82nd and Fifth is an award-winning series of art videos featuring one curator talking about a single work of art for two to three minutes. There are nearly one hundred of these videos. I personally recommend that anyone with an interest or appreciation for art check out this marvelous series of videos, as it will change the way you look in art in ways that might surprise even you.
Showing posts with label art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label art. Show all posts
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Friday, January 30, 2015
Wolfram Alpha
Wolfram Alpha is an amazing search engine that serves as an advanced calculator, online dictionary, and virtual database of people, events, statistics, countries, nutritional information, weather, maps, science, art, technology, and more. To see examples of what you can look up with Wolfram Alpha, click here. Follow this link to go straight to the search engine itself.
The search engine is free, but if you'd like to take it on the go with you, you can download the Wolfram Alpha app for your tablet or smart phone for a small fee.
The search engine is free, but if you'd like to take it on the go with you, you can download the Wolfram Alpha app for your tablet or smart phone for a small fee.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Let's Get Creative: Finding Inspiration
Some people have what's commonly referred to as a 'creative spirit.' You know the type. The doodles in the margins of their notebook make our best artistic efforts look like stick figures in comparison. They can write flawless poetry with their eyes closed and recite Shakespeare without a single moment of hesitation. They have super-powered green thumbs that can make even the most stubborn plant burst into brilliant bloom. They take the perfect photograph every time, and their writing is breath-taking. You might even get the impression that they were born knowing how to waltz.
But let me tell you a little secret: You're a creative spirit, too. In fact, everyone is. Your neighbor with the questionable fashion sense who starts decorating for Christmas in June? She's a creative spirit. The guy who bags your groceries at the Super Market? He is too. Your clumsy aunt with an inexplicable fondness for garden snakes? You guessed it - creative spirit.
A lot of people assume that they have to be born with some sort of special talent to be creative, and to some extent, they're correct. Fortunately, you just happened to be born human, and humans have an incredible talent for finding inspiration and translating it into creative energy.
The problem that most people have - even people who are typically regarded as 'creative spirits' like artists, authors, and musicians - is that inspiration can be hard to come by.
In truth, inspiration is all around us. It's in the trees and the clouds and the changing of seasons and the comings and goings of people around us. I once wrote a 1,000 word essay on my neighbor's dishcloth. Most of us don't see dishrags as particularly inspiring, but for me, it sparked a chain of ideas that led to an A+ paper.
Inspiration is everywhere. Sometimes all we have to do to capture some is open our eyes. Other times, pursuing that spark can be a little more tricky. Here are some tips to find what inspires you:
But let me tell you a little secret: You're a creative spirit, too. In fact, everyone is. Your neighbor with the questionable fashion sense who starts decorating for Christmas in June? She's a creative spirit. The guy who bags your groceries at the Super Market? He is too. Your clumsy aunt with an inexplicable fondness for garden snakes? You guessed it - creative spirit.
A lot of people assume that they have to be born with some sort of special talent to be creative, and to some extent, they're correct. Fortunately, you just happened to be born human, and humans have an incredible talent for finding inspiration and translating it into creative energy.
The problem that most people have - even people who are typically regarded as 'creative spirits' like artists, authors, and musicians - is that inspiration can be hard to come by.
In truth, inspiration is all around us. It's in the trees and the clouds and the changing of seasons and the comings and goings of people around us. I once wrote a 1,000 word essay on my neighbor's dishcloth. Most of us don't see dishrags as particularly inspiring, but for me, it sparked a chain of ideas that led to an A+ paper.
Inspiration is everywhere. Sometimes all we have to do to capture some is open our eyes. Other times, pursuing that spark can be a little more tricky. Here are some tips to find what inspires you:
- Go outside. There is a world of wonder and beauty just out your front door. Take a few deep breaths. Stare at the trees. Run your fingers along the grass. Keep a look out for birds. Get down on your hands and knees and look for any interesting critters going about their lives. Listen to the sounds of your community. Watch your neighbors coming home from school or work, or gardening, or playing with their children. Let the sunshine warm your face. Lay on your back and watch the clouds. See if you can spot any cloud creatures. Observe the lengthening shadows as day turns to dusk. Look up at the night sky, and see how the world looks shrouded in darkness. Pay special attention and see if you can notice anything you overlook in your daily life, like the broken planter on the side of the garden or the crack on the second step.
