Artist Trading Cards of Keys

Key from Great grandmother's wardrobe
Phillip Hoyle, June 2018

Last Thursday night's ATC workshop and trade featured "Keys." I had two kinds. First was a set of nine cards featuring the design of a skeleton key, one I drew from the key that locks my great grandmother's walnut wardrobe. I had loved that key as a child and couldn't believe my good luck to own it and the wardrobe as an adult. I copied it and then presented it in different ways on those 2.5" x 3.5" cards. Some of the grounds were from my old paintings I cut to size, others from paper prepared by Nikki Evans, an artist who often attends the workshop. 

ATC by Phillip Hoyle, June 2018

One of my grandsons loved that key. I made not of that when he was at my house afraid that he might make it his own. Perhaps some day it will become his. He is a very fine artist and surely would be inspired again by the old key. 


My other designs, another page of nine pieces, were related to musical keys and key signatures. I found myself having to look at printed staff signs to do these even though I had drawn them for years. It's been a long musical dry spell for me. I used a number of grounds and enjoyed the project. 

The key of C. ATC by Phillip Hoyle, June 2018

This guy I called the Key of G.
ATC Phillip Hoyle, June 2018

Key ATC using papers made by N. Evans.
Phillip Hoyle, June 2018

Make some cards to your own ideas. Explore techniques and find someone to trade with. The Artist Trading Cards movement has been going on for years and years. There is an annual display of them in the Art Pavilion of the Denver County Fair, July 12-14, Exhibition Hall at the Western Stock Show, Denver.