Liberate Your Art Postcard Swap - The Blog Hop

1020 pieces of art

170 participants

37 US states

13 countries

2 homes

1 swap

done.

I am struggling to find the words to describe how wonderful the Liberate Your Art postcard swap turned out to be. I set a crazy-big goal, to make myself reach farther and higher than ever before. You all came and answered the call, joining in to liberate some beautiful art and brighten someone else's day. I knew it would be fun. I never anticipated what you all would give to me. At a time when life could have been sad, with my move from Italy to Oregon, your mail filled up my post box with love and encouragement. Color, beauty, passion, peace... your art helped me through a difficult transition. The image above is the art that many of you gave to me, unexpectedly, unasked, along with the swap. I am honored to have them. I am honored to have met so many of you through this swap. I look forward to hopping around this weekend, visiting your blogs and seeing your swap experiences. Seeing what liberating your art and making connections brought into your life.

Thank you.

And They're Off!

Here and there a few people have asked me to share how I'm going to do the Liberate Your Art postcard swap. I brought the box of envelopes with me on vacation to swap the postcards out and get them mailed. So here's how it was done...

First, I opened each envelope and laid them out on the floor. As I did this, I made sure they all had the right number of postcards (found a few more for me!), the right postage and labels. If anything was missing I took care of it as I laid them out. The swap participating was about 80% US and 20% non-US, so I made sure that every 5th envelope was a non-US participant so they would be mixed in. Otherwise, there was no planning involved as to the order.

Thankfully, my sister has a very large, open living and dining room (~600 sq ft), because the postcards looped around the full space. Here are a couple of photos to show you how it looked. I wish I could have captured the full extent of it!

Next, the easy part, actually doing the swap. Picking up the stack of 5 postcards from the pile, I dealt them out to the next five participants. I did the same thing, moving from one stack to the next on the left around the whole loop.

Finally, the labels and stamps had to be put on. This was the time-consuming part. I cajoled my husband into helping (he's such a good sport) and we went around the loop putting the postage and labels on all of the postcards, stack by stack. As we completed each participant's stack, we sorted them out in to five stacks for the different mailings. There is a sixth stack of postcards from me done too.

Here I am, mailing the first stack. The postcards are officially off. Look at all of that art being liberated in the world! Pretty cool, huh?? The second mailing will go out later this week!

A Stack of Happiness

Look at this stack! This is a stack of the happiest, most fun mail you are ever going to see. This is a stack of 112 envelopes for the Liberate Your Art postcard swap! On Saturday, things were sorted out enough in our house that I had the time and space to start going through these envelopes. It just filled me with joy! This is not work in the slightest, but exceptionally fun and inspiring.

Some of the envelopes were completely decorated. I love all of you mixed media artists who find any surface something to create art on! Just look at this one, can you guess where it's from? You would be right!

And here's one from closer to my new home, California. A little bit of art in the mail, anyone?

My blog friend, Kristin, created this envelope from inspiration from this photo I took in Ravenna. Funny thing, I took that photo because I was reminded of Kristin by the snail! Such a fun circle of inspiration that happens with artists sometimes. Too bad the US Postal Service covered up some of her art with their sticker.

Here's one that I didn't want to open, just look at that! I think the dancer stamped on the envelope is definitely Liberating her art...

The stamps were art too! I didn't know I had anyone in Hong Kong participating, what a nice surprise.

And then, opening the packages there were lots of little treats inside. Some were prettily wrapped, like this one from TJ of Studio Mailbox.

I was surprised at how many of the participants included a little something for me. Totally unexpected! Lots of postcards and little notes. Some magnets and little bits of this or that to use for my own projects. Even some chocolate! This was fun mail at its best. Here's a tiny sample of what was shared with me, but I don't want to give away too much, so that you will be surprised by the art you get in the mail!

This was exactly what I needed to inspire me and reconnect me to the creative community after my move. I can't wait for the rest of the envelopes to come in and then to get this art liberated back into the world. If nothing else, everyone liberating all of this art has had a wonderfully positive effect on me!