- Meditate. Go to a quiet place and just think. Separate yourself from the fast pace of modern life and see if your inner muse has anything to tell you.
- Keep a collection of interesting, thought-provoking quotes on a document on your computer. Bookmark a few beautiful poems that speak to your heart. Take a look at some beautiful words and their definitions.
- Download some images of natural beauty. Not everyone has the advantage of seeing nature in their everyday life, especially in urban environments. Let these photographs take you to the far-flung natural treasures of this world.
- Listen to music. Put on some classical music and let it move you. Play a song in a foreign language and ponder its meaning. (If you're a multilingual student, don't cheat! Find music in a language you don't understand and allow yourself to feel as you listen without getting caught up in the words.) Listen to ancient music from thousands of years ago and try to imagine the life of the person who created it.
- Look at art. If you can't visit a gallery, try taking an online museum tour.
- Talk to an elder. Ask them about their life. Ask them to tell you their story. You never know what kind of amazing adventures they'll enthrall you with. If you have Grandparents, you might want to consider recording their stories somehow. It'll preserve your family history and you'll treasure those recordings for years to come.
- Don't force it. Even the most esteemed creators have creative blocks. If you can't find anything that inspires you, take a break and try again tomorrow. Inspiration will find you, one way or another.
Friday, January 23, 2015
Collection of Online Interactives
Check out this collection of educational interactives from all over the Internet. They're meant mainly for students in grades K-5, but I have to confess that I had fun clicking around the site too. The site hosts links to science, math, ELA, social studies, music, art, and Spanish interactives and is very easy to navigate, so I'm sure that it'll be a breeze to find exactly what you want to learn about.
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Why it's Vital to Supplement School with Home Learning
In today's increasingly global, intensely competitive, and dizzyingly fast-paced society, it is vital to supplement what you learn at school with home learning. First of all, let's define what I mean by 'home learning.' I don't mean homework, and I don't mean studying for school-related tests or quizzes. Nor do I mean sitting down and reading your entire biology book in one session. (Seriously, don't do this. You will wake up in terrible pain several hours later regretting every life choice you ever made. I speak from experience. Possibly; it could have been a dream for all I know.)
What I do mean by home learning is going to the library and finding a novel that captivates your attention. I mean tuning into the science channel for a little while. I mean going online to watch educational videos that inspire you. I mean sitting down and writing a poem about what's outside your window, or writing a short story about what your cat does when you're not looking (spoiler: he licks everything you own), or writing a series of novels about alien dinosaurs that may or may not be planets.
Find a topic that interests you and learn everything you can find about it. Admittedly, that's probably an impossible goal in this day and age. If you try to learn everything you can find about volcanoes, say, you'll have to sort through fifty million webpages, videos, articles, pictures, ads, etc, etc. When I was a child, all I had to do was take out five books from the library and watch a 45-minute documentary and presto, I had explored every possible avenue of volcano-related knowledge that existed in my small corner of the world. Perhaps a better bit of advice would be to explore the topic of your desire until your curiosity is throughly satisfied.
Find something you're passionate about. If you like art, take a virtual museum tour. Do some research about galleries that offer free or reduced-price or optional admission, and politely request that your caregiver organize a day trip in the near future. If you want to try your hand at art, see if you can borrow some art supplies from your school or local library. If not, you may just have to settle for sketching with a pencil or pen and drawing online until you can save up enough to explore some other mediums like pastel, watercolor, or sculpture. See if you can apprentice with a local artist or if you can negotiate a work-for-knowledge sort of employment.
You might want to explore film-making or photography. Even if you start with the camera in your phone, you can still play with light and shadow, theme, mood, tone, composition, and subject. Experiment. Mix it up. With your parent's permission, you might even be able to start a Youtube channel. Enlist the help of your friends to interview elders in your community. Gather stories from the people around you, or find an beautiful little place of isolation where you can record the swaying of trees or the blossoming of flowers or the ebb and flow of the urban environment.
Volunteer. Find out if there are any local animal shelters or hospitals nearby that accept volunteers. If you love working with animals or helping other people, this might be a great way to gain experience, give back to your community, and start building your resume or CV.
Spend a day at the library with the goal of exploring something completely new. Go to the geography section and find a book about a country you've never heard of. Wander over to the history section and pick out a few books about time periods you know little about. Make your way over to the science isle and find materials about a theory you've never even knew existed. Either do it the old-fashioned way and leave your electronics at home, or bring along a tablet or laptop for additional research. (Just make sure it's silenced beforehand, or you might find yourself on the receiving end of a very disapproving SHHH!)
