Stamps, the silent ambassadors of national pride and history
“Designs in connection with postage stamps and coinage may be described, I think, as the silent ambassadors on national taste.” ~ William Butler Yeats.
My art will never adorn the stamps of any nation; however, they do say something about me when they are viewed as a whole. This is my Throw Back Thursday contribution.
The stamps clearly demonstrate that I love bright colours and different types of flowers, from roses, to geraniums, to poppies and tulips. They also show a preference for watercolour with only one painting completed in acrylics. I added a few photos I took of flowers which I reworked in various apps I like.
When I see stamps such as this, I think of Mom. Funny how often she comes to mind. Much like me, she loved to paint and knit, but more than this, she loved her stamp collection.
What an impressive stamp collection she had! There were several huge binders with stamps dating back to the 1800s and covering most of the 20th century events.
I remember her sitting at the kitchen table on rainy or wintery Sunday afternoons, her beloved Viennese waltzes blaring on our stereo, the stamps spread all over the kitchen table as she added her newest acquisitions to her collection from all over the world, but mostly from USA and Canada.
She wrote to pen pals and then I did as well and gave her the stamps from my pen pals in Japan, Germany, and France.
As well she subscribed to Canada Post's Canadian first day issue stamps sent to her on a specially decorated envelopes to commemorate various significant occasions and anniversaries and such, and these are all in mint condition. For example, she has the opening of the new St-Lawrence Seaway, Expo 67, and many more that I just can't remember right now.
So whenever I see beautiful stamps, I remember Mom and her love of stamps.
My brother has inherited this collection and he sent me the photos below.
