Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting
Paradox Ivory is one of those photographers that make me feel as though I am seeing stills from a movie. Her photos are deeply expressive. There is a sharp definition combined with brilliant lighting with deep shadows. Many of her photos are erotically charged, though always with the discretion of a carefully placed hand, shadow, or position. She plays with spots of color in ways that surprise and delight. I encourage you to dive deep into her photostream. It is rich in reward.
A Canadian woman in her early forties, she’s been in Second Life since 2007. I asked her about her work. Her answers (and many more pictures) are after the cut.
What brought you to Second Life? What do you like to do in SL?
I first learned about Second Life through an educator who was exploring the viability of online learning through virtual worlds. This was back when Hose Queen was the Prim hair Goddess and Mesh was the thing of hopes and dreams .
You seem to have a fascination with light and shadow, did that develop over time, what do you think it expresses about you or your aesthetic?
I find shadows and light can be expressive, the way the shadow falls just across the face or along the curves of a body, it can evoke emotion without you ever having seen a facial expression.
I love your spots of color...what inspired you to take that approach?
I think sometimes a pop of color can become much like a supporting actor in a feature film, it becomes an anchor or push to delve a bit more into the emotion of the piece.
What is your favorite photo you have taken? What was your process in shooting and editing that photo? What are you trying to express?
That is a tough question , if I had to choose then it would be “And the darkness inside you can make you feel small.” Something about the vulnerability of the pose.. .the black and white that she is encased in and the colour just beyond the window. I think many people feel trapped or lost and everything else the colour is just out of reach .
What inspires you? How do you generally go about creating your photos?
Usually it is a song or emotion I am feeling. The feeling can be overwhelming so the need to express it turns into the pictures. It generally starts with wanting to express a specific thought so the pose becomes the expression while the light and shadows become the emotion and then at the end the music. All my work comes with music, it can sometimes take hours. It is a process that is almost cathartic in some cases, sometimes it can take longer to find the perfect song then it took to take the picture, but in the end I hope to create a moment — a capture of myself in a visual representation that anyone can look at and place themselves in it and relate in some way.
How does your work express your first and second life aesthetics and values? Are they the same?
I find art is so subjective. Beauty is subjective in RL as much as SL. I find beauty in many things — mostly in emotions. I like to think the best works come from a place of deep emotional turmoil or Bliss, it is the same for me in Rl as well. I think most of my art in Sl is a direct reflection of who I am in Rl so I would say they are the same, yes.
Who are some of your art or photo inspirations?
Honestly I do not know a lot about artists or photographers, I do find that my fellow SL photographers and artists with their plethora of talent and vision does help inspire me to try and push my ability.
What do you wish people knew about you?
I think perhaps if you only tried to know me through my art you would never know I have a crazy sense of humor and love to make people laugh.
What question did I forget to ask? Can you answer that question?
I'm not sure, but some answers would be: Red wine the dryer the better, pizza with pineapple (that's right I admit it) and books are always better than the movie .
Cajsa Lilliehook joined Second Life in 2007 and has been enjoying the art of SL ever since. Disliking the common practice of critiquing poor photos, she decided to highlight good ones and explain why they work in hopes of inspiring with praise instead of criticism. Follow Cajsa on Flickr, on Twitter or on her blog.
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