PS - My blog is now on Pacific Standard Time! I updated my profile location and about me page too. Sorry for the two posts in one day but I'm trying out my new schedule. So far, so good! 


PPS - Linking in to Creative Every Day and The Creative Exchange today. It's good to be back!

Meeting the Goal (A Swap Update)

Have you ever looked at something big, thought it was insurmountable, but decided to try it anyway? Some things are optical illusions, brought on by perspective, like this building from Barcelona. It almost seems to go on forever, but that's really because of my perspective, right at the base. It's a tall building, yes, but it's not infinite.

That's a bit how I felt when I set the goal of 200 people in the Liberate your Art postcard swap. I knew it would be a big stretch, and it seemed a bit insurmountable. I knew I couldn't get there on my own, but guess what - the goal has been met! As of this writing, there are 228 people signed up for the swap. Wow! That's 1140 pieces of art that will be winging their way around the world in July. Actually, it's 1368 when you count my postcards too. I'm so excited! Thank you all so much for helping me get to this goal, by posting on your blogs, putting the button on the sidebar, posting on facebook, tweeting - all of that. I couldn't have done this without help.

There is still a little bit of time to sign up, if you haven't yet. I'll close the sign up on 4 June, next Saturday, and then the focus turns to execution of the swap. Visit the swap page here for the details if you would like to sign up.

And... there are new links added to the participant link list this week! Take a few moments and visit a few of your fellow artists who have shared links. I hope you will connect with one or two others this week and say hello.

Links Added since last update:


Grandma's Recipe BoxHeartwork PhotographyDixon HillJust me and my ArtMia Makes...Cosrard & PenpenI miei due bambiniSpecial Moments in TimeSuch stuff as dreams are made onPasandoDarlene Cunnup PhotographyPeach CogloOne Woman, ReinventedCreative ExplorerBren's Bright CornerJillsy Girl StudioBahamaDawnToday is a GiftMy Consuming Passions
The rest of the list - so many great places to visit!How to Feather an Empty NestLearning as I GoPaloma ChaffinchFiberworksAshley Sisk's Ramblings and PhotosJenny ShihLife @ RuffHavenkharliebugHere and NowLiving in a Still LifeBastelmaniaDonna Did ItLeft in Front of RightThe Red TinAltered Muse ArtDreams and WhispersMaddy's Stitching CornerSimply Life PhotographsPointy PixNatasha MayThe Vintage ArtistDigital Experiments by CarolynWJC's Digital DesignsCreating my Lifeicandyi wanna be me when i grow upGiddy-Up Let's RideThe Creative IdentityElizabeth GLZJofabi PhotoA New Day, A Different WayA Rural JournalAlchemy of ArteyechaiPicturing the YearSuperdewaHounds in HeavenBleuOiseau PhotographyAquarel RiversThe Wright StuffThe Mrs.Urban Muserdeustchemexicana{Furi Kuri}TravelsA Little Blue Skycarola bARTzSame Day: Thirty Years ApartCamperCottage 960Nomadic NotebookWell of CreationsCindyLew's StudioOm2ArtHysong DesignsThe Weekend Photo WarriorTina's TreeThe Studio 56Kristen WalkernaperieRosie GreyThis Life through the LensNot Everyone Has FilmSloane Solanto: A Colorful LifeRavenous RaesassyangelacMy Midlife CreativitiesMakieDollTracy Swartz, Whimsical Gourd ArtOne Thousand PaintingsOne Little PromiseAmber Leigh JacobsMarie Z. JohansonThe Queen of CreativityExpressive WorldRandom Thoughts Do or "Di"Lyrical JourneyKaren Koch, Life Needs ArtMy Sweet Prairiedye~ing to be yoursKnottyneedlemy heart artODDImaginationCrafty CreativityJenna Kannas InspirationsGoing a Little CoastalStarry Blue SkyQuilting, Calle and other thingsMatthew and LarissasightspecificStudio MailboxArtimagicaPoetic MappingSimple MansionBy JenPaper BirdMusings of a HennaphileShe Dreams of the SeaThe Little Things...Tangerine Megamaze, surprise & delightlove PEASStraightlinezKristen Laudick Photography

All Locked Up + Swap Update

I am in love with locks lately. I seem to have quite a few from our visit to Greece a few weeks ago. But, seriously, who could resist this color and shape? And those little embossed dots? The square bolts? Could you have resisted?

