LITTLE BOXES ON THE HILLSIDE

Mixed Media swap: May-June 2008

BACKGROUND | DATES & RULES | SIGN UP / CHAT | PLAYERS | GALLERY

BACKGROUND

It all began last summer, when Sarah Fishburn and Angela Cartwright released a wonderful book called "In This House":

"In This House" showcases a collaborative art project that explores innovative altered art and collage techniques by top mixed-media artists. Using the theme of 'home', each artist designed five altered art rooms to complete an individual 'house' that closes like a book or can stand accordion style. Each house is a part of a larger whole; a neighbourhood of twelve unique and fascinating art-full houses, varying in execution, theme and style, yet united as part of the larger neighbourhood. Each house is a unique interpretation on the theme, reflecting the artist's style and incorporating the mixed media techniques for which each artist is most well known. The thirteen artists have created an inspiring collage technique workbook for readers.

Many of you will be familiar with Sarah and Angela through their work in Somerset Studio and related publications. They also produce a quarterly mixed media art zine that I can highly recommend, called Pasticcio Quartz

The "In This House" book spawned a Yahoo group, and the members of this group joined together in a swap called "Skylines and Skyscrapers" - the results of which have since been featured in Somerset Studio and in Quartz - and these results were the inspiration for the Little Boxes swap

I have sought permission from the originators of "Skylines and Skyscrapers" to reproduce their swap over here in the UK, and Angela is excited to see if we Brits interpret the theme any differently, especially as she was born in England herself. So let's see what we can do :)

Coverage of the "Skylines & Skyscrapers" swap in print (click on the thumbnails to see full size):

DATES AND RULES

• You will make 21 little houses and receive 20 back. This is so that the swap host can collate a complete collection of one building per participant - even if, as expected, the number of participants is higher than 20
• As such, there is no upper limit on the number of participants to this swap
• Each building should be exactly 2.5 inches wide and between 3 and 6 inches tall.
• You can use any materials you like - card/paper - fabric - transparencies - metal (within reason - please consider postage costs!) - have fun and experiment
• You can make 21 copies of the same building, or 21 totally different buildings, or a combination of the two, it's up to you
• Don't feel constrained to only make houses - you can also do shops, churches, skyscrapers, haunted mansions, your imagination is the limit
• On the back of each building, please write, at a minimum, your name and the date - and please sign it too. There is no need to decorate the backs of the houses, although obviously you can if you want to :)
• Sign up by Saturday 31st May
• Your 21 completed buildings should be posted to Sarah Harris (I will email you my address when you sign up), to arrive by Wednesday 9th July
• Please enclose a Stamped Addressed Envelope with your buildings - this needs to have sufficient postage on it to cover the return shipping of 20 roughly ATC sized items. Please err on the side of caution if unsure.
• If for any reason you have to drop out of the swap, please let me know as soon as possible

If you have any questions relating to the swap that are not cleared up by the above, please ask away - either in the Sign Up / Chat thread, or by email to: littleboxes@ryan-kesler.com

NB we will also be running a CHILDREN'S SWAP alongside the main swap. Children don't have to sign up separately, as long as Mum (or Dad) is taking part. They can make as few or as many houses as they like - my little boy for example has made 3 houses, and will probably make 2 or 3 more before deadline day. And they don't have to be as strict with the size of the house, etc - if they want to make them a little bigger, then that's fine.

Please send your child's artwork in with your own, clearly marked 'children's swap' - and I will endeavour to swap them back as many as they send in....

SIGN UP AND CHAT

Please click here to get to the chat thread for this swap.

NB Sign up for this swap is now CLOSED

THE LITTLE BOXES PLAYERS

We have 55 participants signed up:

THE LITTLE BOXES GALLERY

...is now up and running - and each weekend I will add to it as new packages of art arrive...

link to Gallery