Masterpieces In Your Mailbox

Kessler Ramirez knows how much time one work of art can require. Her detailed paintings on denim can take dozens of hours. Some of her pieces cost more than $1,000, but she was determined to offer high-quality art at a lower price.

Her first idea was an art vending machine. Her next idea was an online vending machine. Neither idea worked. Then she found mail clubs and developed The Masterpiece Post, a new mail club delivering fine art to mailboxes around the world.

Each month has a new art history subject. Members receive an original print, a sticker, a small craft, and a newspaper. The newspaper includes a letter, an art history lesson, and a game.

Kessler spoke with Letter Clubs about painted denim, lower-cost art, and the ten people from five countries who joined in the first week.

Letter Clubs: Tell us a bit about yourself and your background. What were you doing before you started your letter club?

Kessler Ramirez: I started painting historical masterpieces on denim in 2017 to combine my love for painting, art history, and thrifted jeans. After those went viral, I started posting tutorials on my website to help others paint their own denim jeans and jackets.

For the last three years, I’ve been a full-time travel blogger and artist. However, I’ve been spending more time on the art side of my business lately, as AI has unfortunately taken away a portion of my travel blog audience.

LC: What inspired you to start your letter club?

KR: My painted denim pieces take dozens of hours to create and can cost over $1,000 for detailed, intricate pieces.

When my painted jeans first went viral in 2018, I was unable to keep up with the demand because of the time it took to paint each pair. This is when I learned that my hand-painted denim pieces weren’t scalable.

I’ve always wanted to make affordable art without sacrificing quality or significantly underpaying myself.

My first idea was a physical art vending machine that I could stock with small prints and stickers. The next thought was a virtual vending machine on my website with a variety of surprise items in different categories. Both ideas quickly fizzled out once I started thinking through the logistics of them.

When I first saw someone post about their mail club, the idea immediately clicked for me. It was the perfect solution to everything I had been trying to create!

From the day I decided to start The Masterpiece Post mail club, it took me two weeks to develop the concept, create the artwork and sticker for the first month, and start accepting members.

LC: What makes your club special and unique compared to other mail clubs?

KR: The Masterpiece Post is an art history-inspired mail club, drawing from my beginnings as an artist painting historical masterpieces on denim. Each month has a different theme highlighting an artist, art movement, art museum, or masterpiece.

I have a minor degree in the history of art and architecture. This knowledge is used to create unique themes each month and educate my subscribers on art history topics.

Each envelope includes a print of an original artwork by me, a sticker or similar item, a mini craft, and a newspaper.

The mini craft is one of the things I’m most proud of in my mail club. Instead of just receiving art each month, my subscribers also get to make their own!

The newspaper includes a short letter from me in my Letter From the Curator column, the history of the art chosen for that month’s theme, and a themed game (e.g., a crossword puzzle).

LC: How has running the club been going so far? What have been some highlights?

KR: The Masterpiece Post mail club just opened to subscribers in July. The first month will be sent in early August. So far, it’s been a fun journey getting everything up and running and brainstorming future themes and items!

The main highlight for me is getting to break out of the denim painting box I put myself in for the better part of the last decade.

I’ve always loved making illustrations on my iPad and doing little crafts, but I have never shared those things with my audience. Now, I have an outlet to share new art with people every month!

It feels exciting to stretch my creativity and make art in a different way than I have in many years.

LC: What has surprised you most about running a letter club?

KR: I have been shocked to see the global reach of my mail club. In the very first week, I had 10 people from 5 different countries subscribe to The Masterpiece Post! I’m thrilled to send my art all around the world.

LC: What is your dream or vision for where you'd like to take your club in the future?

KR: My mail club feels like the perfect job for me. I’d love for it to grow into something full-time! Creating art each month, designing stickers, thinking up fun crafts, and then packing it all together is just the most fun thing!

LC: Besides your own, what's your favorite mail or letter club out there and why?

KR: I had only seen a couple of mail clubs from artists I already followed before I started mine. Patchwork Mail Club by @red.hat.creative was one of them, and I just love seeing what she sends out each month.

Since I started posting about my mail club, I’ve come across dozens of artists who run their own. Some of my other favorites from the recently discovered clubs are The Architecture Club by @artsbytrinity, Lil’ Treat Mail Club by @kit.kat.kanvas, and Baker’s Dozen Mail Club by @maurakspain.

LC: If you could have any celebrity or public figure become a member of your club, who would it be and why?

KR: I’d want it to be someone who appreciates art history. I absolutely love Brittany Broski and her deep dives into art history topics. She would be the ideal celebrity/public figure to subscribe to The Masterpiece Post!

LC: What advice would you give to someone thinking about starting their own letter club?

KR: Though I’ve been in the art business world for more than a decade, I’m brand new to running a mail club. The best advice already out there is to “just start” and “make it exist first; you can make it better later.”

My advice would be to focus on creating a theme that’s meaningful to you and would resonate with other people. If you don’t love the theme you chose, it will be difficult to feel inspired to create new art every month.

People can tell when someone is truly passionate about what they do. When you’re genuinely enthusiastic about your mail club, it will make others interested and excited about it as well!

LC: Is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers about your club or your journey?

KR: The Masterpiece Post is a mail club for artists and art history lovers. If you appreciate art history, even if you don’t know much about it, then this mail club is for you!

Sign-ups are open until the last day of each month for the following month’s mail (e.g., sign up in August to get September’s mail).