It started with a simple idea: Host a swap to encourage people to create, share and connect through their art. This second year, the Liberate Your Art Postcard Swap just kept getting better and better. The addition of the Facebook Group added a fun, virtual element that went beyond the simple enjoyment of getting real-life mail. I loved seeing the excitement as the postcards were mailed and received. So much art liberated, so many connections made. I have to say, this year’s swap not only met my goal, but exceeded my original vision and delightfully surprised me!
So here are the stats of the 2012 swap:
1152 individual pieces of art liberated
193 artists participating
11 countries represented
From the USA, postcards came from 36 states and territories. Beyond the USA, we had artists from United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Norway, New Zealand, Germany, Slovenia, The Philippines, Portugal and The Netherlands. Pretty cool, huh?
As I laid out the art for the swap, I was incredibly inspired by all of your creativity. I was amazed at the individuality of the art. No two were alike. It made me stop and think about how there are more ways to express our creativity than it is possible to imagine. When we try to define what art is, we limit the possibilities.
I was inspired at the last moment to create something special to celebrate. Before I swapped the postcards, I went around and took a photo of one of each participants cards and created this video. Forgive me if the colors are off or if your art is oriented the wrong way, I didn’t have the time on swap day for perfection. There are 193 pieces of art shared in the video, and I think you will be as inspired as I was, seeing all of this art in one place.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for an amazing swap this year. Now, let’s finish it off with a bang. It’s time to hop!
September 13, 2012 12:14 am
That video…WOW!!! It was fantastic. I want one of everything!!!! Thank you Kat.
September 13, 2012 12:24 am
oh I loved that video! so glad I participated, off to do my post! thanks so much for organising it all
September 13, 2012 1:37 am
A brilliant display of art works. So sorry I missed it this year – I’ll be sure to join in the next one. And there was an Irish Wolfhound in amongst the photos – completely made my day!
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September 13, 2012 2:33 am
Loved the swap so much and your video is just amazing, fabulous art set to lovely music. What a lovely start to the day! Thank you for hosting.
September 13, 2012 3:27 am
Kat, your video is AMAZING so much beautiful art, such a wonderful celebration of it. Thankyou so much to you for organizing it!!! xx
September 13, 2012 6:18 am
OMG that video is such a good idea and so inspirational! I’ll be back to watch it again and again. I can’t imagine how much time it took, but I’m here to say it was worth every minute – for yourself but mostly for us – the artists! Thank you!
September 13, 2012 7:42 am
What an amazing video! Thank you soooooo much for all your hard work
September 13, 2012 7:49 am
Kat, there aren’t words to describe how I feel in my heart as I watch this stunning display of art! It brought strong emotion and tears! I know I’ll be retuning to watch the video many times! Thank you for the joy it brought to me as I received the postcards and visited FB each day! Thank you for your hard work in creating this swap!
September 13, 2012 8:00 am
I am so inspired! I can’t wait to go create. I think I will watch this video every day, it made me so happy. Thanks to everyone for sharing your art.
September 13, 2012 8:06 am
Kat thank you so much for doing this swap and blog hop and video. It is so fun to see all of the different pieces of art and where they ended up! This was definitely one of the highlights to my summer. People at work were even asking to see the new postcards that I got every week! I think they were just as excited as I was about getting a new postcard
Thank you!
September 13, 2012 8:07 am
Hi Kat,
Love the video! It is the perfect finale for this special project!!!
Thanks for your vision and all the work that went into making the swap a reality. You are much appreciated.
xo A
PS. Linking in tomorrow:)
September 13, 2012 8:15 am
Did I just scream when I see my Port Huron bridge appear! It is in 3:49 time range ^_^ Watching all the postcards I am teary eyed what a way to share and show our piece of art. Thanks to the participants and to Kat for everything! Now it is time to blog hope! ^_^
September 13, 2012 8:32 am
Thank you SO MUCH for the effort you put into this LYA swap.
It was/is fantastic.
And then, even more, to create that memorable video.
Just wow.
And thank you.
September 13, 2012 8:45 am
What an awsome display of art in the video! I loved it and would gladly watched ALL the cards you received
They would make one amazing art exhibition too.
Thank you again for organizing everything. And for the loveliest card ever.
♥
September 13, 2012 8:54 am
Thank you for making that beautiful video with such appropriate music. I have truly appreciated my participation in the postcard swap, and recommend it to all my artistic friends.
September 13, 2012 9:03 am
Kat, I just arrived here via another blog and was uplifted by your dedication to art and sharing it with others! Thank you so very much for the time and passion that you take to give people like me some positive energy that might spark more and more art in this world
September 13, 2012 9:25 am
Wow! What a wonderful gift you have given us all with this video, Kat! Amazingly beautiful and moving. Thank you so much for organizing the swap as well. I didn’t participate last year but you can bet I will be doing ti again next year. Thanks again for all the work you did to make this a reality.
