What exactly is art?

Real life or second life, originally uploaded by IshtarsKiss.

This has been a question that has been asked through out the ages. Be it the common man on the streets or someone that works for a high powered gallery.

I'm here to say i have no idea. No one does actually. Now i'm not known for having the best memory (anyone can verify that just ask them). But through out the years of real life and my second life i've seen so much. Back in the 90s in New York city there was an artist who's work appeared in an art gallery. Basically if i remember right it was a big container of piss with a Jesus on a cross in it. I mean i know it was kind of crass but when you look at if from a different prospective, your like oh wow. Look how the light is shining through it. One of the best images i saw of it was a side angle. The light was reflecting just right through it onto the jesus in the liquid.

It looked so wow. Of course once this was released you then had the mayor of New York and all the catholic leagues you can think of causing a shit storm of bad press. Oh how can they do this to our lord and savior. Oh why why why.

Its made me wonder, has there ever been a piece of artwork in second life that has gotten this type of press. Or even in real life since this occurred. Only thing i can remember is Mary Magdilene in elephant poo. What i'm trying to say that art is art. There is no definition to it. What looks good to one may look like utter crap to another human being.

I think what brought on what is art, is my recent trip to my local art museum attached to the college. I didn't find any of the artwork bad but it started me thinking. Just seeing all the oil paintings up on the wall and varying art styles was so wow. I cant remember the name of the artist but there was a series of pieces called the bull. Various art strokes put together to show a bull running or even in a bull fight. One of them was so unusual took me a few minutes to see the bull it self.

On the second floor they had very fine Japanese prints from the 1400s up to at least the 1800s. My gods how beautiful these pieces looked. One was of a Japanese woman getting ready for her wedding and other women getting her kimono onto her. The detail of the piece looked so amazing. This made me wonder. I know some of these pieces from Japans past were done as reminders, memorials, or even a few i saw as a version of a travel guide. When the creators did this, did they expect their work to be seen as art hundreds of years later.

I guess what i'm implying is that when you see something, look twice, it might be a work of art. For example, the picture i attached to this blog entry. How surreal does it look. To some they would say what the hell is going on there, you have the colors and textures horribly wrong. To others, they would take a look, maybe stop and look again. Think for a second. For that split second they process what there seeing. In that moment of time you make that impact, that moment of truth to them. Is this art or is it not. They may not remember your name or where they see it but years later in that small portion of their mind that records each human beings experience, you still exist. Your artwork has made an impact, for the better or worse, it made an impact. You have now officially become an artist.

"Im still stuck on this island waaaaaaaaaaa" "Wait nude bathing on the beach, a cabana girl and boy Whoooo Hooooo I'm staying"

Gallery to be open soon

Tropical moment, originally uploaded by IshtarsKiss.

Ive been doing artwork via the computer for over two years now. In that short period of time ive come to appreciate various artwork around the world and in second life as well. When i first came in world on my res date i didn't think of bringing my artwork into second life. It was a slow process and I first opened my first gallery at the old Mcdunnoughs Speakeasy on the samoa sim around 4 months later.

I haven't looked back to be honest. I know this blog is really relating my own experiences on my artwork but i figure sometimes a person just needs to get their thoughts down to paper. Or in the digital either so to speak.

Since i first started my gallery i have hired many models for various art pieces and have expanded to taking quality photography in second life. Soon once i have it set up im opening an ebay store to sell physical prints of my work. I have no idea if anyone will by actual prints but well see. I have a decent printer now and have experiment with photo paper. Now the next step is to try to make money. Whooo hooo.

Currently i have reestablished my gallery on Eros Island and we should be open in the next few weeks. Pictures in this blog entry is my second life sister Danielle Munro. One of the few people that knows the real me in rl and i have talked to in skype. I have to say shes one of my favorite models not just because shes my sis. Since I've gotten t o know her, I've found shes one of the most caring and strong women I've ever met or ever will meet. Shes had a few incarnations in second life but each time her avatars have shown the real her. Now i know when she reads this shell call me a goober. All i can say is ehhhhhhhh :P

But stay tuned, in the coming weeks we will be showing various things were doing with the new art gallery including the modeling floor thats been built, the various modeling portfolios done, and more. Till then. see you all on the flip side. Ill just be resting on this here island.

Jaquelyne Desmoulinis 1st modeling session

Jaquelyne Desmoulinis 1st modeling session, originally uploaded by IshtarsKiss.

