web discoveries

Two exciting finds on the web yesterday. One is a new group – a social networking site for textile artists – Fiber Arts/Mixed Media, which I found via the Flickr group Contemporary Textile Art. Having so far resisted Facebook, etc, I just couldn’t resist this one! It was started by Susan Sorrell of Creative Chick Studios and is already growing by leaps and bounds.

The other is Dear Ada, discovered thanks to Kim Carney of Something to Say. Dear Ada is a blog full of delight. The author, birdie, posts links to artists/makers in many different disciplines, each with a photo or two of their work – and the site is a visual feast. But what makes it stand out for me is the way she writes about the work, whether simply expressing her pleasure in it, or analysing more deeply the impact it has on her. Inspirational food for thought – I’m really enjoying this.

Textile Arts Resource Guide

The Textile Arts Resource Guide is where artist Gwendolen Magee collects and shares a "wide range of online resources that are informational, inspirational and/or thought provoking". It’s a very interesting and useful site, with links to information about the practical – for example applying for grants, submitting work to shows, photographing textile art; the philosophical – art and craft, ‘making meaning’, creativity; and fun, like this post about the Smithsonian Museum site where you can design your own mudcloth virtually. Gwen’s first post was in May and there’s already a vast amount of food for thought and inspiration here.