Category Archives: ATC – Artist Trading Cards

TWGB ATC Kits – what would you like?

Kit #1 – You can make a rainbow – out right now

Kit #2 – Home – including examples of how to fold a secret message into your “home” (See Penelope’s handout for how to do that.)

Kit #3 – Polka dot satchel – out with Leta. Lots of collage images and glue for 2. Includes 5 pages of 9 each available for trade

Kit #4 – Watercolour (plus) includes a small watercolour set with brush. Use the spray bottle to spray the colours first to make it easy. Watercolour paper can be cut to 2.5 x 3.5, or you can paint first and then cut. I like rough edges on watercolour paper, so you can use a ruler or other straight edge to tear. I’d suggest making it slightly smaller so the rough edge still fits in the binder sleeves. The reusable watercolour paper–Use the plain side; wash the coloured side (much of it will disappear) or use part of the painted side and add to it with paint or collage or whatever. Marie has this kit.

Kit #5 – Enough blank cards and binder sleeves, scissors and glue for a group of 6. Lots of collage images and various media including pencil crayons and waxed crayons. Various bright coloured papers for cutting up and labels for writing stuff on. Let’s call it the Birthday party kit? or the Friday night friends meetup kit. I’m thinking kids but adults might like too. This is the original satchel set up last year. I love to see it roam around the neighbourhood.

I’ve loved setting up kits with input from who wants to use them. Here are some of the tools and materials still available (and of course, the kits above will be available for circulation).

  • dragonfly punch; rubber stamp letters; watercolour pencil crayons; pastels, stencils, embroidery thread and fabric bits.
  • In fact–just ask, I might have it!

Deliver tools and leftover materials back to me with your completed cards for display.

OK, ready for stage 2 of the ATC-TWGB project.

I am making up kits for you to borrow with more than enough for 10 ATCs–9 for the binder page you’ll submit and an extra for you to keep. Many people make a series like this and then trade, but of course if you decide to do all entirely different ones, that’s ok too.

All kits have blank ATCs cut to size and a binder page for your 9 cards to submit. If you want multiple sets – e.g. for a family or because you want to make more than 9, just ask. Contact me if you live in Kitsilano and I’ll arrange a pick up spot.

Heart Kit: Red and pink paper, heart punch; heart embosser for crinkling paper into heart shapes; various red and pink drawing tools

Rainbow Kit: Rainbow colours in a couple of different drawing implements (crayons, pencils, etc); brightly coloured paper; etc.

Home: A sample of the “secret message” home card by Penelope; collage images; glue stick/s; scissors

Extras: Would you like to “trade in advance”? i.e. I’ll put in 9 finished ATC’s and when you submit your 9, I’ll keep those?

Display at 2909 West Broadway. I hope to get some instructions and a starter display up by this weekend (May 9) so as you wander by, do check it out.

Stay tuned for next zoom call — this Sunday night at 3pm. I’ll do a fairly informal show and tell of these options and the materials–and if you’ve done some by then, I hope you’ll join and chime in. If you learn to screen share before then or can send me an image for posting that would be fabulous.

The final zoom call will be sunday may 24. It will be “broadcast live” from 2909 west broadway and include a slide show of the submissions on display.

I made an 8,5×11 page of doodle hearts using different markers and then used a view finder to select and outline 2.5 x 3.5 cards and cut them. I got 5 I liked and then wrote on them with a silver sharpie. A heart kit for making you ATCs is available for borrowing.

Send Mail Art to say: “TWGB”

People are mailing things (and ordering things via email).

Make some mail art and send off to friends and family near and far — or exhibit as part of the Kitsilano ATC show in May. Let them know that Things Will Get Better (TWGB).

Mail art can be similar to ATCs, but larger and made for mailing rather than trading. But you do sometimes get something back. Usually collage and mixed-media.

This is my understanding of Canada Post requirements and costs.

Lettermail™ Speed Local – 2 days Provincial – 3 days National – 4 days

NOTE: These delivery standards are not guaranteed . And this is what Canada Post says about effect of coronavirus:

We’re experiencing delays as we put safety first

In the last few weeks, we have seen a significant increase in parcel volumes as Canadians are staying home and shopping more online. We are working hard to respond in a responsible manner. With incoming parcel volumes at Christmas levels, the important safety measures we’ve implemented in our processing facilities mean it is taking longer to process. Those measures include physical-distancing in facilities that were never designed for keeping people 2 metres apart. We continue to process and have been delivering in record numbers for this time of year, but the reality is that customers should anticipate delays.

https://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/manual/PGletterml-e.asp

Lettermail Pricing Table Standard (Envelopes, Cards and Self-mailers) 0–30 g Stamps in booklets/coils/panes $0.90 $1.27

30–50 g Single Stamp(s) $1.05 $1.27

If you collage, you’ll be in the 30-50 g category probably. Make sure it’s not more than 5mm thick with no bumpy parts, or put in an envelope.

