MN Artists is a great organization. From putting on the popular Drawing Club at the Walker this past summer to staging a field day for local artists to meet and play to providing a site for artists to market themselves to being a hub of all things art related for Minnesota. As part of their mission statement says,
"mnartists.org is an online database of Minnesota artists and organizations from all disciplines. It offers to Minnesota-based artists a central gathering place on the Web, and will grow to become a marketplace and community hub. It offers the public a new way to explore art and get to know artists. In addition to providing artists and organizations with a web page containing images and information, mnartists.org provides news and features about the local arts scene from a variety of sources."
mnartists.org is a wealth of resources, available to any who take the time to look. There's a newsletter, access+ENGAGE, which has articles about art exhibits, classes, events, art openings, plays, etc. You can browse through the thousands of artists' profiles (feel free to take a gander at mine). There's a calendar with a variety of upcoming events. There's something for everyone.
The only issues I have with the site is that it's just so vast and unwieldy. I found it quite confusing to use at first, so I suggest taking some time to click around and figure out where things are located. There's just so much good information and a huge archive to browse through, it can feel a little overwhelming at first.
If your high schooler is interested in a career in the arts, mnartists.org is a great starting point for them. It's pretty easy to set up an account and create a profile. And unlike some so-called art websites out there, mnartists tends to get draw in serious artists. You can make some good connections on there--I got in touch with an older artist who has so much experience and knowledge to share. Also, the majority of the art shows I've gotten have been through postings I've seen on mnartists.
Check it out, it's well worth your time.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Resources: Suzanne DeCuir's Art Blog
I saw this blog mentioned in the October issue of The Artist's Magazine. Suzanne DeCuir created her blog as a way to fill in gaps in her art history knowledge. Just browsing through it, there's a lot of good information. Unfortunately, she hasn't posted anything new since June, but there's plenty of articles in the archives.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Field trip: Museum Adventure Pass Program
I'm a big fan of free things. Free food? Yes. Free clothes? Sure, why not! Free candy? Absolutely.
Free passes to local museums? Um, where do I sign up?
The Museum Adventure Pass is a program at Hennepin County Libraries where you can use your library card to "check out" free admission to various museums in the Twin Cities area. It's been around for a few years now, and is super popular. Each pass is good for two people (those of you with multiple kids, just have your children use their cards to get more passes). There are a limited number of passes available each week, so you should try to get them as soon as possible. Each pass is good for one week after you get it.
There are a lot of museums (and zoos) to choose from. As of this writing, there are 17 different institutions that take part in the program, from the Minnesota Zoo to the American Swedish Institute to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Some of the places listed are already free, but the passes might give you discounts at the gift shops or restaurants.
The Museum Adventure Pass could also be a cheap date for you and your spouse! You're probably paying for a babysitter, dinner, parking...why not take a stroll through the Walker or get a chance to look out from the Foshay Observation Deck for free?
The cool thing about this program is that it's funded by local companies. Without their support, this kind of thing just wouldn't be possible. Minnesota is a great place to live if you love the arts. There's so much support not just from individuals, but corporations as well. The fact that we have a major art museum with free general admission (I'm talking about the MIA) is just unheard of these days. The Chicago Art Institute's admission for one kid is $12! Take advantage of this opportunity while it lasts. I'm sure there's at least one place on the Adventure Pass list that your child would love to visit.
Free passes to local museums? Um, where do I sign up?
The Museum Adventure Pass is a program at Hennepin County Libraries where you can use your library card to "check out" free admission to various museums in the Twin Cities area. It's been around for a few years now, and is super popular. Each pass is good for two people (those of you with multiple kids, just have your children use their cards to get more passes). There are a limited number of passes available each week, so you should try to get them as soon as possible. Each pass is good for one week after you get it.
There are a lot of museums (and zoos) to choose from. As of this writing, there are 17 different institutions that take part in the program, from the Minnesota Zoo to the American Swedish Institute to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Some of the places listed are already free, but the passes might give you discounts at the gift shops or restaurants.
The Museum Adventure Pass could also be a cheap date for you and your spouse! You're probably paying for a babysitter, dinner, parking...why not take a stroll through the Walker or get a chance to look out from the Foshay Observation Deck for free?
