Online Art Schools-Effective Or Not?

I hate this trend of living nearly every facet of life in virtual reality. If not for the demand for graphics in cyber-existence, online art schools would almost be an oxymoron. Art necessitates an exchange of energy; a sensitivity to vibration that is often lost in a virtual world.

I live on a farm and work the land with my hands. My daughter plays FarmVille on Facebook. The energy I get from getting my hands dirty is totally lost on her. The only energy she experiences is the energy leaving through her solar plexus as she milks her computer screen online cows with a mouse.

Food Techniques

Yes, I know. I've heard the stories, too. A healer will send a vibrational remedy though email and the recipient somehow reaps a benefit from it. I won't say its bunk, but perhaps the benefit issimply in the believing. On the other hand, what do I know? It just seems to me that a field as visual and sensory oriented as art should be experienced in a collective energetic environment.

So, what is art? Well other than being one of the stupidest questions ever posed-basically, one man's junk is another man's treasure-if I were to answer it, I guess I'd have to steal the line from Jef i. Richards: "... we can't seem to define it, but we know it when we see it." I like to think that at least some element of art involves personal interaction with someone or something (other than a computer screen.)

Art Institute of Pittsburgh is probably the most famous of the online art schools. They offer course studies in just about every facet of graphic and design work, as well asculinary arts.

I am curious, though-what would online culinary school look like? I mean, shouldn't someone with a really well developed pallets taste your actual food to see if you have a well-developed pallets, too? Shouldn't someone be critiquing your plating and cracks flipping techniques? I wonder what Gordon Ramsey would say? Whatever it is, I'm sure at least half of it would be bleeped out.

I did find one online art school that's free. If you're toying with the idea of a secluded non-interactive art school experience, it might be worth doing just as a dry run. It's not nearly as flashy looking as say the The site, but I can see it being a good barometer for whether online art schools are something you should be considering paying for or not.

Perhaps my animosity forthings virtual is a response to the ever-increasing non-sterile, impersonal spiritual direction that humanity seems to be heading in. Art for me is one of the last bastions of freedom and intrinsic connection with the earth and with people. Disconnecting just doesn't seem the right direction to be going.

While it's feasible I suppose to learn at least the fundamentals of design, color, and composition online, you still can't beat being face to face with a true master. And that's something online art schools just can't deliver.

Online Art Schools-Effective Or Not?