Hi, I'm Dave. I live in St Cloud, Minnesota, about an hour northwest of the Twin Cities. I've been married for 45+ years to the same wonderful, sweet woman with whom I've raised seven kids.

I've always liked art, both appreciated it and enjoyed creating it. I like to sketch and do collage. I love books and have way too many of them. I buy a new bookcase and it's not long before that one is overflowing and I need a new one. I had a whole garage full of books before we moved.

A couple years ago I started trading postcards - little works of art! It's fun to receive them in the mailbox and it's fun to send a little bit of love out into the world every week.

I swapped ATCs for a while a few years ago. I enjoyed that a lot, but found the small size becoming a little restrictive. But, I'm ready to do more. I just like to create.

See my Postcrossing profile above for preferences. I'll add more as I go along. I'm kind of a hermit by nature, but I am opening up a bit. :-)

I've got a good sense of humor, so don't worry about offending me. I'm easygoing and just appreciate the time and thought that people put into their swaps.

I guess that's all for now. Looking forward to swapping with you.

Hmm. I like a lot of things and styles. I probably lean more toward traditional than modern. I prefer Rembrandt to Picasso. But I love Japanese woodcuts and Chagall, Van Gogh and R. Crumb. Lean more toward dark than cute. Steam punk over Disney.

But I like imaginative, fanciful illustrations, especially pen and ink - Gorey, the aforementioned Mr. Crumb, George Herriman (Krazy Kat). And vintage children's book illustrations.

As far as postcards go, same as above, plus I like:

Art cards

Black and white - especially celebrities; especially Bob Dylan; especially Native American or Indigenous Peoples; especially nudes

Unusual

Native American (especially b&w)

Nudes (especially b&w)

Pin-ups

People, especially women, especially Renaissance, Pre-Raphaelite, and Impressionist women.

Frida Kahlo, Josephine Baker, Betty Page

Street art - Banksy

Somehow over the years, I've managed to acquire a number of Hummel illustrated post cards. I'd love to receive more of those.

Not so much into tourist cards (except linens, those are great), although an exceptionally beautiful scene or historic building is welcome.

I like vintage cards, like linens and Curt Teich, but not reproductions of vintage cards. Unless they're really unusual, like some tinted Old West and Old Hawaii cards I have.

An update: transportation - trains, planes and automobiles; and old hotel/motel cards. Doesn't matter if they're ugly (think 60's motels), that's why I like them.

I know there are some fabulously artistic and creative people here, so a handmade card is fine with me.

Oh, and mermaids. I do like mermaids.

I have eclectic tastes when it comes to music. I like medieval and Renaissance music; Bach, Corelli, Vivaldi and Handel. I think Pachelbel's' Canon in D is perhaps the most beautiful melody ever written. I like Dylan and other singer-songwriters; roots, blues (Eric Clapton, Lightnin' Hopkins) and alt-country like Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris, John Prine. I like world music, Celtic, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, most classic rock, r & b and gospel. I don't really care for jazz and can't stand heavy metal, rap, hip hop and don't really care for most modern pop.

My taste in movies is almost as broad as my taste in music. I like the Wizard of Oz and The Princess Bride; Gone with the Wind and It's a Wonderful Life. African Queen, Casablanca - yes, I'm a romantic. But I also like Get Shorty and Snatch. Silver Linings Playbook, Hunger Games and Men in Black. Spirited Away, The Fantastics, Lion King. James Bond; never thought anyone could compare with Sean Connery, but Daniel Craig definitely measures up. I like most of the Coen Brothers (Minnesota's pride), Fargo and O Brother Where Art Thou are both great, Not to mention The Big Lebowski. I like a lot of foreign films and movies that make you think - Memento, L.A. Confidential, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Well, you get the idea.

This one's easy. Survivor and The Middle. I hardly watch any other TV. Except during football season. Update 2016 - have to add to this list: Better Call Saul.

The Bible stands in a class by itself. David's Psalms nourish and comfort me as nothing else can. I read mostly nonfiction - books on writing, art and history. Favorite classics are Lord of the Rings and Big Tiger and Christian. Recent favorites would be Shadow of the Wind, The Kite Runner, and a book of poetry by Hafiz, given to me by my sister, entitled The Gift. Oh, and Anne Lamott! She's written some really good stuff.

As I said above, I like to make ATCs, and now post cards. I do mostly collage and rubber stamps but I'm finally getting brave and doing my own drawing. UPDATE: I wrote this 6 years ago. Thanks to SB I do lots of drawings now. I also have begin carving my own stamps, which I really enjoy. I also LOVE watercolor, but am just beginning that. I don't know why I don't do more of it?!

I've always loved photography, too. When the kids were young I always had a camera around my neck. I sure appreciate the economy of digital photography, but I sometimes miss my old 35mm Pentax.

I love paper. Ephemera, clip art, vintage, retro, post cards, old newspapers, magazine pages, unusual paper, you name it.

I've recently begun carving stamps. I enjoy that a lot. I would love to see prints of yours, too.

And along with that goes artistamps and faux postage.

I guess it's time to update this. I've been on SB for a couple years now and am doing a lot more drawing. I love to sketch any time, any place. I'm getting better at it, too, but mostly I'm not so worried that it be "good". Thank you, SwapBot!

And zines! I love zines. Check this out!

P.S. I mark my swaps "sent" as soon as I put them in the mailbox. That could be a Saturday after the mail has been picked up, so obviously, it won't get postmarked until Monday morning. I hope that doesn't bother you. This is supposed to be fun, right?