Happy Birthday Art Baby!
Art Baby is almost 4 years old. Not even in the toddler stage anymore.
Now I have to decide whether or not to run a second edition because I’m basically out…
If you’ve never seen Art Baby you should, it’s full of fine art from some of the most talented artists in the Seattle area. If you’ve never been out in Seattle’s art community you are missing out.
Bill filming Juan Alonso-Rodriguez in his Pioneer Square Studio for the promotional Kickstarter video
juanalonsostudio.com
Art Baby - The Vocabulary of Fine Art for Young Children was an idea I had when I couldn’t find a book to teach and show children fine art from living artists. I thought all the books about art for kids were condescending and sucked, and the artists were all dead.
I wanted something that represented visual fine art and didn’t talk down to kids. I wanted them to understand that art and artists are valuable and something to incorporate into their lives. I had been a professional nanny for thirty years and still couldn’t fine just what I was looking for, so I made it.
We launched a Kickstarter, which back then gave you a choice; Raise any amount over the course of a long period of time or raise a set amount in thirty days. I was afraid my short attention span would kill the project if I didn’t just get to it. So I decided to jump all in the deep end and we signed up to raise $10K in thirty days. So the promoting phase began, full speed ahead.
It still makes my heart race thinking about that initial commitment. It wasn’t like I had any experience in the designing or printing a children’s board book let alone self publishing or curating a group of professional artists. But I had lots of help along the way.
I got to borrow my friend Jennilee’s baby and Brian and Michelle Parks of Parks Creative did the amazing photography and graphic design
parks creative.com
The artists jumped in, sharing and talking about Art Baby, we had two launch parties and dozens of people signing up online from all around the world to back the project. We assembled rewards ranging from doll babies signed by each artist to the actual book once it was finished. We made lists of donors and bought mailing labels, we returned phone calls and arranged for delivery space. We were too busy to be nervous and I lost 16 pounds and became known as the Kickstarter Diet.
Artists Kelly Lyles and Holly Ballard-Martz proofing the prints and picking rhubarb
kellyspot.com
hollyballardmartz.com
Wonderful friends Sammi and Stephanie at our backyard launch party
After a lot of hard work and fun, the books arrived!!! I was so excited I took pictures of the truck, Josh the driver, the boxes and finally the books stacked in my studio. They turned out beautifully! And next, we were ready for the reward phase.
My friend and fellow artist, DeAnna holding the rewards she chose for supporting the book - an original piece of artwork by Holly Ballard-Martz and the book itself
Not pizza
Artist, Stephanie Hargrave signing art babies
stephaniehargrave.com
Organizing Kickstarter rewards
Launch party at the Ballard-Martz home with Artists Tom DeGroot, Ellen Ziegler and Kelly Lyles
tomdegroot.com, ellenziegler.com, kellyspot.com
Friends, Dana and Jayme at the launch party.
We all had fun creating, promoting and getting Art Baby into the hands of young children all over the world.
Even Down Under!
But if you’re in the Seattle area, you can find Art Baby at The Bellevue Arts Museum, Bainbridge Island Art Museum, Boston St. Children’s Store in Pike Place Market, Island Books on Mercer Island and Columbia City Gallery. Just click on the button below to get a first edition sent to your home for the art baby in your life.