New Diretions
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| Newchurch :: N :: Chronos Wall Clock |
New Years is one of the few holidays I celebrate. It represents a clean slate -- one where we can take what we have learned from the past year and beyond and use it to go boldly (well hopefully anyway) into the future. This year is definitely a milestone. I can feel that.
I have never been one for resolutions. We either do what we plan to do or don't and often by the time I realize I have plan I have been working on it for some time. This turning of the calendar's first page is no exception.
Most of the changes for me center around ARTSCAPE, the art village that came into being five months ago. For NOW anyway that "seems" to be the focus. I have learned over the decades that the Universe often has plans that are out there in the mist and only get revealed as I make it towards the edges of the forest.
ARTSCAPE has a new focus. I thoroughly enjoyed designing the sim, meeting the artists, watching things grow. And then as things do we began to stagnate. Not everyone of course but we were definitely not moving forward. So the boutique galleries have been abandoned and replaced by more space to grow as a collative. Four artists remain with their own personal galleries at the edges of the sim. These are their domains and they will be treating them as their own.
The group will be unveiling new works as the months unfold as well as giving away paintings (three per artist per month). We have decided collectively to switch to the mod-copy permission system and to keep all 2D artwork $250 or under per painting. My new avatar "Arti" (ARTSCAPE) will be the business avatar for joint events.
A lot of our decisions go against the norm for Second Life art and I suspect that some artists will not be happy, but many who have been apart of the real life art world understand that the adventure often IS about the enjoyment of making art, saying what you want to say and having your work seen. Sales are a byproduct of the process and while welcome, not all that often manifested -- fame or no fame.
One of the most exciting bits of news is that we will be creating monthly mini-shows called Art in Process where we each make works highlighting one sim (or area) using the same EEP settings but from our own perspective and in our own style. The first outing was great fun and extremely interesting from an artistic standpoint. These art in process paintings will all be sold for 50 lindens each.
Find all these monthly exhibits in the main gallery building. My goal is to get original art made in Second Life into the homes of folks that have no intention of paying 700 lindens or more for art and turn to stolen web art. If given the choice I believe many of them will choose the legal and freely given option.
The changes at ARTSCAPE are part of my personal Pay It Forward plan. I started this movement over in Opensim what must be a decade ago now. The idea being that everything doesn't need to be about money. Even back then the grids were changing with the focus centering on putting real life currency in creators pockets. It was NOT that way when the grids were new and "take a copy" was a typical means of sharing creations in a place there there were few products and much need. While Second Life has improved in oh so many ways we have also lost some of that spirit.
I made a poster long ago and have resurrected it for sharing with those that believe that while money is not inherently evil, giving to others is inherently good. You can find the poster at the ARTSCAPE landing point. Buy for 0 and help build a movement.
PS. The four artists in the ARTSCAPE collective agreed that while it wasn't necessary at all, we would have Sway's tip piggy banks in our main building galleries. These are as much for the public as for "us". Some people find it very difficult to say "thank you" but completely easy to offer payment for something freely given. My grandmother was one of those. A case in point -- I gave away over 2400 paintings from my 12 days Advent but not one thank you IM. And I sold about 70 paintings which could have been free :D. So PLEASE do not feel that tips are expected.
Yes, still blogging :D.
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