Several years ago I started making Artist Trading Cards in an effort to use up my stash of collage materials, and it quickly became a bit of an obsession. These are tiny artworks, the size of playing cards, traditionally traded with other artists rather than sold. Realizing that I wasn’t making much of a dent in the vast amount of found papers I’ve accumulated, I started offering workshops to share the fun I’ve had with this project.
Through these workshops, I have discovered that offering opportunities for other people to explore and express their innate creativity brings me as much joy as making art myself. It’s very satisfying to feel the hum of creative energy in the room as people sift through the array of papers I’ve brought, pick out the ones that appeal to them, and then experience the delight of combining bits and pieces into something completely new. I love seeing how each person brings their own unique style to this process, and especially, to witness the deep pleasure that comes from reawakening creative abilities that may have lain dormant for many years.
