Art’s all in the cards

   If you regift what Emilie Bush gives you for Christmas this year, her feeling won’t be hurt. In fact, you’d be doing her a favor to pass it on.

   For Bush, it’s all part of the fair trade of the new Art Trading Card phenomena that is spreading across the world.

   This “new” craze actually had three beginnings. In the 1700’s artists created mini paintings to trade with other artists to study each other’s techniques and to promote themselves. Sort of like business cards.

   In 1997, Swiss artist, M. Vanci Stirnemann, revived the old practice in an updated format, requiring that the cards be the size of a baseball card. Again, his intent was for artists to trade with other artists, without exchanging money.

   In its pure form, ATC left out non-artists who just wanted to collect the cards for their own pleasure. Thus began Art Card, Editions and Originals- ACEO - through which artists sell their cards at a low cost. 

   “The movement takes the ‘starving’ out of starving artist,” Bush said. “Amateurs can fill the gaps to pay their bills. And it’s great for people who want to buy original art but don’t have a lot of money.”

   Anyone can be a card carrying artist. One Web site claims celebrities like Yoko Ono and Bill Cosby are marketing their ACEOs, although I couldn’t track down any of them.

   It was only recently that Bush got carded. When she left her job as a writer for Georgia Public Broadcasting to stay home with her baby, Elly, she needed something more to do.

   “I don’t sit still very well, and I needed a creative outlet,” said Bush, a self-taught artist. The ACEOs were a perfect way for her to express her creativity, make a little money, and give family and friends the gift of original art.

   Part of the genius of the present day format is that any medium-paint, ink, charcoal, even needlework - is acceptable as long as it’s the size of a baseball card and signed on the back.

   “It nicely piggybacked on an established industry. There are all kinds of albums and frames available for storing or displaying them,” said Bush.

   Some ATCs, when given as a special gift, would most likely be kept and cherished. But the fun part of the movement is keeping the cards moving by trading them, and getting artists’ works and names circulating. If you want to put a little art in your life, you can visit www.art-cards.org , go to the trading show in Marietta on the second Wednesday of every month, or contact Bush at emilie.bush@gmail.com 

   And who knows, if you play your cards right, your ATC may someday be worth two Onos and a Cosby. 

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