The traditional anniversary list of paper, cotton, leather and so on was made for artists. Each year names a material and quietly dares you to make something from it. The studio once marked its own anniversaries with open-call exhibitions built around those materials. Here are ideas for the first few years, whether you're making or buying.
| Year | Material | Art gift ideas |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paper | An original print, a handmade artist's book, a paper-cut, a framed letter or map |
| 2 | Cotton | A print on cotton rag paper, an embroidered drawing, a stitched paper quilt, a screenprinted textile |
| 3 | Leather | A leather-bound journal, a tooled cover, a book bound with a leather spine |
| 4 | Linen / fruit and flowers | A botanical print, a linen-backed map, a pressed-flower collagraph |
| 5 | Wood | A woodcut or a carved block itself, framed beside its print |
| 7 | Copper / wool | An etching on a copper plate (fitting for Bisbee), or a felted wall piece |
Paper: year one
Paper is the most open-ended material of the lot. Commission a small portrait print, make an accordion book of the year's photos or have a favorite poem letterpress-printed. Our guide to making artists' books walks through simple bindings anyone can manage.
Cotton: year two
The finest printmaking papers are made from cotton, so an original print on cotton rag sheet counts twice. Stitched work, as in Stitches and Folds, is another good route.
Leather: year three
A hand-bound journal with a leather cover gives the recipient a place to keep the next year of drawings, notes and ticket stubs.
Running a materials show
Galleries and art groups can borrow the idea: an annual open call where every work must use that year's material. It gives artists a fresh constraint and gives the audience an easy hook. If you'd like to help organize one, get in touch.
Questions
What is the traditional first anniversary gift?
Paper. Original prints, artists' books, handmade paper and letterpress cards all fit.
What are the second and third anniversary materials?
Cotton is traditional for the second anniversary and leather for the third.