Australian Artist Trading Cards

ATCs evocative of Aboriginal artwork
Phillip Hoyle, 2017

Last week’s ATC workshop opened with a trade of cards on the theme Australia or New Zealand. I missed the opening trade but joined the group for the workshop. There I finished a few cards reflective of Australian Aboriginal designs and joined in the final trade of the night. So much fun.

Since then I’ve made more, some of which I’m showing here. I began by cutting four printing blocks with designs to use as a base for elaboration. Then I printed onto cards that I’d already bubble printed. From there I responded to lines of both printing approaches and some techniques of Aboriginal artists I found on line, some ancient petroglyph designs and some current aboriginal paintings. What a world they discovered in dream time.

I still have a dozen more to finish. I’m ready to trade them and others at our next trade at CORE New Art Space on the second Saturday of August (10 am to noon). Join the fun.

ATCs Phillip Hoyle, 201u

Artist Trading Cards at the Fair

Blue Ribbon and sheet of ATCs awarded
Phillip Hoyle 2017 Denver County Fair

I had a good time at the Denver County Fair after I found my way there by bus. I got lost downtown when I was taking my cards out to enter. I got lost when I tried to return there yesterday to see the art show and recover my trading cards. The bus I rode Thursday doesn’t run on weekends so I caught another one that would require I get off and walk for about ten minutes. I got off at the right place but none of the street names matched the descriptions from the notes I took from the computer. I followed my sense of things but took a turn on a street that used to lead to the Coliseum parking lot. Not anymore. That cost me about a mile of walking. What saved me knew that when I got there I’d see a ribbon on my work.

On the bus I had a voice message from my art friend Sue that I got a blue ribbon for the category and a purple, Judge’s choice ribbon as well. The only time I’d ever got a first was in high school when I was the only boy in my category in a vocal competition. This time the blue ribbon was hanging there. The purple ribbon too! Sadly I had forgotten to take my camera! Oh well.

One of my sheets of cards got lost. I was showered with many apologies by the staff. Somehow I was not bothered since I had gotten lost in so many ways already! 

I had a good time with several artist friends, saw a super art show, received a written critique of my work, and ate some rather fine food. I watched kids and their parents, usually to my delight. It seems my work in Artist Trading Cards the past four years is bearing fruit or at least recognition. I’m pleased.

I got a ride home so I didn’t get lost.

The sheet of ATCs, County Fair 2017

Bubbles Artist Trading Cards

Artist Trading Cards by Phillip Hoyle July 2017

Artist Trading Cards using Bubble and Ink Printing method
by Phillip Hoyle, July 2017

In an old book on nature prints I read about printing from bubbles and have begun my own experiments. I’ve been at it for a few days and all of a sudden have almost 100 prints (3.5 x 2.5”). Some are finished pieces, others grounds for further development. The idea was to use these prints as backgrounds for printing leaves and flowers. The process calls for 1” of clear mild liquid soap in a container. Add 1 tbsp of pen ink and mix with a straw. Blow bubbles (reminded me of blowing bubbles in milk back in my childhood) until they reach above the rim of the container and put paper on them to pick up the ink raised on the bubbles.

For grounds I’ve precut several kinds of paper (and unsuccessful paintings). I’ll not explain. You can look. In my experiments I’m most intrigued with the contrasts of the organic bubbles and mechanically drawn lines. The colors that appear also excite me. You know blue ink on yellow paper turns green. And like with clouds in a summer sky all the designs and figures that appear in these tiny pieces of art.

The fun of the project should keep me busy in my studio as I make larger and larger pieces and find new ways to pick up the paint. I’ve only just begun.