If you're not familiar with Art21, you really should be.

Art21 was founded in 1997 with the belief that contemporary visual art is of real interest and value to a broad audience. By making contemporary art more accessible through public television and the Internet, Art21 affords an intimate encounter with contemporary art and the people who make it, encouraging creative thinking and self-expression.

I came to know Art21 through their PBS series, which I rented from Netflix. Art in the Twenty-First Century is a groundbreaking documentary television series focusing exclusively on contemporary visual art by artists working in the United States today. The series provides behind-the-scenes views of the artists in their studios, homes, and communities. The artists speak directly to the audience, in their own words, about how, why, and what they create. Check out the Art:21 section on PBS.com. To date, they've featured 72 artists, including Laurie Anderson, Matthew Barney, Mike Kelley, Barbara Kruger, Barry McGee, Susan Rothenberg, Collier Shore, Richard Serra, Kiki Smith, Kara Walker, and Robert Ryman. See the full list here.

If you want to get a little more intimate with some of the artists involved, Art21 presents intimate "salon style" events as part of the Second Annual Art21 Salon Series. The final two events for this round -- Laurie Anderson and Robert Ryman -- take place on 01.26 and 02.23.09 respectively. Each evening will consist of a screening of an artist segment from the Peabody Award-winning documentary series on contemporary artists, Art:21-Art in the Twenty-First Century and conversation between the featured artist and a distinguished moderator.

Click here for more info and to get tickets. Each is sure to be an amazing night.