Year 1 Artist Trading Cards

My incredibly talented, kind and all around amazing friend, Kris Loya, invited me to participate in an Artist Trading Card (ATC) group in 2021. I was so nervous to participate, but ended up loving it and finding my creative process through participating in it throughout the year. Super sadly, Kris passed away very suddenly from metastatic breast cancer on December 21, 2021. I am so grateful that I had this year of creativity and ATCs with her and her 12 cards are my most valued art.

So what is an Artist Trading Card and how does this group work? It’s a 2.5” x 3” mini piece of art. Each person in the group creates a card for themselves and each of the other group members, usually based on a theme for the month. Then we keep one card and mail the rest of our cards to the host of the ATC group with a self-addressed and stamped envelope each month. Then the host divides the ATCs up and mails us one of each member’s cards. Receiving the envelope full of everyone else’s cards was like having my birthday every month - it was so much fun to see everyone’s creativity and unique take on a theme.

Through participating in this group, I developed a process for creating a card each month that I loved. It made me feel like a ‘real artist’ to have a creative process:). I would think about the theme and put a line item in my To Do app and outline the steps I needed to take to make all of my cards by the due date (usually the 10th of each month). I usually needed to brainstorm ideas, make a prototype, cut my cards out of a large sheet of watercolor paper, then take the steps to make each card. I used paint (acrylic and watercolor), collage, pen work and mixed media to make my cards. Some months the designs came quickly and easily to me and others it was a struggle to come up with an idea. Many months I’d get an idea that I loved and then have to figure out how to bring it to life (and then repeat it 8 times:), often trying out new techniques and using image transfer techniques.

The picture above is a sample of some of my ATCs for the following themes:

Transformation, Love, Black & White, Lucky, Spring, Flowers, Summer, Fall, Pattern, Winter, Space

So, which one is your favorite ATC? Let me know if you have any questions on participating in an ATC group, on my creative process or any of the specific cards. And definitely let me know what your experience has been like if you participate in an ATC group or if you become inspired to try one out! Happy Creating!!

Blog Post Title Two

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.

Blog Post Title Three

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.

Blog Post Title Four

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.