Artist Trading Cards: In the Beginning

A few years ago I developed a real fascination with Artist Trading Cards.  For those of you who may not be familiar with them, ATCs are original, miniature works of art, 2.5” by 3.5” (the same size as other trading cards, such as baseball).  They came about as a way for artists to network and get to know each other’s work.   And, just like other works of art, they come in all types of media including fabric.  When I first discovered these little gems I also discovered a website for participating in card swaps.  Someone establishes a theme and those who are interested sign up and commit to making cards to share with others.  In turn, everyone receives cards back from other participants.  This was really fun: coming up with creative interpretations of the theme was the best part.

So, once I discovered this art form, I realized that I could use them to “document” some of the creative items coming out of my sewing room.  I started saving little scraps from my various projects and turning them into tiny cards, mini-mementoes of sorts.

The first card I made used scraps left over from this quilted photo album cover.

I simply took what I had left from the project and stitched it onto a foundation and backed it with a piece of muslin.  I was then able to write out the details about the piece on the back, sign, and date it. 

My second card came about the same way.  I had beautiful little snippets left from a purse project, The Vintage Reticule (this was my second post ever on the blog and my very first Bag of the Week post).  Again, I stitched them to a foundation (probably a piece of canvas) and added an autographed backing.  I was hooked.

I started participating in swaps.  I always made myself an extra card to keep each time.  Here is the very first card I created for a swap which I entitled “Winter Along Duke Street”.  The theme was “Nature Fabric Swap” to be interpreted in any way.  My inspiration came from a line of trees on the grounds of the George Washington Masonic Temple near where I live.  I stamped silk organza with black ink and a tree silhouette, and used that as an overlay on a cotton background, stippled with metallic thread.  The red bead evokes a lone cardinal.

I also created a self-portrait card.  I started with a photo of myself and altered it using Photoshop to resemble a pastel drawing.  I printed it out on fabric and used crayons to enhance the color.  Then, using rayon thread, I thread painted the various details.  Here’s a picture of the original picture beside the fabric version.

Over the next few weeks I will share additional cards I made for both swaps and as keepsakes of my sewing projects.  Goodness knows there isn’t much else coming out of my sewing room at present (summer is just too full of other goodness and little boys).  I hope you enjoyed this different form of artistic expression.  The small size makes these very quick to work up, and the surface is the perfect place to explore some new techniques or ideas.  I hope you will give them a try for yourself sometime.