Artist trading cards

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Artist Trading Cards (or ATCs) are miniature works of art about the same size as modern baseball cards,[1] or 2 ½ X 3 ½ inches (6cm X 9cm),[2] small enough to fit inside standard card-collector pockets, sleeves or sheets.[3] The ATC movement developed out of the mail art movement and has its origins in Switzerland.[4] Cards are produced in various media, including dry media (pencils, pens, markers, etc), wet media (watercolor, acrylic paints, etc), paper media (in the form of collage, papercuts, found objects, etc). The cards are usually traded or exchanged rather than sold.

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[edit] History

Art trading cards can be seen as the modern incarnation of several much older artistic forms. Because of their small size and usually modest price they have been linked to portrait miniatures, which flourished in the 14th century, and were often used as advertisements by wealthy merchant families in arranging marriages for their daughters. Until this time art collecting was mainly the hobby of the Noble and Royal classes.

In later centuries artist trading cards were used throughout Europe and America as art training tools. Artists would trade the cards between themselves to study each others techniques and explore new art movements. The cards paid a particularly important role in the Impressionists art movement. The Impressionists utilized both sides of their artist trading cards, art on one side and a kind of brief resume on the other. The Impressionists were the first known artists to use the cards in trade for anything other then more art. Impressionists often traded the cards with art collectors in exchange for room, board, and art supplies.

M. Vänçi Stirnemann is credited in many circles with popularizing the modern artist trading card in 1996,[5] holding trading sessions in Zurich, Switzerland. This resurgence of interest of Artists trading cards has spawned the popular ACEO (art cards editions and originals) movement. Many people consider art trading cards and ACEO cards to be one and the same. Others feel they are decidely different pieces of art.

Clubs, trading sessions, and online mailart communities have largely replaced the original concept of trading the cards during individual encounters, and many ATC workshops end with a trading session[6]

[edit] ACEO: Art card, editions and originals

An offshoot of Artist Trading Cards are the "Art Cards, Editions, and Originals" (ACEO). ACEOs originated when some artists began to create cards to sell, in addition to trading among themselves.

As one example, Michael Leavitt specifically designed his Art Cards (2001-03) to be appreciated as originals unto themselves. His hand-painted small portraits of artists replicated traditional baseball trading cards in style and format.[7] ArtCard subjects were drawn from varied genre, with icons such as Vincent Van Gogh, David Byrne, Bob Ross, Frida Kahlo, Jackson Pollock, Laurie Anderson, Björk, and Michael Jackson. The limited editions were hand-packed in wrappers with bubble gum, as Art Cards were sold personally by Leavitt and exhibited as art objects. [8][9] Leavitt said, "It's a way I created to compare people and what they do across all kinds of different areas." [10]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Tracy Roos in Terry Taylor, Altered Art: Techniques for Creating Altered Books, Boxes, Cards & More, Lark Books, 2004, p103. ISBN 1579905501
  2. ^ Opie O'Brien, Metal craft discovery workshop: create unique jewelry, art dolls, collage art, keepsakes and more!, North Light Books, 2005, p100. ISBN 1581806469
  3. ^ Trading cards offer glimpse into Edmonton art scene Edmonton Journal Friday, July 27 2007
  4. ^ Lois Huey-Heck, Jim Kalnin, The Spirituality of Art, Wood Lake Publishing, 2006, p138. ISBN 189683678X
  5. ^ Artists' trading cards put collectible creations in the palm of your hand Honolulu Star Bulletin Sunday, May 6, 2007
  6. ^ Artist Trading Cards Club Reading Eagle (Reading, PA) 18-May-06
  7. ^ Nishimoto, G: "Living Artist Are Just as Good as Dead Ones", Vapors Magazine, Fall 2005.
  8. ^ Albert, J: "Watch Out for Darth Bush", South Seattle Star, June 25, 2003.
  9. ^ "Stranger Suggests", The Stranger, December 28, 2006.
  10. ^ Herber, K: "Art Cookin' in the Kitchen", Madrona News, March 2003.

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

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