The cool thing about this program is that it's funded by local companies. Without their support, this kind of thing just wouldn't be possible. Minnesota is a great place to live if you love the arts. There's so much support not just from individuals, but corporations as well. The fact that we have a major art museum with free general admission (I'm talking about the MIA) is just unheard of these days. The Chicago Art Institute's admission for one kid is $12! Take advantage of this opportunity while it lasts. I'm sure there's at least one place on the Adventure Pass list that your child would love to visit.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Resources: Make a Flake
Since the holidays will be on us before we know it (it's mid-October already? When did that happen?), here's a fun site that I've returned to many times over the years. http://snowflakes.barkleyus.com/index.html Make-A-Flake is a site where you can digitally create a paper snowflake. Which is fun for those of us who always manage to cut our paper snowflakes in half. If you like the pattern you create, you can save it for others to see. It's amazing to browse the gallery and see all the awesome patterns people have come up with. You can also download the pattern to create any snowflake you like. I really enjoy this site because I can make as many as I want without actually having to cut up a bunch of paper. I'm horrible at making paper snowflakes in real life, so it's a fun way to play around with it. I actually learned how to fold the paper properly from this site. I've tried my hand at paper snowflakes now and they don't look half bad.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
In defense of "wasting" good art supplies
When it comes to the quality of art supplies, you get what you pay for. I've learned this the hard way over the years. I remember as a little kid the frustration of trying to use cheaply made colored pencils--I spent more time sharpening them than coloring because the tips kept breaking off. Recently, I bought a container of off brand colored markers because they were cheap--they dried out within a couple weeks. Crayons that are more wax than color, pens that dry up or bleed out, paint that dries inside the bottle, I could go on. Junky art materials are the bane of my existence. It's better to pay a bit more and get something you can use for longer.
Now I'm not advocating buying Windsor and Newton products for your five year old. Obviously, the skill and interest level of your kid plays a part in what kind of art supplies you'll be buying. The child who just scribbles something out to get the art project done probably won't care as much as the kid who labors for hours on one picture. What I'm saying is Crayola is way better than some dollar store knock off. I'm a big fan of Crayola--I still use their products today when I'm creating. I throw some higher end materials in the mix when it's necessary (nothing beats a good quality pastel), but Crayola or Sharpie products do the job just fine for the majority of what I make. I use acrylic paint in bottles that I buy from Michael's for my paintings that hang in galleries. Good art supplies don't need to break the bank. Just don't get cheap off brand junk because you're worried about your child "wasting" it. Kids can get turned off to making art if the materials they're using don't do what they want. It's hard to draw if your pencil's tip keeps breaking off or your crayon falls apart. A little investment is required for making a work of art you want to keep.
Now here's another thing I've run into: the concept of "wasting" art supplies. What I mean by this is, "Only use the nice drawing paper for a really good picture." Or, "I shouldn't experiment with these paints--they cost this much. I'll wait until I have a better idea." I'm guilty of this myself. You'll never make anything if you're worried about how much you paid for this or that. It can really stop a kid's creativity in its tracks if they're only allowed to use the nice art stuff for "good" pictures. I remember in high school, I wouldn't paint something unless I was positive I could make it perfect. There were a lot of pictures I never made because I was too worried about "wasting" the art materials in case I messed up and had to start over.
During college I realized that the only way to improve my art skills was to "waste" what I had: making piles of drawings for Drawing 101, most of them not very good, to get a few great pictures I was proud of. Going through charcoal pencils and erasers like candy on my way to learning the fundamentals of perspective and anatomy. Spending time and effort on art projects I ended up throwing away or painting over. But every drawing, sculpture or painting I made was a stepping stone to the next level of ideas and skills. Those bad drawings helped me to get to where I could draw a person in five minutes pretty well. Or when I first started out making my doily paintings, I couldn't draw them freehand like I can now. I had to trace them over and over again until I had mastered that skill. Today I can create those patterns in multiple mediums pretty much with my eyes closed. And the art I create in the future will be based on the ideas I play around with now.