Other (Non-standard and Oversize) 0–100 g Stamp(s) $1.90

NOTE: Standard square envelopes are acceptable with maximum size of 156 mm x 156 mm x 5 mm). (6.14″ square)

Envelopes must be sealed.

https://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/prices/CPprices-e.pdf

Some good links:

What is mail art? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mail_art

aka “correspondence art” or “postal art”.

https://mailartprojects.blogspot.com/

This site is U.S. based but I couldn’t find a Canadian one and a lot of this would apply. Also lots of great images showing stamp placement and calligraphy.

ATCs during a pandemic

I’ve started the 3rd Annual Kitsilano Artist Trading Cards project and display.

Here’s the plan:

Make 9 ATCs, put in a binder, take to MLA David Eby’s community office at 2909 West Broadway. Just slip them through the mail slot. By the end of May we’ll have a display in the window of the cards that have been submitted.

Want some supplies? I have blank cards and other art materials for you. Just contact me. mary@marybennett.net marybennett.net/atc

Facebook: Mary Peterson Bennett

Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kitsilanoatcgroup

ATC Satchel for Borrowing in Kitsilano

I’ve created a satchel with all you’d need for 6 people to make a binder page of 9 ATCs each. You can borrow for a week more or less – and then will likely deliver or arrange pick up from the next person.

Use up the supplies. Add some if you easily can. No pressure though. I have so many supplies!

What’s in the satchel:

Use up any of these

  • various papers and collage materials. I have more where they came from so please use as much as you can. Keep some for other projects if you like!
  • some glue sticks – you may have to supplement. They just don’t last!
  • stickers, dots, cut out pieces – please leave the zip lock bags and little containers, but use as much of the contents as you like.
  • Binder sleeves for your completed ATCs (I’ll replenish as time goes on. If you need more, some dollar stores carry them. They are more commonly used for hockey and baseball cards.
  • Lots of blanks/starters cut to the 2.5 x 3.5 size. Please take as many as you’d like
  • Heavy weight paper that can be cut up for starters or used for any other purpose. I sometimes like to create on a larger piece and then crop a card from the bigger portion.  (I was given a big box of it – so take!)

For leaving in the satchel

6 pairs of scissors

pencil crayons

pastels

a binder with completed ATCs – You can trade any of the cards one for one. Leave the binder with full pages in the satchel.

There are different media:

drawing (ink, pencil crayon, sharpies)

watercolour

collage

HAVE FUN WITH IT.

Send me  a note or post your finished cards on my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/KitsilanoArtistTradingCards  or join the facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/kitsilanoatcgroup

 

ATC-Kitsilano Update

Artist Trading Cards Exhibition

ATC Trading October – December

2909 West Broadway

The ATC Exhibition at the Creative Neighbours Art Space (MLA David Eby’s Community Office, 2909 West Broadway) is up – but it’s just begun.

There will be opportunities for you to add your cards and to trade during the exhibition.

Joanne Brown and I (Mary Bennett) will be available at the Creative Neighbours Salons in October and November to assist with hanging more ATCs and encouraging people to trade Artist Trading Cards.

Each person (or group) exhibiting needs to fill a 9-card binder holder. Please use a sharpie to mark the edge of your sheet with your name. You are welcome to make an ATC about YOU – and include in the page.

At Trading sessions, you can take your own sheets down off the “clothes line” and trade with others.
We imagine this as pretty informal – you walk around and meet people who are interested and negotiate a trade one-on-one. Or you can bring new cards and leave the ones that are exhibited up.

The grey wall closest to the counter is reserved for “anything goes” trades! That is, if you put your cards up there, you’re willing to have anyone make a trade without your even being there. It’ll be an evolving space.

The other areas are for trading only when the artist is present to remove the sheets and negotiate trades. The artist will then put the binder page back (or take it home if they’re done trading).

TRADING SESSIONS: ATCs are made to be traded!

6 – 6:45 pm and 8-9 pm on October 28 and November 25 Creative Neighbours Salons.

Salon presenters speak from 7 – 8 pm. November, Mary Bennett will be talking about ATCs, the history, the practice and possibilities for a monthly ATC group in Kitsilano.

The show remains up (but changing) until December 15. Artists can come between 2 and 4 pm to do one last trade and take your cards home.

More information:  Email: mary@marybennett.net  Web: Marybennett.net/ATC

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ATCKitsilano/

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/KitsATC/

ATC Art Show Participants

The Artist Trading Card Art Show will be October-December, 2018.

Location:  Creative Neighbours Art Space at MLA David Eby’s Community Office, 2909 West Broadway

Participants will share a 9-card binder page of ATCs–either ones they’ve created or traded with other artists. All ages and abilities are welcome to participate. If you h ave more than 9, you can submit more. Ideally all cards are viewable in the same orientation – i.e. either vertical/portrait or horizontal/landscape. If you have a mix of your original cards and ones you’ve traded, you can separate those too.

Binder pages should be submitted between September 30 and October 10.

Register by September 15 to be included letting us know how many pages you will be submitting. Names and, if wished, contact information will be listed here and on a display in the art space.

  1. Mary Bennett (4 pages: one originals vertical; one originals horizontal; one traded vertical and one traded horizontal)
  2. Joanne Brown
  3. Jackie Conradi-Robertson
  4. Cole Dudley
  5. Joan Ellis
  6. Siobhan Ryan
  7. Billy Wittman