The concept of Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) was started in 1997 by artist M. Vanci Stirnemann. The central premise of ATCs was a type of performance art that can be created and traded between artists (not bought or sold).
Like baseball trading cards, ATCs are small cards 2 ½” x 3 ½” in size. They are miniature pieces of artwork that are quick and easy to create, and can be shared and traded.
ACEOs (Art Cards, Editions, and Originals) is another name, but used only when the artwork is being sold. A necessary nuance because of the artist who originally developed the idea was adamant about them not being bought or sold. The ACEO community was launched in 2004 on eBay by bone*diva.
These little fun mini artworks have been around for awhile, but they have trended in and out.
I want to revive this trend, but working with fabrics and fibers! Mostly because they are SO. DAMN. CUTE.
ATCs are traditionally made from art paper, so a quilted ATC is made with fabric and quilted instead.
Artist Trading Quilt (ATQ)
Series 1.0 – Bits and Pieces of Me – August 2019
This very first Artist Trading Quilt series I have titled “Bits and Pieces of Me” because as I work on quilts and other sewing projects, there are always bits and pieces of fabric floating around my studio. I have taken scraps from things I have been creating this summer, including my Art Deco block of the month, the Gypsy Wife quilt along I am participating in, fabric used to make doll clothes for my daughter’s new doll, and part of a block for a quilt gift I am making for a dear friend. I believe that the fabrics we choose to work with are very personal and show the artist’s personality, so this is kind of a personal artist statement for me. All of these bits and pieces of random collage fabric represent me in a different way.