That's a big thing that's not indulged very often anymore: the idea of play. There's so much focus on accomplishment and doing something that the thought of simply dinking around with paint or crayons is looked down upon. We must impart the different kinds of perspective, or understand the history of the arch, or learn the various kinds of paint, or whatever for the art lesson to have importance. Yes. those all have merit, and art history is important...but sometimes a little bit of freedom and exploration is good too. I was allowed to make messes (as long as I cleaned up after myself). Having the opportunity to create simply because I wanted to. Coming up with an idea on my own, figuring it out and then making it. That was just as important to fostering my love for the arts as going to art museums or taking classes. I can lose sight of that myself sometimes: There are days when I get too focused and serious with my art making, and then I realize I just need to splatter some paint around or just start gluing things to a canvas and see what happens. I'll pull out my crayons and scribble in my sketchbook. I'll make a collage from clippings from magazines. Just something to remind myself that art is about exploring and trying new things.
A really good book on this topic that I've been working my way through recently is The Creative License by Danny Gregory. It's subtitled "giving yourself permission to be the artist you truly are." That's what it's all about: giving ourselves and our kids the chance to use and explore our creativity. I highly suggest this book. Seriously, go out and buy it. It's one of the best art books I've ever read (and I've read a lot of them). It's a pleasure to read, chockfull of pictures on every page, and a warm, conversational tone to the book. It's like sneaking a peek at the author's journal. You can read through it quickly or you can go page by page, following the suggested activities. It'd be a great addition to your art curriculum. The Creative License is aimed at adults, but you could definitely adapt it for use with your child. Buy sketchbooks for you and your kids, and go through it together. The book is broken into two page sections for the most part, so each day you can read that pretty quickly and have a short activity to do. There's things to do like drawing your sandwich or a bagel, listing the contents of your purse, tracing the outline of your shoe. Simple stuff that gets the creative juices flowing. I'm not one to really endorse something heavily, but this book is hands down fantastic. It's just fun to read.
So, in summary my point is: have fun. Don't get hung up on making the next great masterpiece. Give your kids the room to play and explore with nice art supplies that don't break your budget. Picasso and Da Vinci made a few messes and mistakes along the way too.
Now I'm not advocating buying Windsor and Newton products for your five year old. Obviously, the skill and interest level of your kid plays a part in what kind of art supplies you'll be buying. The child who just scribbles something out to get the art project done probably won't care as much as the kid who labors for hours on one picture. What I'm saying is Crayola is way better than some dollar store knock off. I'm a big fan of Crayola--I still use their products today when I'm creating. I throw some higher end materials in the mix when it's necessary (nothing beats a good quality pastel), but Crayola or Sharpie products do the job just fine for the majority of what I make. I use acrylic paint in bottles that I buy from Michael's for my paintings that hang in galleries. Good art supplies don't need to break the bank. Just don't get cheap off brand junk because you're worried about your child "wasting" it. Kids can get turned off to making art if the materials they're using don't do what they want. It's hard to draw if your pencil's tip keeps breaking off or your crayon falls apart. A little investment is required for making a work of art you want to keep.
Now here's another thing I've run into: the concept of "wasting" art supplies. What I mean by this is, "Only use the nice drawing paper for a really good picture." Or, "I shouldn't experiment with these paints--they cost this much. I'll wait until I have a better idea." I'm guilty of this myself. You'll never make anything if you're worried about how much you paid for this or that. It can really stop a kid's creativity in its tracks if they're only allowed to use the nice art stuff for "good" pictures. I remember in high school, I wouldn't paint something unless I was positive I could make it perfect. There were a lot of pictures I never made because I was too worried about "wasting" the art materials in case I messed up and had to start over.
During college I realized that the only way to improve my art skills was to "waste" what I had: making piles of drawings for Drawing 101, most of them not very good, to get a few great pictures I was proud of. Going through charcoal pencils and erasers like candy on my way to learning the fundamentals of perspective and anatomy. Spending time and effort on art projects I ended up throwing away or painting over. But every drawing, sculpture or painting I made was a stepping stone to the next level of ideas and skills. Those bad drawings helped me to get to where I could draw a person in five minutes pretty well. Or when I first started out making my doily paintings, I couldn't draw them freehand like I can now. I had to trace them over and over again until I had mastered that skill. Today I can create those patterns in multiple mediums pretty much with my eyes closed. And the art I create in the future will be based on the ideas I play around with now.