I'm considering this as one of the images in my next postcard order. We are so, so close to my goal -- 195 people are currently signed up for the Liberate Your Art postcard swap! Isn't that awesome? If we hit my goal 200, I promised that everyone signed up with get a postcard from me in addition to 5 postcards they will receive from other participants. I'm so excited to be this close to the goal, and it's time for me to think about my postcards too! Especially since I liberated most of my current stock at the Do What You Love retreat last week. Postcards were a great way to give people something a little bit "more" of my art than a business card. Everyone seemed to really like looking through them and choosing their favorite too.

There is still time to help me get the word out or to sign up for the swap yourself! I'm going to close sign up on Saturday, 4 June, so that I can be sure that everyone gets the final details I send to the list in June. Go here for the rest of the details, to get a button for your blog or to sign up.

I've added tons of new links to the participant link list this week. That means it's time to go visiting again. Can you find the artist who paints on rocks? How about an artist who lives in Australia? They are in there, and so, so many more amazing artists. Pick two or three links, go and visit, and leave a note letting them know you stopped by from the postcard swap!

Here are the new links added this week:


Nomadic NotebookWell of CreationsCindyLew's StudioOm2ArtHysong DesignsThe Weekend Photo WarriorTina's TreeThe Studio 56Kristen WalkernaperieRosie GreyThis Life through the LensNot Everyone Has FilmSloane Solanto: A Colorful LifeRavenous RaesassyangelacMy Midlife CreativitiesMakieDollTracy Swartz, Whimsical Gourd ArtOne Thousand PaintingsOne Little PromiseAmber Leigh JacobsMarie Z. JohansonThe Queen of CreativityExpressive WorldRandom Thoughts Do or "Di"Lyrical JourneyKaren Koch, Life Needs ArtMy Sweet Prairiedye~ing to be yoursKnottyneedlemy heart artODDImaginationCrafty CreativityJenna Kannas InspirationsGoing a Little CoastalStarry Blue SkyQuilting, Calle and other thingsMatthew and LarissasightspecificStudio MailboxArtimagicaPoetic MappingSimple MansionBy JenPaper BirdMusings of a HennaphileShe Dreams of the SeaThe Little Things...Tangerine Megamaze, surprise & delightlove PEASStraightlinezKristen Laudick Photography
And of course all of the ones from before:How to Feather an Empty NestLearning as I GoPaloma ChaffinchFiberworksAshley Sisk's Ramblings and PhotosJenny ShihLife @ RuffHavenkharliebugHere and NowLiving in a Still LifeBastelmaniaDonna Did ItLeft in Front of RightThe Red TinAltered Muse ArtDreams and WhispersMaddy's Stitching CornerSimply Life PhotographsPointy PixNatasha MayThe Vintage ArtistDigital Experiments by CarolynWJC's Digital DesignsCreating my Lifeicandyi wanna be me when i grow upGiddy-Up Let's RideThe Creative IdentityElizabeth GLZJofabi PhotoA New Day, A Different WayA Rural JournalAlchemy of ArteyechaiPicturing the YearSuperdewaHounds in HeavenBleuOiseau PhotographyAquarel RiversThe Wright StuffThe Mrs.Urban Muserdeustchemexicana{Furi Kuri}TravelsA Little Blue Skycarola bARTzSame Day: Thirty Years ApartCamperCottage 960

Let's go Visiting

While I'm out in the Yorkshire countryside, painting up a storm, I thought it would be fun to have you all go visiting a few of the participants we have so far in the Liberate Your Art postcard swap. As of this writing, we have 106 participants! Can I just tell you how excited I am about that? So many opportunities to make more connections with other artists, so much art to be liberated in the world.

