foil stamping on the cloth cover, which is a nice addition to the book. Plus, as a proud Canadian, I prefer to have my book made locally and support local business / artisans. I hope my collectors will understand my choice.
Today I am launching my first photo book, Roads Go Ever Ever On (2021). Worldwide shipping available. Please contact me to arrange a purchase and delivery.
Specification of the physical book:
31.3 × 27.6 × 1.7 cm, landscape
1.282 kg
98 pages
Hardcover PUR bound with dust jacket, purple Cialux linen cloth cover, blind and white deboss foil stamp on the front cover and the spine
Print run of 28 for Collector’s Edition, each copy comes with an original drawing of mine. Print run of 172 for Regular Edition.
Published on 26 June 2021
Price of the Collector’s Edition: $180 (taxes included) Price of the Regular Edition: $50 (taxes included)
This photo book comprises 82 photographs taken during my two as-yet biggest bike tours that are 10 years apart: the first across Canada in 2009 (11,000 km) and the second across half of Europe in 2019 (3,400 km). At the beginning, I was thinking of publishing two books focusing on each journey individually, but in the end I decided to combine them into one volume, without clearly differentiating between the two parts. By so doing, I hope to demonstrate the universality of nature and the unity of humanity.
Photographs in this book come in pair: the photograph on the one side is purposely chosen to echo or contrast the photograph on the other side, be it by composition, colour, subject matter, colour or whatnot. For example, one recurring theme is nature vs. human civilisation. Visual cues aside, hints are also given in the titles of the works that may help readers to make the connexion between the two photographs within a pair and the pairs within the global sequence order.
This project’s original title was ‘Forever’, taken from Stratovarius’ song of the same name to which I referred several times in my preface and in naming my photographs. As the project evolved, it became clear that a different title was in need to capture its new essence. I have come up with several options and this one, borrowed from a renowned literary source and suggested by my friend Mary-Jane (who also graciously served as the proof-reader of my preface), best describes what I intended to convey to my readers. It also alludes to the subject of my next book, which will fill in the 10-year gap between my two solo cycling adventures.
I hope my readers will enjoy flipping through this book as much as I did in making it.
There are 28 copies of the Collector’s Edition for sale at the price of $160 per copy. Each of them come with a different original drawing of mine. There are also 172 copies of the Regular Edition without numbering nor drawing at the price of $40 per copy.
For those who opt to have the Collector’s Edition, here is a sneak peak of my drawings in progress.
Original drawings that makes up the 28 copies of Collector’s Edition.
You may communicate with me on what drawing you want to receive. So long as it depicts a location I have travelled through (15,000 km through 6 countries, that’s a lot of choices!), I will happily produce it for you. In the absence of preference from your part, I will assign a drawing to you based on my personal bias and my knowledge of you.
So far each drawing takes 6-20 hours to complete. I hope this addition makes the book’s high price tag justifiable.
I recently signed up at Fine Art America to sell open edition prints of my photographes. Since I am still testing the features, I have only uploaded 25 photos that I think are suitable for wall art. Let’s guess which photograph will be the first to be sold: my pick is Entrance to the Heaven.
My drawings are not for sale for the moment, because I want to have total control over the type of paper used in printing them. Sadly, I have not yet found an art platform that offers this option. At Fine Art America for instance, if I choose to sell prints, then the buyer can automatically choose not just between different types of papers, but also acrylic / canvas / wood / metallic prints. For my drawings, I am looking to limiting the prints on uncoated or lightly coated paper only. Chances are I will have to set up my own online shop on my personal website, which complicates the matter.
I plan on self-publishing my first photo book Roads Go Ever Ever On this year.
Originally, I was thinking of making two books, with one focusing on my Tour of Canada, the other on my Tour of Europe. But after much considerations, I decided to juxtapose 82 photographs taken during these two solo adventures that are 10 years apart, without clearly drawing the distinction. Only in the index at the end of the book will readers see where these photographs were taken.
It will be printed and bounded by BookArt in Montreal, on the Canadian Spicers Supreme Silk Cover 60lb paper, hardcover with dust jacket.
Originally, I was thinking of relying on Blurb‘s online service, but in the end, I decided to partner with a local Montreal-based art book maker, BookArt instead. They specialise in small production (typically 100-150 copies) of art books, and actually do print at a number smaller than 100 upon request. They use the same Indigo printing system that Blurb uses, and allow me to see the proof of everything and choose from more finishing options (like foil stamping, cloth cover material / colour, etc.). The paper is also Canada-sourced and FSC-certificated. Therefore, my book is entirely Canadian and environmentally friendly.
The two proofs using (top) Spicer Supreme Silk 115lb paper and (bottom) Spicer Supreme Silk Cover 60lb paper. The bottom one looks a lot more substantial!
All of my photographs have been previously published, so the only new thing is the preface I wrote for this occasion. It’s been proof-read by Her Majesty of English Language Mary-Jane, hence is guaranteed to be an enjoyable read.
LINDA’S ARTWORLD 