That's a big thing that's not indulged very often anymore: the idea of play. There's so much focus on accomplishment and doing something that the thought of simply dinking around with paint or crayons is looked down upon. We must impart the different kinds of perspective, or understand the history of the arch, or learn the various kinds of paint, or whatever for the art lesson to have importance. Yes. those all have merit, and art history is important...but sometimes a little bit of freedom and exploration is good too. I was allowed to make messes (as long as I cleaned up after myself). Having the opportunity to create simply because I wanted to. Coming up with an idea on my own, figuring it out and then making it. That was just as important to fostering my love for the arts as going to art museums or taking classes. I can lose sight of that myself sometimes: There are days when I get too focused and serious with my art making, and then I realize I just need to splatter some paint around or just start gluing things to a canvas and see what happens. I'll pull out my crayons and scribble in my sketchbook. I'll make a collage from clippings from magazines. Just something to remind myself that art is about exploring and trying new things.
A really good book on this topic that I've been working my way through recently is The Creative License by Danny Gregory. It's subtitled "giving yourself permission to be the artist you truly are." That's what it's all about: giving ourselves and our kids the chance to use and explore our creativity. I highly suggest this book. Seriously, go out and buy it. It's one of the best art books I've ever read (and I've read a lot of them). It's a pleasure to read, chockfull of pictures on every page, and a warm, conversational tone to the book. It's like sneaking a peek at the author's journal. You can read through it quickly or you can go page by page, following the suggested activities. It'd be a great addition to your art curriculum. The Creative License is aimed at adults, but you could definitely adapt it for use with your child. Buy sketchbooks for you and your kids, and go through it together. The book is broken into two page sections for the most part, so each day you can read that pretty quickly and have a short activity to do. There's things to do like drawing your sandwich or a bagel, listing the contents of your purse, tracing the outline of your shoe. Simple stuff that gets the creative juices flowing. I'm not one to really endorse something heavily, but this book is hands down fantastic. It's just fun to read.
So, in summary my point is: have fun. Don't get hung up on making the next great masterpiece. Give your kids the room to play and explore with nice art supplies that don't break your budget. Picasso and Da Vinci made a few messes and mistakes along the way too.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Lesson plan: Comics, their history, and making one
Reading list:
-Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud
-Bone vol. 1: Out of Boneville by Jeff Smith
-How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way by Stan Lee
Materials:
-Pencil
-Eraser
-Drawing paper (11in x 14in or bigger)
-Ruler
-Pen or extra fine tip marker
Comics are an increasingly popular form of storytelling these days. I'm sure your kids have their favorite comic strip to read in the paper. Maybe, like me, they check out comics from the library (it's easy to read them when they're free!), or they request graphic novels for Christmas.
Some popular books even get the comic treatment, bringing the story to new audiences in a different form (for example, James Patterson's children series Maximum Ride is being serialized in graphic novels).
More and more movies are based on comics these days, from Spider-Man to 300 to Batman to Watchmen to the recent release Scott Pilgrim (not endorsing these by the way, just using them as well known examples). Some filmmakers even re-create frames from the original comic--they use it like a storyboard, to plot out scenes. I've heard that a movie is in the works for the Bone series by Jeff Smith.
So, comics. I know a lot of people tend to look down on them, putting "comics" in two categories: what you read in the Sunday paper--something silly and light-hearted, told in three or four frames. And the actual comic books, those serialized stories that come out every month, are considered a waste of time, not worth reading, inappropriate or just plain stupid. Like any art form, comics are not inherently good or bad. It's the artists who use that medium that create either good or bad stories. Yes, there is a lot of dreck out there. I'm in charge of the comics section at my bookstore. and I see the mass amount of garbage and downright disgusting stuff that's out there. But comics can also be used to tell moving, insightful stories, like Maus by Art Spiegelman, which tells his father's story of enduring the horrors of the Holocaust, or Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, which shows what life was like as a child growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. These are award winning tales told in the form of comics (and not stories I would suggest for children). Sometimes the old adage is true--pictures can say so much more than words.
