Here are some photos from the Artist Trading Card Meet Up and Exchange in San Antonio on July 10:
About 30 art therapists from all over the US, as well as Canada & Mexico participated in this swap- bringing three art therapy dream themed ATCs to exchange…. It was super fun to meet up in person and spend this inspiring time together offline. Thank you to everyone who participated and was part of this happening…. and to Andrea Davis for helping co-organize this with me!
The invite we made in December to join us in our Pocket Change adventure is now at the exchange phase, which is very exciting! Yes! Hundreds of artist trading cards from all over the world in the US, Canada, Italy, Australia, India, Mexico, and New Zealand arrived to Beth’s mailbox in Decatur, Georgia as their first stop in this project.
A big thank you to Beth for serving as Pocket Change Headquarters during the last month! Beth’s done a great job in receiving all the creative goodness arriving since January, including confirming their delivery with participants, scanning ATCs and dividing the ATCs to mail to Hannah and I for exchanging. Hannah, Beth, and I will now be working on exchanging all the ATCs received and mailing them back to everyone, as well as posting all the ATCs online for everyone to view.
As I started to take in all the good vibes and creative mojo from the mailings & packages I received in my exchange batch from Beth, the intention of this swap really shined through. Not just in the ATC art created or the image’s messages, but also the attached notes of gratitude & kindness and extra tokens of generosity in the form of creating more than four ATCs to share or including another SASE envelope in case someone forgot theirs.
Act of Creative Kindness from Molly Doerner-Santa Fe, New Mexico
In this post I also wanted to share some of the love received among Pocket Changers involved with this special project and their experience, ideas, and artist trading card making:
Artist Trading Cards – Love, Life and Death: Art Heals Austin: “Since participating in the Pocket Change project, I’ve found myself gravitating toward this art form of creating tiny inspirational artworks. I find it more manageable and easily accessible. And my detail-oriented artistic style still allows for deep focus and a cathartic process.” You can also see the ATCs created for this exchange by Art Heals Austin via this post.
Almost Ready to Go- Beth Rommel Studio | “The love and goodwill sent to my door is a beautiful reflection on the true meaning of pocket change, a little something to make a positive change.”
Art Break Wednesday: Artist Trading Cards for Pocket Change- artsyletters | “I sent in my cards and am looking forward to surprises in the mail later, plus seeing the whole group and learning how the creativity behind all of these cards – and there are hundreds and hundreds of cards – has enriched lives in small and large ways.”
Artist Trading Cards: Promoting Community, Creativity, and Acts of Kindness- Creativity in Therapy | “Not only was creating my ATCs an enjoyable time for creativity, I loved the idea of participating in a collaborative and community-building activity with other artists and art therapists.”
Mending Walls and Making Change- Hannah Klaus Hunter | “I’ve arranged the artist trading cards, in various stages of completion, at a discreet distance from where I sand. I can see them while I work, their bright colors shining, offering the possibility of almost instant gratification.”
Mid-week pondering: Inspiration from the Pocket Exchage ATCs project – artevolutions | “It’s fascinating to follow this creative flow starting from all the Pocket Exchangers spreading across the globe creating something, communicating and inspiring others…Thinking about the journey of these ATCs hopping from one creative hub to another and spreading the message connecting more people in the process…Wonderful…”
Pocket Change Artist Trading Cards- Holistic Art Expressions | “I really got very involved in making this cards today that i am considering leaving some in various public places where people can find them.”
Artist Trading Cards: Small, simple inspirations- La Zattera dell’ArteTerapia | “The idea that small images may offer positivity, joy and beauty to different people makes me happy.”
Pocket Change Power & The Art of Kindness- Creativity in Motion | “Just think about the awesome power & positive Pocket Change energy coming in from around the world and its potential impact…”
itsy bitsy art – innercanvas | “Several years ago, I helped 25 homeless teens make some ATC’s to art “bomb” their neighborhood with. They used their innate stealth to sneak ATC’s into coffee shop menus, used book store shelves, and corner store newsstands. We had so much fun creating them and giving them to strangers.”
Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) & Building Community – Art Therapy Spot | “I was aware of how different it is to create on a small scale. Although I found myself working rather quickly at times, at other moments the small size helped me to slow down and become more familiar with the details.”
Tiny Weekends | “Tiny steps…tiny pieces of art.”
Stay connected here to receive an update of when the ATCs from this project are available to view online, as well as opportunities to read reflections about the impact of Pocket Changing!
Wow– After a month and a half of more than 50 art therapists, art therapy students, and sock monkey making friends creating their delegates, the 6 Degrees of Creativity & Operation Monkey Service Project is ready to ship its special delivery of sock monkey joy. With the incredible response received, we now have a huge delegation ready to go for our special mission! WOO HOO!
Over 100 delegates traveled from 18 states across the US from Indiana, Rhode Island, Michigan, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Connecticut, Virginia, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Missouri, Maryland, Washington DC, Illinois, Florida and 4 countries: New Zealand, Canada, UK, and Italy (in route!) to come together before their final destination: The Boys and Girls Club in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Stitched with lots of love, hope, and creative goodness, we send sincere wishes that these sock monkey friends will bring many smiles, hugs, and comfort to the youth in the Hoboken community as the Boys and Girls Club site continues to cope with the aftermath of Sandy and their on-going recovery efforts.
A huge THANK YOU of gratitude to everyone who contributed!!!! And THANK YOU to Chief Operative Lindsey & Operation Sock Monkey!
Those sock monkeys that may have missed delegation travel for the Boys and Girls Club Hoboken mission still will have important OSM work to do at another site for children affected by Hurricane Sandy with the New Jersey Public Schools.
Job well done Operatives- excellent work!
In November, 6 Degrees of Creativity teamed up with Operation Sock Monkey to collect sock monkeys for the Hoboken Boys and Girls Club in New Jersey, which experienced extensive damage from Hurricane Sandy in September.
Over the last month, sock monkey delegates have been arriving from art therapists, 6 Degrees of Creativity community members, OSM Operatives, and craftivists to contribute to this project and cause:
The first arrivals for this delegation were from OSM Operatives Monkeyville and Yanez’ Wee Beasties and have been joined by more sock monkeys created by members of the art therapy community. This eager bunch awaits to meet more delegates who will be arriving over the next week.
As sock monkeys arrive they receive their official OSM badge to wear to their new home. The delegation will be shipped together the week of December 17 for the Boys and Girls Club to receive right before Christmas.
Check out these ways we can continue help Operation Sock Monkey and other communities in need through donating, adopting, or sponsoring a sock monkey.
Many thanks again to OSM for all their help with this project and to everyone who has donated a delegate (or two, or three, or more!) or has one/some on the way- Lots of sock monkey joy to be delivered to youth in New Jersey soon!
6 Degrees of Creativity 