I love going to museums and galleries to see what other artists are doing. Even if painting is not your thing (the closest I usually get to painting is swishing watercolors around for journal page backgrounds) or you are into sculpture, or performance art, or fiber arts, etc., looking at other artists work is inspiring on a very deep level. Getting out of your studio/room/art space is also a good thing to do on a regular basis to give you a fresh perspective.
Nothing can replace being in front of an actual work of art. There are things that just aren't captured with photography. Many works of art that I have seen in books were a major revelation when viewed in person, and seeing art in relation to other artworks is also inspiring. When I visited the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam I was surprised at how much more impact his paintings had for me when I saw the works of art that inspired Van Gogh to paint the way he did, as well as seeing how his work influenced other artist of the time. And seeing so much of his work, all in one place was amazing because I could see how his style developed over time and practice. This journal page recounts my trip, using a postcard I bought in the gift shop as a starting point.
That said, if you don't live close to a museum or gallery, your computer can take you to some of the greatest museums on the planet! Google has just launched a new site where they are curating museums in an easy to access way- with the added benefit of working with museums to digitally photographed some of the amazing works there so you can view them up close...in a way you may not be able to if you went to the museum in person.
Google Art Project
Other places to see the work of others: fabric stores, specialty paper stores (my new favorite is New York Central Art Supply- 62 3rd Ave, NYC. The upstairs is dedicated to paper from all over the world- amazing selection!), bakeries specializing in cake decoration, wallpaper catalogues.....
Where do you go to see the artwork of others? What are your favorite art museum/gallery websites?
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