Virtual Artists Alliance

The Day for Night Series, Alizarin Goldflake

2010-01-10T14:03:00.003-08:00

PRESS RELEASE
From: RobertSteven Smythe
Topic: "The Day for Night Series and Selected Digital Drawings" by Alizarin Goldflake
Event date: Saturday, January 23, 3 pm PST
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Gowers/139/185/72

A show of hanging scrolls and new digital drawings by Alizarin Goldflake will open on Saturday, January 23, at 3 pm PST in The Art Conservatory at Sapphos Commons.

This is a show of many Firsts. It is the Grand Opening of The Art Conservatory at Sapphos Commons, featuring RobertSteven Smythe (of Artemisia fame) as the curator. All of Alizarin's digital drawings are seen in Second Life for the first time. And also for the first time, all of the work inside the Conservatory will be available in Real Life at http://www.marthavista.com/dayfornightshow.htm/.

Centerpiece of the digital drawing installation on the second floor, the "Day for Night Series" consists of scripted images that change their time of day before the viewer's eyes. These four variations on a an image are of a summer cottage overlooking a wildflower meadow, with a glimpse of the ocean in the distance. They come from a RL series of digital monoprints in which the black & white drawing is constant throughout the two dozen prints, while the color is unique to each individual print. The four scripted drawings are accompanied by a selection of four new non-scripted images.

Alizarin's hanging scrolls are on display downstairs (also outside in the park as wind-interactive banners). These scrolls represent an RL direction that is recent for the artist and uses a creative approach she discovered in Second Life. The physical presentation of the collages was inspired by Japanese art, specifically paintings which are displayed as hanging scrolls called kakejiku.

Lastly, Alizarin's popular "Metempsyche's Garden" graces a frozen pond outside where skaters can skate and mingle with the giant white particle drawings blowing in the SL wind.

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ARTIST'S STATEMENT
Alizarin Goldflake
Studio: Atelier Alizarin

Links:
http://www.marthavista.com (RL art)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alizaringoldflake/
http://alizaringoldflake.blogspot.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyK90WywARM

I make several different kinds of art in SL. My main form is Immersive Art, so-called because the viewer is meant to enter the work either by avatar or camera. The art is made of nested prims, digital textures, and scripts. Many of the builds have poses and sounds in them. The point of the art is the kaleidoscopic interaction of the textures, as well as the different moods expressed in the pieces. Some of the sculptures emit extra-large particles, which are actually highly-detailed digital drawings.

The RL Digital Drawings are done just like traditional drawings except that I use digital tools, including a software program called Corel Painter 11 and a pressure-sensitive digitizing tablet and stylus. As I draw, the tablet and stylus electronically translate the motions of my hand into strokes that look as though they were made with the drawing tool I have selected (charcoal pencil or pastel, for example). I see these strokes occurring real-time on my monitor. Jpgs of the very large drawings are imported at 1024x1024 into SL.

2-D Digital Collages are made in RL based on a creative approach I discovered making art in SL. The approach is called process art, and the main characteristic of it is the fact that the end result is not envisioned at the beginning but arises spontaneously from the process of combining and composing visual elements.

Musical Kinetics are a collaboration between artist Alizarin Goldflake and musician Flivelwitz Alsop. The series was inspired by the art and music of five Asian countries: China, Japan, India, Tibet, and Mongolia. Amazingly, the complex compositions were all created with the little 10 second sound loops that SL allows. Walk up close to each piece to activate the music. These pieces are essentially 3-D collages using textures, scripts, and particles.

Kinetic Sculpty Art is 3-D art made from sculpty line drawings embellished with particles and scripted textures.

Regardless of the form. each piece of my art comes from and is intended to share an experience of visual , emotional, and spiritual intensity.

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About ROBERTSTEVEN SMYTHE

RobertSteven Smythe has been involved the Second Life art scene as a supporter of the arts and curator at Bissorte Marina and Artemisia. He has been responsible for bringing exhibitions to SL such as "The Collector," an exhibition of Sichel Seifert's Second LIfe Collection of art by SL greats elros Touminen, Glyph Graves, Starax, Lightwaves, GoldFlake, and many others. "The Entertainer," an exhibit of White Lebed's sculptures of musicians, was set to a musical animation presentation. An earlier show, "MesmerEyes: Alizarin's Visions," exhibited for the first time her spectacular sculpture "Flutter," an interpretation of the Japanese Taira Clan crest.

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About The Art Conservatory at Sapphos Commons

Robert is very proud of the Art Conservatory designed by Tasha Kosotolany. This is an intimate gallery where Art Meets the Environment. The first floor gardens surround the art to create the elegance of a gallery and the freshness of a conservatory. This gallery's expert staff handles artists and guests with a one-of-a-kind kid-glove approach. It offers all exhibiting artists a full staff ready to assist in making the exhibition an event to remember. Technical Director Meagan Thespian handles scripting and sim mainenance, as well as assisting artists with scripting simple vendors. She also checks all scripts for efficiency. Our Director of Design, Tasha Kostolany, will create special landscapes for artists' sculpture in our large open green space outside the conservatory. Her design of the Art Conservatory was the inspiration for Smythe to come out of retirement to be the art director/curator at Sapphos Commons.

Marlena Poliatevska, CEO of Sapphos Commons and owner of the Gowers Sim, has developed a beautiful residential sim fashioned after the town of Truro which is in the county of Cornwall in south-western England. She started the building of the village in 2007. It has become a coveted place for residents, who enjoy the celtic/english atmosphere of the sim.

Art Challenge

2010-01-09T08:13:00.004-08:00

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Call for Artists!

Erato of Caerleon is having another Imagine Create Challenge. This time the challenge is to create a work of art that uses no texture.

Here are the rules:

1. You may either use the Default texture, transparent texture, white transparent or Blank texture on your work. You may use color and shine and transparency.

2. The maximum size of your piece is 10×10m foot print. Your piece may be taller than 10m

3. You may use a maximum of 40 prims.

4. Only low lag scripts may be used (as determined by our script police)

5. All work must be submitted to Sabrinaa Nightfire by midnight on Friday, February 12, 2010.

The management reserves the right to not show any piece that we determine is inappropriate for this show.

This will be a judged show with a panel of judges determining the first, second and third place entries.

The show will open at 1pm slt on Sunday, February 21, 2010.

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Please contact me, Sabrinaa Nightfire.

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The show will be located somewhere in the Erato of Caerleon sim.

Hallelujah Azul Art Walk, Nov. 14 - Nov. 30

2009-11-14T07:51:00.008-08:00

Nov. 14 - Nov. 30

Location: Hallelujah Azul (184, 222, 23)

Opening Party: Saturday Nov. 14, 6:00 PM SLT

The Hallelujah Azul Art Walk is an open-air exhibition featuring 15 artists from across the grid and throughout the world. Media include RL painting, photography, and collage, enhanced SL photography, SL sculptural builds, and others.

The opening party at 6:00 on Saturday evening will feature live musical performances by Rara Destiny, Raspbury Rearwin and Squidfisher McMillion streaming from their performances at Hallelujah's live music venue, Kasbah.

Artists include:

Daire Aeon
Sasha Bazilinski
Bayley Boucher
Therese Carfagno
Amarynth Emmons
Bobbi Laval
Skarat Lefebvre
Lingual Markus
nessuno Myoo
Lubnatsi Papp
Juliete3d Quinzet
Sistagrlro Wei
Nevar Whitfireld
Clementine Whitt
Dorothy Urvilan

Hallelujah Azul is a "small town" sim with 16 shops, a coffee house, a live music venue, and residential parcels. Please come and enjoy.

For further questions, IM Gwendolyn Bieler in world, or email gwenbieler@gmail.com

VAA Artists at Burning Life 2009

2009-10-18T07:37:00.030-07:00

"Spikes, My Friend"

A collection of sculpture by ArtCrash Exonar
Location: Burning Life-Paiute (202, 21, 24)

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"Haiku SpeedBuild at Burning Life 2009"

Location: Burning Life-Limbo (201, 198, 24)

Display of the fabulous Haiku SpeedBuild contest!!
Great builds done with 50 or less prims in 50 minutes are on display with haiku poems. Thirteen builds will be rotated through the week. The Burning Life Special Edition of the Haiku SpeedBuild will take place on Friday October 23 rd at 6PM SLT (must have building permissions to participate)

See you there!!
- Special Jewel

The weekly SpeedBuilds take place at: Afar (225, 121, 608)

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"Bringing Water to the Desert"

by Alizarin Goldflake and Rezago Kokorin
Location: Burning Life-Nightingale (26, 98, 25)

With everything in flames in the hot, dry desert, we thought it might be handy to have a great big tank of water at Burning Life, so we are contributing an aquarium. Come on in and take a cool, freshing swim with one of the pose balls. Right click on the giant fish to go for a ride. Look for the mysterious vanishing blue jelly fish. Sit on the rocks and relax as the diatoms drift down around you and the seaweed gently waves.
(Warning: mind how you walk near the clam!)

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"FreeWee's Lost Planet"

by FreeWee Ling
Location: Burning Life-Limbo (113, 212, 24)

FreeWee's Lost Planet is an abstract installation that is an expression of substance within the apparent void. The desert landscape is thought to be dessicated and lacking in life energy. But it is in fact full of motion and change and interesting surprises for those who take the time to look carefully. Some of those surprises are beautiful. Others are dangerous. Some are both.

The landscape of the installation features waves of cubist terrain. These objects lay beneath the surface and are affected by the wind. If the wind is strong they will be bent over and invisible above the surface, exposing certain creatures who live at thet level. But when it becomes calm, they extend into the desert space expressing themselves, but hiding the secrets below.

These objects also appear to be made of the eroded desert terrain, but if you stand on the parcel and have your media player running, you will see them, as well as the surface of the entire BL sim, turn blood red with flecks of gold. The gold particles emerge slowly as you watch over time. This is a dynamic process (Iiberally stolen from AM Radio) that is slightly different for every visitor. It begins again to create a new pattern if you step off the parcel or restart your media player.

FreeWee Ling is owner of Artemisia and the Galerie de la Vie. She is a member of the Caerleon Artists Collective and a creator of peculiar objects. Artemisia, Artemisia (202, 47, 2508)

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"Burning Life Camp PhotoSLam!"

by Nova Dyszel
Location: Burning Life-Nightingale (200, 77, 24)

Hey there VAA friends, come visit my Burning Life Camp PhotoSLam!

A large Burning man display showing top photos and winners from the SL is Burning Photo Contest

The Icosago (20 sided) and 10 story photo tower, free for everyone to add their BL texture photos to all through Burning Life

p.s. check out my knit cozy porta potty

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by Solo Mornington
Location: Burning Life-Double Hot (26, 151, 24)

In traditional 'karesansui' (lit: dry mountain water) gardens, the stones are arranged to represent land, with sand or gravel representing water.

In Second Life, all things are arranged to represent something else.

The theme of Burning Life 2009 is Evolution. I take evolution as a metaphor through which we can understand our own personal process of consciousness, whereby we can nurture what we need and be unafraid to leave behind the aspects that do not benefit us.

The traditional Japanese dry garden gives us an opportunity to slow our though process and make room for joy and beauty and peace. It's my hope that this untitled Burning Life build will provide festival-goers with a similar opportunity.

-- Solo Mornington October 17, 2009

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"Game of SLife"

by Wick Umino
Location: Burning Life-Fly (54, 183, 24)

Short description:
From a random initial pattern, observers will see the population constantly change with each generation. Please feel free to make your way up the ramps and stairs to the observation deck and watch for emergent patterns across the globe.

Longer description:
GAME of sLIFE
There are numerous examples in nature of self-organization and the emergence of order from disorder: From the origins of life to pattern formation in development (e.g. the appearance of zebra stripes), the creation of flocking behaviours and social structures. Within these types of systems, patterns can be seen to emerge, even from an apparently random configuration, simply based on the local interactions between system components.

The Game of sLife is one example of a self-organizing system. It is a globe sculpture comprised of 240 individual metal plates that act as a cellular automaton. The color of each plate is determined by the simple rules that it holds with its neighbours. These rules are loosely based on those found in nature:

Underpopulation:
Any live cell (blue plate) plate with fewer than two live neighbours dies (turns green)
Overpopulation:
Any live cell with more than three live neighbours dies
Conditions for growth:
Any dead cell with exactly three live neighbours becomes a live cell.

From a random initial pattern, observers will see the population constantly change with each generation. Please feel free to make your way up the ramps and stairs to the observation deck and watch for emergent patterns across the globe.

For more information on the Game of Life:

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway's_Game_of_Life).

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"A Circle of Friendship and Friendliness!"

by Yoa Ogee
Location: Burning Life-12 Mile (214, 132, 24)

Friends are everywhere!

Events:
Daily find-new-friends meetings at 3 PM!

Installation:
Click them!
These different friends are whispering wise thoughts about friendliness and friendship.
So, move near to their mouth (less than 10 m) and click them, to hear (read) a wise thought, let them whisper in your ear and enjoy!

Love
Yoa Ogee

(They will change their quotations every 31,415926 hours... ca... the exactness depends on my rounding pi phobia. )

Quotations by:
Abraham Lincoln
Albert Einstein
Alexander Solschenizyn
Anaïs Nin
Andreas Lietzow
Anthony Yeboah
Aristotle
author unknown
Barbara A. Billings
C.S. Lewis
Charles Caleb Colton
Charles Mildway
D.T. Gentry
Dale Carnegie
Danish proverb
Dave Matthews Band
Donna Roberts
Elbert Hubbard
Eleanor Roosevelt
Frank Harris
Friedrich Nietzsche
Gandhi
Heinz Haber
Henry Ford
Ingeborg Bachmann
Jacques Delille
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
John Greenleaf Whittier
Kahlil Gibran
Karl Jaspers
Kermit the Frog
Len Wein
Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach
Martin Buber
Meike Duch
Norman Mailer
Oliver Wendell Holmes
Philip Rosenthal
Plato
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Sallust
Thomas Alva Edison
Victor Frankl
Yeti Bing
Yoa Ogee
Yoda

Opening today: "The Tunguska Event"

2009-09-20T11:52:00.006-07:00

When: 1pm SLT, September 20th
Where: Cetus (209, 215, 22)

Oberon Onmura's new sim-wide installation recalls the Tunguska Event, a powerful explosion which occurred over the Siberia area of Russia on June 30, 1908. The explosion knocked over an estimated 80 million trees over 2,150 square kilometers (830 square miles).

"Although the cause of the explosion is the subject of debate, it is commonly believed to have been caused by the air burst of a large meteoroid or comet fragment at an altitude of 5–10 kilometers (3–6 miles) above the Earth's surface." (source: Wikipedia)

I attended an early showing and found it to be quite an experience. Oberon has placed a number of special seats in the installation which give one a view from high in the air.

A quiet night......

....then suddenly the shockwave hits.
(watch for falling trees)

"This artwork was made possible by curator Zachh Cale, who also wrote a new piano piece just for this opening. He will perform that piece live at 1:30."

DynaFleur Redux

2009-08-07T08:47:00.003-07:00

The Return of the DynaFleur
Douglas Story & Desdemona Enfield with Dizzy Banjo-music and sound

Officially opening to the public on August 8th, 2009, the piece may be visited in Second Life at the following location:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Caledon%20Kintyre/230/222/2624

After an absence of nearly 8 months, the popular and beloved DynaFleur immersive art installation has returned to Second Life. Spanning an entire sim high above the Victorian-themed Caledon Kintyre, DynaFleur is the kind of experience that truly is possible only in Second Life.

Read more here: http://dynafleurreturns.blogspot.com/

Celebrate the Creative Spirit

2009-07-28T20:55:00.006-07:00

TejanoTech, the newly established virtual home of the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) which is quickly becoming a vibrant center of interdisciplinary and culturally situated STEM education in Second Life (SL) invites you to celebrate the creative spirit.

Come explore fully integrated examples of 2D and 3D virtual art across different areas of TejanoTech. Artists involved in this development include Cepheus Ceriano, Gary Kohime, Cogito Ultsch, and UTSA Artist in Residence and VAA artist Misprint Thursday.

Brackish Gears installation

Misprint has developed a site specific installation that makes use of the river that travels north and south in the sim. Her installation is called Brackish Gears. Brackish Gears is a public and personal celebration of the inventive mind. The main image used in the piece ia a sketch drawing by her father. She recently found a series of invention drawings in her father's old belongings. Before finding and deciding to use the sketch drawings, Misprint already had some ideas in mind for the river piece about the idea of brackish water-the salt water mixed with the fresh. Misprint shares:

“As I tinkered with ideas I worked with some gear sculpties in the water-sort of thinking of this river as the power source that could drive the creative process. The river became as a muse. Once I discovered my father's sketches I knew I had to include them in this piece to represent and celebrate this story of the dreamer, the inventor, and the creative spirit.”

The show opens Wednesday July 29th 2-4 SLT. You can join the celebration by teleporting to TejanoTech here:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/TejanoTech/199/79/22

Well.......why didn't I think of that?!

2009-06-02T16:00:00.002-07:00

Pavl Duke Creates Insane Multi-Particle Video Player
"It's just video texture on the particles," ".... it's the default texture they pick up whatever [video] stream you've set." - Pavl Duke (quoted from Hamlet Au's New World Notes article, 6/2/2009)

Of course all the particles have the same video image, and you need to have control over the parcel media settings. However.....if you created several minimum-size plots (16sq meters) close together, you could place a particle rezzer in each with the video stream set differently for each plot. I expect one could create some stunning effects that way.

- Rezago

RL Kinetic Sculpture

2009-05-19T15:39:00.007-07:00

Kinetic sculpture at the BMW Museum in Munich.

Triptych. A kinetic sculpture composed of metal, string, electric motors, and 300 wooden balls.

This type of sculpture looks like it would be well suited to SL. I'd love to jump in and experiment but, alas, I'm still in exile. If you're inspired and come up with something, tell us about it here.

I found these on the Dark Roasted Blend website today where they have an article on kinetic art.

- Rezago

World Builder

2009-03-08T10:58:00.008-07:00

Reflections from a Revenant

2009-02-10T18:28:00.004-08:00

I've been inactive in Second Life for about eight months, and in SL, that is almost an eternity! However, there are good reasons for the absence, albeit perhaps not for quite such a prolonged period. After having spent about a year learning the ins-and-outs of the virtual world, and then having developed an event that bridged the RL and SL (a museum exhibit in the real world that used a SL counterpart), my time and energy were caught up into an extraordinary RL initiative that has come to dominate my personal and professional landscape.

It may sound odd, but I think after learning to function in a "reactive landscape", I got busy building super-reactive environments in RL... specifically for disabled children, for whom real life is even less reactive than for most of us. I am now engaged in several projects that are building artistically-inspired reactive and interactive installations that, in many ways, emulate the kinetic sculptures the VAA group has developed and promoted in SL. For example, working with engineers who are specialists, on the one hand, in robotics, on another in physiological sensing devices, and in a third area, in so-called "smart textiles" (fabric that changes shape, color and texture on command), and with installation and media artists, we are constructing a large wall mural that will react to disabled children who roll up to it on their wheelchairs (or walk up to it, depends on the child) - changing shape, color, and thematic configuration. We will be able to measure their heartbeat, level of excitement (e.g. via skin perspiration and blood pressure), and modify the mural also in relation to these characteristics. In another initiative, we are creating a miniature "telegame" that allows children with disability to interact with each other through robotic devices that act as RL avatars. These projects are extraordinarily stimulating but also rather challenging to build (and fund!), and have taken most of my time over the past eight months to develop.

Interestingly, I used my experiences, especially those with the VAA, to "sell" these projects to the two hospitals who are now partners in their development. Using the video clips on VAA artists and the Reactive Sculptures clip, I was able to highlight the power that changes in the environment may have on changing our understanding of the self. One could say that SL got so far under my skin that it has ended up revolutionizing my relationship with RL!

Actually, this hasn't stopped with the creation of reactive environments, either. After developing a line of clothing in SL, and then being involved in the creation of SL versions of real life traditional ethnic garments in support of the museum exhibit we did last year, I decided that, perhaps, I could do the same with RL garments. So I taught myself to sew and am in the process of developing a line of RL garments. I discovered that sewing is an extraordinarily grounding activity for me and it has become an integral and daily presence in my life. I learned the power of fashion within SL, and have not stopped trying to use this power back in RL to do equally interesting things.

I share these observations and reflections, because I believe all involved with SL art are aware of the links between SL and RL and are interested in how the activities in the one sphere may affect or inform activities in the other.

I shall be around SL again on an off-and-on basis, but my engagements with the RL projects that flowed from my SL activities are likely to keep my presence low key. See you around!

Press Release: "The Collector"

2009-02-10T15:24:00.004-08:00

Galerie de la Vie, Artemisia
February 12th through March 26
Opening Night Reception: February 12 from 4:30-6:00 pm SL time
DJ Eth Tedeschi spinning tunes
Exhibition: The Collector
Submitted by: RobertSteven Smythe, Curator

The Collector: The World of Second Life Sculpture

Starax, Pitney, Fairymeadow, Saarinen, elros, and Tripsa are just a few of the artists whose sculptures will be on display at Galerie de la Vie in Artemisia February 12th through March 26th. This exhibition named “The Collector” is focused around the art collection of Sichel Seifert an art enthusiast who has been collecting and commissioning some of the finest artists in Second Life since early 2005. You will see as never before from the eyes of a collector and connoisseur of Second Life art. Selections from his vast collection will be shown in two consecutive three-week exhibitions. The artists’ works have never before been shown together as one exhibition. This amazing collection represents a historical time line of sculptural work in Second Life. You will not want to miss this once in a lifetime exhibition.