To promote those connections, I encourage you to pick 2 or 3 of the links on the list below and visit them over the weekend. See what new things you find and don't by shy - say hi!


Participant ListHow to Feather an Empty NestLearning as I GoPaloma ChaffinchFiberworksAshley Sisk's Ramblings and PhotosJenny ShihLife @ RuffHavenkharliebugHere and Now Living in a Still LifeBastelmaniaDonna Did ItLeft in Front of RightThe Red TinAltered Muse ArtDreams and Whispers Maddy's Stitching CornerSimply Life PhotographsPointy PixNatasha MayThe Vintage ArtistDigital Experiments by CarolynWJC's Digital DesignsCreating my Lifeicandyi wanna be me when i grow upGiddy-Up Let's RideThe Creative IdentityElizabeth GLZJofabi PhotoA New Day, A Different WayA Rural JournalAlchemy of ArteyechaiPicturing the YearSuperdewaHounds in HeavenBleuOiseau PhotographyAquarel RiversThe Wright StuffThe Mrs.Urban Muserdeustchemexicana{Furi Kuri}TravelsA Little Blue Skycarola bARTz Same Day: Thirty Years ApartCamperCottage 960
(Are you in the swap but not on this list yet? Reply to the email you received when you signed up with your link information, and I'll add you to the list when I return from England. If you're not signed up yet, go here.)

For the Love of Blue + Postcard Giveaway and Swap Update

So, I go to Greece to take pictures of white houses and blue sea. Which I did, and I enjoyed. But as I shared in Monday's post, the things that inspired me the most continued to be the places with texture, the colors, and little details like this door handle and lock. I captured this in the small town Megalochori when we rented a car one day and visited some of the smaller towns around the island of Santorini. Once you got out of the tourist zones where everything was postcard-perfect, Santorini was texture heaven. Just goes to show, style will always come through. You've probably heard the saying: "No matter where you go, there you are." Even artistically, this is so true. (I'm linking this in to The Creative Exchange for that reason!)

Today I've also got a lot of little updates so hang on through the end if you are interested in a Liberate Your Art Postcard Swap update, my Paint Party Friday entry, entering a postcard giveaway and a quick newsletter tip.


Liberate Your Art Postcard Swap Update and Postcard Giveaway

I'm so excited with the response to the postcard swap. There are 87 people signed up for the swap so far. That's 435 pieces of art that will be winging their way around the world come late July. Isn't that awesome? And it's all because you are helping me get the word out!  Thank you so much!

If you're already signed up, you can expect an email this week with some more ideas and resources about making or printing your postcards. If you have some resources or tips you want to share with the group, send them to me and I'll add them to the update. If you haven't signed up yet, there's plenty of time. Go here to sign up and get the details.

To thank you for the great response to the swap and your help with growing it, I'm doing a postcard giveaway, to liberate more art into the world.  There will be two winners. I'll be giving away a set of my own "Favorite Flowers" postcards, as well as a set of "Superhero" postcards from my good friend Jenny Shih. Any one of these postcards is guaranteed to make the recipient smile.

 




Even better, you can have up to three entries into the pool. Here is what you need to do to enter:
1. Comment on this post for one entry. Just say hi and you are in!
2. If you are a signed up for the postcard swap, you get a second entry. Leave a second comment on this post that you are signed up, for your second entry. It's not too late - sign up here and then come back and use this entry!
3. If you have helped get the word out on the postcard swap (a blog post, a tweet, putting the button on your blog sidebar, etc.), you get a third entry. Leave a third comment on this post telling us what you did to help get the word out, and provide a link if you have one, for your third entry. It's not to late for this either - if you help get the word out between now and Monday, come back and comment again.

I will draw for the winners on Tuesday morning here in Italy, so you have until Monday night around midnight EST to leave your comments. Please make sure that there is a way for me to get at your email through your comment - either by a link back to your website where I can find it or commenting with a method that will allow me to reply. If you win and I can't find your email to contact you for the address, I'll re-draw for the prize.

