→ Oscar Yeats · POB 997 · Helena, MT · 59624 · USA ←
Oscar founded Swift Post in 2001 when he joined the mail art community and printed his first artistamps. From that time he has participated in numerous mail art calls and exchanges. After a long sabbatical Oscar is back.
Oscar Yeats' first mail art project was illegal. He mailed 12 envelopes containing self addressed postcards and stamps issued by Swift Post to members of his art community with no instructions. All 12 postcards were returned, even those that lacked official postage were postmarked and delivered by the USPS.
This questions comes up a lot. There are some that insist on YEEts, but Oscar assures us it's YEAts. Like this.
Upon further research he discovered the eternal network of mail artists and began corresponding internationally. Around the same time Oscar noticed the local print shop had a F. P. Rosback comb-type perforator in the lobby being used as a plant stand. He asked about using it, explained his project and every few weeks he would move the plants off of it and use it to perforate sheets of artistamps. In 2002 the printshop redecorated the lobby and donated the perforator to Swift Post. Having access to the perforator is crucial to the daily operations at Swift Post.
Research suggests Oscar stole the design from a long defunct 24 hour photo processing company called Fox Photo. Evidence.
There was a time that my post box held a surprise for me every day. Maybe it would be a machine-chewed too thick envelope or a postcard covered in penny stamps. Lately it’s slowed way down. Way way down. And its too bad really, now I imagine my post office box looking like one of those abandoned Boo Radley houses at the end of the street. But no longer.
-->Do not fold is a mail art call open to all participants designed to revitalize the dusty offices at Swift Post. It's my intention to collect, collate, catalog, copy and circulate all submissions marked "DO NOT FOLD" that arrive at my post office box. The dimensions of box 997 are 5" x 5 1/2" x 14 3/4", there is no maximum for submissions.