When asked by RobertSteven Smythe, curator at Galerie de la Vie, why he has been such a prolific collector Sichel responded, "Ask yourself: What surrounds you in SL? Just the two: personal relationships, personal creations, and really nothing else (even if someone says SL has is own 'spirit' as well). Since I was rezzed there, I searched for the best of both. Got good friends, got beautiful creations. And I keep searching."

Collecting is a very personal endeavor and collectors must educate themselves on the subject of their passion. The best collectors contend that collecting should not begin as an investment, but that a collector should enjoy and purchase only items that appeal to them. Sculptures in Second Life have an appeal to Sichel that has continued from his first day in SL.

Don’t miss this rare exhibition to be shown in two parts. The show opens February 12, the second on March 6. Please join the residents of Artemisia and the Galerie de la Vie as we present this spectacular gathering of sculptures from Second Life’s greatest artists. Artemisia – Living with Art.

Complete List of artists:
Alizarin Goldflake, Meleni Fairymeadow, Kicca Igaly, Rezago Kokorin, Feathers Boa, Wolf Hartnell, Queen Edman, Steve Kilby, Stella Costello, Sabine Stonebender, Zulqadi Saarinen, elros Tuominen, Cheen Pitney, Colt Parx, Charlot Dickins, Pumpkin Tripsa, Starax Statosky, Light Waves, Eme10 Wind, Masterful Escape, PleaseWakeMeUp Idler and Glyph Graves.

Fresh Musical Art

2009-01-25T12:01:00.004-08:00

HD Artists New Music Concerts
HD Artists Concert Hall
Sundays @ 11:00 AM SLT

"Music shouldn't always glide off the ears like soft warm water."
—Flivelwitz Alsop, HD Artists Composer

If you are searching for a completely different type of music experience, then consider the HD Artists New Music Sundays Concert. Featuring artists and composers from Second Life and beyond, these concerts provide a fresh and unexpected musical adventure. These concerts fit well with one of the HD Artists goals to "disseminate new and unusual music throughout the land with a clarion call."

This week's event showcased music for guitars and was a rewarding treat for the ears.
—Sunn Thunders

Artpounce Gallery Opening

2009-01-15T15:31:00.010-08:00

four Yip's Installation "Yiplings"

Come join us this weekend for the opening of Artpounce gallery and art center. On display now are works by Oberon Onmura, Selvay Oh, Misprint Thursday, Cinco Pizzicato and four Yip~!

TELEPORT HERE

Teleport to Misprint's Aeroport and parachute down... Click Oberons clicky sculptures, and be fascinated by Selavy Oh's installation. You can check out an interesting architecutal build by Cinco Pizzicato too! The Yiplings will warmly greet you in the sky.

Artpounce is sponsored by the sim Ethereality which will have a coordinated sim wide party over the weekend including 8 live music performances

ARTIST RECEPTION SATURDAY JAN 17 3-4 SLT

Cube of Cubes Maker By Oberon Onmura

Gossamer Float Boxes by Misprint Thursday

Billboard House by Cinco Pizzicato

Live Music Venue for the Weekend:

SATURDAY, JANUARY 17th - 11:30-4pm slt

12pm - Digby Smalls

1pm - Phemie Alcott

2pm - CQ Bravin

3pm - Damian Carbenell

SUNDAY, JANUARY 18th - 2:30-7pm slt

3pm - Sylar Morrissey

4pm - Vladamir Lamont

5pm - Stella Silvansky

6pm - Raspbury Rearwin

Thorns in the Velvet

2008-12-28T17:47:00.002-08:00

Mesmerizing movement, color, and sound will capture your imagination at NMC's Ars Simulacra, which is hosting Glyph Graves's "Thorns in the Velvet" art exhibit now through the end of January 2009. Innumerable kinetic sculptures fill the island with vibrance from the water to the sky. In Glyph's words, the exhibit reflects his "fascination with transformation in colour, space, and sound."

Bring a picnic basket, a blanket, and a close friend, then sit on a hillside and soak in the beautiful hues and motions of these wonderful sculptures. —Sunn Thunders

Pictured below: a digital blend of Glyph Graves's "Odd Spiral Glass" and "Cube3 Soundscape3"

Nightbloom

2008-12-27T15:21:00.003-08:00

"The nightbloom rewards patience with it's hidden beauty..."
—Solo Mornington, artist and creator of Nightbloom

As described by Solo, the nightbloom is a rare species of sculptural flora discovered on the desert playa of Burning Life 2008. It currently has a safe home at the Man-A-Hatta Gallery through December 31.

"The nightbloom blooms at night, and dies in the morning. It then begins growing again in the evening, with another bloom soon to come after dark. This cycle continues indefinitely into the future and past, perhaps longer than you've been around, and perhaps long after you're gone."

Observers who patiently experience the full life cycle are rewarded with a bit of the nightbloom's energy... —Sunn Thunders

Cirque!

2008-10-25T20:47:00.002-07:00

Cirque!, A World of Fun and Motion

This month’s exhibition at Galerie de la Vie is something that you will not want to miss. Misprint Thursday and Jeanni Nishi have designed an entire environment around a playful, colorful and interactive world of Cirque! The collaborative work combines fantasy and emotion that will have you remembering what it was like to be a child all over again. Come play with us, ride atoms on a string, hang and dance on ribbons suspended above the floor, be mesmerized by intricate sculptures and let your imagination be captivated by color and motion. Brought to you by the residents of Artemisia the opening gala begins at 1 pm on Sunday October 26th. This day will hold many surprises including a mystery treasure hunt.

Misprint Thursday is an artist in RL and SL. Her work in SL focuses on creating a unique experience through creative content that includes, photography, sculpture, sound and web based media. In SL her direction is shifting to content which is created primarily in world. She "frames" the content of her work with the photographs and machinima of the sculptural installations. Fond of physics and spontaneity, Misprint brings minor hazards to the art world and openly suggests that she brings a sense of humor to her exhibits.

Jeanni Nishi came to SL in February of 2007, and one of the first places she visited was Blekinge Sculpture Park, which is managed by Rezago Kokorin. There she came across sculptures by elros Tuominen, Cheen Pitney, Rezago, Sunn Thunders, and Sasun Steinbeck. The pieces astounded her with their beauty. “I loved how the artists utilized the special capabilities of SL”, she said. She discovered the famous Oyster Bay and spent many hours there considering the works of Dale Innis, Juria Yoshikawa, Madcow Cosmos and others. Jeanni spent many years in RL involved in commercial art as an art director and illustrator. Since that time she moved on to other vocations. According to her, “Second Life now provides an impetus to get back to creative work.”

When asked about their work together, Misprint said, “The collaboration has enhanced my Second Life art making experiences because I got to learn some new skills through Jeanni. She introduced me to Qavimator-the free pose and animation program. Through this new information I was able to create some custom poses for the interactive sculpture and this has been exciting.” Jeanni responded, “She (Misprint) and I both enjoy the play of patterns and light, and neither of us tend towards literal interpretations or realistic builds. We both enjoy incorporating scripts and movement, including avatar movement. Working together in a collaborative project was an exciting premise. Who knew what we could do together? Misprint comes from more of a fine arts background than I do, and even talking to her about what we were doing expanded my sense of what it could mean to be an artist in SL. Her addition of sound to art has provided food for thought and I am considering exploring this in the future.”

Cirque! brings together the talents of two great SL artists. Their collective talents create an exhibition that will delight everyone, art critics, art lovers, art collectors and anyone who wants to remember what it was like to be a child all over again---the innocence of exploration, wonder and fantasy. Don’t miss Cirque! at Galerie de la Vie in Artemisia. The residents of Artemisia proudly sponsor this and all events that come to the gallery. Opening also this night is the new Artemisia Living with Art Annex. You will see works of art from past exhibitions and from Artemisia residents. This evening will prove to be an unforgettable adventure. Please join me, RobertSteven Smythe, curator of the gallery and the Residents of Artemisia in presenting Misprint Thursday and Jeanni Nishi in Cirque.

Haiku Speedbuild, October 16, 2008

2008-10-17T12:40:00.008-07:00

Solo Mornington - 1st place

Jeanni Nishi - 2nd place

Sunn Thunders - 3rd place

Runners up:

Apollo Reinard

Misprint Thursday

Oberon Onmura

Steff Ling

Haiku Speedbuild, October 9, 2008

2008-10-17T12:33:00.008-07:00

Peli Dieterle - 1st place

Misprint Thursday - 2nd place

Gwen Carillon - 3rd place

Runners up:

Apollo Reinard

Jeanni Nishi

Sunn Thunders

SUNRISE SUNSET Premiere and Open Studio

2008-10-06T18:29:00.003-07:00

Location: Huntsman (160, 18, 301)

An open studio and SL premiere for “Sunrise Sunset,” Alizarin Goldflake's latest Immersive art creation, will take place on Sunday, October 12, 1- 3 pm PDT . As the viewer dances through the meadow of wildflowers or quietly contemplates the rising and setting sun from a cushion, his or her avatar becomes the centerpiece that completes the sculpture. Singing crickets, a hooting owl, and a calling osprey augment the warmth and peace of the build with evocative natural sounds. Thistledown blows on the SL wind, and on the dark side, there are spiders hidden in the grass. Alizarin will be present during the event.

The textures in this build are adapted from an RL digital drawing done with Corel Painter and a Wacom digitizing tablet and stylus. Installed as 3-D, the effect is like sitting inside the mind of the artist. The build also incorporates particles (drawn by the artist) and sounds, scripts, and an animation (made by others and modified by the artist).

Viewers are invited to enjoy the rest of the work in the Sky Studio. A Midnight environment settings is recommended, and the work is intended to be explored from many different angles by camera or avatar. Many of the pieces have a sit or float animation activated by a right click.. The TPs (brightly-colored cubes on the walls) connect to the first floor (2-D digital art and selected sculptures), the second floor (RL digital drawings), and The Particularium on the third floor. Atelier Alizarin is always open to the public, and visitors are welcome anytime.

Alizarin has been a RL professional visual artist for a long time. She shows in several prominent RL galleries, and her work is included in many RL museum, corporate, and private collections.

Haiku Speedbuild, September 25, 2008

2008-10-02T15:02:00.004-07:00

1st Place: Apollo Reinard

2nd Place: Peli Dieterle

Tie for 3rd Place: Oberon Onmura

Tie For 3rd Place: Corcosman Voom

Congratulations and happy building!

Visit the VAA Haiku Speedbuilds each Thursday at 6pm SLT

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Blekinge/194/167/98

The VAA Burning Life Plot

2008-09-28T13:37:00.006-07:00

The Burning Man on YouTube
video by Chantal Harvey

Chantal's Burning Life plot is here.

My thanks to all of you who took part in creating our space here!

Burning Life (Babel) (202, 75, 24)

Haiku Speedbuild, September 11, 2008

2008-09-17T13:57:00.011-07:00

Sunn Thunders - 1st place

Oberon Onmura - 2nd place

Peli Dieterie - 3rd place

Alizarin Goldflake

Corcosman Voom

Goose Wycliffe

Heathers Miles

Ransom Silverspar

Rikard Bashly

Rik Zwiers

Claimed!

2008-09-09T09:33:00.003-07:00

Location: Burning Life (Babel) (204, 63, 24)

Burning Life 2008, land up for grabs!

2008-09-08T12:31:00.004-07:00

Burning Life is September 27 through October 5, 2008

Plots can be claimed during several periods this week. Check the Burning Life wiki page for details and schedule (and to find out what in the world Burning Life is).

We'll be claiming a plot for the VAA group again this year and I'll make an announcement as soon as we've laid our eager paws on it. Contact me if you're interested in taking part in the building. What will we create there? No idea yet but we will have until the 27th to complete the build.

- Rezago Kokorin

Haiku Speedbuild - September 4, 2008

2008-09-05T17:35:00.018-07:00

The voting was close this week, with a tie for 2nd place. The builds will be on display here until shortly before the next contest at 6pm SL time on Thursday the 11th.

1st place - Peli Dieterle

2nd place - Heathers Miles

2nd place - Lorimae Undercroft

3rd place - Sunn Thunders

Runners up:

Corcosman Voom

Jeanni Nishi

Madcow Cosmos

Oberon Onmura

Rikard Bashly

Contest Winners - 24/24 Haiku Build

2008-08-19T10:18:00.019-07:00

1st place - Misprint Thursday

2nd place - Audrey Fotherington

3rd place - Goose Wycliffe

And here are all of the other entries:

Corcosman Voom

Welcome Doobie

Cyanide Seelowe

Dale Innis

Heathers Miles

Jeanni Nishi

Juanita Deharo

Madscientist Balbozar

Peli Dieterle

Peri Afarensis

Rik Zwiers

Rose Farina

Senka Beck

Solo Mornington

Sunn Thunders

In progress: The 24/24 Haiku Building Challenge

2008-08-17T07:26:00.003-07:00

The haiku/theme.

With 20 participants so far, the contest is well under way!

The building phase of the contest ends at 6pm SL time today (August 17th). Voting will begin at that time and remain open until 6pm the next day when I'll announce the winners and award prizes.

Location: Blekinge Sculpture Park

The 24/24 Building Challenge

2008-08-15T17:51:00.004-07:00

At the last Haiku speedbuild the idea of having a 24 hour long contest came up and took root. The basic idea is that you will have 24 hours to build and a 24 prim limit to work with. Now the contest area is ready to go! There is a notecard giver at the arrival point where the voting board is. I'll post its contents below.

The contest begins on August 16th at 6pm SL time. Come and claim a pad now! (buy for L$0)

Location: Blekinge Sculpture Park

_______________________________________________________________

In this contest a haiku will be used as the theme. You will have a 24 prim limit and 24 hours in which to build an object or scene which represents the imagery or feel of the haiku. This contest is similar to our weekly event.

There are two building areas, each containing 12 pads, just to the east and west of the arrival point.

DATES:
August 16 - the 24 hour period of building begins at 6pm SL time.
The the theme will be announced and posted at the contest area, and you will be able to begin building.
August 17 - building ends at 6pm SL time. Voting begins (a voting board will be in place).
August 18 - Voting ends at 6pm SL time. The winners will be announced and prizes awarded shortly thereafter. Everyone's builds will be kept on display until the evening of the 21st.

RULES AND REGULATIONS:

To enter, go to the contest area and claim one of the 5 x 5 meter building pads by buying it for L$0.

You may claim a building pad at anytime before and during the contest.

Your build must stay within the bounds of your pad, but with no height limit.

The prim limit is 24.

All prims must be new and not taked from inventory.

No giant prims.

You may use any textures and scripts that you have.

You may use particles and sculpties. When using particles please keep them confined to the neighborhood of your pad so as not to intrude on anyone else's area.

You may work together as a team on a single build if you wish. If you do so, please IM me (Rezago Kokorin) with the names of the team members. Prize money will be split among the team.

It isn't necessary for you to be at the contest area at the 6pm start time if you're unable to make it or have heard about the contest after it has begun. You may enter at anytime before the building period ends.

The winners will be chosen by popular vote.

PRIZES:
1st place: L$1000
2nd place: L$500
3rd place: L$250

Please IM Rezago Kokorin if you have any questions.

VAA Haiku Speedbuild Results 8/14/08

2008-08-15T09:04:00.006-07:00

1st Place-Misprint Thursday

2nd Place-Jeanni Nishi

3rd Place-Sunn Thunders

Visit the sculpture park to see the glow of Sunn's documents, the flex of Jeanni's pages and the layered transparencies in Misprint's...

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Blekinge/213/174/99

VAA Speedbuild Results 8/7/08

2008-08-14T16:52:00.004-07:00

1st Place- Solo Mornington

2nd Place-Ransom Silverpar

3rd Place TIE- Peli Dieterle

3rd Place TIE- Misprint Thursday

Visit the sculpture park and join us here each Thursday at 6pm SLT

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Blekinge/213/174/99

VAA Haiku Speedbuild Results 7/31/08

2008-08-07T15:14:00.006-07:00

Sunn Thunders 1st Place

Jeanni Nishi 2nd Place

Alizarin Goldflake 3rd Place

Visit the contest area to view the sculptures and

feel free to participate each Thursday night 6pm SLT!

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Blekinge/211/177/99

Are We Being Watched?

2008-08-02T17:58:00.003-07:00

Like an addiction to summer peaches--healthy and yummy--Brooklyn Is Watching serves up a heaping bowlful of tasty dessert for your virtual senses. A visit to this playland guarantees that you will see and experience something unique, wondrous, bizarre, scintillating, confusing, disturbing, awe-mazing, or all of the above.

The premise behind BIW is simple: drop a few of your most creative prims on their sim. (They don't mind--really!) If you've ever built or designed something that might draw undo attention from the neighbors, then BIW is probably the perfect place for it. Not only will your creation have a week-long exposure to the metaversal population, but real, live human beings in Brooklyn's "Jack the Pelican Presents" gallery will be able to view your work on a giant 52-inch monitor. Even better, your opus primus will garner the attention of the BIW keepers who may choose to showcase your work on the BIW website and/or their weekly podcast.

Whether you're a watcher or being watched, Brooklyn Is Watching is satisfying fun for the artistic spirit... —Sunn Thunders

Rezago Kokorin's "Hobbyists of SL are Watching" makes sure that someone is keeping an eye on the watchers...

Misprint Thursday at Bistro Olive-Art Show

2008-07-30T10:35:00.006-07:00

Misprint Thursday in her zany kinetic sculpture part of a show titled Olive Art!

Ride a cyber olive, check out the brightly colored canvases and interactive kinetic installation and have a bite to eat at the newly opened Bistro Olive on Marco Island. Misprint Thursday, a Virtual Arts Alliance member and regular participant in the VAA haiku speedbuilds-has an art exhibit that is a twist on the theme of olives! The artist states: "When I was approached to show at Bistro Olive, I wanted to do something fun and colorful".

The grand opening/art opening included wonderful live music from acoustic guitar player CQ Bravin as well as a great turn out of many music and arts enthusiasts. If you would like to exhibit at Bistro Olive please contact Kimala Kohime at Bistro Olive.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Marco%20Island/138/75/22

VAA Haiku Speedbuild Results 7/24/08

2008-07-30T09:57:00.005-07:00

Sunn Thunders 1st Place

Misprint Thursday 2nd Place

Corcosman Voom 3rd Place

Visit the haiku speedbuild contest area here to see the sculptures!

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Blekinge/211/177/99

VAA haiku Speedbuild Results 7/17/08

2008-07-23T15:28:00.002-07:00

Sunn Thunders-1st Place

Corcosman Voom-2nd Place

Oberon Onmura-3rd Place

Celebrate Color

2008-07-02T08:58:00.003-07:00

I love colors -- deep colors, rich colors, bright colors -- they're all fantastic. A flowerful garden of colors, a fruitful bowl of colors, a sunset tapestry of colors woven together enhance our visceral realities and virtualities. The strange and wonderful interaction of infinitesimally tiny photons bombarding our eyes and stimulating our brains. The impulsive "WOW!" of vibrancy...

If you enjoy colors as much as I, you will be delighted with the following link: Color in Motion

PappArtProject building sessions in June at Trollhaugen

2008-06-12T10:01:00.004-07:00

Papp is the norwegian word for cardboard. This summer me (rl Nina Svenne/SL Plurabelle Posthorn) and Kjersti Kise will have some workshops in using this material for artistic expression at the (rl) Stenersenmuseum in Oslo, Norway. As a part of this project I will have some open building sessions at my SL-gallery which will result in a large cardboard installation. The building sessions and the installation in Second Life will be documented and show at the Stenersenmuseum in Oslo, Norway.
You will have some free cardboard textures to go. You may build and experiment as much as you want within the gallery area, but you must choose a limited part of your works that you want to stay put in the gallery. The "mess" will be cleared after the session. Drop your cardboard work in my inventory. Be sure to use the word ’papp’ in the name of the object.

Dates and hours, SL-time:
Friday 13. June: 10 AM - 12 PM
Saturday 14. June: 12 AM- 2 AM and 11 AM - 1 PM
Friday 27. June: 10 AM – 12 PM
Sunday 29. June: 11 AM - 1 PM
SLurl: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Trollhaugen/139/201/31

All welcome! Hope to see you!
The project will also be documented on this blog: http://pappartproject.blogspot.com/

"Diversity"

2008-06-08T07:52:00.012-07:00

"Diversity": a unique, large open and airy home located in a desert. The sounds used here add a great deal to the feel of the place: the wind, the ticking of a clock. I love arid and desert areas so I'm sure I'm biased. Nevertheless this is a Must Visit place.

This is the creation of Scope Cleaver. and according to the Not Possible IRL article it was commissioned by Princeton University. The description for the land reads: Build by Scope Cleaver - Terraform, Cave & Immersive sound set up by Poid Mahovlich :: reclaimed and/or bio friendly materials used."

- Rezago Kokorin

Visit "Diversity" here.

Not Possible IRL blog post: "A most extraordinary building in Second Life"

Sculpty Paint returns

2008-03-19T07:10:00.010-07:00

Cel Edman, creator of Sculpty Paint, has put his Pixel Lab site back up and made the program available again. He took it down for a period due to his frustration with content theft in SL and Linden Labs ineffective efforts to deal with the problem. (go here to vote on "Stopping texture theft and the spread of stolen items")

Sculpty Paint is a free tool for creating sculpt textures for uploading to SL. It can also export to .obj files that can be read in Blender, wings3D etc.