Quick Newsletter Tip


My newsletter will be going out on Sunday, with the Visual Contrast printable file I told you about in yesterday's post. Be sure to add my email address to your address book so it doesn't end up in your spam folder. If you signed up but don't see it by Monday morning, or didn't see the first one I sent a couple of weeks ago, check your spam folder.

Paint Party Friday!


I had so much fun participating in Paint Party Friday the first time a couple of weeks ago. That, along the wonderful blues I experienced in Greece last week, have motivated me to start another painting. This is a small 20x20cm canvas, painted in acrylics. I haven't finished it yet, but thought I would share my progress.

Step One: I wanted to get a watery looking background so I used quite a bit of water with Cerulean blue paint to initially paint the background. Then I crumpled a paper towel and dabbed at the canvas to unevenly take paint away. It was an experiment, and I liked the results.

Step Two: I started painting a circle of Aquamarine, from the outside in. I still used quite a bit of water and overlapped as I went. Eventually I worked to the center and then spiraled out, darkening the places that seemed to be naturally dark. I had no intention with the subject, but the result at the end of this step look like a rose to me.

This is all I've done so far. Next I'm planning to go along with the emerging rose I see and add some highlights. We'll see where this goes in future updates. It's funny how both this painting and the last one I did have ended up looking like flowers, that was not intentional.

Have a great weekend!!

Join me in the Liberate Your Art Postcard Swap

What happens when you create your art? Does it make you happy? Do you find that you have an amazing boost of energy, of insight into life and self? Do you find that you feel centered and grounded, as if some piece of you has been completed for brief moment? I've discovered the act of creating, of making art of any kind, can have an amazing and transforming effect on me personally. I know I'm not alone.

Now, what happens when you share that art with world? You share a little bit of yourself, and add a little bit of beauty or joy or brightness into someone else's day. When you share your art, that wonderful energy you gained in the act of creation is not gone, it is magnified. You will see it reflected back to you in different, positive ways.

That's what the Liberate Your Art postcard swap is all about - sharing your art, liberating it out in the world, where it can do its greatest good. I'm so excited to officially launch this today and get the information to you, so you can get started on making your postcards! At the bottom of this post you can find a the sign up form to receive more details via email and a button to share on your site.

Here's an overview of the Liberate Your Art Postcard Swap:

WHO: Artists in any medium. Photography, painting, poetry, typography, jewelry, sculpture, knitting, cooking, illustration - you name it. If you can have an image of your art printed on a postcard, you are in! If you want to share a blog or website address, I'll have a list of participants posted on the Liberate Your Art page so you can find each other.

WHAT: You will send 5 printed postcards of your original art to me, along with your address and return postage. I will then swap them around and you'll receive 5 postcards from different artists mailed back to you over a period of a few weeks. (The email you receive once you sign up will have all of the details on what to do.)

WHERE: You don't have to go anywhere, and participants from all over the world are welcome! You will send your postcards to me in the US (I'll be moved back by then) and I'll mail them back out from there. Details for international participants will be included in the email.

WHEN: The postcards will need to arrive at my US address between July 5 and July 15.

WHY: To liberate your art into the world, where it can do the most good!

I've set a personal, crazy-big goal for this swap - I would love to have 200 participants from all over the world. Can you imagine, 1000 postcards of wonderful art, winging their way around the world? I can! But I need your help. Please share about this swap on your blog, facebook page, tweet it and get your friends to sign up too. If we reach this goal, I am going to do something crazy too - send a personal post card to each and every person who participates. I get excited (and a little scared) just thinking about it!

The sign up form is below and can also be found on the Liberate Your Art page. Once you sign up, you will need to confirm your subscription to the list and you will receive the email with more details.

**sign up form removed, July 2011 swap closed**

You can also grab a button, to show your participation and help me get the word out about the swap!