If you're interested in computers, electronics, engineering, or robotics, see if you can find a really old desktop computer from the '90s. You might have to look around your neighborhood on trash day or ask around to see if anyone is looking to get rid of a broken computer, or you might have to settle for buying one. A general rule of the thumb is the older, dingier, dustier, and more broken it is, the cheaper it'll be. Your goal here is to take apart the computer, so don't spend more than 10 or 15 dollars. If you can find a tower as well, great. (For those of you too young to remember what a tower is, it's a big, loud, noisy black box that used to run our computers and stub our toes back in the days before laptops.) I took one of those bad boys apart a few years back, and it was pretty awesome. I am, however, contractually obligated to inform you that you will find fifteen years of dust, pet hair, and other assorted debris, so consider yourself warned.
If you're interested in coding, that's another story entirely. I'm planning a post about online resources for students just like you, so keep checking back over the next week.
You might be interested in geography as well. Try starting a rock collection, and learning about the origin of each rock, how it was formed, approximately how old it may be, and how professional geologists would classify it.
If you love nature and find yourself inspired by trees and flowering plants, there's a couple of things you can do to foster that interest. Ask your caregiver if you can start a small garden in your yard, or, if you don't have a yard, ask if you can dedicate a windowsill or corner of your room to a small garden. You might want to try growing herbs, flowers, succulents, tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or even bushes and small trees. You might even want to start a butterfly garden or a compost pile. (Please remember that unless you're living on a piece of property that you yourself own, you will either need to ask your landlord and/or caregiver for permission.) You can also join Arbor Day foundation and get ten trees delivered to your house when you purchase a year-long ten dollar membership. You'll be helping the environment, beautifying your community, purifying your air, and providing a place for local birds to nest. And I will stress again that you must ask your caregiver to borrow their credit card before purchasing a membership, unless you are an adult or are old enough to have a high school checking account with a debit card.
If you're interested in writing, you might want to start a blog, or contribute to an existing forum for young writers. If your school has a journalism group or newspaper, enquire about joining.
I'm sure that there are other interests I've missed. If you'd like a personalized recommendation for home learning ideas for your personal interest or hobby, leave a comment and myself or my co-partner will be more than happy to help you.
My point here is that you should find something you love. Find something that excites you, something that inspires you, something that matters to you, something that speaks to your heart and your mind and your very being.
This isn't just important because it'll boost your grades. (Though, it is likely to help you perform better in school. That's just a bonus.) It's important because you are young and full of excitement and curiosity. Right now, you have so much potential. Make the most of it by exploring the world around you and learning as much as you can. If you're doing what you love, it won't feel like 'work' or 'learning,' but it'll still prepare you for your future years of schooling and for your future career. If you find that thing that inspires your mind to soar to new heights, you can start thinking of the kind of job you'll want when you grow up. If you love nature, you might become a botanist. If you can't go a day without animals, consider researching a veterinary career. If you're a computer whizz, think about becoming an engineer or a coder.
The best part of finding what speaks to you is that you'll start to see the world in an entirely new light. The more you know, the more connections you can make. The more you bring into the classroom with you, the more knowledge you'll leave with. Please don't think of learning as a chore. Learning... Learning is a box holding a key to a whole new world. So get out there. Learn something, even if it's one little thing every day, and watch as the world opens itself to you. It won't happen overnight, and it might not happen for years. But if you make a habit of learning, and if you learn to love learning, one day you will look down and find that key in your hand. See where it takes you. You might be surprised to discover where it leads, but I promise you this: you will not be disappointed.
What I do mean by home learning is going to the library and finding a novel that captivates your attention. I mean tuning into the science channel for a little while. I mean going online to watch educational videos that inspire you. I mean sitting down and writing a poem about what's outside your window, or writing a short story about what your cat does when you're not looking (spoiler: he licks everything you own), or writing a series of novels about alien dinosaurs that may or may not be planets.
Find a topic that interests you and learn everything you can find about it. Admittedly, that's probably an impossible goal in this day and age. If you try to learn everything you can find about volcanoes, say, you'll have to sort through fifty million webpages, videos, articles, pictures, ads, etc, etc. When I was a child, all I had to do was take out five books from the library and watch a 45-minute documentary and presto, I had explored every possible avenue of volcano-related knowledge that existed in my small corner of the world. Perhaps a better bit of advice would be to explore the topic of your desire until your curiosity is throughly satisfied.
