Letters to Remember
A Worldwide Letter-writing Project in the care of Laura Clift
This project is simple.
Write down a memory on paper. Mail it to me. I will write a poem inspired by your memory and send it to you.
Art is a conversation. Let’s write to each other without screens.
Address your letter to:
Laura Clift
P.O. Box 9
Strawberry Plains, TN 37871
U.S.A
Why memories?
We all carry versions of our world, and people we have known, that no longer exist as they once were. Think of your childhood- what places you loved are gone? How has the faces of your friends changed over time? Memories should be treasured and kept safe like an endless library. If you send a letter to me with a memory, you’ll know that it’s not only in your mind and heart anymore. It’s written in ink and out in the world like a mountain or a fossil.
Why me?
I, personally, have grown tired of our digital world. Day by day, the internet and social media feels busier, louder, and more artificial. (The irony of this web page is not lost on me, but it’s the easiest way to reach you right now.) I want to create a way to share something meaningful and artistic in the real world, and for me, letters was what pulled at my heart.
My interest in letters and stories from strangers began when I visited the Club di Giulietta in Verona, Italy. I answered letters full of heartbreak as Juliet, and the words I read are still close by in my memory even though years have passed.
Recently, I visited the special collections at the New York Public Library to view documents left behind by a distant relative, Montgomery Clift, who was an actor during the golden age of Hollywood. His letters, scripts, childhood writings, notebooks. All of it an evidence of life lived. Memories in ink.
I would like to give others a place to slow down and share a piece of their heart. I will not take submissions digitally because that misses the entire point. To reflect and remember, write something in the physical world, and take the effort to send it. For your trouble, which I believe would be most valuable, you would recieve a small piece of art in return.
Why answer with dialogue poetry?
I have always found inspiration for writing in my own memories. The dialogue poetry I share is how I work out my questions about my past, present, and future. I would like to answer your letter in poetry, mostly, because I think it will be fun! Art is a conversation, after all. I’ll number each response as a one of a kind piece of a larger project. I may even illustrate it if I’ve got my paints out!
When will I recieve a reply?
All I can say is, not instantly. Letters can take days or weeks to reach their destination and that’s the beauty of it. I’ll answer letters when I have time and I won’t rush a reply. It may be a while before a response arrives, but it will, exactly when it’s meant to.
What does it cost?
Only your time and effort to write a letter, and the postage to the United States. I want this to be as easy and accessible as possible, but the spirit of the project is to keep as much of it away from the digital realm as we can.
If you would like to support this project with a donation, any tips are graciously recieved at this link.
What will you do with the letters?
I’ll store your letter in an archival box in my small art studio. One day, I may collect the letters and my artistic responses in to some sort of book, but I have no concrete plans. If you do decide to send a letter to me, please know I may scan it for safe keeping or to share if the project is of interest to others. It would be best not to include sensitive personal identifying information in your letter.
Send your letter to:
Laura Clift
P.O. Box 9
Strawberry Plains, TN 37871
U.S.A
Open to submissions worldwide
