LA Artist Renders Second Life Locations Into Striking Abstract Expressionist Paintings
What you're looking at here is a representation of a location in Second Life, rendered into a vibrant, abstract expressionist painting. This particular one is derived from Caledon, the steampunk empire, and it's the work of Los Angeles-based artist Kris Schomaker, known in SL as Gracie Kendal. (Avatar blog here.) While honing her technique in a graduate studies program, her instructors encouraged her to convert her fascination with Second Life onto the canvas. "I went into SL, and found some recent places I had been and used colors at that moment," Kris tell me by email. "I also liked the idea of mapping. My works have always had a sense of maps in them... They really felt like pixels and dots from the Second Life maps. At first I only had the names of the sims, but then felt I had to put the coordinates of the places I teleported to." (Hence the full name of this painting, on sale for $700, "Caledon 89,35,26".) See many more metaverse-derived works on her site.
"I am very interested in postmodernism and this eclectic pastiche of mixing different elements together," she adds. "Here, fine art with pop culture." Tomorrow evening, as it happens, she's presenting a new series in-world. "These new works are based on experiences I have had in Second Life," says Gracie. "I am actually getting much more personal. I have always felt that SL is an extension of my real life. I've been pretty private on a personal level in both lives. My art is actually helping me open up more." Details at this Facebook event listing. Photo and painting via Kristine Schomaker's site.
Glad you could mention Gracie Hamlet! I love her work and I think shes a great asset to SL.. You can also see an interview with her on Tonight Live here.. http://archive.treet.tv/tonight-live-paisley-beebe-17may09
Posted by: Delinda Dyrssen | Monday, July 13, 2009 at 08:38 PM
Gracie is really a great artist. Happy to see her featured here on NWN. An interview with her can also be found in Vitruvius Journal, Volume 2, Issue 1 at http://www.vitruviusjournal.com
Posted by: Phil | Tuesday, July 14, 2009 at 01:13 AM
It's basically a series of coffee cup rings dipped in paint and flicked paint from the brush.
What i enjoyed was the series of coffee cup sizes.
I can see Latte, expresso..........
Posted by: Archie Lukas | Tuesday, July 14, 2009 at 01:28 AM
sorry I missed the opening, Gracie! may blow by tonight :D gratz
Posted by: Manx Wharton | Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at 09:15 AM