Now a new version is available: SculptyPaint v.092 alpha release, for Window, Linux, and the Mac. It has two major improvements which stand out right away: multiple Undo and Redo, and much smoother rotating of the sculpt object with the mouse.

The site has a set of tutorials, and I've attended a couple of inworld classes offered at NCI which were a great help in getting started.

Find Sculpty Paint here

Here is the resulting test sculpti I made. I had to stretch the prim vertically to get the same proportions that I had within the program, and its not as sharp-edged due to the resolution of the sculpt texture (128 x 128). However, if you're making rounded shapes, or something with an old and worn look this will work to your advantage.

SL Dumpster

2008-03-11T13:28:00.001-07:00

written by Plurabelle Posthorn
The other day I visited a new Second Life artproject: SL Dumpster. Thing is you can empty all your (inventory)trash on the land of the artistgroup eteam. I threw out some of my worst Second Life artworks... See their blogpost on Plurabelles trash HERE under March 7. Pretty funny analyses... :)
The project is continuously being documented at their SL Dumpster log.
Below: Tempo Strom, one of the artists in eteam, with her head in a can. In the background, some of my trashed artworks, for instance "Cubistic window with an ordinary carrot growing in it".

Lothar Apfelbaum, another of the artists.

The SL Dumpster project is one of 11 Rhizome-commisioned projectes. See 2008 Commissions. All the projects will be shown at Rhizome.org and at the New Museum of Contemporary Art, and archived at the ArtBase.
Visit SL Dumpster HERE. It's up for one year...

Universcale

2008-01-30T11:17:00.001-08:00

written by Cyanide Seelowe

Universcale, a Nikon-sponsored web-based flash animation, is a fantastic comparison of size on a universal scale.

Universal, you say? That's right. This graph goes beyond mere flea-to-dog-to-human size comparisons and reaches out into the universe for both massive and minescule sizes. The scale ranges from lightyears and moves all the way back to the femtometer (1/1,000,000,000 of a micrometer) and will give you a short, educational "story" behind the measurements, creatures, items and monuments throughout at the click of a button.

If you've ever wondered how big a snowflake is compared to Jupiter, or how big a giraffe is compared to the Milky Way, Universcale will definitely give you a better perspective of these size comparisons.

The world in which we live, the universe that comprises our world. In order to better understand them, humans have assigned to them the concept of "size" so they may be comprehended by all. Nevertheless, there are actually very few things that we can see with our eyes or touch with our hands. Our curiosity brings us to use objects visible to the naked eye as yardsticks to identify those things invisible and give them new units of measurement. We are now capable of comparing and ranking these entities. We have, in fact, been given an "infinite yardstick".

By setting things up against this yardstick, observing and comparing them are we able to accurately identify their true forms. They are silent when merely observed, but spring to life when put to use in unique, creative ways.

One thing we know for certain is that they are all around us in our close vicinity.

Universcale.

Recent events

2008-01-25T07:10:00.000-08:00

Resurrection of the VAA Artist Building Sessions

Video by Magellan Egoyan
Machinima clip of a gathering of virtual artists in Second Life experimenting with reactive sculptures - objects which change color, size or shape in response to an avatar's proximity

I hosted a number of these last year and have started them up again, every Tuesday night at 6pm SL time at this location.

I'd like to thank Magellan for his video and commentary of the event, as still images do a poor job of capturing the dynamic nature of the scripted objects we were experimenting with.

In the next session, on the 29th, we will be further exploring what can be done with these Reflexive Architecture scripts, as they are called. The original scripts can be found on here on The Arch website. Their inworld location is the Gallery of Reflexive Architecture: by Keystone Bouchard.

- Rezago Kokorin

VAA Haiku Speed Building

The Virtual Artist Alliance in collaboration with the Shin Tao Haiku Retreat is proud to present the weekly Haiku Speedbuild!

This was our fourth event, held in the north end of Blekinge Sculpture Park. This is another weekly event, held every Thursday night at 6pm SL time. Additional pictures and more in-depth writing of this and past events can be found on Cyanide Seelowe's blog.

The theme of each speed build is a haiku from which the contestants create whatever imagery it inspires in them, with 50 minutes allowed for building. The builds from each event remain on display throughout the week until the eve of the next event.

The haiku for this event was:

What remains unseen
When you break the whole to bits
Are the holes between

-Yvonne Aburrow

Jeanni Nishi's interactive kinetic build was drawing attention well before time was up. It allows one to become part of sculpture, flying and orbiting around it.

2D Art Exhibition/Competition at Dreams

2008-01-15T17:12:00.000-08:00

Spaces are now open in the Dreams art exibition/competition for flat artwork, in the categories of Second Life art/photography, Real Life art/photography, and Computer generated art. Twenty 20mx10m plots available in each category. Unclaimed plots are available for L$25 each.

Timeline:
January (all times are SLT/PST)
15 - 6 am - Obtain plot and begin display
18 - Soj notifies people wanting two categories
22 - 6 am - Art placement ends. 9 am - Voting begins
29 - 6 am - Voting ends
TBA - Artist Walk (We walk around the exhibits and the artists
talk about their work.)
30 - Take down art. Often, unless otherwise specified, I just return it to you.

Visit Dreams for futher details.

Immersed in Drips and Dots

2007-12-26T15:54:00.000-08:00

An "immersive painting like environment plus soundscape," Drips and Dots by Juria Yoshikawa is a sensory stunner. The beautiful bubbles and ribbons dance about as the soundscape, which was inspired by the cello-fiddling of Juria's nine-year-old son, envelops—your senses are treated to a satisfying experience that will make you smile. Although not yet officially open, Drips and Dots can be previewed at the Moonlight Vision and Gallery... —Sunn Thunders

Thomy Loon at Bloom Pearls

2007-12-23T01:35:00.000-08:00

This is Thomy Loon aka danish rl artist Tommy Støckel in front of his "Primitives Collection Field", a SL land art project installed at Bloom Pearls.
SLurl: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Phyllira/169/139/90
It opened December 20th and will be on until the 24th of February 2008.
Thomy asked me if I had seen his opening night tuxedo which he mysteriously had lost...

From the press release:

Støckel has for a long time been working with accumulating simple geometric shapes to form complex abstract sculptures, and he has always seen the computer generated 3D object as an important point of reference. From a distance his sculptures resemble virtual objects, but at a closer look these sculptures have an obviously handcrafted quality using materials such as paper and cardboard. Second Life is a new frontier to Støckel – a world where certain restrictions in our normal world are non-existent, and where new opportunities for artwork come into existence. The artist’s usual, not very weather consistent, materials would under normal circumstances be impossible to work with outdoors, but in this parallel world the single avatar has quite another control over nature: Objects can be made out of nothing and the landscape can be manipulated to suit the owner’s individual taste.With the project "Primitives Collection Field" Støckel has chosen to work with a sort of virtual Land Art – an otherwise problematic genre to him. He has covered Boom Pearl's piece of land with geometric objects that have all been arranged in relation to the Second Life grid, which defines that entire world in metric measurements.
"Primitives Collection Field" consists of approximately 1,100 prims – or primitives – that have been made by disassembling a large number of freebies, and thereby reducing them to their simplest geometric parts.

Read more about Boom Pearls at http://www.boompearls.com/

Written by Plurabelle Posthorn

The Tech Virtual Museum

2007-12-17T16:54:00.002-08:00

The Tech Museum of Innovation is a real world museum of technology and science in San Jose, California and they have created a virtual museum in SL where they are staging an exhibit creation challenge. The theme is "Art, Film & Music".

Daily tours of the museum are at 11am SL time.

- Rezago Kokorin

from the Tech Museum notecard:
"Welcome to The Tech Virtual, the museum where you are the exhibit designer.

This virtual museum is part of a larger project to invite all kinds of creative people--scientists, artists, SL and RL inventors--to create and realize exhibits for The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, CA. We are currently soliciting ideas for exhibits for an upcoming exhibition on art, film, music, and technology. The best virtual exhibit concepts will be eligible for cash prizes and will be co-developed as real exhibits for the physical museum.

You are welcome to explore the museum, which includes a tutorial on exhibit design (lower level) and some sample interactive art exhibits (upper level). When you are ready to start designing your own exhibits, go to www.thetechvirtual.org. On that site, you can create new projects, join project teams, and start designing.

Once you are ready to start prototyping in Second Life, visit Parkside Hall to receive some building space and support. In the meantime, we are offering lots of classes in building, scripting, and miscellaneous Second Life and exhibit design topics. You can always go and build in the Sandbox Dome on the corner of the island.

If you have any questions about this museum, designing exhibits, or The Tech Virtual project, please contact Avi Marquez. There are also open information sessions every Friday at 10am outside by the fountains. "

The Tech Museum of Innovation in SL

The Tech Virtual Museum Workshop website

Sound Sculptures

2007-12-06T15:17:00.000-08:00

- by Magellan Egoyan

I was recently introduced by a friend to a new exhibition called CARP (for Cybernetic Art Research Project) that focuses on sound-enabled kinetic scultures. Several installations by Juria Yoshikawa are present that I shall get to in a moment, but also a charming installation involving a chorus of "dwarves" developed by Velazquez Bonetto and nnoiz papp.

Velazquez' installation on the 3rd floor of the gallery consists of nine dwarf-like figures - they are three prim objects and therefore are sculpties. Each face and figure is slightly different. When you walk through the figure, they begin to jump up and down and emit a looped sound. Together, these sounds form a "choir" and the result is stunning. Each emits a different sound, and many are low booming sounds, with a few higher pitch sounds interspersed, but they make a very beautiful chanting chorus when combined together.

On the 2nd floor, one can find several of Juria's kinetic sound sculptures. These are also activated by walking into or through them. Some are prim-based, such as "Mixed Opposites" depicted on the lift, while others are kinetic sculpties, such as "Hunter and Prey" shown on the right. The latter sculpture changes form continuously with an animal-like sinuosity, hence the title of the sculpture.

In addition to several other pieces within the gallery, there are also a number of eye-catching kinetic sculptures around the gallery building, many created by Josina Burgess. Josina is also the owner of the "Wearable Art" shop nearby, which seems to have some interesting items on sale.

The Gallery space itself is also a very interesting and beautiful build, consisting of several "four petaled" gallery floors that are transparent and float one above the other. This Gallery is worth a visit. The exhibition is announced from November 1st to December 31st, so there are only a few weeks left to see it. So make haste!

Diabolus Art Space (251, 128, 22)

SL Art Wiki!

2007-12-06T12:06:00.001-08:00

written by Cyanide Seelowe

In an attempt to centralize the knowledge that is held within the Second Life art community in one convenient place, I have initiated SLartpedia, Second Life's first SL Art wiki!

Its infinite depths are slowly being filled with knowledge of our art community, drop by precious drop-- please help me to make this a handy resource for people in-world and out by contributing!

Don't wait for someone to make an entry about you or your gallery or your accomplishments-- who can describe you and your efforts better than... yourself?

SLartpedia!

Anniversary — Blekinge Sculpture Park

2007-12-05T19:28:00.000-08:00

The Blekinge Sculpture Park celebrates its one year anniversary as an artistic oasis within Second Life. Congratulations to Rezago Kokorin—thanks for giving us this wonderful space to enjoy!

Photo: cypress Rosewood performs live at Blekinge...

Artist Panel @ Oyster Bay

2007-11-26T22:15:00.000-08:00

provided by Cyanide Seelowe

Recently in Oyster Bay, artists Madcow Cosmos, Flithly Fluno, Cheen Pitney and Gracie Kendal with Moderator Morris Vig got together to discuss "success in Second Life art". Here's the transcript, in case you missed it!

