Give Bridget Clawson any old reason and she’ll grab her glue stick.
For the Snohomish County director of Human Resources, what she does with glue is a hobby, she said, and a social outlet.
Though she encounters a multitude of people on the job, she is one of those outgoing types who wants to meet more folks outside of her demanding career.
Her hobby is called artist trading cards. Create miniature masterpieces on card stock or standard playing cards. Find out about “Art in Pocket” at 1 p.m. May 19 at Evonne’s Antique Mall, 340 N. Olympic Ave., Arlington.
Anybody can make artist trading cards, using any fabric, magazine pictures, paints – anything – as a collage or embellished with buttons, string or jewels. Let imagination soar on the miniature canvases, using pencil sketches, charcoal, cartoons, watercolors, markers, pastels, crayons, inks, photography and calligraphy.
Clawson has one card that was made with a Haggen grocery receipt as the base.
The idea is to trade them, in person, with others who make cards. No money is exchanged.
“It’s lighthearted,” Clawson said. “It’s like when you were a kid, trading sports or bubble gum cards.”
The idea started in 1997 with a Swiss artist. Clawson read about artist trading cards in “Cloth Paper Scissors,” a magazine for fabric and paper artists.
She tried it and liked it.
Some traders mail their products to one another, but that isn’t the point, Clawson said.
“The idea is person-to-person community building, and art that is not commercial,” she said. “Personal contact is important and central to the purpose of ATC.”
She teaches classes to all ages. Clawson, 52, said kids who love to trade things catch on to the idea right away.
Her husband, Ted Clawson, collects stamps. The couple lives in Arlington and they have three grown children. He works for road maintenance with the county and enjoys restoring mantle clocks.
“We do antiques and estate sales,” Clawson said. “I walk through thrift stores like I walk the beach.”
Any little thing may inspire a trading card.
“A big part of decoupage art is recycling,” she said. “Nothing leaves the house without my inspection.”
She’s been a collage artist since she found out about Elmer’s glue, Clawson said.
Born in Georgia, she earned degrees in business, human resources and public leadership from Central Washington University, the University of Michigan and the University of Washington Dan Evans School respectively. She became human resources director for Snohomish County in 1993.
“I’ve been a collage artist for more than 30 years, performed in little theater all my life and love to journal and write,” Clawson said. “We’ve have lived in Arlington since 1990 and we rescue dogs.”
At the May 19 “Art in Pocket,” take along ATC.
“But if they don’t want to make a card, or think they can’t or are confused but interested, then we would like them to come and we’ll show them how,” she said. “Everything is free.”
She carries her collection in a decorated cookie tin.
There are beautiful cards, one with a sepia-toned black-and-white photograph, some with bits of fabric placed just so, or a tiny button glued in a corner.
What’s in it for her? Clawson said trading cards offer an opportunity to get even more involved in her town and its future.
“I would like nothing better than for Arlington to become the ATC center of the known universe,” Clawson said. “I like to dream, then work hard to make it happen.”
Columnist Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451 or oharran@heraldnet.com.
Card exchange
An “Art in Pocket” artist trading cards exchange session is planned for 1 p.m. May 19 at Evonne’s Antique Mall, 340 N. Olympic Ave., Arlington. Bring trading cards to share, or drop by to learn about the hobby.
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