One of my best second life friends Midori Murakami hired me for a modeling session today with her girlfriend/partner jaquelyne Desmoulins. I have to say with all the months of doing modeling sessions in second life for my art, this one was the most fullfilling and fun total.

I was suprised to hear this is the first time shes ever had a modeling session. People say you need to have great looks to be a model in anything, art, music, etc. I say to hell with that. To truely show off who you really are, you need to be free, show your personality to the world. Tonight i saw that nirvana as a soul flashed its energy live.

With a res date of 2005 shes a very special woman who has the self confidence to match, while talking to her about second life and her girlfriend, just the way she described her, i knew Jaquelyne has a very poetic soul. With previous experience in Multiplayer Online games, shes whats considered a pro noob showing off alot of experience with each new venu.

Discovering her true self with her love Midori Murakami, she will only be submissive with her alone. In this relationship they both have found a side of them selves they both have fallen for.

Its modeling sessions like this that make my day. Just hearing the reaction in their voices (ok typing in sl) and feeling how powerful a woman can feel knowing she is modeling and the soul attraction for the moment is so intoxicating. As Jaquelyne has told me this has made her day and week 10 times over all ready. Like she said and i agree " A picture says more then a thousand words". Here are your thousand words.

How do i pay rent for my gallery in second life

Etherian Kamaboko live at urbanity, originally uploaded by IshtarsKiss.

Ok one thing you learn in second life, you may be able to get alot of freebies but to get the better stuff in this new land you need to be able to pay the piper. Or in this case pay for better clothes and renting land.

Like in real life what helps is ya got to get a job. Since i first got into second life i have been working with the live music scene. Gods its great. Hearing all this talent around the world performing live on virtual stage. You can have lots of exposure and get your music across the digital either. Ive met lots of great performers in here that should be performing in real life for a crowd of thousands. There are some that are professionals in real life but move here to try it out and love it. There are others that are rare talents that i would love to see on the big scene live. Cover of rolling stone, etc, i can see it.

To stay in the live music scene in second life i try to get a booking position for talent or in this case im the manager at Urbanity. One of Second Lifes newest and best clubs for any performer to play at. Do you want blues, hard rock, heavy metal, goth, grunge, folk music, hell theres even flute music. All Musical types are represented here in second life. United we stand in this digital domain. Freedom of expression, freedom of artistry, freedom of the song.

What dreams may come

What dreams may come, originally uploaded by IshtarsKiss.

I'm not sure if anyone in my gallery group or anyone in Flickr even reads my journal. Sometimes i wonder if this is just for kicks or something else. But when i do a picture like this it reminds me why i love art so much.

Since Windlight has come to second life many different possibilities for modern art slowly became possible. This is a picture of a random couple i saw in second life. Here is a poem i came up with to fit the image.

What dreams may come of this life of ours.
What might be possible we may see.
Through light and shadow we step through the barrier
and see what our souls really hold.

What dreams may come of this life of ours.
We stood there on other sides of the world,
seeing each other through digital eyes.
I feel, i touch, i stroke your cheek to say my love.
I hold you to my chest, feeling your love, your stars.

What dreams may come of this life of ours.
What questions will we face in the days to come.
Will the dream last a life time or may it be fleeting,
a digital moment of loves first kiss.
Will that dream show the soul i came to know, will
it let me hold you tight. Will it ...........

What dreams may come.

Model: Sofia London

Model: Sofia London, originally uploaded by IshtarsKiss.

This session was a little different today. About two weeks ago when i was at Clouds nightclub as an incentive to try to get more people in i gave away a free modeling shoot. A very cool looking furry won it and gave it to his friend Sofia London.

After a few days of trying to wrangle a shoot together (minus me having to make last min arrangements to host at a club i work we finally got to have our session today. I certainly had fun with todays session. Which by the way was one of the last at my old location on the Incubus sim.

One thing i have always liked about a modeling session is chatting up the model to get to know them better. Now you may ask why hire models if your only using them for your artwork. Heres two answers for you. 1). Every woman needs quality photos. You can show them to your friends or heck, its plain fun. 2) You never know. What i mean by that is you never know when you will need a high class photo to impress a client, friend, etc.

Now when i give the 20 pics i take to whoever wants a session they are unedited. Reason for this is that in some cases if they need to use these for a contest or heck even employment, they have been told they want unedited photos. 2nd minor reason is that since i have a 8-5 real life job during the week and when you have a piece to work on with about 4 hours in a night you need all the time you can get.

