I’ve Been Accepted as a NEW Artist for Art o mat®!

Yes — you read that right! I’m now part of the creative network behind the iconic vintage-cigarette-vending-machine-turned-art-delivery system, Art-o-mat. I couldn’t be more excited to share this big milestone with you and what it means for my art, my story, and the spirit of “collecting the unexpected.”

What Is Art-o-mat®?

In case you aren’t familiar: Art-o-mat is a clever, playful, and inspiring art project that repurposes old cigarette vending machines into portals for tiny, affordable original works of art. The machines dispense art for a token (typically $5), making art collecting accessible, fun, and spontaneous. The machines themselves are retro, charming, and unexpected — and the pieces you get are one-of-a-kind.

Founded by artist Clark Whittington in the 1990s, the project now has hundreds of machines around the world and hundreds of contributing artists.

These machines may be found in Museums, Pubs, Restaurants, hotels and many other locations. You won’t know where your art will land and who’s hands it will belong to, that is just part of the excitement.

What This Means for Me

Being accepted into the Art-o-mat family is more than a badge — it’s an invitation to play, experiment, and stretch my creativity into a new format. Some of the personal highlights:

• Format & scale challenge – There’s something thrilling about working small: the art pieces go into a vintage machine, so every work needs to fit that context. It forces creative thinking about scale, material, packaging, surprise.

• Connection to the everyday – I’ve long believed (and written about as part of Curated Mélange) that art, beauty, and story are embedded in the ordinary. Art-o-mat is a perfect match: affordable art, surprise delight, in everyday spaces.

• New collectors, new touchpoints – Because the machine generates spontaneous purchases, the audience is broader: students, casual gift-shoppers, art lovers stumbling in. My work will reach new hands, new homes, new moments.

With my blog’s emphasis on “romancing the ordinary,” craft, garden-stories, home-styling, this opportunity feels like a perfect extension. My pieces will carry that voice, that story, into a fresh form.

What You Can Expect

As part of this journey, here’s what I plan to share with you (and how I’ll cover it on the blog and social):

1. Behind-the-scenes sketches & ideas – I’ll show how I’m adapting my style into Art-o-mat size.

2. Artwork in progress – Photos of the work, packaging, labeling steps. Maybe some “oops” moments (as they say, magic happens in the messy parts).

3. Launch moment & machine drop-in – I’ll tell you when and where the machine is stocked with my art and share live photos if I’m able to visit any of them. It is even possible it will land in the Museum where I work!

4. Collector stories – If someone picks up one of my pieces, I’ll invite them (where possible) to share how it landed in their home or gift-bag, building the story chain.

5. Reflection & next steps – After the first batch drops, I’ll write a reflection: what worked, what surprised me, what I’ll do next. I may design limited editions or themed series. Some will even have multiple designs in the collection.

Why I’m So Excited (and I Hope You’ll Be Too)

• It gives mini-art a major meaning — the art world can feel lofty and distant, but this is playful and attainable.

• It invites you (yes you!) to join in: maybe you’ll track down the machine, maybe even become a collector.

Quick FAQ

Q: What size are the pieces?
Generally, around the size of a cigarette pack—since the machines were once cigarette vending machines originally.

Q: What is the price point?
Often around $5 for a token in the machine, making the art accessible.

Q: Where can I find one?
Visit the official site (see note below) for locations. The catalogue includes many machines across the U.S. and sometimes internationally.

Q: How can an artist apply?
The guidelines are on the Art-o-mat site — the process invites artists to adapt to the format, adhere to size/packaging rules, and submit work.

Next Steps: My Launch Timeline

• This week: Finalize the first series of pieces.

• Next week: Photograph the pieces for the blog + my social channels.

• After drop: Visit the machine (if possible) and share live pics, collector reaction, story-moment.

• Follow-up: Reflect, plan next series. Future plans will be to make some of the items available on our website for those that want to collect all in a series.

Closing Thoughts

I’m deeply grateful for this opportunity. Stepping into the Art-o-mat world feels like a joyful nod to the unexpected — tiny art, big heart, surprise delight. For me (and hopefully for you, reading along) it’s about bringing art-stories into everyday moments: a coin, a vending machine, a surprise little treasure.

Thank you for being part of this journey — your support, curiosity, and enthusiasm mean everything. Stay tuned for behind-the-scenes, sneak peeks, and the art drop announcement. Let’s romance the ordinary together, one tiny artwork at a time.

With joy and creativity,
Christina

For more about the project: artomat.org (The official site of Art-o-mat).