[2007/11/26 18:01] Morris Vig: Cheen, MC, filthy, come on down!
[2007/11/26 18:01] Object: Max Janick, say '/1 Hide' to hide me, or '/1 Show' to make me show. Or just right-click and sit on me to use me.
[2007/11/26 18:01] Filthy Fluno: tell that to my wife metalhead
[2007/11/26 18:02] Ludo Merit: Better too high than too low
[2007/11/26 18:02] Gracie Kendal: Jordan!!!!!
[2007/11/26 18:02] Filthy Fluno: ok
[2007/11/26 18:02] metalhead Cosmos: lololololol
[2007/11/26 18:02] Morris Vig: Hey J!
[2007/11/26 18:02] Morris Vig: Ever have a personalized poseball?
[2007/11/26 18:02] Morris Vig: lol
[2007/11/26 18:02] Cheen Pitney: o good placecards
[2007/11/26 18:02] Isolde Flamand: hello Tricia!
[2007/11/26 18:02] Xander Ruttan: Hi everyone!
[2007/11/26 18:02] metalhead Cosmos: yep
[2007/11/26 18:02] Tricia Aferdita: Hi Isolde!
[2007/11/26 18:02] Isolde Flamand: Hi Xander
[2007/11/26 18:02] Cheen Pitney: guess I know my place
[2007/11/26 18:02] Tricia Aferdita: Hi Everyone!
[2007/11/26 18:02] metalhead Cosmos: I have alll kinds a toys
[2007/11/26 18:02] Gracie Kendal: LOL well....it depends :P
[2007/11/26 18:02] Xander Ruttan: hi isolde
[2007/11/26 18:03] Morris Vig: OK let's get this party started. A couple ground rules. We're gonna use text chat so we can keep a transcript. Please respect the speaker. If you havea question, please IM me and I'll call on you.
[2007/11/26 18:03] Max Janick: was that someone's mic? :o
[2007/11/26 18:03] Sasun Steinbeck is Online
[2007/11/26 18:03] Cylindrian Rutabaga: oh no
[2007/11/26 18:03] Cylindrian Rutabaga: Filthy's SINGING
[2007/11/26 18:03] metalhead Cosmos: sorry if you got a "burst" of Van halen
[2007/11/26 18:03] Max Janick: yay filthy!
[2007/11/26 18:03] Cylindrian Rutabaga: he's supposed to be naked when singing
[2007/11/26 18:03] metalhead Cosmos: I hit the wrong button
[2007/11/26 18:03] Morris Vig: Getting started, I want to welcome you all. Let's thank Enniv Zarf and Cyanide Seelowe for spurring discussion of this topic
[2007/11/26 18:04] Cylindrian Rutabaga: that was beautiful!!!
[2007/11/26 18:04] Filthy Fluno: k
[2007/11/26 18:04] Cylindrian Rutabaga: ENCORE!!!
[2007/11/26 18:04] Filthy Fluno: only 1$?
[2007/11/26 18:04] Filthy Fluno: ouch
[2007/11/26 18:04] Max Janick: ENCORE!
[2007/11/26 18:04] Morris Vig: the "Best of SL Art" has been a topic of conversation, but there are some fun, fundamental isuses...like what makes you the best? and, by extension, what makes you successful?
[2007/11/26 18:04] Gracie Kendal: LOL
[2007/11/26 18:04] Gracie Kendal: Is that was this talk was for?
[2007/11/26 18:04] Morris Vig: So let's let our esteemed panel kick it off. How do you folks define success in SL art?
[2007/11/26 18:05] Morris Vig: um yeah kinda G
[2007/11/26 18:05] Teofila Matova is Online
[2007/11/26 18:05] metalhead Cosmos: well i would think income amount determines success in SL....just like RL
[2007/11/26 18:05] Gracie Kendal: I have no idea :P
[2007/11/26 18:05] Filthy Fluno: metalhead
[2007/11/26 18:05] Filthy Fluno: that is a good point
[2007/11/26 18:05] Max Janick: You honestly can't define 'best' in objective terms unless you gauge success as monetary gain. And that opens a whole chestnut of controversy
[2007/11/26 18:05] AldoManutio Abruzzo is Offline
[2007/11/26 18:06] Gracie Kendal: I think success and best are two different things
[2007/11/26 18:06] metalhead Cosmos: I have GREAT 3d art.....but I am unsuccesful because I do not sell very many
[2007/11/26 18:06] Filthy Fluno: me too
[2007/11/26 18:06] Filthy Fluno: how about panelists get to comment
[2007/11/26 18:06] Filthy Fluno: then audience
[2007/11/26 18:06] Filthy Fluno: MAX?!!!
[2007/11/26 18:06] Morris Vig: fire away filthy
[2007/11/26 18:06] Filthy Fluno: ahemmmmm
[2007/11/26 18:06] Filthy Fluno: ok
[2007/11/26 18:06] Morris Vig: how do you measure success?
[2007/11/26 18:06] Filthy Fluno: where was i
[2007/11/26 18:06] Filthy Fluno: yes
[2007/11/26 18:06] Max Janick: I'll agree, but only if you sing again
[2007/11/26 18:07] Filthy Fluno: selling is important if that's your goal
[2007/11/26 18:07] metalhead Cosmos: lol
[2007/11/26 18:07] Max Janick: <3
[2007/11/26 18:07] Filthy Fluno: i will talk about selling
[2007/11/26 18:07] Filthy Fluno: since that is my prioirty in here... i gotta pay my mortgage by selling art
[2007/11/26 18:07] Gracie Kendal: for me its not about selling
[2007/11/26 18:07] Cheen Pitney: I think it depends on who is defining it someone else or the artis him or her self
[2007/11/26 18:07] Gracie Kendal: its getting my work and 'name' out to a larger audience
[2007/11/26 18:07] metalhead Cosmos: true
[2007/11/26 18:08] Filthy Fluno: yes.. so let's just speak to what our individual goals are
[2007/11/26 18:08] Gracie Kendal: I ws averaging 40-50 sales a month
[2007/11/26 18:08] metalhead Cosmos: I have been told by some of the most succesful ppl in SL that my art is top notch and I should be doing really well....but again.....I'm not
[2007/11/26 18:08] Blackthorn Hare: Isn't this discussion going to come down to "We all define success on our own terms?"
[2007/11/26 18:08] Gracie Kendal: of course, we all know that has considerably slowed down
[2007/11/26 18:08] Filthy Fluno: ok
[2007/11/26 18:08] Filthy Fluno: first
[2007/11/26 18:09] Gracie Kendal: But success for me is using my art for charity...
[2007/11/26 18:09] Carrie Tatsu is Online
[2007/11/26 18:09] Cheen Pitney: honorable ideal Grace
[2007/11/26 18:09] Filthy Fluno: i'll come out and say that anyone who says they have the best, or most successful this or that is usually full of shit
[2007/11/26 18:09] metalhead Cosmos: I was trying to supplement my retirement with art in SL and online
[2007/11/26 18:09] Filthy Fluno: there's too much criteria
[2007/11/26 18:09] Filthy Fluno: contests...
[2007/11/26 18:09] Filthy Fluno: blah
[2007/11/26 18:09] Filthy Fluno: best of SL
[2007/11/26 18:09] Filthy Fluno: is caca
[2007/11/26 18:09] Failius Falta is Offline
[2007/11/26 18:10] Kafka Joubert: throwing fancy french aorunds i see
[2007/11/26 18:10] Filthy Fluno: its all about longevity
[2007/11/26 18:10] Gracie Kendal: LOL
[2007/11/26 18:10] Filthy Fluno: perservearance
[2007/11/26 18:10] Filthy Fluno: and making the best art you can
[2007/11/26 18:10] Madcow Cosmos: Contests are not about winning so much as name recognition
[2007/11/26 18:10] metalhead Cosmos: well i consider someone who clears $8,000k US pretty damn successful
[2007/11/26 18:10] Morris Vig: but you have to agree, Filthy, that the notion of success is worth discussing, only because the nature of SL really makes it different than RL.
[2007/11/26 18:10] Filthy Fluno: that's fine
[2007/11/26 18:10] Ludo Merit: who?
[2007/11/26 18:10] Cheen Pitney: woo who does that
[2007/11/26 18:10] metalhead Cosmos: thats weekly btw
[2007/11/26 18:10] Filthy Fluno: who is doing that metalhead
[2007/11/26 18:11] metalhead Cosmos: my buddy Ninja Petion
[2007/11/26 18:11] Morris Vig: Nice gig.
[2007/11/26 18:11] Cheen Pitney: well count me in on that gravy trai
[2007/11/26 18:11] metalhead Cosmos: he got me into SL to design for him
[2007/11/26 18:11] Gracie Kendal: selling art?
[2007/11/26 18:11] Filthy Fluno: i agree morris
[2007/11/26 18:11] metalhead Cosmos: No...he owns an island and a mall
[2007/11/26 18:11] Gracie Kendal: I have never heard of him
[2007/11/26 18:11] Filthy Fluno: but.. .who is the most succesfful?
[2007/11/26 18:11] Gracie Kendal: well..thats different
[2007/11/26 18:11] Filthy Fluno: who cares?
[2007/11/26 18:11] metalhead Cosmos: clothes shoes jewelry etc
[2007/11/26 18:11] Filthy Fluno: what can make people successful is the key
[2007/11/26 18:11] Gracie Kendal: thats art in its own right
[2007/11/26 18:11] metalhead Cosmos: to ME ....he is successful at SL
[2007/11/26 18:11] Gracie Kendal: but now what we are talkign about
[2007/11/26 18:11] Filthy Fluno: ok
[2007/11/26 18:12] Filthy Fluno: but.. i've never heard of him
[2007/11/26 18:12] Filthy Fluno: as far as i know
[2007/11/26 18:12] Cheen Pitney: and he dont care
[2007/11/26 18:12] metalhead Cosmos: Digital Dragon Designs?
[2007/11/26 18:12] Filthy Fluno: you are him
[2007/11/26 18:12] Cheen Pitney: hahaha
[2007/11/26 18:12] Morris Vig: We've got some real definite opinions on this. Financially, that's a criteria.
[2007/11/26 18:12] Morris Vig: What about word of mouth?
[2007/11/26 18:12] Gracie Kendal: Absolutely
[2007/11/26 18:12] metalhead Cosmos: what?......are you on crack or something?
[2007/11/26 18:12] Cheen Pitney: well accolades are nice
[2007/11/26 18:12] Filthy Fluno: saying that someone sold $8k of stuff in SL
[2007/11/26 18:12] Gracie Kendal: Its who ya know :))
[2007/11/26 18:12] Filthy Fluno: is pointless
[2007/11/26 18:13] Gracie Kendal: LOL
[2007/11/26 18:13] Shawn Beaumont: is everyone supposed to turn off voice?
[2007/11/26 18:13] RITCHEY Jacobus is Online
[2007/11/26 18:13] Morris Vig waits for Gracie to bring up the SL Art Mafia....
[2007/11/26 18:13] Gracie Kendal: Me, you started it!!!!
[2007/11/26 18:13] Gracie Kendal: LOL
[2007/11/26 18:13] Gracie Kendal: yoru the godfather arent you?
[2007/11/26 18:13] Madcow Cosmos: Word of mouth is a ends to a means. Its not about recognition so much as what that regogition brings
[2007/11/26 18:13] Filthy Fluno: success for me is for everyone to know that I am Filthy FLuno, avatar of the RL artist Jeffrey Lipsky
[2007/11/26 18:13] Morris Vig: Yes, we're using text chat to ensure a transcript
[2007/11/26 18:13] Mark Cassini is Online
[2007/11/26 18:14] Morris Vig: and you use SL to sell RL art, right, Filthy?
[2007/11/26 18:14] Filthy Fluno: for people to know that the art i make is important
[2007/11/26 18:14] Gracie Kendal: yes, but..for me its about getting my passion out there...
[2007/11/26 18:14] Cheen Pitney: and 2d artists have it there
[2007/11/26 18:14] Filthy Fluno: yes i do morris
[2007/11/26 18:14] Filthy Fluno: i've tried other ways
[2007/11/26 18:14] Cheen Pitney: it translates int rl much better
[2007/11/26 18:14] Filthy Fluno: SL works the best for me to hook up opportunites and sell art
[2007/11/26 18:14] Morris Vig: get your passion out there, Gracie?
[2007/11/26 18:14] metalhead Cosmos: wow you seem like a self centered , egomaniac
[2007/11/26 18:14] Gracie Kendal: I woudl love to use SL as a vehicle to get into a RL gallery
[2007/11/26 18:14] Filthy Fluno: metalhead
[2007/11/26 18:14] metalhead Cosmos: yes?
[2007/11/26 18:15] Filthy Fluno: you've done most of the talking here
[2007/11/26 18:15] Cheen Pitney: the internet is your gallery
[2007/11/26 18:15] metalhead Cosmos: and?
[2007/11/26 18:15] Lanai Jarrico is Online
[2007/11/26 18:15] Morris Vig: would you find getting into a RL gallery as a point of success, Gracie?
[2007/11/26 18:15] Gracie Kendal: absolutely
[2007/11/26 18:15] metalhead Cosmos: your keyboard works right?
[2007/11/26 18:15] Filthy Fluno: and the four of us on stage were invited to present
[2007/11/26 18:15] Filthy Fluno: you're not letting us
[2007/11/26 18:15] Filthy Fluno: there needs to be some kind of organization here
[2007/11/26 18:15] Gracie Kendal: for me thats part of it....
[2007/11/26 18:15] Filthy Fluno: so please let other's talk
[2007/11/26 18:16] Filthy Fluno: and don't name call
[2007/11/26 18:16] Gracie Kendal: I also find success in bing able to talk about my work with people from all over the world
[2007/11/26 18:16] Gracie Kendal: which SL provides
[2007/11/26 18:16] Morris Vig: Yes, thank you Filthy
[2007/11/26 18:16] metalhead Cosmos: sorry ....part of my military "take charge" attitude
[2007/11/26 18:16] Settezin Zabelin is Offline
[2007/11/26 18:16] Cheen Pitney: yes that is good
[2007/11/26 18:16] Filthy Fluno: meh
[2007/11/26 18:16] Morris Vig: Cheen - build on that, please
[2007/11/26 18:16] MadelMan Benelli is Offline
[2007/11/26 18:16] Cheen Pitney: to get lots of l=folks to see your work
[2007/11/26 18:16] Cheen Pitney: I get great joy when someone Ims
[2007/11/26 18:17] Morris Vig: exposure, a good thing indeed
[2007/11/26 18:17] Cheen Pitney: and say love your stuff
[2007/11/26 18:17] Gracie Kendal: absolutely
[2007/11/26 18:17] Gracie Kendal: people that you dont know
[2007/11/26 18:17] Filthy Fluno: yes.. i agree
[2007/11/26 18:17] metalhead Cosmos: so ....how does one go about becomeing MORE succesful if there goal is monetary achivement?
[2007/11/26 18:17] Gracie Kendal: its an amazing feeling
[2007/11/26 18:17] Cheen Pitney: from all over the world
[2007/11/26 18:17] Corcosman Voom: Oy
[2007/11/26 18:17] Morris Vig: Metalhead, please let the panelists talk
[2007/11/26 18:17] Filthy Fluno: that's a good question metalhead
[2007/11/26 18:17] Callipygian Christensen: metalhead, shutting up and listening is a good start imo
[2007/11/26 18:17] Filthy Fluno: can i try to answer it?
[2007/11/26 18:17] Morris Vig: Sure
[2007/11/26 18:17] Madcow Cosmos: Better you than me filthy
[2007/11/26 18:17] Filthy Fluno: ok...so
[2007/11/26 18:18] Filthy Fluno: people send me im's say they like it
[2007/11/26 18:18] Filthy Fluno: me as in.. the artist
[2007/11/26 18:18] Filthy Fluno: i collect these names
[2007/11/26 18:18] Filthy Fluno: and at the end of each week
[2007/11/26 18:18] Filthy Fluno: contact them
[2007/11/26 18:18] Filthy Fluno: same with my visitor counter
[2007/11/26 18:18] Filthy Fluno: follow up is crucial
[2007/11/26 18:18] Cheen Pitney: yes
[2007/11/26 18:18] Filthy Fluno: "you came to my gallery, you said you liked.. let's talk
[2007/11/26 18:18] Filthy Fluno: just like RL
[2007/11/26 18:18] Gracie Kendal: Absolutely
[2007/11/26 18:19] Filthy Fluno: you ALWAYS gotta follow up
[2007/11/26 18:19] Filthy Fluno: if not
[2007/11/26 18:19] Ludo Merit: Oh, does that bring the price down?
[2007/11/26 18:19] Cheen Pitney: up hahahah
[2007/11/26 18:19] Filthy Fluno: does what bring the price down?
[2007/11/26 18:19] IanLee Patton: hehehe
[2007/11/26 18:19] Gracie Kendal: LOL
[2007/11/26 18:19] Morris Vig: heh
[2007/11/26 18:19] Filthy Fluno: whooooosh.. over my head
[2007/11/26 18:19] Ludo Merit: If I say I like something does that somehowe make me able to afford it?
[2007/11/26 18:19] Morris Vig: So does that get you sales - RL or sl?
[2007/11/26 18:19] Filthy Fluno: no
[2007/11/26 18:19] Filthy Fluno: liking and affording are two different things
[2007/11/26 18:19] Cheen Pitney: makes good vibrations
[2007/11/26 18:20] Filthy Fluno: but... its a good start
[2007/11/26 18:20] Cheen Pitney: gtsyour name out positively
[2007/11/26 18:20] Ludo Merit: So you can follow up with me and I still won't buy.
[2007/11/26 18:20] Morris Vig: so relationships - that's part of the package
[2007/11/26 18:20] Filthy Fluno: i could care less if people llike the art i make
[2007/11/26 18:20] Filthy Fluno: if i cared.. .the art wouldn't be the same
[2007/11/26 18:20] Cheen Pitney: but you may tell a friend
[2007/11/26 18:20] Filthy Fluno: i'd just churn out the same caca
[2007/11/26 18:20] Filthy Fluno: and keep it safe
[2007/11/26 18:20] Faust Milev is Offline
[2007/11/26 18:20] Filthy Fluno: the fact is that not every artist is gonna make it in here
[2007/11/26 18:21] Filthy Fluno: actually... the minority will
[2007/11/26 18:21] metalhead Cosmos: so what your saying is "networking" is the key
[2007/11/26 18:21] Filthy Fluno: yes metalhead.. networking is huge
[2007/11/26 18:21] Cheen Pitney: get your name out there
[2007/11/26 18:21] Filthy Fluno: nothing really surprising about that
[2007/11/26 18:21] Madcow Cosmos: By make it do you mean in the financial sense only?
[2007/11/26 18:21] Cheen Pitney: there are so many folks here
[2007/11/26 18:21] Filthy Fluno: i mean to make it as in... be able to sustain yourself as an artist
[2007/11/26 18:21] Cheen Pitney: catch as many as you can
[2007/11/26 18:21] Filthy Fluno: some people need compliments
[2007/11/26 18:21] Filthy Fluno: and need to be liked
[2007/11/26 18:22] Filthy Fluno: and need their art to be liked
[2007/11/26 18:22] Cheen Pitney: the wider you cast the net
[2007/11/26 18:22] Morris Vig: OK Madcow, pipe in. You're a prolific guy. What happened to make you think you might be successful in SL art?
[2007/11/26 18:23] Corcosman Voom: Crashed?
[2007/11/26 18:23] Madcow Cosmos: Well My goal has nothing to do with finance, I'm about 3 30 item vendors behind in even getting my things to market
[2007/11/26 18:23] MadelMan Benelli is Online
[2007/11/26 18:23] Faust Milev is Online
[2007/11/26 18:23] Morris Vig: then what's the goal for you?
[2007/11/26 18:23] Cheen Pitney: beauty
[2007/11/26 18:23] Cheen Pitney: bony beauty
[2007/11/26 18:23] Alander Starostin: wow
[2007/11/26 18:23] Madcow Cosmos: My goal was to share my imagination with others and keep the virtual world as wierd as my personal one
[2007/11/26 18:23] Alander Starostin: hi every body
[2007/11/26 18:23] Filthy Fluno: so cheen.. you don't need the $$ to survive in RL
[2007/11/26 18:23] Gracie Kendal: Yes
[2007/11/26 18:24] Cheen Pitney: well I must say it helps
[2007/11/26 18:24] Richarrd Larsson is Online
[2007/11/26 18:24] Cheen Pitney: dont pay the bills but
[2007/11/26 18:24] Madcow Cosmos: I don't even need my name attached to things but without recognition its hard to open doors
[2007/11/26 18:24] Filthy Fluno: so what makes you successful panelists?
[2007/11/26 18:24] Morris Vig: Gracie, you market your works and your galleries as well as any artist. What drives you?
[2007/11/26 18:24] Filthy Fluno: what are you doing to be successful here?
[2007/11/26 18:24] Filthy Fluno: sorry morris
[2007/11/26 18:24] Morris Vig: np filthy
[2007/11/26 18:25] Filthy Fluno: didn't mean to jump in there
[2007/11/26 18:25] Morris Vig: it's all about dialogue
[2007/11/26 18:25] cypress Rosewood is Online
[2007/11/26 18:25] Gracie Kendal: well..it definitely isnt the money...LOL
[2007/11/26 18:25] Gracie Kendal: I knew when I becaame an artist..that I would be starving..so I got my degree in Art History...
[2007/11/26 18:25] Gracie Kendal: but..I LOVE art
[2007/11/26 18:25] Gracie Kendal: I am here...and I show my works..because of that love
[2007/11/26 18:25] Cheen Pitney: and it shows
[2007/11/26 18:25] Filthy Fluno: gracie
[2007/11/26 18:25] Morris Vig: clearly
[2007/11/26 18:26] Cheen Pitney: you hold true
[2007/11/26 18:26] Gracie Kendal: Thank you :)
[2007/11/26 18:26] Filthy Fluno: let's say you get that killer dream job at a museum
[2007/11/26 18:26] Filthy Fluno: in RL
[2007/11/26 18:26] Filthy Fluno: and you got no more time for SL
[2007/11/26 18:26] Filthy Fluno: what happens then?
[2007/11/26 18:26] Gracie Kendal: My ultimate dream job....honestly.....
[2007/11/26 18:26] Gracie Kendal: is to be a full time artist...
[2007/11/26 18:26] Gracie Kendal: not rich...
[2007/11/26 18:26] Carrie Tatsu is Offline
[2007/11/26 18:26] Gracie Kendal: but being able to live off pof creating
[2007/11/26 18:26] Morris Vig: a reasonable standard, RL or SL
[2007/11/26 18:26] Cheen Pitney: the pyramid is steep Grace
[2007/11/26 18:26] Gracie Kendal: I will always have tim e for Sl
[2007/11/26 18:27] Gracie Kendal: LOL
[2007/11/26 18:27] Filthy Fluno: that's good news
[2007/11/26 18:27] Cheen Pitney: only one eric clapton
[2007/11/26 18:27] Filthy Fluno: yes
[2007/11/26 18:27] Gracie Kendal: Yes, exactl CHeen
[2007/11/26 18:27] Madcow Cosmos: I'd rather be dream unemployed than have a dream job
[2007/11/26 18:27] Gracie Kendal: LOL yea
[2007/11/26 18:27] Gracie Kendal: I am right now...LOL
[2007/11/26 18:27] Cheen Pitney: that is cool too
[2007/11/26 18:27] Morris Vig: OK Cheen - you don't own land in SL, right? Is there a financial imperative for you?
[2007/11/26 18:27] Gracie Kendal: so if anyone is hiring :))
[2007/11/26 18:27] Cheen Pitney: of the passion is there
[2007/11/26 18:27] Filthy Fluno: hire her already!
[2007/11/26 18:27] Morris Vig: amen, filthy.
[2007/11/26 18:28] Cheen Pitney: well yes there is
[2007/11/26 18:28] Morris Vig: is that it?
[2007/11/26 18:28] Gracie Kendal: lol
[2007/11/26 18:28] Cheen Pitney: to keep you going hahahaha
[2007/11/26 18:28] Morris Vig: ah - the Vig Fund for O.B. Preservation
[2007/11/26 18:28] Morris Vig: but enough of that
[2007/11/26 18:28] Gracie Kendal: LOL
[2007/11/26 18:28] Cheen Pitney: its in the mix but not the total picture
[2007/11/26 18:29] Morris Vig: flesh it out, please
[2007/11/26 18:29] Cheen Pitney: I was totally amazed when that became viable
[2007/11/26 18:29] Morris Vig: (not the Vig stuff)
[2007/11/26 18:29] cypress Rosewood is Offline
[2007/11/26 18:29] Gracie Kendal: I mean..check out t new Christmans tree that Madcow created....and all of the artist working together...I think that is an amazing collaboration
[2007/11/26 18:29] Cheen Pitney: and I am not rich
[2007/11/26 18:29] Cheen Pitney: by any means
[2007/11/26 18:29] Cheen Pitney: here or there
[2007/11/26 18:29] Gracie Kendal: sorry..cheen :)
[2007/11/26 18:29] cypress Rosewood is Online
[2007/11/26 18:30] Cheen Pitney: np
[2007/11/26 18:30] Filthy Fluno: i'd also like to add
[2007/11/26 18:30] Morris Vig: please do
[2007/11/26 18:30] Thinkerer Melville is Online
[2007/11/26 18:30] Filthy Fluno: you gotta educate yourself to the market forces in SL
[2007/11/26 18:30] Filthy Fluno: first and foremost
[2007/11/26 18:30] Morris Vig: talk about that
[2007/11/26 18:30] Filthy Fluno: they're crazily unstable
[2007/11/26 18:30] Filthy Fluno: but
[2007/11/26 18:30] Morris Vig: how so?
[2007/11/26 18:30] Madcow Cosmos: Filth always sells though, good choice in names.
[2007/11/26 18:30] Filthy Fluno: the best read I've found is Slart Magazine's pdf download
[2007/11/26 18:31] Morris Vig: heh MC
[2007/11/26 18:31] Filthy Fluno: he's a Real life economist
[2007/11/26 18:31] Filthy Fluno: art collector
[2007/11/26 18:31] Filthy Fluno: artist
[2007/11/26 18:31] Filthy Fluno: administrator
[2007/11/26 18:31] Filthy Fluno: and really grumpy usually.. .the grumpy guys usually know their shit
[2007/11/26 18:31] Morris Vig: this is ArtWorld Market, you mean
[2007/11/26 18:31] Filthy Fluno: yes
[2007/11/26 18:31] Ludo Merit: When is question time?
[2007/11/26 18:31] Madcow Cosmos: You said earlier that you didn't let others enjoyment of your work effect its creation, so how do you use what you find there filthy?
[2007/11/26 18:32] Morris Vig: we'll start on questions in a second. If you have any, IM me and I'll call on you
[2007/11/26 18:32] Morris Vig: FYI - ArtWorld's blog: http://slartblog.blogspot.com/
[2007/11/26 18:32] Filthy Fluno: madcow...
[2007/11/26 18:32] Filthy Fluno: its actually www.slartmagazine.com
[2007/11/26 18:32] Filthy Fluno: but anyway
[2007/11/26 18:33] Filthy Fluno: i listen to how to make your art grow in value
[2007/11/26 18:33] Filthy Fluno: how to make good decisions
[2007/11/26 18:33] Filthy Fluno: that will help me market my art
[2007/11/26 18:33] Filthy Fluno: as far as my art "being good?
[2007/11/26 18:34] Filthy Fluno: well... i know i work my ass off to make it
[2007/11/26 18:34] Sky Hye: It's good
[2007/11/26 18:34] Cheen Pitney: ye of the geholder
[2007/11/26 18:34] Morris Vig: agreed
[2007/11/26 18:34] Cheen Pitney: eye
[2007/11/26 18:34] Filthy Fluno: and when i see it, it makes me warm in the pants
[2007/11/26 18:34] Filthy Fluno: so i know its done
[2007/11/26 18:34] Morris Vig: OK got a question from Ludo. Any others with questions, IM me to get in line.
[2007/11/26 18:34] Filthy Fluno: to me....
[2007/11/26 18:35] Morris Vig: whoops sorry filthy
[2007/11/26 18:35] Filthy Fluno: SL is AMAZING place to find art enthusiasts
[2007/11/26 18:35] Cheen Pitney: and you have a good approech F
[2007/11/26 18:35] Filthy Fluno: ok.. .i'm done.. hee hee
[2007/11/26 18:35] Morris Vig: Ludo?
[2007/11/26 18:35] Filthy Fluno: yes i do cheen
[2007/11/26 18:35] You decline When Worlds Collide Radio Show from A group member named cypress Rosewood.
[2007/11/26 18:35] Filthy Fluno: fire away ludo
[2007/11/26 18:35] Ludo Merit: y question. I create things that might be art, might be useful, might be both. Is it worth the trouble to sell them or won't I make back the cost of the vendors?
[2007/11/26 18:35] Ludo Merit: And what is the time-money tradeoff
[2007/11/26 18:36] Cheen Pitney: you gotta try
[2007/11/26 18:36] Cheen Pitney: if folks buy
[2007/11/26 18:36] Ludo Merit: I have
[2007/11/26 18:36] Filthy Fluno: i'd say you need to be in SL for at least 20 hours a week
[2007/11/26 18:36] Cheen Pitney: keep it up
[2007/11/26 18:36] Filthy Fluno: that's what seems to work for me
[2007/11/26 18:36] Ludo Merit: I am
[2007/11/26 18:36] Morris Vig: why 20, filthy?
[2007/11/26 18:36] Ludo Merit: But not just working on art
[2007/11/26 18:36] Filthy Fluno: well... you gotta never shutup about what you do
[2007/11/26 18:36] Filthy Fluno: that's my secret mostly
[2007/11/26 18:36] Ludo Merit: Good point
[2007/11/26 18:36] Cheen Pitney: and be seen
[2007/11/26 18:37] Morris Vig: Be seen?
[2007/11/26 18:37] Cheen Pitney: your art and YOU
[2007/11/26 18:37] Filthy Fluno: i assume everyone will be excited to see my messy drawings about SL people, places, and events
[2007/11/26 18:37] Filthy Fluno: i am my art
[2007/11/26 18:37] Cheen Pitney: once again cast a wide net
[2007/11/26 18:37] Morris Vig: How do YOU "be seen"?
[2007/11/26 18:37] Filthy Fluno: points to his title
[2007/11/26 18:37] Tony Lockjaw is Offline
[2007/11/26 18:37] Ludo Merit: I am being seen herre and I am wearing a product of my art
[2007/11/26 18:37] Filthy Fluno: great! you're on your way then
[2007/11/26 18:37] Cheen Pitney: and you must get into malls
[2007/11/26 18:37] Cheen Pitney: god forbid
[2007/11/26 18:38] Ludo Merit: Shameless plug
[2007/11/26 18:38] Cheen Pitney: where folks are
[2007/11/26 18:38] Ludo Merit: That costs money
[2007/11/26 18:38] Tony Lockjaw is Online
[2007/11/26 18:38] Cheen Pitney: even if only one in a hundred likes you
[2007/11/26 18:38] Cheen Pitney: agreed
[2007/11/26 18:38] Filthy Fluno: gotta pay to play i think
[2007/11/26 18:38] Cheen Pitney: we were all lucky lets face it
[2007/11/26 18:38] Ludo Merit: I'm way in the hole right now
[2007/11/26 18:38] Cheen Pitney: folks like our stuff
[2007/11/26 18:38] Filthy Fluno: if you're way in the hole, maybe you need to stop, reassess
[2007/11/26 18:39] Cheen Pitney: are you in slx
[2007/11/26 18:39] Cheen Pitney: its free
[2007/11/26 18:39] Morris Vig: slx = www.slexchange.com
[2007/11/26 18:39] Ludo Merit: Good point, Cheen
[2007/11/26 18:39] Filthy Fluno: oh!
[2007/11/26 18:39] Filthy Fluno: and my all means.. get a gallery and do events
[2007/11/26 18:39] Cheen Pitney: yes
[2007/11/26 18:39] Filthy Fluno: you gotta do events if you're an artist
[2007/11/26 18:40] Gracie Kendal: absolutely
[2007/11/26 18:40] Cheen Pitney: and join galleries
[2007/11/26 18:40] Gracie Kendal: and collaborate
[2007/11/26 18:40] Gracie Kendal: with musicians,
[2007/11/26 18:40] Ludo Merit: Are events something like book signings?
[2007/11/26 18:40] Morris Vig: on that front, Xander has a question
[2007/11/26 18:40] Gracie Kendal: anything..you can think of
[2007/11/26 18:40] Cheen Pitney: approach owners
[2007/11/26 18:40] Filthy Fluno: yes ludo
[2007/11/26 18:40] Madcow Cosmos: I think you are crazy if you are not at the events, they are fun in and of themselves
[2007/11/26 18:40] Filthy Fluno: fire away xander
[2007/11/26 18:40] Ludo Merit: Thanks all
[2007/11/26 18:40] Filthy Fluno: totally madcow
[2007/11/26 18:40] Morris Vig: (BTW, Xander's Cetus District was the #1 arts venue in the Corsa Guide poll. congrats!)
[2007/11/26 18:40] Cheen Pitney: I talk to mall owneres and say do you want a massive prim sculpture hahaha
[2007/11/26 18:41] Xander Ruttan: In the RL art world, a very negative perception exists about self promotion. What can SL artists do to counteract the negatives of going it alone without representation?
[2007/11/26 18:41] Scarp Godenot: Good job xander.
[2007/11/26 18:41] Xander Ruttan: thanks Morris
[2007/11/26 18:41] Filthy Fluno: they can stick it out
[2007/11/26 18:41] Cheen Pitney: well I have an agent
[2007/11/26 18:41] Filthy Fluno: and be successful artists
[2007/11/26 18:41] Morris Vig: you do, Cheen?
[2007/11/26 18:41] Cheen Pitney: and he works for me
[2007/11/26 18:41] Cheen Pitney: yes
[2007/11/26 18:41] Morris Vig: had no idea
[2007/11/26 18:41] Cheen Pitney: folks find him and he brings them
[2007/11/26 18:42] Filthy Fluno: and if you can't stick it out on your own, or find an agent... then just do SL for fun
[2007/11/26 18:42] Cheen Pitney: not for everyone of course
[2007/11/26 18:42] Gracie Kendal: I think it depends on where you show...in Rl....
[2007/11/26 18:42] Cheen Pitney: exactly thats why we all started
[2007/11/26 18:42] Cheen Pitney: and are still here ... funn
[2007/11/26 18:42] Gracie Kendal: And who givves that nevative perception of self promotion???
[2007/11/26 18:42] Gracie Kendal: theelite galleries, saatchi,...etc
[2007/11/26 18:42] Morris Vig: Gracie, Xander's question runs up your alley as you market pretty hard. How do you self-promote and keep a positive perception?
[2007/11/26 18:42] Filthy Fluno: gracie
[2007/11/26 18:43] Filthy Fluno: the people that make money off of selling your art
[2007/11/26 18:43] Filthy Fluno: that's who
[2007/11/26 18:43] Amelie Dibou is Online
[2007/11/26 18:43] Gracie Kendal: Artnews magazine has an artists directory twice a year that you can put yoru own art in
[2007/11/26 18:43] Blue Tsuki is Offline
[2007/11/26 18:43] Filthy Fluno: great idea gracie
[2007/11/26 18:43] Filthy Fluno: not too expensive either
[2007/11/26 18:43] Morris Vig: Excellent call.
[2007/11/26 18:44] Gracie Kendal: well...I am just starting to promote myself in RL honestly..I have been goign to school so long...
[2007/11/26 18:44] Gracie Kendal: after this great reception here....I am workign on RL...
[2007/11/26 18:44] Gracie Kendal: but...its not the same...
[2007/11/26 18:44] Cheen Pitney: thats another way to succeess being mentioned in publications
[2007/11/26 18:44] Gracie Kendal: I have submitted to juried art competitions..and
[2007/11/26 18:44] Gracie Kendal: been rejected many times
[2007/11/26 18:44] Filthy Fluno: and not only to get published... you need to publicize your publicity!
[2007/11/26 18:44] Ludo Merit chuckles
[2007/11/26 18:45] Gracie Kendal: yes, absolutely...
[2007/11/26 18:45] Filthy Fluno: for example...
[2007/11/26 18:45] Gracie Kendal: which I am starrting to do...
[2007/11/26 18:45] Morris Vig: Scarp - You're up. What's on your mind?
[2007/11/26 18:46] Scarp Godenot: Yeah, what is a good size for a decent gallery, 512 seems too small....
[2007/11/26 18:46] Object: Isolde Flamand, say '/1 Hide' to hide me, or '/1 Show' to make me show. Or just right-click and sit on me to use me.
[2007/11/26 18:46] Morris Vig: what type of art, Scarp?
[2007/11/26 18:46] Filthy Fluno: well
[2007/11/26 18:46] Cheen Pitney: 2d its fine
[2007/11/26 18:46] Madcow Cosmos: I have a few pieces under 512 prims
[2007/11/26 18:46] Gracie Kendal: I think, honestly...getting in with a group gallery here is a good way to start
[2007/11/26 18:46] Morris Vig: lol MC
[2007/11/26 18:46] Cheen Pitney: yes
[2007/11/26 18:46] Gracie Kendal: Find out how the advertise
[2007/11/26 18:47] Gracie Kendal: what kind of events they have
[2007/11/26 18:47] Gracie Kendal: do they publicize in SL magazines..etc
[2007/11/26 18:47] Morris Vig: (or don't have)
[2007/11/26 18:47] Filthy Fluno: heehee
[2007/11/26 18:47] Cheen Pitney: and dont be afraed to offer freebees
[2007/11/26 18:47] Gracie Kendal: yes..Morris
[2007/11/26 18:47] Gracie Kendal: Yes, give away yoru art....
[2007/11/26 18:47] Gracie Kendal: LOL
[2007/11/26 18:47] Max Janick: worked for radiohead
[2007/11/26 18:47] Filthy Fluno: freebies?
[2007/11/26 18:47] Gracie Kendal: LOL true
[2007/11/26 18:47] Cheen Pitney: everyone who sees it might want one
[2007/11/26 18:47] Ludo Merit: Yeah, give away your art, Filthy
[2007/11/26 18:47] Cylindrian Rutabaga: freebies in exchange for what
[2007/11/26 18:47] Max Janick: publicity
[2007/11/26 18:48] Cylindrian Rutabaga: radiohead already is wellknown
[2007/11/26 18:48] Gracie Kendal: absolutely
[2007/11/26 18:48] Cylindrian Rutabaga: jo blow
[2007/11/26 18:48] Filthy Fluno: nope
[2007/11/26 18:48] Cylindrian Rutabaga: maybe not
[2007/11/26 18:48] Gracie Kendal: goes back to word of mouth
[2007/11/26 18:48] Max Janick: they are, but they paid no marketing costs for In Rainbows
[2007/11/26 18:48] Max Janick: yet they had more articles worldwide than anyone else that week
[2007/11/26 18:48] Gracie Kendal: I have people tell me all the time...my friend has a couple pieces...where is that for sale???
[2007/11/26 18:48] Gracie Kendal: I love that
[2007/11/26 18:48] Filthy Fluno: i have got feedback that...
[2007/11/26 18:49] Filthy Fluno: if its free? is it valuable?
[2007/11/26 18:49] Gracie Kendal: another thing we havent talked about is copies vs originals...
[2007/11/26 18:49] Cheen Pitney: well the prime stuff aint free
[2007/11/26 18:49] Filthy Fluno: let's talk about the whole freebie thing though
[2007/11/26 18:49] Filthy Fluno: seriously
[2007/11/26 18:49] Gracie Kendal: very true..is my art valuable..because I sell copies....
[2007/11/26 18:49] Gracie Kendal: ?
[2007/11/26 18:49] Kurisuti Kohime is Offline
[2007/11/26 18:49] Cheen Pitney: its like an appetizer
[2007/11/26 18:49] Cheen Pitney: you like this free one
[2007/11/26 18:50] Filthy Fluno: yes.. but what if someone is in LOVE with the free one
[2007/11/26 18:50] Cheen Pitney: wait till you see what you get for lindes
[2007/11/26 18:50] Filthy Fluno: and the expensive one sucks to them
[2007/11/26 18:50] Gracie Kendal: Ans will my new stuff be valuable if I start sellling limited editions?
[2007/11/26 18:50] Ludo Merit: Lucky art buyer
[2007/11/26 18:50] Madcow Cosmos: If peple want to carry around an advertizement for me I'm not one to complain
[2007/11/26 18:50] Filthy Fluno: lol
[2007/11/26 18:50] Cheen Pitney: as long as thy dont make babies hahaha
[2007/11/26 18:50] Filthy Fluno: what are they advertising i guess is imporatnt
[2007/11/26 18:50] Luthien Biziou is Online
[2007/11/26 18:51] Filthy Fluno: i used to do stuff for free in exchange for "promotions"
[2007/11/26 18:51] Filthy Fluno: and i'd say 90% of the time it didn't work
[2007/11/26 18:51] Ludo Merit nods.
[2007/11/26 18:51] Morris Vig: huh - who knew?
[2007/11/26 18:51] Filthy Fluno: again... this SL art scene isn't for everyone!
[2007/11/26 18:51] Richarrd Larsson is Offline
[2007/11/26 18:51] Morris Vig: Apologies to Alberto - apparently I didn't get his IM. Must be the O.B. lag. Alberto - please go ahead....
[2007/11/26 18:51] Cheen Pitney: well you have a good one going now
[2007/11/26 18:51] Alberto Salomon: thanks, what do you think is more importqnt now, to import RL art into SL or th eother way round?
[2007/11/26 18:52] Morris Vig: can you do it the other way around?
[2007/11/26 18:52] Gracie Kendal: LOL
[2007/11/26 18:52] Filthy Fluno: i do it
[2007/11/26 18:52] Cheen Pitney: well agaain its different for sculptors
[2007/11/26 18:52] Morris Vig: good point Cheen
[2007/11/26 18:52] Cheen Pitney: we are here and here only...mostly
[2007/11/26 18:52] Cheen Pitney: check my blog lol
[2007/11/26 18:52] Madcow Cosmos: Stupid RL gravity is always getting me down
[2007/11/26 18:52] Filthy Fluno: i make art about SL stuff.. import it into SL.. then export it into RL
[2007/11/26 18:52] Morris Vig: URL, please, Cheen?
[2007/11/26 18:52] Morris Vig: lol MC.
[2007/11/26 18:53] You: they have CNC machines that can replicate sculptures from virtual worlds.
[2007/11/26 18:53] Gracie Kendal: yea, but thats different Filthy
[2007/11/26 18:53] Gracie Kendal: because its still RL work
[2007/11/26 18:53] Cheen Pitney: in my profile
[2007/11/26 18:53] Filthy Fluno: its RL but would not exist without SL
[2007/11/26 18:53] Gracie Kendal: I have used SL images in my collages....
[2007/11/26 18:53] Gracie Kendal: but..they would exist a different way otherwise
[2007/11/26 18:53] Cheen Pitney: I urge you to check out Filthys method
[2007/11/26 18:53] Cheen Pitney: very cool
[2007/11/26 18:53] Gracie Kendal: they woudl still exxist tho
[2007/11/26 18:54] Filthy Fluno: gracie.. i totally disagree with that my friend
[2007/11/26 18:54] Filthy Fluno: it would be something else
[2007/11/26 18:54] Gracie Kendal: Well, I did say that...but yo woudl just have other inspiraation
[2007/11/26 18:54] Gracie Kendal: geesh..typo lag
[2007/11/26 18:55] Filthy Fluno: i'm not laggin... i'm just a little hopped up on the tequila
[2007/11/26 18:55] Filthy Fluno: weeeeeee!
[2007/11/26 18:55] Filthy Fluno: oh! and another very important thing
[2007/11/26 18:55] Filthy Fluno: don't take stuff TOOOO seriously in here
[2007/11/26 18:55] You decline MMAC - THE JAZZ LINK - Lobby Entry from A group member named Dash Renoir.
[2007/11/26 18:55] Filthy Fluno: i mean
[2007/11/26 18:55] Filthy Fluno: a sense of humor and giving people the benefit of the doubt is crucial sometimes
[2007/11/26 18:55] Filthy Fluno: like that dude that was here earlier
[2007/11/26 18:55] Cheen Pitney: I agree
[2007/11/26 18:55] Filthy Fluno: metalmouth
[2007/11/26 18:56] Filthy Fluno: is he still here?
[2007/11/26 18:56] Cheen Pitney: hes madcows cousin
[2007/11/26 18:56] Gracie Kendal: lol
[2007/11/26 18:56] Cheen Pitney: hahaha
[2007/11/26 18:56] Madcow Cosmos: SL it just another media I don't know how important it is to translate things between different one. Do we really need to dance about every painting? Importing and exporting art is great as long as it meetsa need to do so
[2007/11/26 18:56] Salandras Adamant is Online
[2007/11/26 18:56] Morris Vig: agreed, MC.....it's the beauty and creativity of art.
[2007/11/26 18:56] Filthy Fluno: i don't agree with that
[2007/11/26 18:57] Filthy Fluno: SL is not just another media
[2007/11/26 18:57] Filthy Fluno: it has millions of people in here
[2007/11/26 18:57] Filthy Fluno: interacting
[2007/11/26 18:57] Gracie Kendal: It Absolutely is

