Conceived by Jim Hoehnle and Chris Bentzen in 2004, Hot One Inch Action is the original, one-night only show of art, music and social interaction. The original work of fifty different artists is presented on one inch buttons. These one inch buttons are displayed on the gallery wall and the audience is offered the opportunity to buy randomly selected buttons in bags of five. If the bag purchased does not have the desired button, you are invited to trade with the people around you. How bad do you want that button? We'll be returning with more hot action in 2010. In the meantime, we're already plotting our new show CARDED! – think of it as Hot One Inch Action except with trading cards.

On Saturday May 24, 2008, Gallery Gachet hosted the 5th annual Hot One Inch Action. We brought together 50 artists, 50 buttons, DJs Solid Robot Brains and The Soft Infiltrator, some hot button trading action and Vancouver's hottest art audience. The gallery also showed the artwork for all 5 years from May 25-June 1.

This year, there was new addition to the fun: the raffle! We raffled off 250 buttons (all 5 years worth of buttons) presented beautifully on a jean jacket.

We had over 130 submissions this year and it was really tough to get it down to 50. Here's the list of this years artists:

Acorn
Amy Lau
Andrea Hooge
Avi Goldberg
Bowen Sáez
Brent Clowater
Bryan Sculthorpe
Char Hoyt
Chris Bentzen
Claudia Chan
Colin Moore
Daisy Wu
David Ellingsen/Michael V. Smith
Davida Kidd
Eleanor Rosenberg
Erin Gibbs
Erin Watkins
Fiona M Buchan
Fulloutfit (Amy Nugent)
Gordon Bruce
Helen Eady
Howard Penning
Jeff Denomme
Jennifer Rae Forsyth
Jessica Chau
Joan Skeet
Joshua Johnson
Kate Zisman
Kathy Lea Moyou
Laura Eveleigh
Leila Armstrong
Lisa Walker
Louise Phillips
Lucas Soi
Maisie Lam
Marianne Phillips
Maya Shinozaki
Megz Majewski
Nadina Tandy
Nicanor Santillan
Noreel Asuro
Peter Ruttan
Randy Walton
Robert Prince
ROYAL GLAMSTERS
Russell Leng
Sitia Portielje
Taylor Ashton
Terra Poirier
Tiffany Monk

Special thanks to 1 Hour Cards for coming in on the long weekend when you were supposed to be closed to print the artwork for the show. Support them, they're great. Also, thanks to Momentum Magazine for our flyer printing. And thanks to our volunteers and everyone that submitted artwork.

Check out the story about us on Beyond Robson and stay tuned to Much Music's Going Coastal – we're gonna be the backdrop to the episode!

Gallery Gachet hosted Hot One Inch Action 2007 from April 25-27, 2007 with regular gallery hours to view all the beautiful artwork from 2004-2006. On Saturday April 28, the gallery closed for the day while we put up 2007's artwork. At 8pm the main event started and the gallery was at capacity within the hour. Music from DJ Bad and another local DJ provided the soundtrack for all the button trading fun. We sold out all of our buttons by 10pm and people continued trading until midnight.

The 2006 show at Gallery Gachet was a huge success. The crowds started to arrive before we opened the doors and just kept coming. We produced enough buttons to satisfy everyone and even had a few left over. Vancouver band Trike played a set and then DJ Robin Bank$ hit the decks and rocked the house until we told him to stop (otherwise he would have gone all night).

Watch a video from the 2006 show here or here (YouTube) or here (Google Video). Thanks Malcolm!

We thought the show was great but don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what some of the presenting artists said:

Bobbi Bjornholt:
”That was another great show this year. It was a fun night with lotsa' good looking buttons! I watched a girl actually petting my button on the wall... a little flattering I guess... a little freaky, but it made me laugh.”

Kate Zisman:
”Thanks for an awesome night. I can't think of any other art function that is as social, fun, and unpretentious. I’m already excited for next year.”

Melinda Wells:
”I thoroughly enjoyed the show. The vibe was great and you couldn't help but feel the buzz. It was great to be in a place where you can walk up to complete strangers and just start talking without fear of them thinking you're crazy.”

Previous shows have gone equally as well; our May 7, 2005 show at the hot Butchershop Floor Gallery was also a huge success. The gallery was at capacity 30 minutes after opening the doors and we sold out halfway through the night! Hundreds of people, the room too full to move at one point, passed through the show. It was a great mix of hipsters, artists, musicians, curators, gallery owners and, those indispensable artist supporters, the friends and family. Special thanks to musical guests Girl Nobody who provided us with a great soundtrack to trade buttons. It was hot! Check out some pictures here.

In 2004, Hot One Inch Action was held at the intimate Union Gallery. Everyone jumped into the One Inch Action and the buttons sold out early. The Doers were on hand to entertain the emptyhanded and as the night came to a close, it was all smiles.

From May 13-17, 2005, there was a retrospective look at Hot One Inch Action at The Whip Gallery Restaurant. The button art from the 2004 and 2005 Hot One Inch Action were on display. No button trading but still a great look at the artwork from 2 years of the show.

See the video on CBC's Zed for Hot One Inch Action 2005.

See the feature on the 2004 show from ICTV's "Eastside Story" that aired on Shaw Cable and on Zed.

Hot One Inch Action has inspired another one-night button trading event in Toronto: One Inch Punch.

Sorry, buttons from the 2004 and 2005 shows are sold out! There are a few random bags of buttons from the 2006 show still available. Contact us for details.

For information on ordering custom one inch buttons, go to thisisplanb.net for pricing and details.

Hot One Inch Action is the original, annual show of one inch buttons presented, produced and curated by Chris Bentzen and Jim Hoehnle.