Copy and Paste Code

<a href="http://www.kateyeview.com/p/liberate-your-art-postcard-swap.html" target="_blank"><img src=" http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n515/ksloma/LiberateyourArtButton150x150copy.jpg" border="0" /></a>

Today I'm also linking up the painting I did for the blog button to Kristin and Eva's Paint Party Friday. I started painting in acrylics shortly after moving here to Italy, but my passion for photography has taken over and I haven't painted in a while. Recently I emailed Kristin to ask her a question about one of her painting techniques and I shared a few of my paintings with her too. Since then, she's been encouraging me to paint again so I wanted to share this with her to say, "See Kristin! I listened to you!" Thanks so much for the encouragement, Kristin. I'm sure there will be more paintings to come.

News Flash - Postcard Swap, Birds for Japan and Superheros

I interrupt today's regularly scheduled blog post to bring you some interesting news. What do postcards, birds and superheros have in common? They are all on my blog today - read on to find out why!

Introducing the Liberate your Art Postcard Swap


Today I'm announcing the "Liberate your Art" Postcard Swap I'll be hosting this summer! Many of us have an artistic practice - whether it be photography, mixed media, painting, beading, papercrafting, ceramics, you name it - but we don't always share our craft with the rest of the world in a physical form. So I'm going to encourage you to "Liberate your Art" from the online world through a postcard swap! Is there anything better than getting artistic, creative snail mail in your post box? I don't think so!

Here's how it will work:
1. Have five postcard prints made of your original artwork. These could be photographs you've taken, prints of your painted or mixed media work, or images of 3D artwork. You can use five different images or five of the same image. The only requirement is that they be postcard-size prints of your original work (no layered or 3D artwork as part of this swap).
2. Mail the postcards to me in the US along with your address and return postage in July. (Signup and mailing details will be provided later, along with how non-US participants can provide return postage.)
3. You will receive five postcards back in the mail from other artists from around the world.

Sounds fun, doesn't it?

Though the swap won't take place until July after I return to the US, I'm telling you this now so that you can get started on your postcard prints. You may want to create them yourself at home, or you may want to order them from an online source. I've had great luck with moo.com and have a 20% off discount code for new customers if you order by 30 March - that's tomorrow (use this code: BK67DT). There are many other options for printing postcards, let me know what services you recommend and if you come across any discounts I'll share them in future updates.

More details and sign up will be available in the near future. Until then, start planning your postcards and get ready to Liberate your Art this summer!


Help Japan 1000 Birds Project

UK-based Japanese ceramics artist Makiko Hastings has a wonderful project going on to help Japan. She is creating and selling one thousand of these delightful little ceramic birds to raise money. All are unique, numbered and handmade by Maki. You can find out how to participate and help her help Japan on her blog, shin shin.

I have a special connection to Maki, since I had the opportunity to meet her when we visited England last summer. We met for breakfast and both were a bit nervous to meet someone from the online world. It seemed a bit weird at first, but we knew we had a love of art in common and quickly fell into conversation. I enjoyed talking with Maki and hearing the story of how she came to England from Japan and her dreams of being a ceramic artist. Since then, I've enjoyed following her adventures and her beautiful artwork on her blog.

Maki and me at the "posh" Betty's Tea Room in York

I hope you'll support Maki's efforts to help Japan. We have three of these special little birds winging their way to us in Italy - I can see a group of three photo in my mind's eye already!

Are you a Superhero?

If you are ready to put on your cape and change the world with your creative ideas, my friend Jenny Shih is here to help you. She's a business coach for creative entrepreneurs, and I can't begin to express to you how enthusiastic she is about this job! Even though I haven't ever been "officially" coached by her, she's given me more helpful ideas than I can count, just in casual conversation. She's got it all - great ideas, great strategies and great heart. 

If you have a creative idea and are looking for some help to make your business a reality, or to help your existing business grow, she's the woman to help you become the superhero you were meant to be. Take a look at her fun video below and then stop by her site, jennyshih.com, to see how she can help you with your plans to change the world.

Put on Your Cape, It's Time to Save the World from Jenny Shih on Vimeo.

(Today's image is from a back alley in Dubrovnik, Croatia.)