Sofia London is a second life clothing designer who has recently gotten into the clothing business. While taking her pictures i saw how such a one of a kind look she has, i was very impressed. One really neat thing i learned from her is that she has the cutest lollico doll. Makes me want to get my own. Wheeeee.

From talking to her, she surprised me that shes been in the clothing game for a short period of time. One neat thing is that i got a really nice outfit from her. If your in second life id say she will be one to watch either for her clothing or for being one great woman to meet. Also check out her 1st life tab. Very cute. :-)

Click me for other modeling shoots uploaded on flikr

Latest Finished art piece

A touch of silk black and white, originally uploaded by IshtarsKiss.

I have to admit when i get an idea for an art piece i have no idea where it will lead to. Well this one lead me to experiment with black and white for the first time. I was surprised with the result.

With how powerful my computer system is with 2 nights worth of editing this has really paid off. Just seeing the models reaction to the finished piece is worth it all. I am also attaching a link to the colored version of this finished art piece. Enjoy.

Ishtars Kiss at Flickr

Meet one of the most attractive women in Second Life

Meet one of the most attractive women in Second life, originally uploaded by IshtarsKiss.

Ive known Midori Murakami for about 3 or 4 months already and have found her to be a great friend. When my gallery officially opened in second life i met her at my opening with her very long locks of hair. Very very long locks of hair to. Just started talking with her and we hit it off pretty good. I knew i had to hire her for a modeling session.

Needing photos for a lingerie contest in second life i figured this would be the best time to take her photos. What ive always liked is that in a session you learn alot about the person your taking pictures of and vice versa.

From an age of 14 shes been living in the united states after moving here from Japan. I think we hit it off pretty good and basically were taking photos and talking for about two solid hours.

Now with my area of the gallery set for modeling we have it set up that each panel will display an image ive uploaded. When you have to many pictures, it can be a headache but when you get that special one you can create gold. The background in this case creates a distorted 3d image but once its touched up in photoshop things are alot different.

Now if you dont use second life you may ask why hire someone to model for you or why model. Is'nt it just a program and why cant you move your limbs around. To simply put it, you cant move your self in second life like you can in real life. You need to have animations that are created with outside programs like poser or such to be able to move the person the way you want.

The advantage of second life is this. Do you want a model for your artwork but cant pay way to much money. Do you want to have them hold still but your camera or pen will pick up their suttle movements. Second life allows you to model your self or get who you need right off the fly for what ever project you need. Say you need to have a smaller sized woman or a runway model of a man in the fly for an advertisement and such. You can create who ever you want and use them instantly. Don't have the time to do that, then hire a person.

What i do for my artwork and models is this. I take their pictures and charge a certain amount of in game money for my services. If i see someone id like to model in my work then i hire them. Once i have finished what ever work or piece i need i give them a copy of that piece and get their verbal permission (in this case open chat) to use that art piece in my gallery and on my website as well).

For 10 pictures i charge 300 linden, 20 pictures i charge 500. Any custom photoshoped pieces i have not created for my artwork then i charge 1500 linden.

What second life can do for the modern art world is still to be said. But it is slowly contributing and making its impact. More on this to come.

Modeling shoots in second life

I love second life for more then one reason. When i first came in those many months ago, i was curious about this thing i have been reading about. Wasn't sure if i should come inside and the way the website was made up, i was thinking i had to pay a monthly fee. There is no monthly fee unless you have the premium account.

Anyway months passed and i realized that i can use an avatar as a model for my artwork or hire other people to model for me. So with a simple verbal agreement (in second life verbal is typing in open chat) ive hired various models over the months for my artwork. This blog will show off more of my artwork in the weeks and months to come. This will also include various volunteer work for relay for life.

Today i had my first modeling session with a woman i met a month ago. Her name is Emika Carter. Needing photos for a modeling contest in second life we pretty much started early this morning. The thing i love about these modeling sessions is finding out about the person i've hired and their personality. I can see why real life photographers love taking a human beings picture. Unfortunately second life was having trouble with certain servers (which you get use to) and had to boot everyone off to fix. We didn't get to finish our session but i hope to soon.

Back and roaring for action

I originally wanted to have this blog to post and show various relay for life events i went to last year but due to real life responsibilities and various events i was not able to. But now i have decided to work on this blog on a regular basis. This will show the various events in second life ive done and also display the artwork i have posted on various websites and in second life. So heres to a new year and yehaww.