September 13, 2012 10:22 am
Oh, Kat. The video made me want to weep. What a beautiful, beautiful sight to behold. Thank you so much for all you have done in helping us liberate our art.
xo
lynn
September 13, 2012 1:19 pm
What an amazing array of art! It’s a wonderful project Kat…congratulations and thanks for all your work.. Love that video.
September 13, 2012 2:17 pm
Oh Kat thank you so much for both organising this then taking the trouble to make that beautiful video. It was really moving. The pieces of work were incredible!!
September 13, 2012 2:27 pm
Thanks so much Kat. You did an amazing job.
September 13, 2012 2:41 pm
I dont know how to do the blog hop thing-how do I attach the linky to my post?
September 13, 2012 3:52 pm
Kat,
That video is the best thing I think you could have done for this swap! It is amazing to be able to see all the art that was shared with the world. I was moved by it much more than I thought I would be…almost to tears.
Thank you again from making this possible.
September 13, 2012 5:22 pm
what a fabulous concept so ARTFULLY executed. Thank you so much for all your hard work on this, Kat. Your video is beautiful!
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September 13, 2012 7:22 pm
This has been great fun, Kat. Great video, great idea to use a Facebook event, what new things will be able to do in a year’s time, I wonder.
September 13, 2012 9:29 pm
I loved the video, and the swap, and finding so many new blogs… you must have amazing karma for the rest of the year after putting all this together!!!!
Thanks so much…. it is appreciated…xx
September 13, 2012 9:48 pm
Thank you, Kat, it was really fun!
September 14, 2012 7:14 am
I love the postcard art swap idea. And what a beautiful success it was! I’d like to participate next time.
September 14, 2012 8:11 pm
Awesome job Kat! Can’t wait for next year….
September 15, 2012 5:58 am
Thanks for all your hard work, Kat, and the video really was the cat’s whiskers! Sorry, no pun intended! Have a great weekend, valerie
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September 15, 2012 9:08 pm
what a beautiful video! Such unique works of art and so fun to see all the perspectives! Thank you for sharing it.
September 16, 2012 3:35 pm
I”m thunderstruck at how beautifully you showed each card in it’s best light – what a beautiful video you made Kat. Thank you for being the leading star and for letting us all tag along. Brilliant!
September 16, 2012 9:38 pm
Oh, Kat, the video is just inspired. On top of all else you’ve done to make this the most amazing experience – wow, just wow! Thank YOU so much.
September 16, 2012 10:53 pm
Thank You Kat!
I loved the video – there were so many cards I would have missed out on otherwise! Thank You!!
Amazing Kat, really!
Thank you so much for all of your hard work. This was even better than last year. I have made some new friends, and friends are always a blessing!
Enjoy your week Kat! Thank You, thank you, thank you!
Sheila Delgado
September 17, 2012 3:01 am
I can’t believe I missed it! Here is my link:
http://maddy-moo.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/liberate-your-art.html
September 17, 2012 4:59 am
Thank you so much for this experience, Kat! I loved every minute–the joy of creating the cards; the terror holding them over the open mail box; the anticipation of receiving the fabulous cards that came my way; and finally, the amazingly beautiful and diverse little pieces of art that I received. I will definitely be back for the next one!
Thank you, everyone, for sharing your art in this lovely way!
September 17, 2012 7:14 am
Thank you so much for the video! It is so amazing to see all of the different styles and views -each beautiful. The swap was so much fun!
September 17, 2012 7:35 am
What a fantastic compilation in your video! Very well done!
September 17, 2012 10:25 am
The video is wonderful! I so enjoyed the swap…thank you!
September 17, 2012 4:12 pm
wow, Kat – talk about a home run! You did great for all of us. The video is outstanding. I absolutely loved seeing all the amazing cards that passed through your hands in order to make this swap successful. Yes, indeed.. The world needs more art. Bravo!
M………………..x
September 18, 2012 2:00 pm
Thank you so much for this swap Kat. It has been an amazing experience, and pushed me to do something I’ve been considering for ages, print postcards. I’ve loved receiving the cards over the weeks and it has been an inspiration to go through the hop and see some of the different pieces of art that were liberated. As for your video – awesome.
September 18, 2012 6:07 pm
what a fabulous gem you are to give us this opportunity to share art with each other, and then create such a beautiful video showcasing it~
thank you!
looking forward to the next swap!
deb
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September 22, 2012 7:46 pm
Wow, this is remarkable and such amazing art! Yes, the world needs art. I would love to be able to participate in something like this. I actually still write letters (not as many but I still do) and I’m getting some personal postcards made up at MOO. WOnderful idea!
September 22, 2012 8:00 pm
Yay! Another fan of mail! I hope you will join us next time.
September 27, 2012 11:10 am
I missed this one! When’s the next?
These are groovy. Love it that you do this.