41st Birthweek Bonanza Day 2: 7 Websites for Lifelong Learners and Creative Types

I LOVE to learn about new things and I LOVE to create, so what better than a list of websites that cater to lifelong learners and creative types?

There are many, many online spaces out there just waiting to be discovered and savoured, I know. For now, I offer you seven that I am currently enjoying.

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1. Open Culture

Open Culture “brings together high-quality cultural & educational media for the worldwide lifelong learning community.” There is soooo much out there for those of us who love learning. This site offers links to 250 free art books from the Getty Museum, 875 free online courses, 635 free movies including documentaries, classics, silent films, and more.

With a rich and FREE resource like that available at your fingertips, what are you waiting for? Go git some learnin' in ya!

2. Brain Pickings

I don't even know how to start describing this site chock-full of thought-provoking, engaging information so I'll just copy & paste a blurb from their About page:

“Brain Pickings is a human-powered discovery engine for interestingness, a subjective lens on what matters in the world and why, bringing you things you didn’t know you were interested in — until you are.”

Interested in hearing a 20-year-old Hunter S. Thompson's advice on finding your life's purpose? Or maybe you prefer Einstein's take on the secret to learning anything, or John Steinbeck's words of wisdom to his teenage son when he confessed to his father of falling in love (they made me cry). If you dig this kind of stuff, Brain Pickings is the place for you.

3. Scoutie Girl

I'm biased because I've been a contributor to Scoutie Girl for nearly two years now (shameless plug: you can see my articles here), but it's a great site offering articles that touch on many aspects of a creative – or simply a well lived – life. With how-to's, book reviews, inspiration, essays and more, there's plenty of good stuff here for you to explore. But don't take my word for it, please, check it out for yourself!

4. Abbey of the Arts

Abbey of the Arts is a relatively new online space for me and I've yet to explore it fully. Its focus on “integrating contemplative practice, creative expression and compassionate service” appeals to me. I'm intrigued by the mystical and contemplative aspects of making art and this seems like a good place for me to start exploring them.

Selfishly, I include this site here as much for me as I do for you. May we discover it together.

5. Apartment Therapy

I believe that the spaces in which we live can support the person we want to be or become. Whether you're creating a tabletop vignette, choosing colours for your walls or simply deciding where to put what, setting up a home is a creative act.

The home profiles and articles I see on Apartment Therapy make me want to hang up my art, buy fresh flowers and surround myself with things that bring me joy on a daily basis. Full of inspiration and colour, this site has become a favourite source of ideas and eye candy.

6. Artsy

This new-to-me site fell on my metaphorical lap as I was writing this post and wow, what a site. From their About page:

“Artsy’s mission is to make all the world’s art accessible to anyone with an Internet connection. We are an online platform for discovering, learning about, and collecting art. ... Artsy hopes to foster new generations of art lovers, museum-goers, collectors, and patrons.”

I'm a little overstimulated right now having just been introduced to this treasure of a resource, so I will simply leave you with links to a) their Education site (HELLO lifelong learner!), b) their Art Genome Project (an “ongoing study of the characteristics that distinguish and connect works of art” that appeals to that part of my brain that thrives on making connections), and c) their main site, offering a portal into their entire collection.

I may need a moment to myself to recover from this one.

...

OK.

7. Art Biz Blog

As you can tell by its name, this website is geared towards those exploring art as a business. If you're trying to shift your art practice from being a hobby to being a business, Art Biz Blog is a valuable resource. Whether it's inspiration you're looking for, practical, no-nonsense advice or thought-provoking questions about art and the business of art, Alyson B. Stanfield, Art Biz Coach, offers it. I enjoy her “no-excuse” approach and if that's your thing too, you'll probably get a lot out of her offerings.

As a side note, Alyson's book, I'd rather be in the studio!, is also a good resource and companion to what's on her website.

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That's it for today! I hope you enjoy exploring these sites as much as I do. More good things to come on Day 3...

ps - Miss Day 1? Here it is.

41st Birthweek Bonanza Day 1: 4 Art Classes or Workshops That Were Pivotal in My Artistic Journey

Welcome to Day 1 of my 41st Birthweek Bonanza!

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Since I'm so deep into making art these days I figured I'd kick off the celebration with a list of four art classes or workshops that have played a large part in my artistic growth. Because of these classes I am no longer the same artist – nor the same person – I was before I took them.

Sounds melodramatic, I know, but it's true.

I'm not making any money by recommending them, they're here because they've been pivotal in my creative journey. And they deliver the goods.

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Squam Art Workshops (S.A.W.)

Boy, do I owe a LOT to these workshops and their founder and director, Elizabeth Duvivier. Squam Art Workshops (S.A.W., for short) is where I picked up a paint brush for the first time since kindergarten, 5 1/2 years ago. I've made the pilgrimage to the shores of Squam Lake, New Hampshire, five Septembers in a row for these workshops and every year was powerful in its own way. I didn't just learn how to paint there, my experiences at S.A.W. were life-altering, and I don't use that term loosely.

This year's Spring retreat is sold out already, but there's one in September that still has room. You might want to get in on that, or if you can't make it to New Hampshire, you can check out S.A.W.'s online offerings.

Draw And Paint What You Love (DAPWUL) Parts 1 & 2

Both of these classes transformed me and my art practice. Pauline Agnew has a gift for being able to push you beyond your artistic comfort zone – and I mean WAY beyond your comfort zone – in the most nurturing, encouraging way I've ever seen. I've rarely seen an online teacher as accessible to her students as Pauline. Thanks to her classes I've expanded my technical skills and moved my art to another level, connected with a vibrant creative community, and discovered a passion for learning more about art and the masters that created it before me.

The next offerings of DAPWUL Part 1 and DAPWUL Part 2 start April 7th. If you're looking for a supportive, nurturing environment in which you will draw and paint stuff you never thought you could draw and paint, I suggest you check it out.

Studying Under The Masters {becoming an apprentice}

Jeanne Oliver is the woman behind this online class and she gathered a group of talented teachers to help her lead us through nine weeks of studying the work and techniques of nine masters. You'll learn about the likes of Matisse, Chagall, Hopper and more. The great thing about this class is that it is self-paced. It started in January, but the material will be available for two years so there's still plenty of time to register and soak it all in (link is to Jeanne's "ning" site, scroll down a little for more info on how to register).

A mixture of art history, demos and guided study, I'd say this is one of the best bangs for your buck out there. I've only gone through a few of the weeks and I've already gleaned my money's worth. For more information on the course, check out Jeanne's website.

The Art of iPhoneography Self-Portraiture

Thanks to Susan Tuttle and this online class, iPhoneography has become my latest obsession (though in my case I use an iPad, not an iPhone). I haven't delved into the self-portraiture aspect of the class much, but I have been creating images I love using still-life, landscape or other types of photos. It's a very portable and satisfying creative process in which I can easily lose myself for hours at a time.

If you've been admiring Susan's iPhoneography images, this class will not only give you insight into how they were created, it will also give you a good selection of tools and how-to's for you to go off and create your own.

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Because of these four good classes and workshops I see art in a different way and I create art in a different way. I am grateful.

Stay tuned for more good things coming up on Day 2...