Artist-in-residence, at Calgary's The New Gallery, (TNG) in 1990, m vanci stirnemann wanted to produce a catalogue in hockey-card format to document his activities but because printing costs were so prohibitive, the project was shelved until 1996 when he decided to produce the cards by hand. This led to the first exhibition of 1200 cards in April 1997 at INK.art&text, a bookstore/gallery in Zurich and on May 31st, 1997 the first Artist Trading Card (ATC) trading took place when vanci invited exhibit visitors to create their own cards and trade for his.

Referred to by some as the GranDADA of ATCs in Canada, artist, Don Mabie (aka Chuck Stake) was in Zurich for one of the first trading sessions (TS) and brought the idea to North America where the first TS was held at TNG in 1997. Over the past eight years, our country has become a hotbed of ATC activity and there is no sign of things cooling off.

Local assemblage artist, Bill Thomson caught the ATC bug at one of Calgary's exhibitions. "I made some cards in a workshop and was hooked". Bill initiated the monthly TSs held at The Grind Gallery & Coffee Bar in Vancouver and is currently hosting an ATC Exhibit (August 18th -September 25th) at the Blackberry Gallery in Port Moody.

It was during one of Bill Thomson's workshops that I was introduced to ATCs and it wasn't long before I was addicted! And now here I am (and if you are still reading this, don't say you weren't warned!).

Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) are original, miniature works of art, small editions and most importantly, self-produced. A wide variety of media can be used including paint, fibre, coloured pencil, charcoal, felt pens, pastels, pen/ink; chalk and crayon. Artist techniques include painting, drawing, spraying, gluing, collage, rubber-stamping, sewing, computer-generating, digital-photography, origami, printmaking, shodo and encaustics. Surfaces to create on can be any number of things - board, fabric, handmade paper, watercolour paper, wax; cardboard, metal, cardstock, canvas, wire mesh, plastic, plaster, ceramic, glass and wood. Any number of recycled or found objects can be affixed to the cards such as buttons, charms, glitter, staples, plastercine, polymer clay, bones, nails, beads, fur, twigs, etc. They can be 2D or 3D with the subject matter limited only by one's imagination. There are no rules but one. Cards must be the requisite size: 2.5 x 3.5 inch (64x89mm).

Each ATC is a reflection of the creator and the trading process crosses all barriers of age and ability - children and seniors alike, are making and trading cards. Creating these miniatures can be fun, playful excercises that can lead an artist in different directions. While many cards relate to their creator's general style, others are very experimental. Some artists work very seriously as often the process of creating on a small scale leads to a major work. For some, including myself, ATCs have become another way of showcasing our work. Traders and collectors alike store their cards in ordinary 3-ring binders where each card is enclosed in its own plastic sleeve. Some display their ATCs at home or in the office. In the marketplace, you can find a variety of suitable matts and frames.

The involvement of artists extends beyond the creative role to encompass a broader social dimension. Through exchanges, artists engage in a dynamic, interactive social network. TSs provide an opportunity to meet & share with others.

So what's the big deal about small? Artist Trading Cards may not be large scale, but they are enveloping the globe from Canada to Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Germany, Hong Kong, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, France, Sweden, Brazil, Spain and the U.S.A. The first American ATC Exhibit will run July 30th-October 1st in The Columbus Center for Book and Paper Arts (Ohio).

Vancouver, Port Moody, Sechelt, Kelowna and Victoria, are just a few of the centres in BC where regular TSs take place. In addition, there are hundreds of ATC groups online where artists can set up an exchange and/or participate in themed "swaps". In less-populated areas, artists set up trades via the mail which leads me to the Correspondence/Mail-Art (CMA) and ATC connection.

The two art forms may appear different, but for the fact that both incorporate a full range of media and techniques. What also should be noted is that both are highly democratic in that they allow particpation by anyone. And neither form involves buying or selling, therefore all works have equal value.

When I asked Don Mabie for his take on the connection between CMA and ATCs, he wrote: "I think that the anti-art/alternative-art stance embodied in ATCs is historically part of the attitude of Dada and Fluxus." Adding, "ATCs are sometimes/often considered to be part of, or a sub-genre of, CMA so that is the historical connection. Attitude".

Anna Banana, a well-known pioneer of mail-art writes: "As I see it, ATCs are the newest format developed and exchanged by mail-artists, starting with m vanci stirnemann, Chuck Stake and Cat Schick. It's the free-trade/no money exchange aspect that is a direct descendant of mail-art. The other characteristic they inherited is the inclusive rather than exclusive approach - there are to be no stars".

Are you a little curious and want to know more? Do you have a sense of adventure? If so, check out *Art in Your Pocket (http://www.cedarseed.com/air/atc.html) then grab a friend and come out to the Langely Store, August 6th and say hello. While there buy some supplies - ATCs are a great way to try something new! When you leave, you'll be ready to tackle the next dinner party; neighbourhood barbecue or family reunion. All you need is your enthusiasm and supplies to generate the fun and excitement. In the meantime, if summer plans get cancelled by the rain, relax, make a few ATCs ... I will be bringing my binder! Wanna trade?

Cat Shick's Sister Trading Cards - www.artist-trading-cards.ch/stc.htm

Trading Sessions/Workshops in the Vancouver/Port Moody area:
Contact Bill Thomson at billarts@axion.net

Trading Sessions in the Kelowna area:
Contact Margo Yacheshyn at yacheshyn@telus.net

Trading Sessions in the Victoria Area:
Contact Dale Roberts at daleroberts@hotmail.com ATC Trading Sessions the first Sunday of each month at The Victoria College of Art, 1625 Bank Street from 2:00pm - 5:00pm.

Leola Walker's online trading group - groups.msn.com/Paint-n-ThingsATCs

September 10th ATC trading session at The Oceanside Galleries. Contact Ed Varney at evarney@shaw.ca

Monday, August 15th, 2005 at 7:00pm: Opus hosts an ATC trading session at Ethical Addictions Coffee House located at 20411 Fraser Hwy in Langley, BC.

*I am not affiliated with Art in Your Pocket, I just think its one of the best sites on the web for Artist Trading Cards.

If you have any questions or comments feel free to contact me: gaildwhitter@hotmail.com