(i ended up crashing right here-- i apologize for any missed information)

[2007/11/26 18:59] Cheen Pitney: from all over the world
[2007/11/26 18:59] Morris Vig: Let's open up the floor one last time. We've got a wonderful panel, and they're interesting in answering your questions and providing insight. Don't miss the opportunty!
[2007/11/26 18:59] Morris Vig: Let's try this
[2007/11/26 18:59] Cheen Pitney: MC has gone turtle
[2007/11/26 18:59] Terje Chengpang: thank you all for putting this together!
[2007/11/26 18:59] Gracie Kendal: Your very welcome
[2007/11/26 19:00] Gracie Kendal: I will say one thing.....
[2007/11/26 19:00] Gracie Kendal: Success in Sl is about working together...
[2007/11/26 19:00] Morris Vig: If you had 1 suggestion to leave people with to be "more successful" in SL art - what would it be?
[2007/11/26 19:00] Morris Vig: there ya go, G
[2007/11/26 19:00] Thinkerer Melville is Offline
[2007/11/26 19:00] Gracie Kendal: Collaboration amngst the gallerys....
[2007/11/26 19:00] Paddy Bracken is Online
[2007/11/26 19:00] Thinkerer Melville is Online
[2007/11/26 19:00] Gracie Kendal: amongst the artists...
[2007/11/26 19:00] Gracie Kendal: and the patrons
[2007/11/26 19:00] Gracie Kendal: thats what makes Sl successful..and hopefully will contnue to do so
[2007/11/26 19:00] Filthy Fluno: i'd say make the best art you know how and never shutup about it
[2007/11/26 19:01] Morris Vig: great point
[2007/11/26 19:01] Morris Vig: Cheen, got a pointer?
[2007/11/26 19:01] Filthy Fluno: maybe that's two things
[2007/11/26 19:01] Cheen Pitney: id say enjoy what you are doing
[2007/11/26 19:01] Scarp Godenot: So is it more important to put your gallery in a sim with other artists do you think?
[2007/11/26 19:01] Filthy Fluno: ha!
[2007/11/26 19:01] Filthy Fluno: what up brian
[2007/11/26 19:01] Cheen Pitney: and if you make linden more power ti ]o ya
[2007/11/26 19:01] Madcow Cosmos: Darn crashed before I could hear filthy's response
[2007/11/26 19:01] Filthy Fluno: madcow
[2007/11/26 19:01] Gracie Kendal: LOL
[2007/11/26 19:02] Filthy Fluno: i said just keep your eye on the prize... make the best art you can and don't shutup about it
[2007/11/26 19:02] Morris Vig: got an anonymous question from the gallery: just how do you 4 define "art" in SL?
[2007/11/26 19:02] Gracie Kendal: LOL
[2007/11/26 19:02] Morris Vig: yeah, leave the softballs for last
[2007/11/26 19:02] Gracie Kendal: There are so many answers to that
[2007/11/26 19:02] Gracie Kendal: Sl is a piece of art in itself
[2007/11/26 19:02] Madcow Cosmos: Art to me is any creation proccess that couldn't be defined as craftsmanship alone.
[2007/11/26 19:03] Ina Centaur is Offline
[2007/11/26 19:03] Gracie Kendal: You cant even say that anymore Madcow
[2007/11/26 19:03] Morris Vig: so RL...SL....doesn't matter, MC?
[2007/11/26 19:03] Cheen Pitney: yes its all art here
[2007/11/26 19:03] Filthy Fluno: art makes me feel different than i did before i seen it
[2007/11/26 19:03] Gracie Kendal: Its much more
[2007/11/26 19:03] Filthy Fluno: in RL and SL
[2007/11/26 19:03] Havente Waydelich is Online
[2007/11/26 19:04] Ina Centaur is Online
[2007/11/26 19:04] Morris Vig: good points all
[2007/11/26 19:04] Madcow Cosmos: RL SL are part of the same same picture
[2007/11/26 19:04] Gail Kilara is Offline
[2007/11/26 19:04] Gracie Kendal: Yes, for me too
[2007/11/26 19:04] Gracie Kendal: I don't hide who aiI am
[2007/11/26 19:05] Morris Vig: ....and I had budgeted an hour, more or less. Looks like we reached that point. Let's all show our panelists our appreciation!
[2007/11/26 19:05] Cheen Pitney: thanks for coming folks
[2007/11/26 19:05] Terje Chengpang: wootz!
[2007/11/26 19:05] Sunn Thunders: claps...
[2007/11/26 19:05] Morris Vig: yes, thank you...
[2007/11/26 19:05] Sabine Stonebender rang Sabine Stonebender's Bell!
[2007/11/26 19:05] Gracie Kendal: Thank you very much fir listening to our ranting ...hehe
[2007/11/26 19:05] You: hooray!
[2007/11/26 19:05] Cheen Pitney: hahah
[2007/11/26 19:05] Jordan Morgenrote: thanks u guys!
[2007/11/26 19:05] PleaseWakeMeUp Idler: thank thank thank you!!!
[2007/11/26 19:05] Filthy Fluno: i say.. thank you Morris
[2007/11/26 19:05] Scarp Godenot: Let me ask again: do you think it is important to form gallery districts in the same sim or can you successfully locate anywhere?
[2007/11/26 19:05] Corcosman Voom: Thank you all very much!!!
[2007/11/26 19:05] Madcow Cosmos: Thanks for coming all
[2007/11/26 19:05] Callipygian Christensen: thanks panelists
[2007/11/26 19:05] Cheen Pitney: many of you could have been up here
[2007/11/26 19:05] Filthy Fluno: THANK YOU MORRIS!
[2007/11/26 19:05] Filthy Fluno: THANK YOU MORRIS
[2007/11/26 19:05] Morris Vig: In wrapping up, let me share a thought about success from my point of view. I'm all about bringing people together. Whether its an event, a Christmas Tree, or an ArtTalk, it's enjoyable. So, for that, I thank you all for coming. This event, and the dialogue generated, is a success in my mind. Enjoy your evening!
[2007/11/26 19:06] IanLee Patton: hoora
[2007/11/26 19:06] Filthy Fluno: morris
[2007/11/26 19:06] Gracie Kendal: Perfect Morris :))
[2007/11/26 19:06] Terje Chengpang: rock on SL artists!
[2007/11/26 19:06] Filthy Fluno: where can we get the transcript
[2007/11/26 19:06] Cheen Pitney: thanks Morris
[2007/11/26 19:06] Filthy Fluno: for people who couldn't make it
[2007/11/26 19:06] Morris Vig: I'll post it on my blog
[2007/11/26 19:06] Morris Vig: http://secondarts.wordpress.com
[2007/11/26 19:06] Delia Lake: thank you Morris
[2007/11/26 19:06] Alberto Salomon: great, Morris !!!
[2007/11/26 19:06] Gracie Kendal: Scarp, you can Im us..and we can maybe answer that
[2007/11/26 19:07] Gracie Kendal: or give you our opinion
[2007/11/26 19:07] Morris Vig: Scrap, I've got some notions on that
[2007/11/26 19:07] Morris Vig: I think that there's value in clustering together
[2007/11/26 19:07] Morris Vig: partnering, if you will
[2007/11/26 19:07] Scarp Godenot: Thanks I will
[2007/11/26 19:07] Gracie Kendal: Absolutely
[2007/11/26 19:07] Morris Vig: Look at this place....it's a bit of a hub. But so is Xander's place...or Diegoland's collective.
[2007/11/26 19:08] Filthy Fluno: cheen
[2007/11/26 19:08] Morris Vig: Lots of art, lots to see...
[2007/11/26 19:08] Filthy Fluno: where you from?
[2007/11/26 19:08] Gracie Kendal: yea..Artropolis
[2007/11/26 19:08] Cheen Pitney: Im in the Canadian Rockies
[2007/11/26 19:08] Corcosman Voom: They are attractions for viewers
[2007/11/26 19:08] Madcow Cosmos: Vast stretches of of strip malls punctuated by galleries
[2007/11/26 19:08] Cheen Pitney: col d here hahaha
[2007/11/26 19:08] Filthy Fluno: would your agent be interested in new artists you think?
[2007/11/26 19:09] Filthy Fluno: i'm always lookin
[2007/11/26 19:09] Filthy Fluno: haven't found one i've liked
[2007/11/26 19:09] Morris Vig wonders why the pier dropped 1/2m.
[2007/11/26 19:09] Filthy Fluno: morris
[2007/11/26 19:09] Cheen Pitney: hmmm I will ask but its sculpture he deals in
[2007/11/26 19:09] Filthy Fluno: that would be my fat ass dropping the dock
[2007/11/26 19:09] Alizarin Goldflake: oh dont ask why ..
[2007/11/26 19:09] Madcow Cosmos: Sorry Morris my avatars load will do that
[2007/11/26 19:09] Cheen Pitney: thanks
[2007/11/26 19:09] Filthy Fluno: oh ok
[2007/11/26 19:09] Cheen Pitney: Gracie
[2007/11/26 19:09] Corcosman Voom: Good turnout tonight, Morris
[2007/11/26 19:09] Filthy Fluno: perhaps he knows another agent
[2007/11/26 19:09] Cheen Pitney: but ya never know
[2007/11/26 19:09] Gracie Kendal: Thx Ceen :)
[2007/11/26 19:09] Morris Vig: lol filthy

As the World (Doesn't) Turn

2007-11-24T14:56:00.000-08:00

Imagine a metaverse where kinetic sculptures suffer a breakdown, some barely able to rotate, others frozen as if stuck in time. Fantasy becomes reality in the newest WindLight viewer, which appears to have a particularly nasty bug that affects the kinetic artists amongst us. Complex objects and sculptures containing a number of linked rotations (via llTargetOmega) seem to suffer a malfunction under LL's recently released, bleeding-edge WindLight viewer. Previously smoothly flowing motions and rotations have been rendered jerky or even completely stalled as if stricken by some sort of cosmic lag infection.

