We love a good art swap! Nothing puts demands on your creativity like exchanging art work with complete strangers! But seriously... art swaps, mail swaps, etc. are a great way to kick an artists block, share your techniques and ideas with the creative community and make new friends.

Kitty Black's guidelines are pretty simple. We ask that you follow a few rules in order the make the swap successful but for the most part we only demand that you have fun and enjoy yourself. Our swaps take place bi-monthly, with exchanges back in the mail by the 15th of the following month. As your swap hostess, Stephanie reserves the right to publish your submission/s in the Kitty Black 'Zine and/or website gallery unless you request otherwise. We also award some preferential treatment to any artist who is kind enough to use our stamp images in their artwork - see the guidelines for the scoop!

Listed below are the swap themes and following those are the guidelines/rules Click here to jump to the rules. Please feel free to contact us at any time if you have questions.

Mermaids - Call for Creativity - For this one you do not need to send in your items. We are not actually swapping - we are looking for artwork featuring mermaids for our big summer 2004 issue. Please send images: clear photos by US Mail; OR clear scans/digital photos via email OR email a URL if you have photos posted online that we have your permission to use (swap@kittyblack.com). For this one, the skies the limit on what medium you work in, materials you use, size, etc. as long as it features mermaids! Any participant, whose work we use will receive a free copy of the summer issue of Kitty 'Zine (or have their subscription extended by one issue).

This is an on-going call with a deadline of May 31 for consideration in the Summer Issue.

Vintage Valentines - Cards - Make a few extra Valentines to swap for next year! Incorporate vintage images or reproduce a vintage favorite.

(Make up to 10 for a swap of the same)

The Wisdom of MLK - Collage - Celebrate Black History Month with a collage. Incorporate words from Martin Luther King, Jr's "I have a dream..." speech.

(Make up to 2 for a swap of the same)

January/February 2004

DEADLINE for receipt of artwork: January 30, 2004/ swaps back in the mail by February 15

Spring Fling - Tiny Shrines - Use a matchbox, pill box or other tiny receptacle to make a shrine to spring. Use any images or materials - but keep it under 2.5 inches!

(Make up to 2 for a swap of the same)

March/April 2004

DEADLINE for receipt of artwork: March 30, 2004/ swaps back in the mail by April 15

The Tax Man Cometh - Artist Trading Cards - Feature numbers and money in your ATC's! Use vintage and foriegn coins, old checks, math books, ledger pages... anything to do with numerals or the almighty dollar. ATC's should measure 2.5 x 3.5 inches. (Make up to 10 for a swap of the same)

March/April 2004

DEADLINE for receipt of artwork: March 30, 2004/ swaps back in the mail by April 15

Seashells by the Seashore - Assemblages - Make a fanciful assemblage featuring seashells and related sea items. Otherwise anything goes.... think: Joseph Cornell! Remember to keep the weight and dimensions manageable!

(Make One for swap of the same)

May/June 2004

DEADLINE for receipt of artwork: May 31, 2004/ swaps returned by June 15

The Carnival is Coming! - Artist Trading Cards - Create ATC's with a carnival theme - sideshows, cotton candy, roller coasters and all kinds of fun. ATC's should measure 2.5 x 3.5 inches.

(Make up to 10 for a swap of the same)

May/June 2004

DEADLINE for receipt of artwork: May 31, 2004/ swaps returned by June 15

Fine Artist Celebration - Journal Pages - Compose journal pages featuring imagery created in the style of your favorite artist.... cubist abstracts if you like Picasso, soup cans and celebs for Warhol, drips and spills for Pollack, squiggles for Cy Twombly.... be sure to include a note with the name of your artist!

(Make up to 2 for a swap of the same)

May/June 2004

DEADLINE for receipt of artwork: May 31, 2004/ swaps returned by June 15

Americana - Artist Trading Cards - Use red/white/blue in these ATC's (or burgundy/cream/navy....?!), find some flags, copies of the Declaration of Indpenedance, whatever evokes your patriotic spirit! ATC's should measure 2.5 x 3.5 inches.

(Make up to 10 for a swap of the same)

July/August 2004

DEADLINE for receipt of artwork: July 31, 2004/ swaps returned by August 15

The Dog Days of Summer - Tag Art - The cat days of summer or the guinea pig days or summer will work too! Make some elaborate tag art with your favorite pet imagery. Fluffy, Fido and Tweety will appreciate it!