Find something you're passionate about. If you like art, take a virtual museum tour. Do some research about galleries that offer free or reduced-price or optional admission, and politely request that your caregiver organize a day trip in the near future. If you want to try your hand at art, see if you can borrow some art supplies from your school or local library. If not, you may just have to settle for sketching with a pencil or pen and drawing online until you can save up enough to explore some other mediums like pastel, watercolor, or sculpture. See if you can apprentice with a local artist or if you can negotiate a work-for-knowledge sort of employment.
You might want to explore film-making or photography. Even if you start with the camera in your phone, you can still play with light and shadow, theme, mood, tone, composition, and subject. Experiment. Mix it up. With your parent's permission, you might even be able to start a Youtube channel. Enlist the help of your friends to interview elders in your community. Gather stories from the people around you, or find an beautiful little place of isolation where you can record the swaying of trees or the blossoming of flowers or the ebb and flow of the urban environment.
Volunteer. Find out if there are any local animal shelters or hospitals nearby that accept volunteers. If you love working with animals or helping other people, this might be a great way to gain experience, give back to your community, and start building your resume or CV.
Spend a day at the library with the goal of exploring something completely new. Go to the geography section and find a book about a country you've never heard of. Wander over to the history section and pick out a few books about time periods you know little about. Make your way over to the science isle and find materials about a theory you've never even knew existed. Either do it the old-fashioned way and leave your electronics at home, or bring along a tablet or laptop for additional research. (Just make sure it's silenced beforehand, or you might find yourself on the receiving end of a very disapproving SHHH!)
If you're interested in computers, electronics, engineering, or robotics, see if you can find a really old desktop computer from the '90s. You might have to look around your neighborhood on trash day or ask around to see if anyone is looking to get rid of a broken computer, or you might have to settle for buying one. A general rule of the thumb is the older, dingier, dustier, and more broken it is, the cheaper it'll be. Your goal here is to take apart the computer, so don't spend more than 10 or 15 dollars. If you can find a tower as well, great. (For those of you too young to remember what a tower is, it's a big, loud, noisy black box that used to run our computers and stub our toes back in the days before laptops.) I took one of those bad boys apart a few years back, and it was pretty awesome. I am, however, contractually obligated to inform you that you will find fifteen years of dust, pet hair, and other assorted debris, so consider yourself warned.
If you're interested in coding, that's another story entirely. I'm planning a post about online resources for students just like you, so keep checking back over the next week.
You might be interested in geography as well. Try starting a rock collection, and learning about the origin of each rock, how it was formed, approximately how old it may be, and how professional geologists would classify it.
If you love nature and find yourself inspired by trees and flowering plants, there's a couple of things you can do to foster that interest. Ask your caregiver if you can start a small garden in your yard, or, if you don't have a yard, ask if you can dedicate a windowsill or corner of your room to a small garden. You might want to try growing herbs, flowers, succulents, tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or even bushes and small trees. You might even want to start a butterfly garden or a compost pile. (Please remember that unless you're living on a piece of property that you yourself own, you will either need to ask your landlord and/or caregiver for permission.) You can also join Arbor Day foundation and get ten trees delivered to your house when you purchase a year-long ten dollar membership. You'll be helping the environment, beautifying your community, purifying your air, and providing a place for local birds to nest. And I will stress again that you must ask your caregiver to borrow their credit card before purchasing a membership, unless you are an adult or are old enough to have a high school checking account with a debit card.
If you're interested in writing, you might want to start a blog, or contribute to an existing forum for young writers. If your school has a journalism group or newspaper, enquire about joining.
I'm sure that there are other interests I've missed. If you'd like a personalized recommendation for home learning ideas for your personal interest or hobby, leave a comment and myself or my co-partner will be more than happy to help you.
My point here is that you should find something you love. Find something that excites you, something that inspires you, something that matters to you, something that speaks to your heart and your mind and your very being.
