September

September may seem like an odd time to start a "book" with the title A Year in the Life of an ATC Artist, but that's where I am starting.

I began making Artist Trading Cards in 2020. Just in time for the pandemic. The online communication with artists all over the world was my primary social life for almost two years! I made over 2300 cards from 2020 to 2024. Then I took a long break. Beginning in September 2024, I began volunteering in Topeka's wonderful Art Lab. I thought I didn't need ATCs any more.

Eventually, I realized that I missed discussing art with ADULTS. So on the first day of September, I rejoined the online ATC community. Here is a look at my art journal for that day:

It is appropriate that I traded "Protest" for the Emily Houtz print shown on my September 1 journal page.

September 3: Fight! Fight!

One of the things I most enjoy about participating in the ATC groups online is participation in art discussions. ATC artists are, after all, ARTISTS. We feel very strongly about our art.

Sometimes the discussions become heated.

The two Facebook groups, each named ATC Artist Trading Cards, have admins that...

um...

do not get along.

When I returned to online trading, the two groups had a bit of an ongoing argument, which inspired the card that I made on September 3.

This is a mixed media printed-plus-overdrawing-plus-applique badges card that I can re-make on request.

September 6: Memorial

With my return to making ATCs, I often found myself inspired to make fewer frivolous cards and attempt to tackle topics of a more mindful nature.

2025 was a scary time for many of us in the United States. Art in the groups reflected that.

Some ATC groups avoid political art, but the group I like best (Emily's) supports and encourages artists to make any kind of art they wish.

These cards were drawn on September 6. One was traded. One was added to my "AKC collection."

(AKC is my own special term for "Artist KEEPING Card.")

September 14: Liberals and Lunatics

More name-calling was going on between the two Facebook ATC groups, with the dragon-eye folks calling the members of Emily's group "Liberals and Lunatics."

So of course I made an ATC....

I made another drawing in Procreate, so it is easy to make custom hybrid cards from this design. Let me know if you want one

"The World of ATCs" was drawn on September 15, and I made and traded several versions of this card. Let me know if you want a custom "Welcome to the World of ATCs" card.

I really enjoy being a part of an ATC community, and that means we have "family stories" that span over months of conversation

Halloween has always been my favorite holiday, so I decided to make a bunch of Halloween cards. This year, one of my series, which I expected to be popular, was....NOT.

Happily, it gave me the idea for another card:

The "Life as an ATC Artist" series

I go back and forth between "active-participation-in-the-online-trading-group"
and
"lurking-in-the-online-trading-group."

I have a rather pathetic need to see "Likes."

I hate to see my work ignored.

I hate to have someone say "NO" when I request a trade.

Whenever I have a negative experience with trading, I turn it into an ATC!

"A Inchie-style Dissertation on Digital Art" is one of my favorite ATCs ever. It was the last card I made in September. I can make more of these cards upon request, or you can send me a direct message and I will send you the PDF for free! (no trade required)

Summing up September:

I keep a detailed spreadsheet of my ATCs. I traded thirty-three cards in thirty days, but some of those cards were made earlier.

Only fifteen cards are shown on this page, because back in September I was not yet planning on creating A Year in the Life of an ATC Artist.

Author's note: This "retro" page was completed 251222. I've made edits several times. The latest was 260319.

October

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