What’s a social enterprise? It starts with a lot of postcards. Meet Anne L’Ecuyer, the enterprising spirit behind The Posted Past, with her vintage postcard collection and new design for the season.
Q: Is there a story about how these postcards came to you?
A: My father collected postcards. A lot of them! Maybe because of him, my family also sent and received a bunch of postcards. That has taken off in creative ways over the years. For example, we love to watercolor on postcards and make collage art cards, too. I also write about postcards in creative ways.
Q: What did they mean to you then, and now? How has your relationship with this collection changed over time?
A: Well, it was something to do together when Dad was alive, and that was true for him with many people. His passion started with genealogy and family history and he was always telling us about it. He was a big fan of Finding Your Roots. I guess that is true of me, too. I’m also interested in making connections through family history. The more I look at the collection, the more it also reveals parts of social history, who we have been along the way.
Q: Among your collection, which postcards stand out and why?
A: Oh dear, that is like asking about one’s favorite pet. I like them all! One find that really captured my attention was Navarro in the Lava Field. Until I began researching those cards I had never heard of the ‘birth of a volcano.’ The catnip for me is to time travel and the chance to learn about a wide range of subjects. What stands out are the vintage cards that have a great backstory.
Q: We love your new postcards, too! How do those fit in the program?
A: This season’s fresh design is Cardinal on a Cactus sold locally here at Tempe Yarn & Fiber. We print a limited edition of each season’s design, so these are somewhat rare by definition. This one comes with a story, too. Join our Wednesday newsletter to get a new episode every week involving George, Nina, and a cast of characters, all celebrating the season in their own ways.
Q: If you could give and/or receive a postcard from anyone living or passed, who would it be and why?
A: I like the way postcards can whisper something profound, so I’d probably send a joke to Eleanor Roosevelt that says, “Now, you write to me!”
The Posted Past 