In today’s age of easy information and unreliable internet sources it is difficult for students (and adults) to identify legitimate information. Just this week the Tehran Times published an article that claimed the Saudi King was prepared to buy Facebook to put an end to all of the protests in the Middle East. This is a newspaper publishing this! In case that makes you question your sanity this article debunks the false claim. In fact, Dawn Wires actually published the original article with a disclaimer acknowledging they sometimes publish false news! Apparently, some people are not doing their homework. And social networks spread the rumors fast and furiously.
This spread of information comes in a day and age where anyone can publish their opinion and ideas as truth. We all owe it to ourselves to think about the sources we reference and the agendas those sources may have!
When I read stories about the Middle East I am fascinated by how, for example, The New York Times and The National frame those same stories. And even within these news sources many know the New York Times has a more liberally leaning view as opposed to another New York news sources, say the Wall Street Journal.
So, in the name of quality resources I offer you some websites about the arts and culture that are (correct me if I am wrong) more reliable sources. Please add to the list as you deem appropriate! [A whole other post could go into the politics of curating artwork and websites but we will save this for another time.]
Art Links:
The British Library –> Turn the pages of great minds’ actual sketchbooks like Leonardo da Vinci and William Blake
Google Art –> A great new website uploading artwork from museums around the world. It is a bit buggy, but remains an amazing opportunity to literally zoom into palette knife markings of a Van Gogh!
Art Lex –> An art vocabulary resource
Cultural Links:
Arts and Letters Daily –> A website that compiles news articles, personal opinion essays and book reviews from all over the world onto one location. From the Chronicle of Higher Education
Post Secret –> This site is definitely art but the selection of postcards and secrets shared really reflect our society and can open one’s eyes to the viewpoint of others through individual fears, hopes and dreams
Snopes –> This site is dedicated to debunking and verifying information floating around the web via email, etc.
BE COURAGEOUSLY CREATIVE: What resources do you use everyday to inform your life and the choices you make? What kind of agenda might their creators have and how might that affect the information they present? Make an effort to research tweets or social media shares that present information as fact.
I am enjoying your site so much! I found it while searching Google for quotes related to how art benefits communities, and it has been a delightful treasure to find so many shared enthusiasms in your posts and perspectives. I am a longtime fan of all things TED … loved the talk by Schulz that you shared in your Journal section, and thank you for the wonderful links you’ve provided here (especially The British Library … my teen daughter is an artist currently enamoured with Leonardo DaVinci, and the Arts & Letters Daily link has so many tantalizing tidbits – thank you!).
I am writing this from The Bahamas. I have recently discovered a love of collage, and have been fortunate to be able to do graphic design and collateral work for various art exhibitions here (and am working on organizing these into a digital portfolio! Like a mason living in a wooden house, sometimes my own design art is left to last … alas!).
This is a long way around saying “thank you” for your inspirational content. I love the web and how we can all be so connected by ideas, even halfway around the world!
And if you love TED too, I thought you might enjoy this site from another TED-izen who curates an amazing collection of culture and design articles (I have no vested interest in this – just sharing!):
http://www.brainpickings.org
Thanks, and enjoy!
Thank you Paula for all of your kind words. I’m so glad my site can offer inspiration to people all over the world. I do absolutely love how the internet offers us that kind of connectivity. 🙂
Isn’t it so true we can get sidelined with so many projects that we can often neglect our own work?! I believe most artists struggle with that dilemma. So exciting to start working in a new medium! I love collage but have done little with it; I have been toying with an idea that suits collage, maybe that will be a new adventure for me? Right now I am trying to play with embroidery as a more contemporary medium, we will see how it goes.
I can’t wait to take some time to look at the website you have suggested, thanks again for your thoughtful post and best wishes on your artistic journey!
Sincerely, Carrie