Reading Scott McCloud's classic book is a must for anyone wanting to learn more about the history of comics. It's a graphic novel, and he uses the medium simply yet powerfully to walk the reader through the world of comics. McCloud discusses art history, the meanings of symbols and language, the types of visual representation, different kinds of comics, and more. It's a great introduction and can be a springboard into other subjects, such as modern art, art history, creative writing and storytelling.
(As always, parents, please peruse anything I mention for yourself first before assigning it to your child--I know that different kids have varying levels of maturity. I don't want to get angry e-mails that something I suggested was inappropriate for your children--please review it first.)
After reading Understanding Comics and Bone: Out of Boneville (if your kids like the first volume, there's eight more in the series), take a look at How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way. This is a classic book by Stan Lee, the creator of some of the most beloved comic characters, including the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, Spider-Man and the Avengers (Iron Man, Hulk, Thor,etc). It will take you step by step through the comic making process. The book gives you a list of more materials you can use; what I've listed cover the basics.
Here's a video that walks you through a simple comic (I suggest sketching out your comic in pencil first then going over it in ink):
This is just a brief introduction to the vast world of comics. I hope that your kids will enjoy learning about this art form, and maybe discover a new passion in the process.
-Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud
-Bone vol. 1: Out of Boneville by Jeff Smith
-How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way by Stan Lee
Materials:
-Pencil
-Eraser
-Drawing paper (11in x 14in or bigger)
-Ruler
-Pen or extra fine tip marker
Comics are an increasingly popular form of storytelling these days. I'm sure your kids have their favorite comic strip to read in the paper. Maybe, like me, they check out comics from the library (it's easy to read them when they're free!), or they request graphic novels for Christmas.
Some popular books even get the comic treatment, bringing the story to new audiences in a different form (for example, James Patterson's children series Maximum Ride is being serialized in graphic novels).
More and more movies are based on comics these days, from Spider-Man to 300 to Batman to Watchmen to the recent release Scott Pilgrim (not endorsing these by the way, just using them as well known examples). Some filmmakers even re-create frames from the original comic--they use it like a storyboard, to plot out scenes. I've heard that a movie is in the works for the Bone series by Jeff Smith.
So, comics. I know a lot of people tend to look down on them, putting "comics" in two categories: what you read in the Sunday paper--something silly and light-hearted, told in three or four frames. And the actual comic books, those serialized stories that come out every month, are considered a waste of time, not worth reading, inappropriate or just plain stupid. Like any art form, comics are not inherently good or bad. It's the artists who use that medium that create either good or bad stories. Yes, there is a lot of dreck out there. I'm in charge of the comics section at my bookstore. and I see the mass amount of garbage and downright disgusting stuff that's out there. But comics can also be used to tell moving, insightful stories, like Maus by Art Spiegelman, which tells his father's story of enduring the horrors of the Holocaust, or Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, which shows what life was like as a child growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. These are award winning tales told in the form of comics (and not stories I would suggest for children). Sometimes the old adage is true--pictures can say so much more than words.
Reading Scott McCloud's classic book is a must for anyone wanting to learn more about the history of comics. It's a graphic novel, and he uses the medium simply yet powerfully to walk the reader through the world of comics. McCloud discusses art history, the meanings of symbols and language, the types of visual representation, different kinds of comics, and more. It's a great introduction and can be a springboard into other subjects, such as modern art, art history, creative writing and storytelling.
(As always, parents, please peruse anything I mention for yourself first before assigning it to your child--I know that different kids have varying levels of maturity. I don't want to get angry e-mails that something I suggested was inappropriate for your children--please review it first.)
After reading Understanding Comics and Bone: Out of Boneville (if your kids like the first volume, there's eight more in the series), take a look at How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way. This is a classic book by Stan Lee, the creator of some of the most beloved comic characters, including the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, Spider-Man and the Avengers (Iron Man, Hulk, Thor,etc). It will take you step by step through the comic making process. The book gives you a list of more materials you can use; what I've listed cover the basics.
Here's a video that walks you through a simple comic (I suggest sketching out your comic in pencil first then going over it in ink):
This is just a brief introduction to the vast world of comics. I hope that your kids will enjoy learning about this art form, and maybe discover a new passion in the process.