This isn't just important because it'll boost your grades. (Though, it is likely to help you perform better in school. That's just a bonus.) It's important because you are young and full of excitement and curiosity. Right now, you have so much potential. Make the most of it by exploring the world around you and learning as much as you can. If you're doing what you love, it won't feel like 'work' or 'learning,' but it'll still prepare you for your future years of schooling and for your future career. If you find that thing that inspires your mind to soar to new heights, you can start thinking of the kind of job you'll want when you grow up. If you love nature, you might become a botanist. If you can't go a day without animals, consider researching a veterinary career. If you're a computer whizz, think about becoming an engineer or a coder.
The best part of finding what speaks to you is that you'll start to see the world in an entirely new light. The more you know, the more connections you can make. The more you bring into the classroom with you, the more knowledge you'll leave with. Please don't think of learning as a chore. Learning... Learning is a box holding a key to a whole new world. So get out there. Learn something, even if it's one little thing every day, and watch as the world opens itself to you. It won't happen overnight, and it might not happen for years. But if you make a habit of learning, and if you learn to love learning, one day you will look down and find that key in your hand. See where it takes you. You might be surprised to discover where it leads, but I promise you this: you will not be disappointed.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Educational Youtube Channels to Add to Your Subscription List
If you're looking to subscribe to some channels that make learning fun, check out the following links:
Khan Academy
A while back, one of our readers suggested that we add Khan Academy to our list of resources.
Khan Academy offers an amazing variety of learning resources. Students can brush up on their math or science skills, learn about economics and finance, dive into the world of computer programing, prep for the Big Test, or access partner content offered by world-renowned museums.
Khan Academy is an awesome resource for learners of all ages. Kindergartners through college students can benefit from using Khan Academy, as can their caregivers and teachers. Adult learners can enjoy these resources as well. Whether you're 5 or 125, Khan Academy will help you learn something new.
Khan Academy offers an amazing variety of learning resources. Students can brush up on their math or science skills, learn about economics and finance, dive into the world of computer programing, prep for the Big Test, or access partner content offered by world-renowned museums.
Khan Academy is an awesome resource for learners of all ages. Kindergartners through college students can benefit from using Khan Academy, as can their caregivers and teachers. Adult learners can enjoy these resources as well. Whether you're 5 or 125, Khan Academy will help you learn something new.
Friday, April 4, 2014
Let's Get Creative: Talking About Art
Here at Infinite Potential Tutoring, we believe that a well-rounded education consists of more than reading, writing, math, and science. We believe in learning about art, music, film, media, culture, and linguistics. It is unfortunate that some schools do not have the funding to implement fine art education. However, you can learn about art online and at home.
If you live in the United States, you can find a list of museums near you at this link: http://www.museumsusa.org/
If you'd prefer to stay at home and learn, here are some free resources:
KinderArt: http://www.kinderart.com/
http://thevirtualinstructor.com/ (Not everything is free, but a lot of stuff is)
artfactory.com: http://www.artyfactory.com/sitebody/art_lessons.html
A link to links to 100 awesome art lessons on Youtube: http://www.bachelorsdegreeonline.com/blog/2011/100-awesome-art-lessons-on-youtube/
You can also learn a lot about a variety of different subjects at this link to almost 1000 art essays: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hi/te_index.asp?i=26
There are hundreds more free resources out there if you are willing to do a quick search for "free art lessons online" with your preferred search engine.
If you live in the United States, you can find a list of museums near you at this link: http://www.museumsusa.org/
If you'd prefer to stay at home and learn, here are some free resources:
KinderArt: http://www.kinderart.com/
http://thevirtualinstructor.com/ (Not everything is free, but a lot of stuff is)
artfactory.com: http://www.artyfactory.com/sitebody/art_lessons.html
A link to links to 100 awesome art lessons on Youtube: http://www.bachelorsdegreeonline.com/blog/2011/100-awesome-art-lessons-on-youtube/
You can also learn a lot about a variety of different subjects at this link to almost 1000 art essays: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hi/te_index.asp?i=26
There are hundreds more free resources out there if you are willing to do a quick search for "free art lessons online" with your preferred search engine.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Lesson Plans for Teachers - Metropolitan Museum of Art
Lesson plans by subject: http://www.metmuseum.org/learn/for-educators/lesson-plans
Lesson plans by region: http://www.metmuseum.org/learn/for-educators/publications-for-educators
Lesson plans by time period: http://www.metmuseum.org/learn/for-educators/timeline
Lesson plans by region: http://www.metmuseum.org/learn/for-educators/publications-for-educators
Lesson plans by time period: http://www.metmuseum.org/learn/for-educators/timeline
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)