Opening Sat 4/20 @ 6pm
By Josh Usmani
Breakneck Gallery’s Artist Trading Cards (ATC) Show allows visitors to collect art like baseball cards. Each work for this show will be the same dimensions as traditional trading cards, but each will be a one-of-a-kind, handmade, original work of art.
In recent years, artist trading cards have become almost a subculture. They’re available at local art stores in almost every type of paper and board in various tones and colors. Artists attend conventions across the country and world to trade their creations with their peers. The whole ATC movement has made art more accessible, affordable and interactive, and has made art collecting more fun and accessible to a wider, more diverse audience.
We all know someone who grew up collecting trading cards of some kind, but how many people did you know who grew up collecting art? ATCs combine the fun of trading card collecting with the transcendental qualities of original artwork.
Breakneck has opened the show up to a broad, diverse group of artists. In fact, I have been making ATCs for a while, and will have a number of works in the show. The show isn’t limited to any particular media; the only rule is the size dimensions.
By keeping the work small, and the prices low, Sean and Kristen Burns, owners of Breakneck Gallery in Lakewood, hope their exhibition can appeal to both first-time art buyers and experienced art collectors.
They said, “We at Breakneck gallery asked as many local artists as we could to make as many small pieces of art as they could, so we could build a collection. While usually these cards are swapped or traded among artists, we feel that these Art Card Editions and Originals (ACEOs) are a great way for people to collect multiple, affordable, original pieces from their favorite local artists, literally putting art in the palm of their hands. On April 20th, first time collectors to long time art connoisseurs will surely walk away with something to show.”
There’s a good chance you could walk into Breakneck on Sat 4/20 with $20 in your pocket and walk out with your new favorite work of art. Walk in with $50, and you could start an art collection. That doesn’t happen at many exhibitions.
This event is free and open to the public.
ATC show (Artist Trading Cards) opens Sat 4/20 from 6 – 10pm. After-party (21+) will be held at the Spitfire Saloon, with live music by GoldMINES and other bands TBA. For more info go to http://BreakneckGallery.com, contact Sean Burns at Sean@breakneckgallery.com or call 216-767-5610. Gallery Hours: Wed-Fri 4-7pm and Sat 2-8pm. All other times by appointment or luck
Josh Usmani is a 27 year old local artist, curator and writer. Since 2008, his work has been featured in over 50 local and regional exhibitions.