Introduction

What are Artist Trading Cards (ATC)? Historically they've been handmade sets of cards created by a group of artists who trade their cards among themselves, ending up with new sets of cards consisting of one card from each artist. Originally these cards did not involve origami until MaryAnn Scheblein-Dawson and Jean Baden Gillette introduced "origami" ATCs to the OrigamiUSA convention in 2006.

The size requirement for ATCs is that they are 2.5 x 3.5 inches (64 x 89mm), the size of baseball trading cards. Origami ATCs have the added requirement of having origami on or as part of the card. In addition, they should be able to fit in a trading card plastic sleeve, to protect the artwork, which limits the overall thickness.

General Information

Anyone interested in making ATCs may participate in this Swap. You must register (see below) no later than Sunday, October 8, 2023, 10:00am PDT in order to participate. You will receive an email confirmation within 48 hours.

Mail-in participation is limited to the Continental U.S. If international ATC creators want to participate, they should coordinate on their own with a 2023 PCOC attendee to receive and return their ATCs. Domestic participants who are not attending PCOC and mail in their ATCs will have their returns mailed to them for a fee of $5.00.

There is no official design theme for the swap. You have creative control!

An official set consists of 18 cards, one set per person please!

Your set must be received no later than Friday, October 20, 2023.

One card of the set of 18 cards will be kept for the official collection and the exhibition. It will be replaced with an official ATC Swap title card.

We will meet at the conference to receive traded sets, meet each other and talk techniques and inspiration. The group swap will be on Saturday, October 28, 12:15 pm–1:45 pm in the Stockton room.

Unofficial and private swapping of ATCs is encouraged, whether it's extras from this swap or other cards you have or with last minute artists who didn’t get their cards in by the deadline.

Cards for this ATC Swap will be on display at the OrigamiUSA convention exhibition.

Registration

To register, email your intention to participate in the ATC SWAP to Karen Buse at karenbuse [at] sbcglobal.net Please include the following information in your email:

  • Subject line: PCOC ATC Swap Registration
  • Your name
  • Your mail address
  • Please indicate one of the following:
    • If you will be attending PCOC and will pick up your set of cards in person, please provide your mobile phone number.
    • If you will be designating a proxy at PCOC to pick up your set of cards, please provide the proxy’s name and mobile phone number. If you would like your set of cards mailed back to you please provide your mailing address.

The deadline for registration is Sunday, October 8, 2023, 10:00am PDT.

If you are registered but need to cancel your participation, please contact Karen Buse at karenbuse [at] sbcglobal.net as soon as possible.

Cards: Making, Sending, Receiving

Official sets consist of 18 cards that are 2.5 x 3.5 inches (64 x 89 mm). You are strongly encouraged to make extras for private swaps.

There is no official theme for this swap other than origami.

Your ATCs must include origami or be an origami folded card.

Please include a label on the back of the card with this info:

  • Name of the artist (that’s you!)
  • Location of the artist (city, state)
  • Email address of the artist
  • Title of the card
  • Edition number of card, e.g., 1/18, 2/18, 3/18 etc.
  • Date: October 2023
  • Optional: To respect the creativity of origami creators, you may want to include the creator’s name and the name of the model if it’s not obvious.
  • Event: ATC Swap @ Pacific Coast OrigamiUSA Conference 2023

Please protect each card with a plastic card sleeve.

Please package your participating set in a sealable plastic bag with your name and contact information on it.

The deadline for receipt of cards is Friday, October 20, 2023. Please respect this deadline.

Mail your ATC set (ideally in a padded envelope) to:
Karen Buse
32 Cole Street
San Francisco, CA 94117

If you have designated a proxy at PCOC to pick up your cards, please include the proxy’s name, email address and mobile phone number. This will help ensure you get your set of traded cards.

If you want your cards mailed to you, please include $5.00 to cover the cost of a padded envelope and postage. Please allow 1-4 weeks after PCOC ends for your cards to be mailed back to you. You will receive an email from Karen Buse when she mails them back to you.

Deadlines

  • Registration — by Sunday, October 8, 2023, 10:00 am PDT
  • Mailed set received — by Friday, October 20, 2023
  • Swap Meet up — Saturday, October 28, 2023. Time: 12:15 pm–1:45 pm. Location: Stockton.