So what's a panicked artist who suddenly sees her or his kinetic creations in a state of disrepair to do? Reach out to the art community and ask for evidence and support, of course. We need to make it clear that this bug in WindLight is significant and should have a high priority in the bug-quashing department. I reported the issue on SL's Issue Tracker and would be most appreciative if folks would navigate their way over and add their own vote for the issue (click here). Adding your vote and/or comments to this problem increases its priority and importance in the repair queue. Let's help get this thing fixed soon--a non-kinetic world (even temporary) seems unthinkable and unbearable... —Sunn Thunders

First Nation Dancers

2007-11-11T08:51:00.001-08:00

The latest work of Cheen Pitney. Simply amazing! Three Native American dancers fron the Pacific Northwest: the Eagle, the Bear, and the Orca. These are best viewed at a night, illuminated by the firelight. These are on display now at Oyster Bay and also Lawks Nest. Go now!

- Rezago

Cheen Pitney's website
Oyster Bay website

Update

2007-10-15T20:14:00.000-07:00

Its official! The grand opening of the Abyss will be on Saturday, November 10th from 1pm to 3pm SL time. Sunn and I will be on hand to greet visitors, answer questions, etc.

The Abyss is a virtual museum of the deep sea. It will feature art as well as science in the form of an underwater sculpture garden and a gallery area on the surface. I've created a website where Sunn Thunders and myself will be posting news and announcements.

- Rezago

Second Life at Its Finest

2007-10-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

It's the shining moments in Second Life that make us realize why we are here and how fortunate we are to be citizens of this great community. Combine the atmosphere of Oyster Bay with the world class piano artistry of Origin Rang and you have the ingredients for a great event. But it doesn't stop there. Share the evening of masterful classical piano on a beautiful bayside pier with your best friends and most admired residents of the metaverse and you have a memorable experience that fills your home and heart with joy and happiness. Friday night's concert was just that: Origin Rang thrilled an enthusiastic audience yet again with his almost inhuman passion and energy on the piano. Truly Second Life at its finest... —Sunn Thunders

(Original photo by Torley, Photoshop enhanced by Sunn)

Reflexive Architecture by Keystone Bouchard

2007-10-05T15:28:00.000-07:00

A wonderful installation that makes perfect use of Second Life as a creative platform, Keystone Bouchard's Reflexive Architecture could easily be considered one of the current marvels of Second Life art. You can check out the installation in person at the Gallery of Reflexive Architecture.

Conceptualized by Keystone and scripted by Fumon Kubo, the scripts for this reflexive architecture have recently gone open-source so as to provide room for the general public to play with and improve upon the existing software.

You can find the script here; now get out there and play!

Best of SL Art: October

2007-10-05T11:51:00.000-07:00

written by Cyanide Seelowe

October is upon us-- this means cooler weather, daylight savings and voting for the Best of SL Art!

A hearty and enthusiastic congratulations goes out to all 82 of our nominees-- you have no idea how exciting it is to see you guys proudly displaying your nomination banners at your respective venues!

Now is the time to vote for who you think is the "most influential" in their respective categories; to do so, please give the voting blog a visit, and feel free to vote in as many categories as you please (preferably all of them!).

Tragedy at Burning Life

2007-09-28T19:03:00.001-07:00

written by Cyanide Seelowe

Everyone saw it coming... we all KNEW that griefers were going to target Burning Life and come up with a cunning way to ruin someone's fun... but their recent attempts on the Playa were far more tragic and devastating than anyone could have imagined.

It is to my understanding that a group of griefers came up with a way to returns all indescriminate "Objects" to their owners, or delete them... i'm unfortunately not savvy on the details... but I will tell you that more than 80% of the Floating Rivers installation is now gone, and the carnage that surrounds our small plot of Burning Life resembles that of a zombie flick-- desolate, empty and unsettlingly serene.

Burning Life Builder Good2 Go mourns the abrupt departure of his
build, reminiscent of Buddhist monks from the Vietnam war.

We understand that the whole point of Burning Life, and its parent festival Burning Man is the impermanence of art... but this is a terrible way to say goodbye.

Nevertheless, there are still human spirits attached to these virtual avatars, and the last time i checked, the human spirit was indomitable-- we will persevere, and we will make a come-back.

Gone... all gone.

Good2 Go in a better mood, but still aflame :D

A Grand Scale- Burning Life '07

2007-09-25T06:50:00.000-07:00

written by Cyanide Seelowe

Up until now, my concept of "scale" in Second Life was generally one of quantity, rather than one of size-- sure, artists such as Madcow Cosmos set the standard for both high prim, large scale pieces of artwork; but outside of his creations, it's very rare to see artists just letting go and creating sculptures that are larger than life. This misconception changed on my most recent wanderings through the Burning Life playa.

Burning Life '07 is definitely a bowl full of art candy waiting to be eaten up by the imaginations of anyone who would wander through. The dry, dusty playa is filled with giant sculptures, huge environments and earth-shaking concepts that dwarf both the avatar AND the imagination. If you're looking to tilt your head back in awe and amazement, I implore you to visit this year's Burning Life festival-- you won't be disappointed!

For more pictures, mosey on over to the VAA Flickr!

Floating Rivers- the VAA's Debut at Burning Life

2007-09-24T20:29:00.000-07:00

I can't even begin to tell everyone how utterly excited I was when I heard about the Burning Life landgrab and the kind of opportunities it presented. Not only would we be participating in one of Second Life's most fantastic displays of eclectic collaboration, but we would be exposing ourselves to new horizons of networking and making a ton of new friends along the way. So I camped out and claimed a small piece of the land for a handful of volunteer artists-- one month later the once barren and dry playa of land is teeming with life, movement, color and creativity.

Many thanks to Alpha Auer, Dale Innis, Rezago Kokorin, Sunn Thunders and elros Tuominen for taking this dusty piece of land and quenching its thirst for collaboration! It has definitely encouraged me to make our participation at Burning Life an anual tradition :D

Be sure to visit the VAA Floating Rivers installation for Burning Life to gaze in awe at the build-teams hard work!: Burning Life (Zara) (28, 90, 24)

Leaves Of Light / Enclume - A Collaborative Installation

2007-09-23T10:28:00.000-07:00

- by Magellan Egoyan

Last Thursday saw the simultaneous RL and SL launching of the Leaves of Light / Enclume Installation. This installation proposes a "church of light" as a space designed to harbour and promote the music of Alain Leblond, a Quebec City based composer. The result of a collaboration between myself, Jeanni Nishi and Pandora Wake, the building was conceived as an attempt to exalt the spirit through the use of light, color and subtle motion. This is combined with the powerful organ music of Alain Leblond, the original inspiration for the installation, and in particular a composition called Enclume (or Anvil in English). The cathedral features stained glass compositions by Pandora Wake of the four elements, earth, water, air and fire, and evocative kinetic sculptures created by Jeanni Nishi for this event and seen here for the first time (see image below). Technical assistance for the media support has been provided by Ringuard Cuirard and Nocturne Writer. The cathedral itself was constructed by myself, but some of the textures were provided by Jeanni, while the rotating sky is an original creation by Pandora Wake.

Visitors to the installation called the space "serene", "a beautiful and unique structure", and "meditative". Clearly, although the images give a sense of the site, the installation delivers a multisensory experience that must be felt directly. Like the Rezago Kokorin and Sunn Thunder's project, The Abyss, this is the result of a collaboration between several artists. We are hoping to see more collaborative installations within Second Life - the environment favours such collaborative projects. The Burning Life event is certainly one way to promote such efforts - individual installations such as The Abyss or Leaves of Light are another.

To visit the installation in world : Leaves of Light, Wetas (72, 110, 635)

elros Tuominen - Second Life Artist

2007-09-13T18:15:00.000-07:00

- by Magellan Egoyan

I had the privilege of interviewing elros Tuominen and preparing the fourth installment in the series Second Life Artist, following the earlier episodes on Rezago Kokorin, Plurabelle Posthorn and Cheen Pitney. Many of us know elros as a charming, delightful person via chat, but wait till you hear the warm tones of his voice! His ability to express himself gracefully loses nothing to his strong Basque accent, if anything, you will be still more seduced by the results.

I believe I may have discovered a natural ability in elros for teaching as well - he moves from one concrete example to another to illustrate the different points he makes about his work and the process of developing the fascinating ensemble of work that he has accumulated over the year he has been present among us. He tells us about using colour, making textures, the use of sculptie textures, and a variety of other topics.

Both elros and I had a wonderful encounter, and I believe the fun we found in each other's company shows in the video. The sculptures many of you know, but here you get to see many of them grouped together in time (although these represent only a fraction of the prolific production he has achieved). Many will be familiar, but almost certainly some will be new. elros is among the most generous of souls, and despite the fact that he sells his work, I think he may give away more of it then he sells! Furthermore, there are many other chords to his ark, far too many to be covered in a single 10 minute clip. In addition to his wonderful sculptures, elros makes Second Life jewelry and is a very fine poet. But that is another story, for another time...

The video may be found on youTube, here. Enjoy.

Machinima promotion of Second Life virtual art

2007-09-06T06:04:00.000-07:00

- by Magellan Egoyan

I have been conducting a bit of research concerning the effectiveness of machinima/video productions for the promotion of artists, both in and out of Second Life. I find the results intruiging, and since Cy has made it clear that the promotion of virtual art is an important topic (by producing a much needed "self-promotion kit"), I am following her lead to talk a bit more about the "marketing" of virtual art.

Despite the dramatic rise in the use of video to convey information (witness the explosion of youTube's content in the past couple of years), it turns out that there are not very many promotional videos for artists in general. Using obvious key word searches such as "artist" "promotion" "intro" and "presentation", I found roughly twenty such promotional videos outside of Second Life, and less than a dozen for inworld artists.

The oldest posting seems to date back about a year. For non SL artists, the average view count comes in at about 200 views per month when spread out over several months. This view rate is fairly constant even when one excludes very amateurish video blogs or promotional videos done by or for high profile well-known artists. I have found in the viewing curves for my own machinima productions that they have a characteristic shape, a relatively steep increase in views for about a week and then a stabilization of the rate to a roughly constant level. The variation in view rates across different artists, however, is high - it varies from a minimum of about 40 views per month up to more than 600 views per month for some relatively well known artists.

For the promotion of Second Life virtual artists, the average view rate appears to be about 50 views per months (excluding my own machinima productions), so significantly less. The view rate varies from a minimum of about 15 views per month up to maximum of about 80 views per month.

Another interesting feature about these statistics is that the production values of the video or machinima affect these rates. For the non Second Life artists, view rates of amateurish productions are significantly lower than for more professional efforts.

Now to my own productions by way of comparison. My four artist productions generate view rates of an average of 135 views per month, with relatively little variation from one artist to another - a slightly higher rate for better known artists. The minimum rate is 110 views per month, the maximum about 150. So my productions seem to fall intermediate between the "standard" promotional videos of Second Life artists, and those found in the mainstream. I say standard in quotes, because the professionalism of most Second Life promotional videos is actually relatively low compared to the mainstream promotional documents, and so a fair comparison between the two sets of productions is somewhat difficult.

My own reflections about these statistics is that there are grounds for improvement. Second Life artists seem to be reaching a more limited audience than mainstream artists in their self promotion efforts, and there must be ways of improving exposure outside the Second Life community. I am presently exploring these issues and expect to change my videos as a consequence. It is also worth pointing out, however, that some increase is possible simply by raising the quality of the machinima productions that are made - I think my own work here demonstrates that.

Machinima productions do appear to be a viable format for promotion, different but complementary to a website. There is need to develop more of an active use of machinima to promote virtual art - there is so much of it in Second Life, and much of it goes largely "unsung". Time to change that, I think!

New Second Life Geography Machinima Clip

2007-09-04T21:03:00.000-07:00

- by Magellan Egoyan

Although my geography machinima videos are of less direct interest to a VAA audience, I must admit that one of my reasons for developing these was a market ploy - to increase the audience that watches the artist machinima clips I've been producing, via a spillover effect. And, to be quite frank about this, this is indeed working. There is clear evidence that the viewing audience for the machinima clips focussed on artists has increased by a factor of about a third over what it would have been, in the absence of the Geography clips. Which is, I suppose, a comment on the effectiveness of marketing for the promotion of artistic work.

So I am pleased to announce the delivery of my second Second Life Geography machinima clip, this one focused on the twenty sims that form the region that was originally Second Life. For your viewing pleasure, you will find it on youTube here.

Communion through Architecture

2007-09-04T20:03:00.000-07:00

- by Magellan Egoyan

I was privileged, earlier today, to be shown a fascinating new gallery by an unusual artist whose name is Keystone Bouchard. Keystone is an architect who has a real life practice, but after discovering Second Life he's turned his talents increasingly towards the virtual world. His interest is in developing what he calls "reflexive architecture", but this is related to what I have been calling "reactive sculpture". Essentially, he is developing buildings that respond to avatars in interesting ways, enhancing their sense of space or their perceptions of themselves via interactions.

He has constructed a large gallery which is breathtakingly beautiful, a kind of "sculpture in light" (see the photos to get a sense of this). Within the gallery are about a dozen separate installations, each a gorgeous construct with its own lines and movement. Do not take these photos to be representative, however - the true beauty and power of these installations comes when one engages with them, bodily. Furthermore, although they are interesting for a lone visitor, they are designed to be responsive to groups, so take a few friends with you when you go. The experiences these architectural wonders provide will haunt your waking hours, even perhaps your dreams. Not only do they engage our senses (there is sound and some movie elements as well as the dynamic objects which make up the installations), they also engage our sense of play. One feels a desire to run and jump, even sing around these constructs which seem to know and echo how we feel. Each installation has a different behavior, and so it is worthwhile taking time to explore and engage with each one.

Keystone mentionned that the gallery is located above an island he won as a prize for one of his installations. Rarely has a prize been used so aptly to the common good. This awesome gallery is not to be missed, it is one of the most impressive and engaging kinetic experiences I have encountered, inside or outside of Second Life. (Location within Second Life : http://slurl.com/secondlife/Architecture/198/112/601). Also for another viewpoint on this work (and more information), please consult Bluewave's review.

Best in SL Art

2007-08-26T12:11:00.000-07:00

Krystal Epic, in conjunction with SL Reports, has teamed up to create the Best in SL Art Awards! This project is an opportunity for the patrons of the art community of Second Life to nominate who they think are the most influential avatars in our digital art world. Likewise, this is a chance for the driving forces of our community to be recognized for their astounding contributions. The award will be fame and publicity for all of the winners-- something that does not hurt when you're involved in the Second Life art community.

This is a great opportunity to get your name and/or the names of your comrades and colleagues out there! Anyone can be nominated, and you're certainly welcome to nominate yourself-- in fact, I would highly recommend you do so, since the nominations are done it blog format, and it's a great way for you to assess your role in the Second Life art community and give yourself a pat on the back for your contributions!

The Schedule for the Project is as follows:

September- Nominations
October- Voting
November- Interviews
December- Announcing Winners

Be sure to get your nominations in, and don't forget to vote when the time comes! This is a community project, and depends on the participation of everyone-- so get on the site and participate!

Burning VAA!

2007-08-25T16:37:00.000-07:00

written by Cyanide Seelowe

The VAA logo looms in the distance, begging to be burned alongside its Burning Man counterpart.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am proud to announce the official registration of the Virtual Artist Alliance Theme Camp for Burning Life 2007!

We currently have 500 prims at our disposal, and I'm looking for a handful of people (three, maybe four) to help me build one large, cohesive piece on the land. We will be working together under a theme to create a space for all of the members of the VAA and any Burning Life passers-by to use and to have fun in.

The Theme

This year's theme for the Burning Man Festival (the RL festival that inspires Burning Life) is "The Green Man". The Green Man, as copied directly from the Burning Man website:

"Peering outward from behind a mottled screen of vines and leaves, the Green Man does not speak or sleep; he waits. His meaning and his origins are largely lost to time — the Green Man wasn't named till 1939. We know, however, that this type of enigmatic figure was the work of artists, anonymous craftsman whose unsigned work adorns the crevices and walls of medieval cathedrals. This year we will appropriate the Green Man and the primeval spell he casts on our imaginations for a modern purpose. Our theme concerns humanity's relationship to nature. Do we, as conscious beings, exist outside of nature's sway, or does its force impel us and inform the central root of who and what we are?"

The Virtual Artist Alliance will also be utilizing this theme to the best of our abilities to make our plot of playa beautiful for all to see. To read more about this year's theme, click here.

The Principles

The Burning Man Festival has brought together countless numbers of people who all get together in the name of art, humanity, and nature. As such, this community of people has put together a set ten of principles which are to be followed by all participants, and will apply to us and our endeavors as well.

Please take the time to make yourself familiar with the principles, as they will factor heavily into what we build.

Things to Keep in Mind

Teamwork- The success of this project will depend heavily on how well we work together as a group- the purpose of the VAA and Burning Man alike is to share and create together as a community, so there will be no room for stand-alone projects. Communication is a key part of teamwork as well, so please be prepared to keep in touch with your comrades throughout the month.

Commitment- We only have one month to pull this project together, so making yourself available to work with your teammates is imperative. While it will not be required for you to build with someone at all times, if you don't think you'll be present to contribute a significant amount of time to the project and communicate with your team mates on a regular basis, then it might be wise to wait until next year to participate.

Have Fun!- This is not a competition of any sort-- the reason I claimed this bit of land is because Burning Life is a perfect opportunity to get together, make new friends and have some creative fun! Since this is our first year participating in the festival, we don't have any expectations to set forth-- so by default you will exceed all expectations!

Important Dates

And finally, these are the important dates that you should know in regards to building with us-

Duration of the Event: Sept. 24th-Oct. 1st
Plots Assigned: DURING WHOLE EVENT
Land Must be Claimed: BY THE TIME GIVEN BY THE TERMINAL
Burning the Man: Sunday, September 30, 2007. (3:00 PM)
Burning the Temple: Monday, October 1, 2007. (3:00 PM)
Land Reclaimed: Friday, October 5, 2007.

Relevant Links

Burning Life: Sept 24 - Oct 1, 2007

2007-08-22T17:10:00.000-07:00

by Rezago Kokorin

On a vast plain of white desert, the Burning Man stands alone. Soon this will change as the Burning Life grid officially opens on August 24th at 6pm SL.

I wasn't in SL for last year's event and I'm eager to see what will happen, and to dive in and participate. The VAA didn't exist this time last year and many of it's members were not yet inworld. So lets get out there and create some awesome builds! The theme for this year is "the Green Man."

News and information about the event is at the Burning Life Wiki HomePage. Below, I've copied and pasted from the Wiki but be sure to visit the site for more.