Resources: American Craft Magazine
I read voraciously (working in a bookstore encourages that kind of behavior). I devour books and magazines on a variety of topics, but I especially love finding good writing on art. One of the downsides to a lot of art related literature out there is that it's so esoteric, with passages filled with words that go over the majority of peoples' heads. What's the point of trying to read something if it requires a four year degree in art history and a dictionary at hand? Not fun, not helpful, not truly informative if you don't get what the author is trying to say.
One of my favorite art publications out there is American Craft Magazine. I will rip through a whole issue in one sitting because it's so enjoyable to read. The articles appeal to both the novice and the expert. I learn something new every issue. With a simple, uncluttered layout and lots of gorgeous pictures, it's eye candy for the artistically inclined. I like how the articles are written in clear, understandable, to the point language. You walk away with a deeper understanding of each profiled artist and their work. The articles are short and sweet with lots of history and background information. It's not only about the "what", but also "how" and "why". Here's an artist, see nice pictures of their work, now here's an explanation of what you're looking at--what inspires the artist, their ideas and intentions, what they want to accomplish with their art.
American Craft also publicizes and reviews exhibits from around the country. As much as I wish I could travel to experience the art in person, the summaries are a decent substitute. The reviews also help you become more aware of the not-so-well-known museums, galleries and artists. There have been quite a few times where a picture has caught my eye and the review piques my curiosity, and I discover a new artist to admire.
I found the magazine's website a bit cumbersome to navigate at first. You have to scroll down a bit to find the links for the different categories. I think the headings aren't always clear enough to tell you what that department is about, but if you take time to browse around you'll find some good information.
American Craft is published by the American Craft Council, located here in Minneapolis. Their goal with the magazine is to celebrate "the modern makers who shape the world around us. Presenting unknown innovators and artistic stalwarts, American Craft connects the disparate worlds of art, industry, fashion, architecture and design, giving an entirely new voice to the craft community. The American Craft Council is a national, nonprofit educational organization founded in 1943 by Aileen Osborn Webb. The mission of the Council is to promote understanding and appreciation of contemporary American craft."
One of my favorite art publications out there is American Craft Magazine. I will rip through a whole issue in one sitting because it's so enjoyable to read. The articles appeal to both the novice and the expert. I learn something new every issue. With a simple, uncluttered layout and lots of gorgeous pictures, it's eye candy for the artistically inclined. I like how the articles are written in clear, understandable, to the point language. You walk away with a deeper understanding of each profiled artist and their work. The articles are short and sweet with lots of history and background information. It's not only about the "what", but also "how" and "why". Here's an artist, see nice pictures of their work, now here's an explanation of what you're looking at--what inspires the artist, their ideas and intentions, what they want to accomplish with their art.
American Craft also publicizes and reviews exhibits from around the country. As much as I wish I could travel to experience the art in person, the summaries are a decent substitute. The reviews also help you become more aware of the not-so-well-known museums, galleries and artists. There have been quite a few times where a picture has caught my eye and the review piques my curiosity, and I discover a new artist to admire.
I found the magazine's website a bit cumbersome to navigate at first. You have to scroll down a bit to find the links for the different categories. I think the headings aren't always clear enough to tell you what that department is about, but if you take time to browse around you'll find some good information.
American Craft is published by the American Craft Council, located here in Minneapolis. Their goal with the magazine is to celebrate "the modern makers who shape the world around us. Presenting unknown innovators and artistic stalwarts, American Craft connects the disparate worlds of art, industry, fashion, architecture and design, giving an entirely new voice to the craft community. The American Craft Council is a national, nonprofit educational organization founded in 1943 by Aileen Osborn Webb. The mission of the Council is to promote understanding and appreciation of contemporary American craft."
Monday, October 4, 2010
Resources: MPR News Arts 101
Talk radio is definitely not one of my favorite things. I don't think I've ever listened to Minnesota Public Radio (MPR), but I do like their website. It's easy to find things and there's a lot of good information posted. One of the sections is Arts and Culture, and one of its ongoing features is Arts 101. It answers reader submitted questions about the arts, such as the difference in spelling theater or theatre. Take a look through the articles and submit a question of your own.
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