Swappable Charms, the new ATC?
In the latest edition of Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine (digital edition), there was a small article about an artist named June Pfaff Daley (junepfaffdaley.blogspot.com) that started making charms to swap at different art retreats, etc. I thought, “What a great idea?! Not the making charms part (although that’s awesome too)… but mainly the swapping part” How many of you have made and traded ATC’s? (Artist Trading Cards, for those of you who are not in the know) However, with ATC’s you have to keep your little collected creations in boxes, binders, perhaps framed? Well, the thought that came to me as being so cool in creating charms to swap is… how great would it be to get to wear a charm bracelet or necklace adorned with the charms you have collected from other artists, as well as your own creations? You can wear them for the whole world to see and admire. So, a small artform (the charm), creates another artform. (the bracelet/necklace) I like the idea of one thing evolving into another. Which I guess is what really attracts me to altered art in the first place! I love junk and transforming one thing (primarily known to non-artists, as trash) into something incredibly attractive, artsy and unique. I hear it now being referred to as Upcycling. Since you are turning the object, not back into itself, but into something entirely new and different.
So, if you think this is a cool idea like I do, get busy, get charming and start swapping!
