Birds in the World

There are many, many regional groups dedicated to bird watchers in a particular country, province, state, region or even town, but this one celebrates the global reach of avian species. The photography is really exceptional. Photographs often include the name of the species as well as the location where it was taken. Occasionally the camera used also gets a mention. Come here to see a northern Goshawk in Spain, an eclectus parrot from the Solomon Islands, Peafowl from India, storks nesting in Romania, a silver-breasted broadbill in Thailand, a woodpecker in Brazil, a Baya weaver in Bangladesh and many, many more.

Members: 147.6k, at the time of writing.

Trigger Warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join. 

The Art Portal

 There is a lot of whimsy and wonder at The Art Portal facebook group and it is obvious that inspiration comes from a wide range of sources - from the naive Georgian folk style of Zurab Martiashvili to the stylized landscapes of G. C. Myers, the unusually soulful cat characters of Anatoly Yaryshkin and the exotic fairy tale worlds of Warwick Goble and Josephine Wall. Artists featured include a famous name here and there such as Van Gogh or Goya, or pre-Raphaelite master John William Waterhouse, but also works in spectacular works in progress from contemporary artists. Although paintings pre-dominate, there are interesting works in other media - for example the walnut face sculptures of Kirk Roda. My brief exploration here made truly realize that art is the gift that opens the window onto a thousand worlds or more. 

Members: 374.1k, at the time of writing.

Trigger warnings: Occasional nudity (come on, this is art!)

Go here to visit or join. 

Rock Mandalas

There is something very soothing about looking at a rock mandala. Or any kind of mandala. I totally get why there are whole coloring books dedicated to mandalas (I have one - a gift). And having tried my hand at painting a rock mandala once Friday afternoon, I have absolute respect to everyone posting their work in this group, because mine didn't come out nearly as neat and beautiful as any of these. They are so beautiful. Aside from a wealth of rock mandala ideas from all the photos posted, there are video tutorials, as well as examples of how to incorporate Mandalas on functional items.

Members: 72.4k, at the time of writing

Trigger warnings: None

Go here to visit or join. 

Workaway Europe

The gap year abroad is for a rite of passage, that spells adventure and for many, Europe is a favorite destination, by virtue of its rich and varied cultural experiences and landscape. If you are looking for an opportunity to live in Europe, this Facebook group will be a goldmine of useful information. There are numerous posts from persons offering accommodation, usually in exchange for a few hours work per day or per week. The work itself can be across a spectrum of skills and abilities, ranging from pet sitting and childcare to and farm work, light maintenance work or even social media duties. While offers are centered around the European continent, volunteers can come from anywhere in the world. You can post to offer your services or browse for temporary openings. 

Members: 94.4k, at the time of writing

Trigger Warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join.

Bob Ross Style of Painting for Beginners

 With his TV show, The Joy of Painting, Bob Ross inspired a generation to find peace and relaxation in artistic expression. With his easy-to-follow style and gentle guidance, his programs remain popular to this day. Of course, there was so much more to this iconic personality and if you want to know more about how he worked, the unusual pets he kept and some of his other quirks, there's a great collection of fun facts over here. Fans might be interested to know that his very first TV painting was auctioned off for $10 million last year and that a recent exhibition tour shared some of his lesser known work.  While not all of the works featured in this Facebook group for beginner artists follow a technique directly related to the works of Bob Ross, it is nevertheless a great space for amateur artists to share their work and support others. 

Members: 71.1k, at the time of writing

Trigger warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join. 

Photography Icons

 As you may have noticed from some of my other posts, I really, really like looking at pictures. And this facebook group has a wealth of them. Especially black and white photography documenting moments from the past or offering social or societal commentary.  Portraits of everyday folk from the Weimar Republic. Punk bands captured on their home turf. Supermodels, caught in the wild. The devestation of World War Two documented. Stills from a David Lynch movie. A 1950s snapshot of Elvis visiting a record store. A tatooed beauty from the 1930s. A behind the scenes look at a Bombay circus. Street photography in different cities, on different continents. There's even a lens reversal which shows a 1945 photographer with his gear. Posts include details about the photographer, date and any interesting details of the shot that are available. 

Members 54.3k, at the time of writing.

Trigger Warnings: The past is a different country.

Go here to visit or join. 

Peeling Paint Appreciation Society

Yeah, why not. Let's take a peek at a group about not doing anything. About leaving things as they are. Instead of consciously making art, let's look for accidental art, and leave it where it happens. I found myself pleasantly surprised by this gallery of the incidental, which seems very much to put the rust into rustic. Since many of the images are close-ups, the captions feature a description, and sometimes even a location - which makes it even more interesting. Feast your eyes. Then, with these photos still freshly formed in the back of your opsins, go out, armed with your camera or smartphone and find your own. Anyone can do this. Trust me. 

Members: 46.8k, at the time of writing.

Trigger warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join.