(Make up to 5 for a swap of the same)

July/August 2004

DEADLINE for receipt of artwork: July 31, 2004/ swaps returned by August 15

Ancient Egypt - Art Jewelry - The sphinx, King Tut, Cleopatra, scarabs and hieroglyphics. Egypt is known for some fabulous imagery, incorporate it into a pins, a pair of earrings, a bracelet, whatever strikes your fancy!

(Make up to 2 for a swap of the same)

July/August 2004

DEADLINE for receipt of artwork: July 31, 2004/ swaps returned by August 15

Great Literature - Wearable Art - This swap may include anything wearable - a t-shirt, jewelry, a hat, etc. For this theme, think of your favorite book or artist and create or decorate something that evokes their spirit. Maybe make an elegant pin in honor of Shakespeare or a silly hat for Dr. Suess?!

(Make One for a swap of the same)

September/October 2004

DEADLINE for receipt of artwork: September 30, 2004/ swaps returned by October 15

Free-For-All Fall - Shrines - We haven't done a free-for-all in a long time! Make some small shrines (altoid tin or similar size) with any fall theme. Stretch your imagination with this one!

(Make up to 2 for a swap of the same)

September/October 2004

DEADLINE for receipt of artwork: September 30, 2004/ swaps returned by October 15

Black Cats - Artist Trading Cards - Black Cats... Kitty Black, get it? haha! But seriously, start thinking about Halloween and incorporate some black cats in your ATC's! ATC's should measure 2.5 x 3.5 inches.

(Make up to 10 for a swap of the same)

September/October 2004

DEADLINE for receipt of artwork: September 30, 2004/ swaps returned by October 15

The Rules

There is nothing more exciting than the anticipation of receiving your return swap! An art swap fills that child-like need for getting things in the mail and opening presents and secret treasures. The rules are pretty simple, especially if you are a seasoned swapper! Here they are - and please don't hesitate to contact us at any time if you have questions!

1. Check out the themes and find something that interests you.
2. Email us and let us know what swap you are participating in. If you DO NOT wish to have images of your work included in Kitty Black's 'Zine or in our website Gallery - please let us know that as well.
3. Make your art - keep in mind that you will be mailing your piece/s so you'll want to keep the weight down (that means no lead or concrete!) and you'll want to ensure your piece/s can withstand the US Postal service (make sure things are glued well, not incredibly fragile, etc.) Have fun! Stretch your imagination! Test your limits!
4. Label your work - you can include just your name or as much info as you wish. Email addresses and websites are always appreciated by swapees.
5. Package and ship your work with sufficient postage to send it on to your swap recipient (please send stamps, not $$ or pre-printed postage labels). Also be sure to include your return address so that we can get your return swap back to you.
6. Ship your work to: Kitty Black Designs; P.O. Box 423; Reisterstown, MD 21136
7. Your swap mistress, Stephanie, will do the rest!

The part of the rules where we have to scold you:

• Please select your best quality work for the swap. You'll want to bowl your swap recipients over with awe for your artistry - not make enemies!
• PLEASE PLEASE, oh pretty pleeeeeeaaaase, get your work shipped by the deadline! Because of volume and out of fairness to the other participants, we will have to return your work to you if we receive it after the deadline for that particular swap.
• Let us know if you need to cancel - just send us another email if you aren't going to make the deadline or can't participate for some reason.

The good, "special scoop" part of the rules:

Any artist kind enough to use our stamp designs in their work and submit it for any Kitty Black sponsored swap with be entered in a bi-monthly drawing for a fantastic goody bag full of stamp, collage and assemblage surprises!

More about publishing your work in our 'Zine and on our website:

We thoroughly respect your artistry and will not publish or print anything you don't want us to -- although if you don't speak up we will assume you are happy to receive recognition. Artists submitting to our swap maintain the copyright to their artwork and, aside from scanning for use in our web gallery and 'Zine images, we (cross our heart and hope to die) don't do anything else with your work other than send it to another swapee. We identify artists by name for all images (unless otherwise requested).

Our website gallery is also guarded with a "no right click" script that discourages others from snagging images.