The Palette Club is inviting artists of all skill levels to explore a unique and miniature art form at its upcoming Artist Trading Card (ATC) workshop, led by local artist Denise Malm. The hands-on event will take place on Feb. 25 from 6-8 p.m. at the Palette Club campus, offering attendees a chance to create, trade, and collect their own ATCs.
Malm, a longtime Palette Club member and artist, introduced the club to the art form earlier this month during a free demonstration, which was reportedly met with enthusiasm. That success led to the upcoming workshop, where participants will receive supplies and guidance to craft their own collectible works of art.
“Denise has presented several successful workshops for us in the past, so when she introduced us to this little-known medium, we invited her back to share with our membership,” said Sherry Thomas, president of the Palette Club. “Her free demo on Feb. 11 was met with great enthusiasm, and now we’re excited to offer a more in-depth, hands-on experience.”
Artist Trading Cards are small, 2.5-by-3.5-inch pieces of artwork designed to be exchanged among artists. Malm spent the past year researching the origins of the art form and creating her own ATCs, eventually working to establish an official trading location for the medium in Midland.
Her studio, Art by Malm, now serves as a hub where local artists can create and swap their cards.
The upcoming workshop will provide all necessary supplies, including paints, brushes, pens, blank trading cards, stickers, and adhesives. Participants will also be able to take their supply kits home to continue creating after the event.
“Our mini-workshops always include the supplies needed for that particular class, and attendees will be able to take them home,” Thomas said. “For this particular medium, the sky is the limit. ATCs range from austere to whimsical and everything in between.”
One of the highlights of the workshop will be the opportunity for attendees to trade their creations at the end of the session.
“This is a fantastic medium for beginners because working on a smaller scale can feel less intimidating,” Thomas said. “There’s no ‘wrong’ way to create art, and ATCs naturally build confidence in artistic expression.”
A few spots remain for the workshop, and registration is available at paletteclubmidland.com.