There will be three sizes of camps, the largest of which requires the submission of a proposal. The others may be had by finding an empty site and claiming it by clicking on the terminal. Art installments won't be on plots but on any of the sims with the name "playa". "Art installs will be limited to a max of 50 prims per art install with a max of 5 art pieces per account."

There Is No Registration Process For Art Installments So Go Build Something!

In addition to the camps and art installs there will be Mutant Vehicles.....
What are Mutant Vehicles?
At burning man, a collection of strange and extreme vehicles cross around the terrain. Their basic function is to serve basically as 'taxis' between the different parcels and art objects.
In burning life. The Mutant Vehicles will basically offer the same function as they do at Burning Man. Allow people to go from one spot to the other AND be a sight and experience to enjoy.

Important Dates To Know About:
The following dates are in order from top to bottom:
o Land Goes Live For Registration/Taking: Friday, August 24, 2007 at 6pm PDT. (Don't Worry There Will Be Land/Space For Everyone)
o Deadline for Proposal Submissions: Friday, September 7, 2007 at 4pm PDT.
o Plots Assigned: DURING WHOLE EVENT
o Land Must be Claimed: BY THE TIME GIVEN BY THE TERMINAL
o Burning the Man: Sunday, September 30, 2007. (3:00 PM)
o Burning the Temple: Monday, October 1, 2007. (3:00 PM)
o Land Reclaimed: Friday, October 5, 2007.

Links:

Burning Life Wiki : HomePage

Landmark to Burning Life

Art theme of the 2007 RL Burning Man

Artist Self-Promotion

2007-08-18T12:48:00.000-07:00

written by Cyanide Seelowe

Due to a surge of First Life activity and a general urge to be lazy before my latest school semester goes underway, I've been lax in my duties for Second Life. To make up for this, allow me to introduce to you (for the first time on the VAA blog, anyway...) the Artist Self-Promotion Website.

This website was created to address the problematic issue of Second Life being recognized only for its accomplishments in business, sex, and the extermination of gambling. What non-residents don't realize (and a disturbing number of active residents, as well) is that Second Life, just as any other culture on this earth, is supported by its art community. When I expressed my interest to further the exposure of the Second Life art community to Krystal Epic CEO Enniv Zarf, he jumped immediately on board and provided a webspace through which I could launch the project.

The website is bountiful with articles and insights in regards to the Second Life Art community, as well as a number of "how-to" articles that were written to help artists and gallery owners in Second Life better promote their content and expose it to the public. It is a free service to all who would venture to use it, and is open for user commentary in order to improve its content and make it more useful for everyone.

Enjoy!

Animated Sculptie Sculptures & A New Video Series

2007-07-29T21:20:00.000-07:00

- by Magellan Egoyan

Check out the animated sculptures that Vlad Bjornson has developed using a special process. For those who are technically inclined, he provides details of the method used in the "Building Tips" Forum under the heading "Animation of sculpties". For those of us struggling to make sense of how to work with sculpties and get elegant results from our efforts, Vlad's method represents a gift from heaven.

Also, for those of you interested in my video series, I have begun a second series, called "Second Life Geography". In some ways, I view Second Life as a whole as a kind of work of art, and just as I find it interesting and useful to explore the work of bona fide artists within Second Life, I believe the place as a whole warrants the same kind of attention. My first video in the series is Second Life Geography - An Overview. I did actually manage to slip in a few artistic references, since my maps are annoted with the location of several galleries :)

SLCC Art Exhibits

2007-07-25T09:30:00.001-07:00

Looks like there will be an interesting mix of artists and art exhibits at this year's SLCC. Check out details here and here

Current list of participants:
Rachel Breaker - Drawings and Digital Art
Grimfiddle Dogpatch - Painting
Filthy Fluno - Abstract Narrative Drawing
Wade1 Jya - Painting
Gracie Kendal - Collage and Mixed Media
Spider Mycron - Mixed Media Collage
Tuna Oddfellow - Wandering Magician
Tap Quentin - SL Photography
Static Schultz -Mixed Media and Collage
Esch Snoats - Abstract Digital Print
Sonia Stardust - Comic Art

These people will be showing their artwork in the in-world portion of the art exhibit: (More to come)

Dancoyote Antonelli - Hyperformalism Manifestation
Shoshana Epsilon - SL Photography Portrait
Half Moxing - SL Photography with a Furry Focus
IanLee Patton - Drawings
Karen Schreiner - Digital Abstract
Juria Yoshikawa - Sculptures/Installation

Origin's Music Rang True

2007-07-21T12:09:00.000-07:00

Origin Rang did not merely give a good classical piano performance at Oyster Bay, he dazzled the crowd and left us speechless. In a live recital from Tokyo, Origin's fingers danced across the piano keys almost inhumanely fast and yet so exquisitely skilled. Incredibly, the longer Origin played, the better he got! The audience shared collective joy, tears, and disbelief at Origin's talent. Although commenting that his English was not too good, Origin's message came through loud and clear, and no translation was necessary. This man, simply put, is a masterful piano artist and his gift to us last night was pure and from the heart. You must drop everything you are doing the next time Origin plays anywhere in Second Life. —Sunn Thunders

Video Interview with Cheen Pitney

2007-07-17T12:54:00.000-07:00

- by Magellan Egoyan

I've just completed my third video interview, this time with Cheen Pitney. I believe I'm getting better at doing this, and I'm having an incredibly enriching experience meeting with and delving into the work of different artists in Second Life. This time, I was able to combine the study with an exercise in Second Life geography, another interest of mine.

You may access the interview by clicking here.

Happy viewing!

Into the Abyss

2007-07-13T11:03:00.000-07:00

written by Cyanide Seelowe

Journey to the ultimate depths of the ocean and experience the Abyss- combining history, art, and education into a fantastical exhibition of our planet's oceans. Enjoy your adventure!- Rezago Kokorin and Sunn Thunders

After months of teasing and tantalizing lures dangled out for the collaborative efforts of Sunn Thunders and Rezago Kokorin, we finally see the Abyss exhibit come into fruition! When you first teleport into the Abyss exhibit, you are surrounded by the familiar- set in a museum-like environment, you find yourself walking along a board walk set in the sand and surrounded by ancient sea-exploring relics and a plethora of well-researched information. It's a place that makes us reminisce about school field trips to our local museums and exploring the unknown through second-hand information and interesting visuals and replicas. Part of the museum is a testament to how indomitable the human spirit is by displaying- in words, pictures and stunning builds- how deep-sea exploration has evolved throughout history. At a glance, one can find out what the top 12 human-produced pollutants of a beach are and how unpleasant they can be to gaze upon. But that is where the familiarity ends and the fantastic elements begin.

When you first venture into the Abyss, you guide yourself through a long, dark hallway which gives a hint of neon color to help you guide yourself through the darkness. Venture further still and the hallway opens and bursts with the life and color and movement of a deep sea environment.

Feaux-bioluminescence comes in the form of many strange, fantastic and very real creatures. They move and sway with the small currents of their habitat, however they move only as much as they have to, as conserving energy is one of the vital points of living in the deep-sea world. When you hit the floor of the Abyss, you find yourself gazing upon life-giving thermal vents spewing out nourishing minerals for the various sedentary creatures and abandoned human elements that have settled from the world above.

But please, don't take my word for it. In order to truly grasp the beauty of this exhibit, you must EXPERIENCE it... you must be there for yourself and surround yourself with the beauty of the Abyss.

Blowin' in the Wind

2007-07-08T17:14:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh, the wind... that oft forgot, yet ever present element of Second Life... as persistent as the sun and moon (or the lag). What if the wind could be the force behind art? A magnificent piece of artwork in Harmonia by Edo Autopoiesis titled "Resonating with Second Life Wind" captures the energy and harmony contained within SL's invisible air molecules. A grid of windmills translates the potential energy of the metaverse's ceaseless winds into the kinetic energy of movement and sound that resonates above the clouds. Pictures don't even come close to doing justice to this gem—a firsthand visit is a must... —Sunn Thunders

Plurabelle Posthorn - Second Life Artist

2007-07-06T14:58:00.000-07:00

Plurabelle's mountainside, seashore gallery in Trollhaugen.

I'm pleased to be the first to announce that Magellan Egoyan has finished and released the second of his series of interviews with SL artists. I hope that Magellan will continue doing these interviews as time permits. Be sure to send him a note of encouragement!

I met Plurabelle several months ago and it was quite interesting and a pleasure to listen to her tell about her work. I encourage you to go and see her work first hand (links are posted below).

- Rezago (posting something that is actually about art)

Link to the interview is here.

Landmarks:
Plurabelle's gallery space
Artisan Galleria Legacy Towers, Tower 1, 4th floor.

Plurabelle Posthorn's Gallery ur, Trollhaugen
Showing Plurabelle Posthorn's own SL artworks, rl and SL artist friends, invited artists and works from her art collection.

More about this thing called 1st Life

2007-07-06T06:16:00.000-07:00

I can't take credit for the image. Here is the link to the original post.
I'm uncertain about this "First Life" game. The claim that there is no server lag is doubtful at best, especially given the number of residents listed. Maybe this is that "offworld" place that I sometimes see mentioned when things of mine are returned to my Lost & Found. (?)

- Rezago

Adding Another Dimension to Art

2007-06-30T17:40:00.000-07:00

The juxtaposition of surreality and virtual reality is just one compelling reason to visit the Greek Isles Sculpture Garden on Troy this weekend. On display are three-dimensional reproductions of famous paintings brought to digital life by Second Life artist Ub Yifu. Yifu's recreation of Belgian surrealist painter Magritte's "Le Therapeute," for example, allows you and your imagination to get just a little bit closer to that mysterious cage at the center of the piece. Artful arrangements of both the two-dimensional original and Yifu's wholly creative 3-D representation of works by Picasso, Matisse, and others are showcased within the beautiful and tranquil sculpture garden. —Sunn Thunders

1st Life

2007-06-29T18:03:00.000-07:00

Ok its not art at all, but its been too quiet here. While you wait for stunningly insightful photo essays to be posted here is another video for your enjoyment.

- Rezago

Deep Sea Video

2007-06-25T17:30:00.000-07:00

This isn't Second Life related, but it's a delightful video which makes excellent use of computer animation powered by someone's creative genius. I don't even care that it's a commercial. :)

- Rezago Kokorin

SL4B - Second Life's 4th Birthday

2007-06-23T06:39:00.001-07:00

by Rezago Kokorin

This year on June 23rd we celebrate Second Life's 4th Birthday- 4 years since Second Life was opened to the public.

There are 9 sims. Each pair of sims represents one “era” of SL. That is, two sims will represent Year 1, two sims will hold represent Year 2, etc. Each era (2 sims) will have a mature sim and a PG sim. And there is a path that meanders through the sims so people can walk through all sims.

_____________________________________________________

Preparations underway for Second Life's fourth anniversary

"In the past, the anniversary of SL's release to the public has been celebrated with parades and fireworks. This year, organizer SignpostMarv Martin said the theme is the past, present, and future of SL. Heretic Linden, a Linden Lab employee who is also helping to organize the celebration, said she hoped the event would allow users to connect with the history of SL, regardless of how long they have been a resident, and meet people who began using SL during at various times."

- Diago Quaranta

_____________________________________________________

Teleports will be restricted within the event area, much as they were for much of SL's history. The anywhere point-to-point teleportation which we have now didn't exist until Dec 12, 2005. There is an old style Telehub in each sim with a clickable map of the nine sims.

In addition to being historically accurate, the result will be that visitors will discover and see more. Teleporting is convenient and necessary given how large our world has grown, but there are many things we miss if we use it as our only source of transportation.

I have an exhibit in the Artist's Ghetto of the Year One area, part art and part historical display. I will be there on Thursday, June 28, 2007 at 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM SL time for a "Meet the Artist" thing.

Calendar of Events: SL 4th Anniversary Art Celebration

Rezago Kokorin - Meet the Artist at SL's 4th Anniversary Celebration
Thursday, June 28, 2007 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM PST
Nearest telehub
Rezago Kokorin's art plot, SL01 PG (27, 227, 255)

Other related links:
Happy Birthday, SL!
^ASL^ @ SL4B -- You Are Invited!

SL History Wiki

Cao Fei/ China Tracy at the 52nd Venice Biennale

2007-06-17T11:53:00.000-07:00

So you walk straight from the virtual Piazza Navona (Rome) in to the Virgin Garden, Arsenale, in virtual Venice...
And then you find yourself at the 52nd Venice Biennale. The biennale opened June 10, in rl Venice, Italy. It lasts until November 21. Cao Fei is representing the People's Republic of China. The Concept of the China Pavilion in Venice is called EVERYDAY MIRACLES. Cao Fei is one of the four women artists representing China. The others being Shen Yuan, Yin Xiuzhen, Kan Xuan. The exhibition is commissioned by China Arts & Entertainment Group, and curated by Hou Hanru (U.S.).
Now, Cao Fei's contrubution to this exhibition has a focus on Second Life, that's my reason for writing about it here. Cao Fei's Second Life name is China Tracy. Her project is an online & off line project, SL & rl exhibition, SL video and research.

At the rl Venice biennale, she has made a pavillion; a kind of futuristic tent, an inflateable house, called "China Tracy Pavillion". In it she is showing her Second Life project.
For images of the rl pavillion with works and visitors, see her blogpost HERE. You'll find the video that she is showing in her pavillion in Venice at her YouTube site HERE. It's called i.Mirror; a 28 minute SL-machinima. The video is rather melancholy, a litle about the sex, the money, the gambling, the forever young and beautiful avatars, but mostly about loneliness, longing, and meeting someone from the other side of the planet with similar thoughts and feelings! Actually she meets Hug Yue/Ed Mead from San Fransico... It's cute, but for us "inhabitants" only a well done documentary. There's nothing new in it. No original twist to it. Or?
"as a mirror between the rl and the SL, reflecting the world and China under the fourth wave."
Coming to think of it, we, the inhabitants of Second Life, must of course have very different experiences entering this world, depending on our previous experiences, where we're from, how we live our rls. I remember how repelled I was about the hyper capitalist environment I found in SL, when I entered. That was before I found all the nice people... So, when it comes to Tracy's video, I think she is using SL to express something about the meeting between China and capitalism.
China Tracy has build up a replica of the rl pavillon in Second Life. It's floating up in the air though, and you sit in a tub while you watch the video.
The pavilion is here: China Tracy Pavilion, Parioli (181, 201, 64)
See a documentary from the opening of the SL pavillion, June 7, HERE.

You can get a nice t-shirt and a copy of the pavillon, a small version of it, that functions as a car... all for free. Hm, I'm beginning to like this!

Clipping from the SL notecard for the exhibition:
Naming her avatar China Tracy, Cao Fei is building up an on-line project for the Chinese Pavilion to carry out an adventure into this virtual world that is exerting crucial influence on our perception of the real and thus considerably modifying our social relationships. Creating a China Tracy Pavilion on the Second Life, Cao Fei will construct a platform for dialogue and exchange open to everyone. Venturing into this imminent future, this project will definitely bring the Chinese Pavilion itself to a much more global perspective.

It's funny how we are described... From the notecard:
Thousands of youngsters are deeply addicted to the virtual world created on the internet. The immensely popular online game “Second Life” provides them with a “3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its residents”. It offers “a truly collaborative, immersive and open-ended entertainment experience, where together people create and inhabit a virtual world of their own design.” In this new world, all people are the nation’s “inhabitants”, there are no “countries” or “regions”, but only a digital world generated by imagination and creativity...

When you teleport down from the pavillion, you land in the exhibition space at the Parioli Museum, Parioli Roma Italy, Parioli (225, 217, 40) , where China Tracy shows her research part of the project: "EVERYDAY MIRACLES - A research on Second Life". Co-researchers: Zafka Ziemia, Rivers Singh. Sounds a bit dry? Well, half a meter of water covers the floor. You can test your skills as a venician gondolier. You can pose inside all the globes where the reseach material is shown in the form of SL-snapshot slideshows. It's wild, wet and motley! I'm beginning to discover Cao Fei's humor and force. Looking into her previous work, like her photo series, "Rabid Dogs", from 2002, and others, which can be found HERE. Touch the globes for notecards on issues like politics, religion, real estate.
Cao Fei, born in Guangdong, China in 1978. "She has been working with video, photography, performance, experimental theatre, documentary and fictional films, writing and other media. She vividly express the intense experiences of a young generation of Chinese urban youth navigating the wave of modernisation, urbanisation and globalisation. With an incredibly fresh but vigilant sense of humour, she examines and makes visible the very realities and dreams of this generation in various contexts from work to play, from suffering to happiness."

Cao Fei's blog: http://www.alternativearchive.com/caofei/default.asp?cat=1
China Tracy' Second Life blog: http://www.alternativearchive.com/chinatracy/

Plurabelle Posthorn

Second Life Artists - Video Series

2007-06-16T09:43:00.000-07:00

- by Magellan Egoyan

Following the success and interest with regards to my first video productions on art in Second Life, I believe there is both an interest and a need to showcase the talent of Second Life artists to the "outside world". In order to address this issue, I have developed the concept of a Video Series concerning "Second Life Artists". The first of the series has just been completed and uploaded to YouTube - it concerns the sculptures of Rezago Kokorin. Rezago kindly agreed to help me work out a format and process for the series, to serve as "guinea pig" for my first effort, and is also helping me with the development of a list of potential subjects.

The idea of the video series is to allow artists to present their own works in their own terms. The interview format lends a dynamism to the video that should ensure the engagement of a broader public. I am also experimenting with other means to enhance the attractiveness of the video clips, using music and other elements. It is also clear that the use of voice during the interview enhances audience engagement, although I am sensitive to the fact that not all artists may be comfortable with the audio format. Other dynamics I seek to explore through the videos include the relationship between Second Life activities and real life activities, and the personality and interests of the artists. Also, the series aims to demystify, to some extent, the process of art production within Second Life, to artists who are not involved in SL.

I believe, and indeed, the variety of topics covered by the VAA blog site support me in this, that SL offers an enormous array of creative individuals doing extraordinary work. There are hundreds, even thousands of people whose work merits exposure to a broader public. I'm afraid my limited resources and time will not allow me to do justice to all this work. I have to follow my own nose and personal interest, to some extent, although I am interested in covering a broad range of artistic media and styles.

For that reason, if you are a SL artist and have an interest in seeing your work reach a broader audience, I encourage you to contact me, either in world or through my email (magellan_egoyan@yahoo.ca). I can't promise to follow up immediately on the contact, as I have my own schedule and a relatively high sollicitation on my time, but I will get around to you eventually! The interview process takes no more than about 30 minutes of your time, usually one session is enough (the video editing stage, on the other hand, is a whole different story!). I also have a list of questions I send out ahead of time so we have a structure to the interview process. I focus on three particular works as a way of providing some breadth to the coverage. There are usually additional details to be dealt with in the period following the main taping.

I am also investigating doing some video anthologies covering several artists, so even if you are relatively new at developing art in SL, there will be a place for you!

I'm not sure how many I will do - it depends on the level of interest among artists and my own time commitments.

I hope to hear from you soon, and perhaps find out more about your work... across the interview table!

Second Life Sculpture - Engine of Creation

2007-06-16T06:24:00.000-07:00

- by Magellan Egoyan

As one of the main bloggers on this site, Rezago Kokorin doesn't get a lot of attention for his own work. He spends a good deal of his time organizing and presenting the work of other people. I intend to redress this situation in a small way. While working with Rez on a first of a series of video clips I am putting together on Second Life artists (this first one, presenting the artistry of Rezago himself, has just been posted on youTube under my "mageEgo" username), I developed a deeper appreciation for some of what goes into his work. In the preparation for the video, I asked Rezago to present three pieces to the audience of his choice and to talk about the work in his terms - in this way, I hoped the video would give us a kind of "Rezago's view of Rezago". Here, however, I intend to indulge myself, by talking about pieces of his that I am particularly partial too, and about my own perceptions of his work!

Interestingly, in the video interview, the emotional aspects of Rezago's work were not highlighted (a situation I will not let happen again!). We focused instead on its abstract qualities. However, it is the emotional power of his work that first speaks to us. This is no where more evident than in his sculpture called "Engines of Creation", featured at the recent exhibition of kinetic sculptures at the VAA site. Here we see an almost organic movement of rounded shapes that make one think of orbital dynamics and planets in movement, even though the shapes are not, for the most part, spherical. The sculpture expresses a kind of heaviness, a subterranean power, that reaches through the limitations of our Second Life experience and touches something deeply buried in our own body sense. I believe this ability to reach into our own innards is part of what makes Rezago's sculptures so compelling.

Another sculpture, also at the exhibition, was "Dancing Eels" (this one is shown briefly in the video clip). The sinuous movement of the eels speaks again to our bodily sense of movement, although this one expresses a much more flirtatious energy with a very dance-like feel to it, another aptly named sculpture. The fluidity of the movement of the eels is also striking and entrancing.

The sculpture from the exhibition that is most present in the video is "Science and Industry". Again, although the video gives a sense of the power of the sculpture, we did not discuss the aesthetic impact of the piece. Although perhaps more abstract than the other two I have discussed here, the mixture of rotating flexes and rotating textures within a solid frame creates a tension which is almost palpable, and there is a solidity to the piece that is highlighted by Rezago's comments regarding how robust the sculpture is towards movement and manipulation.

