Milwaukee ATC Live Trading

See more group photos at Flickr.

Join us for the
Milwaukee
Artist Trading Card
LIVE TRADE

Sat., May 31, 2008 from 12:30-4:30 p.m.
at Artist and Display
9015 W. Burleigh, Milwaukee WI
A special 4-hour meeting with a trading session followed by creative play!
So bring ideas, techniques
and craft supplies to share!

May theme
"Favorite Things"
(favorite subject, media, colors, technique, etc)

Please try to bring at least one card in this theme for the "Potluck Trade" - otherwise make the cards you want to make.

Still have leftover cards from previous meetings?
Feel free to bring those, too, and you'll probably find someone to trade with you!

Watching Medusa Watch Me
Watercolor, pencil & digital media ATC
by Jessica Poor

For more meeting information or to get on the e-mail list, please contact Carolyn Brady

General Information

We usually suggest bringing at least 10 to 20 cards to trade and it helps to have them in a binder or small album that can be easily viewed and passed around during trading.

Try to make at least one card in the monthly theme to participate in the Potluck Draw (in which everyone throws their theme card into a box during introductions and then we all randomly draw someone else's card in trade).

Please make sure your name is legible on the back so that those receiving your cards will know who created them. (Many artists include their e-mail addresses and website or other contact information on the back of their cards.) For further information about making cards, see links below.

Mark your calendar!
Sat., June 28, 2008 (time & place to be decided)
Road trip to the Museum of Wisconsin Art
in West Bend to see the Frippery exhibit

Sat. July 19, 2008 from 1-3 p.m.
at Ben Franklin Crafts
1083 Summit AV (Hwy 67) in Oconomowoc WI

Sat. August 23, 2008 from 1-3 p.m.
at Bay View Book Arts Gallery
2625 S. Greeley, Milwaukee WI

Sat. September 27, 2008 from 1-3 p.m.
at Bigsby's Sewing Center
2435 N. 124th ST, Brookfield WI

What is an ATC?

Artist Trading Cards or ATCs are small works of art measuring 2.5 x 3.5 inches that are made to be traded between artists. They can be made in any media on any subject. Here is a good introduction to the format.

The idea for the ATC format was developed in 1996 by Swiss artist m. vanci stirnemann as a way for artists to exchange art without worrying about the constraints of galleries and pricing. The first trading session was in Zurich in 1997. Trading on-line has become very popular, especially for artists who cannot attend live trades locally. You can read more about the history of ATCs here. One friendly site to start trading on-line is ATCs for All.

Why make and trade ATCs? The small size of the card allows you to experiment with new media and techniques without spending a lot of money on supplies. For many participants, the interaction with other artists and the opportunity to learn new things is more important than the trading of the art itself.

Little Chicken - Colored pencil ATC
by Carolyn Brady

Collage leather ATC
by Robin Kinney

Other Useful Information

You can store your ATCs in clear plastic sleeves designed for baseball and other trading cards, which are the same size. These can be found in Walmart and Target as well as at stores specializing in sports trading cards. ATCs are also the same size as poker playing cards, which make a good base for collages.

Trying to stay organized? Here are some forms:

Sample back labels (Word document - edit to suit your needs)

Live trading tracker (Word document - keep track of your trades)

Launch time
Digital ATC by Patrick Mack

Join us for the Milwaukee Artist Trading Card LIVE TRADE

Join us for the
Milwaukee
Artist Trading Card
LIVE TRADE