For stampers looking to make a statement, Ragged Edge Press is pure pay dirt. The company operates under the Irreverent Rubber Stamp banner, and with good reason. Ragged Edge artwork refers visually to underground cartoonists like Robert Crumb, and intellectually to Magritte and his and his surrealist fellows.While politics, journalism, writing and environmental issues are represented, the collection contains lighter fare too. With stamps covering inline skating and Internet antics, Irreverent is as contemporary as it can be -- even if you will have to scan in your stamped art to add it to your e-mail.
There are a good number of Calderesque calligraphic stamps. These are figures drawn with one continuous, curlicue and elegant line. These are not as politically or socially loaded as the rest of the collection.
Company copyright policy permits free use of stamps in hand-stamped art. Otherwise, get the official go-ahead.
In addition to stamps, Ragged Edge also offers memo pads, stickers, stationary and post cards with their intriguing images. The stickers include a couple of natty postoids: "The Congressional Hearing Blues" and "First Save The World, Then Watch Cartoons."
Thomas Kerr did the drawings, with creative input from Joel S. Cohen, the managing partner of the company. Cohen, a fan of the Grateful Dead, attends Save the Earth benefits and New York City street fairs as his alter ego "The Sticker Dude." In these venues he distributes free stickers of Ragged Edge art. Stickers or stamps, you're in for a freewheeling ride: Opportunities abound this election year to enlist some irreverent Irreverant.
There admittedly isn't a teddy bear to be found for the mainstream stamper, but merry pranksters --and mail artists -- everywhere will find goodies galore in this thought-provoking catalog.
--Ellen Bulger