There Are Two Ongoing Art Swaps
BAG sponsors two different, ongoing art swaps. You may choose to participate in one or both. To do so, you must be a BAG member in good standing (i.e., your membership dues are current).
Click here to go directly to: 1. Round-Robin Journal (Book) or 2. Artist Trading Cards (ATCs)
1. Round-Robin Journal (Book)
For this swap you select an art journal that will pass from artist to artist. You will not see your journal for about four months; but when it comes back, it will be filled with art! Those who participated in previous rounds have been thrilled with beautiful artwork our partners created.
When you sign up, coordinator Cynthia Leespring will send you all the instructions. Briefly, here’s how it works.
- Select a book (handmade or purchased).
- Select a theme (or you can have no theme).
- Write your guidelines, if any.
- Create your sign-in page(s) and at least one art journal spread of your own.
We will exchange our books monthly on the first day of the month. There are two subgroups:
A. Those who live locally will arrange a place to meet and exchange.
B. Those who live outside of the Santa Fe area will mail their book to the next person so it will **arrive** by the first of the month.
To participate, email Cynthia at cynleespring@gmail.com with the following information:
Your Name:
Your Email Address:
Your Mailing Address:
Your Phone Number:
Which Round-Robin Swap(s) You Wish to Participate in:
A. Round-Robin Art Journal via local contactless delivery only
B. Round-Robin Art Journal via U.S. Priority Mail
If you do NOT receive an email confirmation from Cynthia within one week after you’ve emailed her:
- Check the spam folder of your email program, then
- Email her again or call/text (check the membership roster for her phone number)
2. Artist Trading Cards (ATCs)
This swap renews each month. ATCs, or Artist Trading Cards, are little pieces of art that people send to one another. It’s fun to see all the different techniques people use in a small (2.5″ x 3.5″, horizontal or vertical) space.
ATCs can be any medium or technique. Any embellishments should still allow the ATC to be stored in a baseball card page slot–so fairly flat. Your design can extend off the design area as long as it can be folded in for storage and transport.
Ruth Anna Abigail is coordinating ATC trades for 2023. Please email her at raabigail_sfbag@yahoo.com with the following information:
Your Name:
Your Email Address:
Your Mailing Address:
Your Phone Number:
If you do NOT receive an email confirmation from Ruth Anna within one week after you’ve emailed her:
- Check the spam folder of your email program, then
- Email her again or call/text (check the membership roster for her phone number)
Ruth Anna will send your collaborators’ contact information.
You will be placed into a group with three or four other participants. You make cards for the others in your group and send them out so they arrive before the end of the month. In return, you receive cards. It’s happy mail! You can make each ATC different or work in a series. In 2022 we had as many as 22 people participating. We’re opening the trade up to Libros members as well. The more the merrier.
Here are the rules:
- Unless you say otherwise, Ruth Anna will assume you want to continue swapping and will include you in the trading groups.
- Make one card for each person in your group. It’s fun to make one for yourself at the same time.
- Your ATC must finish at no larger than 2.5″ x 3.5″. If you have things that extend beyond that border, they must be foldable into the ATC. All storage containers and page sleeves are designed for that size. If your card has a non-rectangular shape, at least one edge must be 2.5″ or 3.5″.
- ATCs should be created on something firm like watercolor paper or Bristol Board. For those of you who like to recycle, you can cut up a cereal box and use that as your substrate; the colored side does need to be sanded before use, though.
- Embellishments are great but shouldn’t extend more than 3/8″ off the card. Using pop-up squares to create depth is fine.
- Draw, paint, collage, whatever. No particular style is expected except your own. Let’s avoid nudity, politics, religion, and profanity so we can all get along.
- Editions are okay but avoid simply pasting a photocopy on a background. Editions can be as simple as making something big and cutting it to size.
- No required orientation for the card–it’s okay to design in a horizontal or vertical fashion.
- Please identify your work with your name on the back. Include SF BAG ATC Swap as part of the information.
- You are not required to send your card in an individual sleeve, but put it inside a folded paper within the envelope, especially if anything sticks up from the surface.
- Please, please, please use the four-digit zip code extension when addressing your envelopes. These extensions have become more important; using them ensures the delivery of your wonderful art.
- Mail your cards no later than the 25th of the month to ensure that they arrive on time.
- BEFORE mailing, please scan or photograph your cards and send the photos to Ruth Anna, indicating your mailing date. If you photograph your cards, do so while they are flat. Please don’t get fancy.
- Let Ruth Anna know when you’ve received all your cards.