A learning project for art bloggers

It struck me today that it's possible that people don't yet understand what this project is about. Probably because I've only just started to explain it! ;)

However the applications to join the ning community suggest that I maybe need to do a bit more explaining rather quickly! So here goes..............

1. The Art of the Landscape is essentially about development and learning

The focus of this project is very much on what we can learn about the art of the landscape from both the past and the present

Sources for our learning will include information about:

• famous artists and their paintings,
  
• art movements and their impact on landscape art
  
• interviews with contemporary artists,
  
• books about the history of the development of landscape art
  
• books about 'how to' paint a landscape
• mini-projects to learn more, through participation, about specific aspects of landscape art - such as how to draw a tree; how to construct a composition which works
  
• art tutors who choose to participate
• workshops listed on the site - and constructive/balanced feedback from participants as to which ones they have found useful
  

2. The Art of the Landscape is targeted at art bloggers

My intention has always been that this should be a project primarily for art bloggers.

As such it will

• NOT be somewhere where you can post or link to a recent landscape for sale - because the appropriate place for that to happen is on your own art blog.
• NOT be a place to post a landscape for 'fan' comments because your own art blog or other art forums dedicated to landscape art where there is an opportunity for people to post art for comments and/or admiration already exist
• NOT provide a way to get your art online and NOT be a place where you can archive your images - because there are other places where you can do that

Membership

Yesterday The Art of the Landscape ning community was converted to a site which is now PUBLIC in terms of its home page only.

As a result, despite the fact that this clearly indicates that membership is by invitation only at this stage, I'm now getting a number of applications to join the ning community.

These all need a response and I've had devise a standard response for people applying to join. I'm sending this out to everybody who applies - just so that I'm sure that people are clear that there will be a wait and that the focus is on art bloggers.

The last paragraph of the following applies to those who people who have not supplied either website or blog URL. I've also now changed the join-up form to indicate that blog and/or website URLs are required info.

Dear [name]

As stated in the introduction

"Who can join? (INVITATION ONLY AT PRESENT)
Members are expected to be active participants - as either experienced artists, students of landscape art or people who teach landscape art. Initially members are being invited until a nucleus of active members are established."

As a result approval may take a little while - but you are now in the queue for approval.

Also, this forum is really for bloggers only (as there are other forums for people who want to discuss landscape art and/or post landscape paintings on the internet). It's primary purpose is NOT as a place where people can post their own art (ie that should be on their own blog).

Do you have a blog? If so what is its URL?

Katherine Tyrrell
Moderator

Do let me know if you have any queries as that would be helpful to how I 'unfold' the rest of the plan for how this project works.

Finally - can I extend my thanks and appreciation to all the people who have

• signed up as followers of this blog - which is a good way of keeping in touch with how this develops
• subscribed to the blog via feedreader or email - both are excellent ways of keeping in touch with content on this blog

I'm knocked out by the support this project is getting and look forward to telling you all a bit more about it in the next few days.