I was also very taken by Rezago's SL home - an elegant, airy structure filled with works of art, for the most part created by others that he has collected over time. Knowing that his RL home is in Colorado somehow helps explain the alpine sparseness and simplicity one finds in this space. In some ways, Rezago's activities constitute a kind of sculpture with matter in motion, just as Pandora Wake's work, on which I reported before, is concerned with light, and elros Tuominen's with grace. Even Rezago's immobile works have an inherent movement to them.

In addition to his engagement with a variety of communities in Second Life, an indication of how generous Rezago is with his time and expertise, he is clearly engaged in the production of a substantive body of work at the forefront of current artistic development in the hybrid world of Second Life. He is hence very much himself an "engine of creation". And a delightful person to get to know.

However, he is entirely too modest about his own achievements.

Not to be missed!

Hat as Sculpture

2007-06-11T08:40:00.000-07:00

written by Cyanide Seelowe

After one month of grueling preparation on both the curator and the artists' part, the Awesome Hat Exhibit had an extremely successful opening reception on Sunday, June 9th at the Virtual Artist Alliance Gallery!

With a fashion show that featured the artists dressed as mannequins to model their hats, imaginations were explored, artistic doors were opened, and the crowd was wowed by the variety and obscurity of the sculptural headgear the artists had to present.

A garden party followed where the artists and patrons mingled to gaze in awe and engage in conversation about the hats, as well as share unique fashion accessories and advice with each other.

Among the patrons to attend the event was Siya Suen, master mask maker and milliner of Second Life. She owns Illusions, the Isle of Masks, which is a rather large corner of Second Life complete with gardens, meeting areas, and places to buy Miss Suens masterful masks and hats. Check them out, and be sure to visit the Awesome Hat Exhibit through the months of June and July!

One by one we go

2007-06-06T14:41:00.000-07:00

Last sunday, June 3rd, Juria Yoshikawa opened a new exhibition series in collabaration with four composeres at the White Cube Gallery. There will be 4 different installations/soundscapes, one week each, from June 3rd to July 4th.
The installation art is by Juria Yoshikawa.
Original soundscapes are by composers Miulew Takahe, Bingo Onomatopoeia, Auxillary Snook and AldoManutio Abruzzo.
Here are some pictures from the opening of the first installation, with soundscape by Miulew Takahe. On the walls there are two quotations of Mashall McLuhan. When you move through Jurias installations you hear children's voices. Their utterances all contain the word 'one', texts are also shown on the transparent forms you walk throu. Very beautiful, I must say.
Read more about it on Juria website: http://memespelunk.org/blog/

Looking forward to the next installations!

WindLight Redux

2007-05-29T22:20:00.000-07:00

Windlight seems like it will arrive sooner than I expected. As with all art, learning how to work with the medium is what separates the good from the great! This first image is taken from 600+ meters over Svarga. You can see the sky is quite detailed, but the haze/land view is a uniform teal. The black is a sky platform that is hanging about up there if you've never been.

Current SL viewer

I decided to take a few pictures of a sunset I have seen a lot given it takes place over my in-world book site (under construction). Here is the current SL view skys.

First Look Viewer Of Same
Here is the same with the SL First look viewer. It is impressive, but somehow, less real. In any case, I'm looking forward to taming my skys and sharing them with others (only in SL).

-Ansel

WindLight!

2007-05-29T19:38:00.000-07:00

by Rezago Kokorin

The WindLight First Look Viewer became available today and I just tried it out. Really, really awesome! Realistic looking clouds blowing across the sky, blue-grey misty mornings, golden sunsets.....

I went out to Bliss Basin, the most beautiful area I know of in SL, to look around and take some photos. Parts of it are already like being in a Maxfield Parish painting, and its even more so now. The sunsets there put me in mind of Rivendale, in MiddleEarth. I also visited the Lost Gardens of Apollo, another great SL beauty spot.

If you're a contributor to the blog and have tried out the new viewer, I encourage you to post some of your own photos.

In reviewing this post before sending it out I see that the photos I chose don't show a great deal of the actual sky. Its more than the sky, its the way the light makes everything look.

Really, try this out!

The Lost Gardens of Apollo:

Video Blog on the Kinetic Sculpture Exhibition at Chiaksan

2007-05-25T08:08:00.000-07:00

- by Magellan Egoyan

As part of a developing interest in both blogging and video blogging, I have started to develop a series of video blogs on youtube that portray different aspects of Second Life as it relates to Real Life. My second effort along these lines is now available on the youtube site... it can be found by searching under the key words "second life kinetic sculpture" or through my usename on youtube, which is "mageEgo". The document is in two parts, called "Kinetic Sculptures in Second Life, part 1" and "Kinetic Sculptures in Second Life, part 2". The blog is not perfect, given the time constraints (and my still inadequate video editing skills) I was unable to include much information on the artists themselves, beyond a few individuals. Later on, as I get better, I shall have another try.

Grand Opening of Gallery urEN lUREN at Trollhaugen, Second Life

2007-05-24T15:55:00.000-07:00

Friday 25th of May I will open the first exhibition at my gallery Gallery urEN lUREN at Trollhaugen. 2pm SL-tid. So it will also be the official opening of the gallery itself. Everybody is welcome!

As the poster says I show some own my own artwork, invited guests and friends from rl (real life) and SL (Second Life), and some of the artworks in my art collection (I've started as an art collector too!).

"nOObjectivity #1" - A critical nOObject series #1 by Wirxli Flimflam.
On the opening Wirxli Flimflam aka Jeremy Turner is going to do an art performance with two guests: Lisa Dapto and Pastichan Yifu. The performance will start 2pm and go on til about 4pm. More info can be found in the blog post HERE.

Hope to see you all there!

To the gallery: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Trollhaugen/147/219/26

Plurabelle Posthorn aka Nina Svenne

The Spirit Fens Art Festival, May 19

2007-05-21T14:48:00.001-07:00

Written by Plurabelle Posthorn

The Spirit Fens Art Festival in Second Life was a part of Artomatic 2007, Artomatic being a multimedia art festival in Washington DC featuring more than 600 area artists and performers. "The free five-week event, to be held April 13–May 20, will feature nearly 90,000 square feet of paintings, sculptures, photography and other creative work." More about the rl Artomatic HERE.
The Spirit Fens Art Festival was hosted by Morning Dagger (aka Jack Whitsitt) at the SintixErr Gallery, Enniv Zarf and PK Works: Krystal Epic - A Whole New Kind of Experience (See Cyanide Seelowe's review of Enniv Zarf's PK Works: Listening to Art - A Journey through Krystal Epic), Xavier Mohr and SL Reports, Frageurs Hock and MH Motors.

Now, some weeks ago they annouced a competition: a Scripted Practical Sculpture competition, 20 prims max. A litle later a competitions for 2D art was also annouced. Three prizes in each category:
Grand Prize of L$10,000 decided by the Jury, Audience Prize of L$10,000 decided by the voters,a combination of SL audience and RL audience from the Artomatic Festival in Washington DC, One Runner-up prize of L$2000.
At 4pm all the competition entries were up, and people tped in.
Enniv Zarf opened the show, and what a great opening: AOM! The Avatar Orchestra Metavers! I finally got to hear them in a live concert. In the middle of the picture here is the instrument build by Bingo Onomatopoeia.

See Wirxli Flimflams (one of the performers) report on the event HERE. The Avatar Orchestra Metavers own blog HERE.
You can hear earlier recordings of the to pieces they played this evening here: Miulew Takahe(bjørn eriksson)'s Rue Blache and Bingo Onomatopoeia's "Wee.No.Kresh" (click on the links).
Here's my fan video from the concert:

After this marvelous concert, it was time to look closely at all the fine entries for the competions, talking to the other artist, oh, I forgot to tell! I had three entries for the competition myself (so I had to be there...), and listening to the live music that was streamed from Washington DC.
A couple of hours later it was time for the awards.

Enniv Zarf shouts: WINNING THE TOTAL PRIZE MONEY OF L$10000
Enniv Zarf shouts: IS THE MAKER OF ORNAGLYPH62 BY SONIA STARDUST
Sonia Stardust: Yay! thank you!
elros Tuominen: Congrats Sonia :)))))
AuroraSkye Ashton shouts: Bravo
Enniv Zarf: THAT'S THE AUDIENCE AWARD
Azadine Umarov: bravo

Sonia

Enniv Zarf shouts: THAT'S THE AUDIECNE AWARE
AuroraSkye Ashton shouts: congrats!!!!! :)
Xavier Mohr shouts: Congrats Sonia!
Suzuka Yongho shouts: Bonzai!
Tayzia Abattoir: Grats :)
Davina Glitter: whoohoo
Sonia Stardust: thank you!
Angel Enoch: yay

Enniv Zarf shouts: THE WINNER OF THE JURY PRIZE OF THE SPIRIT FENS 2D REAL LIFE NON-FRACTAL ART COMPETITION
Enniv Zarf shouts: WINNING THE TOTAL OF L$10,000....YES...THAT'S 10K
Enniv Zarf shouts: GOES TO.....
Enniv Zarf shouts: SOULFUL PRAYER BY AURORASKYE ASHTON
Veritas Variscan: oooooh
Davina Glitter: clap

Auroraskye in her lovely dress.

Enniv Zarf shouts: ANYWYAS...RUNNER UP TO THE AUDIENCE AWARD WINNING L$2000
Enniv Zarf shouts: IS ELROS TUOMINEN FOR HIS DANCING FLOWER

elros. You can see his dancing flower in the background

(It was so fun, but also terrifying. I never win anything, I said to myself. Why is that? What's wrong with me?)

Enniv Zarf shouts: THE WINNER OF THE AUDIENCE AWARD WINNING A TOTAL OF L$10,000 IS......
AuroraSkye Ashton: I want to hide behind a chair
AuroraSkye Ashton: lmao
elros Tuominen: thanks to you all.....
Enniv Zarf shouts: ....
Tayzia Abattoir: rofl
Ariella Masala: congrats elros *grins*
elros Tuominen: thnx Ariella :)
Enniv Zarf shouts: OMAYD GONTYUK FOR HIS WORK ZORABOT
Sonia Stardust: yay!!!!!
Angel Enoch: Hurrah!!!
elros Tuominen: Congrats!!!! :)))))))
(I havn't got a picture of him or his amazing animated poetic sculpture...)

Enniv Zarf shouts: THE RUNNERUP TO THE JURY AWARD FOR THE FIRST EVER SPIRIT FENS SCRIPTED PRACTICAL SCULTPURE COMPETITION WINNING A TOTAL OF L$2000 IS ....
Luker Esparza feels the thick tension in the air
Veritas Variscan: LOL
Luker Esparza: lol
Xavier Mohr: lol
Veritas Variscan: /drumroll
Enniv Zarf shouts: INA CANTUR'S WORK, OSTIUM
(I voted for her. It is a lock. You've got to solve a puzzle to have a landmark. Very much like you have in videogames.)

Enniv Zarf shouts: FOR THE FINAL JURY PRIZE OF L$10,000
Luker Esparza cheers loudly!
Veritas Variscan: Congratulations , Ina!
elros Tuominen: congrats Ina :))
AuroraSkye Ashton: Congrats Ina
Xavier Mohr: yay
Enniv Zarf shouts: FOR THE FIRST EVER SPIRIT FENS SCRIPTED PRACTICAL SCULPTURE COMPETITION GOES TO.......
Enniv Zarf shouts: AND THE WINNER OF THE L$10,000 PRIZE MONEY IS
Luker Esparza plays the drum roll
elros Tuominen: :)
Veritas Variscan provides drumroll
Azadine Umarov: hooray!!!
Enniv Zarf shouts: I AM A BIRD NOW --- BY PLURABELLE POSTHORN......CONGRATES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

??????????! Me! I won!

My "I am a bird now - Sound Trampoline"

VAA Interviews Juria Yoshikawa

2007-05-14T19:08:00.000-07:00

At The Bluffs, the lake and the woods are filled with light and sound and motion. Bright multicolored cones move through the trees; over the lake brilliant orbs circulate, as well as a number of avatars wearing conical gowns in bright moving colors and flying through the air or burrowing into the ground under the control of unique animations, emitting shouts of glee. This is the participatory installation art of Juria Yoshikawa, aka new media artist Lance Shields, living in Tokyo (weblog at memespelunk.org). This reporter had the privilege of an exclusive interview with the artist a few days after the very successful opening.

VAA: So, talk about the art 'n' stuff.

JY: Well, this is my debut you know; it's my first official showing in SL after doing art in sandboxes for the past 2-3 months.

VAA: How long have you been in SL?

JY: I really just started; since march. But it's been a very full second life ;) I started with a male AV, Andres Watanabe, but very quickly changed to Juria. I found people were nicer to her, and more open.

VAA: What's your background, art-wise?

JY: I have a background in RL installation art and conceptual art, and did a lot through my 20s. After getting out of art school - the San Francisco Art Institute - I moved to Osaka and started doing installations. They were very participatory, but were in small galleries with no exposure. Then I got into digital art and the web, and set aside installation art. Soon I moved back to the US to do commercial design, which i still do. So there has been a 6-7 year gap since I really made art, but now I'm coming full circle through SL: through digital spaces I can do installation again.

VAA: Did you come into SL in order to do art, or was that an unexpected benefit?

JY: Unexpected! I lead the social media work in my company in tokyo: social networking, blog, and SL eventually. It was research. But then I just loved making things right away, and couldn't stop. Now I'm building a little artist persona here; it happened very organically.

JY: So, the work here. This piece has two parts: the forest and the lake, the Light Cones and the Light Orbs. The Orbs are tied to the lake, like forms of precipitation. While the Cones are in my mind abstracted "trees" and live in the wood. As I was developing both of them I began to imagine a story between the shapes and spaces...

VAA: What sort of story?

JY: The story of light that was forgotten about, misplaced. That in some way, these lights have minds of their own and have come back to their final resting place at the nature reserve. Also underneath all this 3D rendered trees, grass and water is really electricity which the lights were born from. In this "natural" setting the Lights clash and merge to remind us that is really just simulation.

JY: At the same time, I'm interested in the experience you can have with your av in the art: this is everything from visuals, to sounds to animation.

VAA: Is that a major difference between RL and SL art; how easy it is to make participatory?

JY: Super; it HAS to be participatory. I mean this is a 3D virtual space like so many games; even though people don't see it as a "game", I think we have similar expectations. "I want to experience art with my av that I can't do in RL". That's the reason I created the Light Gowns for people to wear and fly around the lights in.

JY: The next thing I like to think about is the place itself. Take Alien Beach: I look at the strange texture of the beach, see alien like qualities and sense an isolation, and then grow a surreal alien contraption right out of the texture. The nature of the beach adds power to the piece. The place itself should dictate a lot, as the viewers should.

VAA: Did you do the animations in this piece yourself? They're unique.

JY: Yes, I started making animations almost right away in SL, using avimator, on my Mac. I try to make them really awkward or otherworldly motions for people to experience with their AVs.

VAA: And are you still using avimator, or have you moved to something expensive?

JY: Avimator is actually easy to make broad strokes but hard to handle nuance; but free is cool.

JY: I want to experiment more with animations in the future, to give people more control; speech driven gestures are interesting to me, but arty ones.

VAA: Neat! I look forward to seeing what you do with that.

[At this point the artist is briefly interrupted by a storm of IMs.]

JY: Good grief, that's another thing: the social aspect of sl for artists is just amazing. Now that I have a little friend network, I can do improv openings right after finishing a piece and get 10-20 sets of eyes to see the work in minutes. Imagine that in RL!

VAA: Indeed! Any advice for new artists, to get that kind of thing going?

JY: for new artists?

VAA: Well, new to SL anyway.

JY: Hmm. Try to use SL for what it is. Even if you're a painter, try to find ways to use the tools of SL to make work that can only exist here. I think it's cool to show RL work here, cuz it's exposure for them, but personally I find SL media itself as the most dynamic and fun to play with. I guess having fun is the most important thing, and working hard just like in RL.

JY: Also don't be afraid of the scripts! There are tons of reusable scripts that can make big effects. Like all I usually use is rotate and animSmooth; both are default scripts in our libraries. I mean, that's all that it takes to get things moving.

VAA: And I assume there are scripts governing the motions of these cones that keep passing through us as well?

JY: Nope, just rotate and animSmooth; I fooled everyone.

VAA: But the cones are moving from place to place 'n 'all!

JY: There's a transparent ball in between them, which they rotate around; that's it! Then I space them out.

VAA: So they all move in circular patterns, but there are so many that it's not obvious to the eye?

JY: Yes, an illusion; but meaning and experience can be an illusion and still very real. This is a "simulation". So I'd say artists should do what they can to create interesting experiences even without the skill of scripting, but don't make excuses unless you know Dale. ;)

VAA: I'll be sure to print that part.

VAA: And the overall effect is of something more complex.

JY: So that's my card trick; no one will ever trust me again!

VAA: :) So where should I send our readers to see your things? Here at The Bluffs, and Alien Beach, and Pleasurection?

JY: Yes, all three; that order works too.

VAA: And are there any other places or pieces that you'd recommend everybody see? (Obligatory SL question)

JY: Other art you mean?

VAA: Sure, or anything else relevant really. Whatever you feel like mentioning!

JY: Well I have been so busy that I really haven't seen too much! I like a few places in particular. I like working at the Berkman Sandbox; it's smaller but the people are open to the art. There are also guards there so they keep the griefers out, and they help out with scripting or building advice. A unique little culture.

VAA: So what's next for you?

JY: Things are really cooking for me. I'm just opening a show called "I'm Not Here" at a new art space Gaping Lotus Experience May 16-30. I have two more shows starting in June. One is at the White Cube Gallery. The other is at the outdoor space of Sea Song Gallery at Caledon on the Sea. The theme in both shows is still undecided, which is what I like actually. Improv art is the best; make it like I do in the sandboxes.

VAA: Anything else you'd like to mention that I haven't asked about?

JY: Hmm. I'm really interested in collaborating, especially with people of other disciplines like yourself. Musicians, coders, poets, business people, normal people, sex goddesses (I'm serious; you can print that!).

Respectfully submitted, with many thanks to Juria,
-- Dale Innis

Kliger Dinkin at Ars Virtua

2007-05-02T10:11:00.001-07:00

As the first artist in Ars Virtua's Artist-in-Residence program (AVAIR), Kliger Dinkin aka Brad Klingerman is showing the project he has been working with during his residence periode at Ars Virtua. The exhibition opened 20th of April.
« Organizing light in the time and space of the projected image »
(the determination of an Image-Space)
About the exhibition here:
http://www.turbulence.org/blog/archives/004145.html
Development of the project here:
http://transition.turbulence.org/AVAIR/?cat=3
A pole with hovering text tells you to click it to recieve a FAQ notecard to help you navigate the exhibition. You do because it looks like you're going to need it. The room is filled with transparent images and hovering texts. It says like: What does it mean to make art in Second Life? The first texts you see is describing the intention of the project. Oh! And to the right there is a column with cubes and text to click to teleport into the exhibition. The teleportation column. "Teleports send visiting avatars to exhibition vantage points within the Ars Center." crystal - write - learn - read - teleport theater (on the roof, from where "visitors can also be sent to distant Second Life sims that contain functioning project infrastructure.") - entrance

OK, let's go!
crystal - I'm caught inside a labyrint of transparent image walls - almost... I bump into walls, go through images, a glimps of a de Chirico painting, I fall down, and finally land on the ground again.

write - "Writing, a tool that possesses the mechanics and intelligence necessary to physically transform the materials that compose in-world space, physics and form..."

I walk from text to text, reading, trying to figure out what this is all about. Expecting to see an art exhibition, I find it somewhat didactic. So what does it say?

"What does it mean to show art in Second Life? By representing a project using interactive hyper-spaces made of images, ideograms and holograms, showing the places, and ideas invented during the 11 week resisency..."

A very busy guy at the entrance shows to be the artist himself, (futurist) Klinger Dinkin, putting up a kiosque which gives you a catalogue for the exhibition. He flew of to put up a kiosque on the roof, where the teleporters to other sims are, before I could ask him some questions....

From the Teleport Theather on the roof you can teleport to installations on other locations.

I had some problems understanding the exhibition, especially the three machines for in-world experimentation: The Calibration Machine, The Analogy Machine, The Mutation Machine. I couldn't find any machines, or I didn't understand what exactly was the machines and therefore could not find out how they work. On the web site it's said that: "The exhibition attempts to engage visiting avatars as project participants. By interacting with the installation infrastructure, they will actualize its content." So I expected to experience that, but the exhibition it self is not very interactive, except from walking aroud, reading and teleporting. "Avatars use HUDs to capture and send project data back to the gallery. The HUDs are provided throughout the gallery and worn by participating avatars. When visiting a distant project sim, the HUD facilitates data extraction by creating screenshots, then automatically sending the image data back to the Ars Virtua gallery. " I fumbled a lot with the catalogue cause I thought the HUD came with it. It didn't. "Creating a feedback loop involving avatars is a reflection of the necessity to create meaningful space through presence and participation."
I had to IM the artist to ask him. Kliger Dinkin: (Saved Wed May 02 11:56:01 2007) My exhibition is a “representation” of the machines, the objects & spaces they produced and the data they extracted. Visiting them is possible through the teleports offered in the Ars Virtua gallery.
So, the exhibition as it stands is actually an example of the 1st generation builders syndrome, isn't it? Or is it just me getting used to going through walls and teleporting? Ok, the exhibition is a representation of Klingers project, the machines are not on, so the installation in the gallery is frozen and not alive. There are some great ideas presented in the exhibition, but WHY, WHY, WHY can't I participate? I want to try those machines, please.

Plurabelle Posthorn