Good stuff online.

[djstar]

As it is a very quiet board and I am up late, I just wanted to share a few really worthwhile groups that could inspire everyone.

I began my online career with the most wide reaching and truly encouraging site for a serious lover of art www.wetcanvas.com
When I first joined I remember the 1000th member hopping on board and we were thrilled! I think they have that many joining every month now! There are categories of forum groups and for a careful lurker, you may find yourself face to face with members who live in Europe or right next door. I have met instructors from the Scottsdale Artists School there and THEN taken the class.
All areas of interest are covered and there is a rabid group of glass blowers if you ever want to hang out.


My newer home is www.studioproducts.com
Roberts Howard is a hard working and very successful illustrator/portrait painter who has written two classic books of instruction. THE DESIGNER GUIDE TO GOUACHE and THE ILLUSTRATORS BIBLE.

He began the first arts forum on compuserve and starte studio products as a place for hard to find, high quality traditional art supplies. The forum is very technically oriented with a library section that will knock your socks off. IF you are into a good arguement, the VINCENT'S EAR section will definately get your blood boilling with strong and sophistocated debate... I personally avoid it, I have enough excitement without getting upset over artists talking politics.

I also suggest www.forumsalon.com It is the Online Artists Guild. I believe they encourage membership but it is a really diverse group of artists through out the states that are using the net to create a new alliance of friends who are coming together only through this amazing medium of the computer!
They are having their first group show in New York City in June, all from networking and volunteering among cyber friends.

Well that is just a dash off if any of you are interested in what we could become if we all post regularly and keep in touch.


See you at the next meeting!
dj*

[diggins]

Hi D J,

I hope I got your name right? Anyway, I love your self portrait.
I agree that this is a slow message board and that it would be nice to see more participation. So here I am.
I have not yet visited the sites that you have provided links to. However, I will and I will share one that I also like. It is www.ArtCafe.net
Love your work DJ. I, for one, hope to see you around for some time.
Thanks for the info.
S. Diggins

[diggins]

I came upon this writing by Rod MacIver today.
I offer it to you because it seems you have chosen the more risky path.
"Life confronts us with (at least) two doors. One is the apparently easy choice: to go with the flow, to pursue our desires, to seek security and comfort. The other offers risk and uncertainty; it is the inner search for our truth, for the beauty unique to each of us and for the courage to offer that beauty to the world. Turning our back on our gift is turning our back on life. It's easy to have interests but whatever you give your heart to will challenge your being on the most profound levels."
Keep painting!
S.Diggins

[diggins]

I would like to add another site that I recently found online.
figuredrawingfactory.info/
This site IS interesting if nothing else.
S.Diggins

[robinb]

Thank you both for some great websites! I've checked them out and they are very helpful.

Awesome self portrait DJ*!

[CJ Rider]

If you haven't already done it, check out DJ's artist of the year painting in Simply Artrageous.. you can see it right as you walk in the store.

CJ

[djstar]

Had some trouble coming back.

Sorry about the Artist of the Year. I feel bad, but the painting is going to be entered in another show and I have a few here and there for samples so I took it home, now I feel bad.

I wish the sort of online community my other sites offer were working as well locally. In the old days we ONLY had face to face meeting and these leagues are where we get to face to face with each other. The times in between are where boards are useful.

I went to a little get together for the AZ Arts Council on Monday and if someone asks about it, I will try to remember to bring a bit of my materials and update it in the forum here.

The arts council gave me a grant to attend a workshop out of state last year and I am sort of excited about the opportunities they have for a lot of artists. Just getting out and finding out.

See you at the August meeting tonight!
dj*