I love Artist Trading Cards: tiny works of art that are traded amongst artists all over the world. I don’t know. I just love the IDEA of that — bold little works of art floating about in such a vulnerable form.
As their name suggests, ATC are collectables, much like older, sports-themed trading cards. Actually, one of the “rules” governing their exchange comes from their predecessors — the dimensions of the ATC must always be 2.5″x3.5.”
Artist Trading Cards are not sold, they are only exchanged. The idea is for artist to meet artist, exchange work, and be exposed to different styles. Conventions are actually held all over the world where artists can gather, meet, and exchange.
Here are some examples that struck me. I love the detail of them, the obvious care each artist took on such a small canvas. (sorry the images aren’t bigger — oh, and that I didn’t get the artists’ names. At the site I visited, they weren’t always listed):
I found so many I liked, I just may have to post more of these in the future!
That fairy godmother one is funny and oddly disturbing at the same time.
Oh my gosh, these are so gorgeous – I’ve never even HEARD of them!!
I love the “blue is a color you can feel” one … I kinda want that one on my wall. Beautiful.
I’ve never heard of them, but I really like the Proverbs 31 one and the blue one.
A dumb question here: If you can’t buy them, but only exchange them, how do you get your first one? What am I missing?
I know — they’re gorgeous! I love that blue one, too. Her face is so … oh, just SO!
If only they made them in 2.5 x 3.5 FEET instead of inches, they’d be perfect for the wall!
Part of the reason I’m so into these is that I’m thinking of trying my hand at some myself. I’ll post pics here if I ever get them done.
If I ever …. hahaha!
rev — There’s a whole, big ol’ network out there — some ATC artists have websites. There are also magazines for these exchanges, etc.
Also — the exchanges work on the understanding that “senders receive”; in other words, you must give to receive.
never heard of them either, but i love tiny things!
like dollhouse furniture, and shrinky dinks, and flea circuses…
okay, well, i have never really seen a flea circus. but i bet it is cute.
These are so amazing. I love them. It reminds me of this exhibit I saw several years ago. It was in a gallery in NYC–I can’t remember the name of the gallery–I was with a friend and we were walking down the street and stumbled across it–the gallery had hundreds of tiny little pedestals/shelves on the wall, and on each little shelf there was an item. There were signs on the wall that said, “You may take one item, but please replace it with something of yours.” So all of the items werethings that people had on them that they decided to leave at the gallery–and it was amazing the variety of things that people had, but what was cool about it was how personal all of these items were. Notes, mix tapes, drawings–things like that. I exchanged a note I found in my backpack from an old boyfriend for a mix tape sleeve (the tape wasn’t there, just the list of songs, that someone had put so much care into making). I just loved the idea of trading small personal items with strangers, and this network of Artists exchanging personal trading cards is like that, only so so much better. It makes me want to become an artist so I can trade cards of my own.
Erik — That is so cool! I LOVE that idea! And how that kind of exchange kind of connects people.
And if you make some cards, I’ll make some and we’ll exchange! How’s that?
Tracey, it’s a deal. I’m in. I can’t promise that my card will be nearly as cool as the cards you’ve posted (I tried to pick a favorite–but I can’t, I love all of them), but I’ll do my best, and we can exchange!
Artist Trading Cards was the beginning inspiration for quilted postcards. I’ve been meaning to try my hand at quilted postcards. Tracey, if you make some trading cards, I’ll trade with ya.
Oh, wow, Anita! That would be amazing! I know your talent!