12.02.2008

blog your art out

not that i get a lot of free time to explore the net in the name of arts at the museum (it is quite busy here), but sometimes i obtain a moment or two, and undoubtedly i’m always able to discover and explore new technology that expands the way we look and interpret art, or read an article about some great artist i had not yet been acquainted with (of which there are plenty). a great resource in this regard has been the Indianapolis Museum of Art. they, being terribly savvy and terrific, have a frequently updated blog (which you can read here). this blog discusses a variety of things, one such being technology and art. here are some of their recommendations for art lovers spending time online:

The Ad Generator - Give this online activity a try, and marvel at the simple complexity of advertising in your daily life. (Mad props to Noelle for this selection.)

1000 Artworks to See Before you Die - Although I do not agree with all of these picks, it is definitely worth your time. Anyone have ideas of their own for this list?

i have a few my own to add to the list:

Scribbler- this little application, or “generative illustration toy” by Zefrank.com takes basic line drawings and transforms them. you can change line transparency, color, thickness, even “scribbliness” making really simple drawings your own digital work of art. i recommend it for a 15 minute break on a Monday at work. powerful that a computer can make a pretty interesting work of art… eh? it seems to work like a screensaver, though manipulated by the human design given.

FMoA on Facebook- we do have a group page on Facebook. some of the content is horribly outdated, but if you’re one of the MANY people in the world to stay in touch with friends and family through this site, you can be a “fan” of the Museum in a new way! since joining the likes of myspace and facebook, scores of people have messaged us telling us to keep up the good work, or are relieved to actually discover a museum of art in the walls of Fayetteville! so, hurah! and, if you’d like to see something particular on either this site or our Myspace, let us know how we can improve! we do have a goal of being on Flickr in the future– ‘twould be a really simple way to show the public some of the amazing photos taken at our events or what hangs in our galleries for those too trepidatious to make the trek to bragg boulevard.

but i digress (easy for me to do once discussing with the increasingly addictive nature of social networking sites). i continually look for new ways for artists to showcase their works online. two such places recently discovered (thanks Tom Grubb) are MyArtSpace.com and Behance.net. both sites serve as a means of displaying online portfolios to a community of likeminded artists and groups. both offer gallery capabilities with the ability to upload music for those viewing said galleries (allowing for continued or perhaps new interpretation of your work), network with other artists globally, and create a profile unique to your art. personally i find behance’s system easier to navigate, its circles more approachable (networks of likeminded artists), and profile creation process simpler and more personable (which also allows you to change the colors of your profile). Myartspace keeps all profiles the same color, which, imo, can limit the interpretation of your art. either way, both prove good resources to maximize an artist’s presence online and even in the “real world”– listing jobs (behance) and contest opportunities (myartspace). so, all you burgeoning artists out there– give them a go!

finally, i’d like to take a moment to comment on this year’s Turner Prize selection: Mark Leckey. marking a prize both prestigious and controversial certainly seems just plain controversial. modern art as garbage, literally. most interestingly, the debate never seems to be about which artist won (this year’s award snubbing three female artists), as the awards’ own director states: “The prize is not there to award the most competent artist at work today, but to draw attention to what the jury considers new developments.” a lot of people just consider it bollocks, but i bet Leckey takes his £25,000 prize seriously indeed.

and that rounds up my net discoveries relating to art for the week.

let me know if any find them interesting, ridiculous, or perhaps, useful.

-your loyal office administrator