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Local artists share original artwork through Artist Trading Cards

By: Molly Garrison
| Published 07/09/2014

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THE WOODLANDS, Texas - Every third Tuesday of each month, a group of artists from across The Woodlands area meets at The Woodlands Children’s Museum from 5:30 to 7:00 PM, for one very specific purpose: to create Artist Trading Cards.

Artist trading cards (also known as ATCs) are similar to an artist’s version of tradable baseball cards, each the size of a playing card and featuring one side of original artwork and another with the artist’s contact information and any other pertinent information, such as the title of the artwork. They can be created with any medium, as long as they fit the 3.5 by 2.5 inches guideline.

The history of ATCs as we know them today dates back to Switzerland in the late 1990’s. However, some claim their origins lie in the miniature pieces artists in the Renaissance would create to honor a man’s mistress, so the man could carry the piece without someone easily seeing it.

There are many reasons an artist may choose to create ATCs, according to the leader of the Artist Trading Nights at the Children’s Museum, Tony Motto. In his opinion, the cards are “a way for me to explore an option of painting that I’m not really good at, or a way for me to build my confidence in a subject matter I felt weak in.” However, he added, “Some people do it because they get artwork from all over the country.”

Indeed, creating ATCs can function as an artist’s business card, intended to promote their artwork and share it with other, similarly artistically inclined people across the country and even internationally.

Similar to ATCs are ACEOs, or ‘Art Cards, Editions and Originals’. These cards are closely related to ATCs but often with the intent to sell instead of trade. However, Motto explained, “it’s arbitrary,” as artists can trade ACEOs as well.

Although Motto and a group of artists have been meeting “off and on” since 2010, the meetings to trade ATCs are now held regularly. Each meeting is entirely free, and each has a separate theme. The events consist of both making and trading cards, but one does not have to make cards while there and can instead bring already prepared cards.

The next Artist Trading Night will occur July 15 from 5:30 to 7:00 PM, although this event will take place at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott.

"ATCs are something that takes so little effort, but there’s so much fun in it,” said Motto.

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