Today's artists aren't limited to creating with paint or clay. Many of the most inventive people in the art world are thinking on a much larger scale and using unexpected materials in their work. And the best thing is that you can find many of them sharing their unique views of the world 140 characters at a time on Twitter.
These nine people aren't just artists. They're also illustrators, authors, designers, speakers, bloggers and activists. They're great examples of how the art universe has expanded beyond museum and gallery walls to encompass many other disciplines. You may find yourself thinking about art and what it can be in brand new ways thanks to these folks.
See also: 10 Rockstar Teachers on Twitter
And these are just nine of the many innovative and talented art thinkers out there. Let us know in the comments if we missed one of your favorite artists.
"If you could change one thing about adults, what would it be?"
"A lot of them are grumpy." pic.twitter.com/SZ8CkkJXE1
— Brandon Stanton (@humansofny) January 19, 2014
Photographer Brandon Stanton's story has become an inspiration to many since his blog, Humans of New York, became a smash hit. His portraits of the Big Apple's many diverse residents was recently published as a book. On Twitter, you'll find a feed of Stanton's snapshots and the surprisingly insightful quips of the subjects.
trying to pinpoint the day i stopped being a professional artist and became a professional emailer.
— wendy macnaughton (@wendymac) January 18, 2014
San Francisco-based artist Wendy Macnaughton has had her hand (and her pens) in many intriguing projects. Her whimsical work frequently appears on the popular website Brain Pickings, and she illustrated The Essential Scratch and Sniff Guide to Becoming a Wine Expert. Find out about her latest work, thoughts on business, and current news in the art world in her Twitter feed.
Colour does not exist in itself - only when looked at.
#studio pic.twitter.com/q7cZ4wR4NB
— StudioOlafurEliasson (@olafureliasson) January 24, 2014
Some artists don't work within the confines of a frame. Olafur Eliasson creates on a larger scale, with installations that take over whole rooms in museums. He plays with light and color in fascinating ways that have tantalized viewers for years. He established Studio Olafur Eliasson in 1995, and the team there works and experiments with new ideas in spatial research. Check out the group's philosophies and latest projects in the studio's Twitter feed.
Ai Weiwei's Dioramas of a Nightmare http://t.co/v3A5WwkpB8
— Aiww English (beta) (@aiwwenglish) May 27, 2013
With creations in the fields of sculpture, architecture and photography, Ai Weiwei is more than just an artist. He's still creating and exhibiting large-scale, interdisciplinary pieces across the world, such as a collaboration with Olafur Eliasson. He's also an activist who has been a vocal critic of China's politics. His tweets are in Chinese, but his followers and fans have worked together to share translations of some of his posts for English speakers.
Adapting a graphic novel for the stage. http://t.co/L2yWj0087A http://t.co/LPycTHDOKS
— Alison Bechdel (@AlisonBechdel) October 12, 2013
In her profile, Alison Bechdel simply defines herself as a cartoonist, but her resume includes a long-running webcomic, several graphic novels, extensive speaking engagements, and other writing and drawing projects. Her graphic novel memoir, Fun Home, was recently adapted into a musical at New York City's Public Theater.
"Credit is always due." Mini-excerpt on attribution from my new book: http://t.co/7kkF1Ickn1 #showyourwork pic.twitter.com/oTeBhEGX82
— Austin Kleon (@austinkleon) January 27, 2014
Artist and author Austin Kleon first received national attention for his blackout poems: tight pieces made by crossing out all but a handful of the words in newspaper and magazine articles. From that beginning, he expanded into more and more projects, including a book called Steal Like An Artist, with delightfully illustrated advice for anybody who wants to create. Show Your Work is his newest title, and it talks about the business side of being an artist with his usual brand of humor.
This morning I imagined what my dream skyline would look like and couldn't stop thinkin about it..… http://t.co/SpktbdWAZP
— Kat Von D (@thekatvond) January 24, 2014
Who says art has to be on a canvas? Tattoo artist Kat Von D made a splash in the reality television world, and has built a multidisciplinary empire in her home town of Los Angeles. Although she made her name in body art, Von D also shares art of all kinds. She tweets about everything under the culture umbrella, from fashion to music. For more tweets focused on ink, check out the feed for her shop, High Voltage Tattoo, or check out the updates from her gallery and store, Wonderland.
What the hell was I doing at a business school:) ? My talk @KelloggSchool. What business can learn frm art n #India? https://t.co/UNBdRGyfI6
— raghavakk (@raghavakk) June 23, 2013
Raghava KK applies the ideas of creativity to more than just the art world. While he is an established and unique painter in the fine art world, he's also created an iPad app called Pop It, collaborated on an opera and introduced a new curation project called Flipsicle. His career also includes guest speaking on topics from art to education to technology. Twitter is the place to keep track of whatever idea he pursues next.
Redesigning a redesign, the perpetual state of design.
— Bobby Solomon (@thefoxisblack) January 23, 2014
As editor-in-chief of The Fox is Black, Bobby Solomon offers a view of the spaces where design and art meet. Much of the site's content spills into Solomon's personal feed, so expect to see lots of insights about topics such as typography, advertising, music and technology. His other tweets might showcase new up-and-coming artists or share his insights on design philosophy. No matter what, you can expect to see something original.
Image: Flickr, Taís Melillo