Friday, May 15, 2009
Podcasts for the Visual Arts?...
At first it might seem incongruous. How can you listen to a Podcast about something that is purely visual? But you can use Podcasts to supplement your knowledge about art. There are some great discussions about the visual arts out there and the sites mentioned in Technology Tapas contain lists of many but I can't say that I was impressed much with the offerings. This is just a matter of taste as you may find the topics stimulating. There is certainly a plethora of Podcasts about contemporary and avant garde art on these sites if this is your preference. But I still like the Podcast offerings at NPR, and that's the feed I subscribed to in my Bloglines account. I love the wide range of topics and the quality of their work. For some reason all of their offerings interest me, whether it is an artist or style of art that's being discussed or showcased. It helps me learn to appreciate a style or period of art that I hadn't reacted to before in a positive way. After the Podcast, I still may not be a fan but at least I've gained an understanding and appreciation of the subject.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Can a Subway be an Art Gallery?...
I love YouTube and do a serendipitous search around the site almost every night. When I came across this Subway Art Gallery clip I thought it would be perfect as a discussion point for my blog. Are these people serious? (Yes, they are). Art galleries, and especially gallery openings with the whole pretentious wine and cheese bit, can intimidate people. So what do you think of an art gallery opening in a subway station? Can you really make art out of anything just by hanging a label on it and declaring it so? Can you tell who came for the wine and cheese and who's there to actually catch the train?
Friday, April 24, 2009
Isfahan/ Chehel Sotun Palace/ Wall Paintings
How to Discuss Works of Art...Do these two paintings from Flickr have anything in common? Don't know where to start? I found a simple entry to help you learn to talk about art. Compare these two paintings which are vastly different yet have much in common. Just follow the guidelines from the All Sands website:
"Ever enter an art museum and feel lost? Did you want to experience and discuss the art, but not know how? Follow these simple steps, and you will not only sound like an art expert, but your knowledge and appreciation of art will grow! Look for the sensory properties of the art work. Discuss its lines, colors, shapes, textures, and light and dark values. What kinds of lines did the artist use? What type of colors? Are the shapes organic or geometric? What do you think this work of art would feel like? Is it bright? Is it dark? Why do you think the artist chose to use the lines, colors, shapes, textures, and shading that you are viewing? Analyze the art work's formal qualities. How did the artist organize and unify the art work? How does this organization and unification express a feeling or an idea? Look for and point out any repetition, rhythm, contrast, dominance or balance in the piece. Close your eyes. Open them. Where are your eyes drawn to in the piece? This is the focal point. How does the artist draw your eye to this point? Talk about the work's technical properties. How was it made? What medium did the artist use? What type of tools did the artist use? What art techniques were employed to create this work? Examine the work's expressive qualities. Does it convey a mood or a feeling? Is there a big idea behind the piece? Is it busy? Is it restful? Is it high or low energy? Discuss the works aesthetic qualities. Do you like it? Why or why not? Is it valuable? Is it important? Would you hang this work in your home? If so, where? If not, why not? Explore the history of the work. When was it created? What was going on in the artist's world? Is it religious, political, or personal? Follow these guidelines and you will soon expand your knowledge of art. You'll sound like an expert, as you learn! "
"Ever enter an art museum and feel lost? Did you want to experience and discuss the art, but not know how? Follow these simple steps, and you will not only sound like an art expert, but your knowledge and appreciation of art will grow! Look for the sensory properties of the art work. Discuss its lines, colors, shapes, textures, and light and dark values. What kinds of lines did the artist use? What type of colors? Are the shapes organic or geometric? What do you think this work of art would feel like? Is it bright? Is it dark? Why do you think the artist chose to use the lines, colors, shapes, textures, and shading that you are viewing? Analyze the art work's formal qualities. How did the artist organize and unify the art work? How does this organization and unification express a feeling or an idea? Look for and point out any repetition, rhythm, contrast, dominance or balance in the piece. Close your eyes. Open them. Where are your eyes drawn to in the piece? This is the focal point. How does the artist draw your eye to this point? Talk about the work's technical properties. How was it made? What medium did the artist use? What type of tools did the artist use? What art techniques were employed to create this work? Examine the work's expressive qualities. Does it convey a mood or a feeling? Is there a big idea behind the piece? Is it busy? Is it restful? Is it high or low energy? Discuss the works aesthetic qualities. Do you like it? Why or why not? Is it valuable? Is it important? Would you hang this work in your home? If so, where? If not, why not? Explore the history of the work. When was it created? What was going on in the artist's world? Is it religious, political, or personal? Follow these guidelines and you will soon expand your knowledge of art. You'll sound like an expert, as you learn! "
Friday, April 17, 2009
The One Million Masterpiece...
Blogs and wikis are all about sharing and collaborating, all created using the written word (I've even created this posting in the Web 2.0 Zoho Writer and published it to my blog which gives me many more options to customize my text than what's offered through Blogger). Sure you can insert a picture or photo into your posting if you want, but why not truly immerse yourself in the Web 2.0 experience by collaborating on a work of art with one million others from around the world? Think about it. One million people will create one work of art. It's the world's largest ever collaborative art project. Now that's the Web 2.0 spirit! Visit the award winning http://www.millionmasterpiece.com/ to contribute your personal mark. Don't worry about your artistic abilities. Every squiggle and doodle counts. You can even write words if you want. And if you don't like what you have created, you can change it whenever you want-- just like any other Web 2.0 tool. Time to start your masterpiece.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
WikiArt...
Librarians use wikis to create one-stop shops for all kinds of information. Library wikis are used to share best practices, relate great program ideas, create subject guides, and more. You can use wikis too to find out about art, and even to add your own expertise about your areas of interest and collecting. One of the best places to connect to all kinds of wikis about art is http://www.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Art. Subjects are not confined to the "old masters" but include such topics as anime (yes, it's considered a fine art), mosaics, video art, and crafts. Perusing the wikis of major community newspapers like the Village Voice (http://www.villagevoice.com/2006-01-03/art/mondo-wikipedia/) which has more daily visitors than The New York Times and USA Today sites combined, can give you the best information about the current and local art scene. So find a few wikis about art that you'd like to read, and where you might eventually consider adding your two cents worth.
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