Artist Trading Card Collage Abstracts

ATC Abstracts, Phillip Hoyle 2018

I attended an ATC workshop on Thursday in which I made a group of collages from collected paper items. The company was fine, conversations sparkled, artwork seemed especially creative. The first trades were related to the evening's theme, insects. I brought prints of grape leaves with Japanese beetles busily eating holes in the leaves. 

ATC insects, Phillip Hoyle 2018

After that trade I started work on the abstracts using mostly magazine images from a folder of things torn or cut from old magazines. We had to work quickly since we were each aiming at making at least ten new cards in two hours.

Viewing all the completed work of the evening was like entering an art gallery for a diverse show from nine artists ranging in age from teens to eighties.

Phillip Hoyle 2018

Artist Trading Cards from scraps 2

ATCs by Phillip Hoyle 2018

So many of my Artist Trading Cards are made from scraps. I throw them in a flat box. There are bits of magazine cutouts, paper I've torn or cut off of pieces just a little too big for my current project, odd things that come in the mail, cards that didn't work out right, and more. Sometimes I'm surprised what all I find there. I get a kick out of grabbing a 3.5 x 2.5 ground from some painting I didn't like or cut from scraps of mat board or something else that I once thought might make a nice start for a new card. 

ATCs by Phillip Hoyle, 2018

I grab a glue stick, my small scissors, some pens, a pencil, a paint brush, a piece of string, some of the scraps in my special box, and go to town. (I admit to being easily entertained.) I know I'll soon take this piece along with others like or unlike it to some trade where I'll meet other artists who are like minded. I'll return home with some of their works and many ideas that arise in the conversations. 

Swapping Artist Trading Cards is a great stimulus for further work, not just for cards, but for larger, more complex cards. Making them is a playground for experiments with technique, supplies, ideas, and images. The investment is usually of a bit of time. The payoff is gathering to trade. Check out your town or city for local listings related to the cards. 

Artist Trading Cards from Scraps

ATCs from scraps, Phillip Hoyle, 2018

Saturday's Artist Trading Cards swap didn't draw many people but did present lots of cards for trade and interesting conversations and three art installations to view at the same time. CORE New Art Space is located in the Arts District on Santa Fe at 9th Ave. right next to Spark Gallery. The trade takes place on the second Saturday morning of the month from 10 to noon. Artists are encouraged to come by and trade some of their cards with other artists. The weekly trades have been going on in Denver for nearly 20 years. 

ATC abstracts by Phillip Hoyle, 2018

Since this month's topic was so open--ATCs from scraps--we saw a large variety of artistic techniques, approaches, and materials. The variety always fascinates me and makes for good trading. Just seeing so many tiny works of art inspires me to keep at the work, use up the scraps, recycle rather than simply throw away. Making the cards is always instructive and invites improvisation and experimentation.

ATCs of contrast by Phillip Hoyle

Kind of Creepy! Phillip Hoyle 2018
Not a self portrait