The Virtual Woman: A Woman's
Weekly Guide To Cyberspace
Web Paints A Thousand Pictures
As my favorite cubist Pablo Picasso once said, "Computers are useless. They can only give you answers." If good ol' Pablo were alive I wonder if he'd ever visit PicassoWeb.com? I wonder if he'd sue the two squatters that appear to now own Picasso.com and PabloPicasso.com. Most interesting though is to think about what he (and all the other famous painters) would have to say about the masses being able to view their greatest works using those "useless" computers. Hard to say. Fascinating to ponder. So while I ponder you can read this week's column-it's all about art-art for the newbie and art for the connoisseur.
Dear Virtual Woman:
Help! I have recently been invited
to attend a business party at a museum, and although I've always been interested in art, I
don't really know the difference between my 5 year-old nephew's finger-painting and a Van
Gogh. I don't want to embarrass myself in front of my boss and coworkers, so I'm hoping you
can point out some sites that can help me learn the styles of different artists before I
attend the party.
- Anne P., St. Louis, MO
Dear Anne:
Don't feel bad - sometimes the only difference between a finger-painting and a more well-known painting is the price tag. The important thing to remember when looking at art is that it's all a matter of opinion. However, in a business situation, it certainly can't hurt to make a good impression, so learning about impressionism isn't such as bad idea! (or. Although Art.com (http://www.art.com) is a commercial site dedicated to selling art prints, quite a bit of information can be gathered there. To view the work of an artist you're interested in, choose Artists from the pull-down menu then click Go on the side navigational bar. Then, choose the letter and consequent name of the artist you want to learn about. After you view their work, you can then go to the site's Library section to learn more about the artist's life and art style. Another site you'll want to check out is the Web Museum found at http://metalab.unc.edu/wm/paint/. Once you get there, click on the Artist's Index section for a comprehensive list of artists plus their biographies and greatest works.
Dear Virtual Woman:
I am taking the next several months off
to tour the world, and as an art lover, I am interesting in visiting museums worldwide. Are
there any Websites that can point me in the right direction?
- Connie, Austin, TX
Dear Connie:
You poor girl. You sound like you're going alone. Perhaps you need a nice virtual companion on your vaca? (email me-we'll talk). Anyway, The World of Museums found at http://www.comlab.ox.ac.uk/archive/other/museums/world.html is a great place to start your research. The museums on this site are categorized by country/continent, and once you make your choice you can browse through a comprehensive list of museums as well as current and future exhibits coming to the area. There's also Musee Online (http://www.musee-online.org/). Their interactive Directory of Museums section located at the top of the page is an invaluable tool that you can use to search by type of museum or geographical location, browse through an alphabetical listing, or read reviews that are listed in order from best to worst. And finally, yet another great place to cybertour is MuseumNetwork.com located at http://www.MuseumNetwork.com/.
Dear Virtual Woman:
I've just enrolled in
some art classes and am anxious to get started as an artist, but buying quality art
supplies in my small town has been a difficult task at best. I am hoping you can tell me
where I can find the best websites for art supplies on the web.
- Rembrandt in Training
Dear RIT:
Art2000's online catalog found at http://www.art2000.com/ has everything you need to get started on your masterpiece. Their selection ranges from pastel and watercolor crayon pencil sets to light boxes and drawing boards, and much, much more. Plus, there's an easy online ordering system and a quick shipping option. If you don't find what you need for your classes there, then jump over to Dick Blick's site at http://www.dickblick.com/. Their new and searchable online catalog also offers art materials and craft supplies and it has a neat Gift Registry feature. Be sure to register for all the art-related snack items you can eat so that your friends and family members have a ready-made holiday shopping list for you. Perfect, is it not?!
Happy Surfing!
Find these links and more at WWWomen.Com (http://www.wwwomen.com) the web's largest search directory of topics for women online. Email the Virtual Woman with your Internet questions or send snailmail to: WWWomen.Com, Attn: Virtual Woman, 3701 Geary Blvd., #325, S.F., CA 94118. Copyright, 1998-99. WWWomen, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Contributing Editor: Mary Bergner
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