Episode 245: Art and Technology

The Messy Studio with Rebecca Crowell

As artists, many of us honor the age-old tradition of creating our work with nothing more than our hands, a few tools, and materials that have stood the test of time. Yet we also live in a high-tech world, and that impacts all of us. How artists view technology ranges from a necessary evil to a full embrace of its creative possibilities. But we should all understand that technology itself is not a new factor in making art. Today we’ll look at some of the ways technology has been used over time in art and ways to think about it in our current world.

Dealing with technology can feel daunting and unnatural to the way you approach your work or it may be something you embrace enthusiastically. But it impacts all of us in life as well as in art. For artists, technology represents an intersection of scientific knowledge and creative output. It means knowledge that expands the known boundaries of what can be done in the name of creativity.

But thinking of technology as something only relevant to artists today does not consider the long history of technical advances that aid in creative production. A good example is the use of the camera obscura during the Renaissance by artists like Leonardo da Vinci to understand and depict perspective in painting. In addition, there have been countless advances in art materials, tools, and equipment that make our creative lives more expansive today.

Many artists today embrace new forms of technology in their work, including digital media, 3-D printing, and Artificial Intelligence. Yet traditional forms of art in which we see the hand of the artist will always have human appeal, and it's important to not feel pushed into technology to feel your art is relevant. But whatever approach is right for you, being open to the changes in art that result from technology, being curious and appreciative of its place in the flow of art ideas over time is important.

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What's new At Cold Wax Academy?
Rebecca and Jerry are wrapping up their winter quarter of online sessions at Cold Wax Academy, where as always members have access to in-depth and varied content for learning, growth, and support. Their Winter quarter included presentations by guest authors Eric Maisel (may-ZEL) and Shaun McNiff, a painting clinic for works in progress, and live sessions on procrastination, tips on photographing your artwork, and source ideas for your paintings. All of these sessions and many more are available as video recordings in the member library. As a member, you can also access the private Facebook page and the community there of informed and supportive artists who post paintings, ask questions and initiate discussions.

It's never too late to join Cold Wax Academy! Stay tuned for a list of topics to be covered in the upcoming Spring Quarter and please visit http://www.coldwaxacademy.com for more information as well as basic information about using cold wax medium.

Please visit http://www.coldwaxacademy.com for more information.
Here is what a member named Sandy has to say about her own experience with Cold Wax Academy:
"Rebecca and Jerry have presented the most professional, authentic and structured approach to a creative activity I have ever come across. Their selfless sharing of all their knowledge and encouragement is a gift in my life unsurpassed."

Also-- please visit https://www.espacioart.org to learn about Rebecca and Jerry's newest project, Espacio, dedicated to providing beautiful living and working spaces for artists and writers. Espacio's first offering is Casa Clavel, a modern, fully equipped house opening this September in the beautiful cultural city of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. A few booking openings are still available in 2023, so please incquire if you are interested.

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For more from The Messy Studio:
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For more from Rebecca Crowell:
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www.coldwaxacademy.com
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The Messy Studio Podcast is a Tick Digital Media Production.