There are things I can imagine and I can draw. There are things I can imagine but I cannot draw. But, could I draw something that I cannot imagine?
~ István Orosz Graphic designer, animated film director, author.
A few days ago, I started on a new project—3D Metaverse Installation.
Part of my October show at Second Life Endowment for the Arts.
“The metaverse is an unprecedented opportunity for people to connect, create, and share experiences together” – Dr. Philip Rosedale
Remember, in the Metaverse, I am known as Tap Quentin. A name I picked 16 years ago when I joined Second Life. At the time, the thought was you were to separate your real-life and second-life identities. That is no longer necessarily true.
My show at Sky Gallery: Second Life Endowments for the Arts. (SLEA) closes at the end of the month. The past two group shows I participated in at Sky Galleries were by invitation. Last month, I was led to apply for a grant to use a 1/4 region to explore and create another installation. SLEA granted me to use 128 meters x 128 meters of their digital space. (https://sleagrants.com/grants/current-grants/)
Being Male is a mixed-media Installation. I play with scale and perspective in this work, both a fascination. The surreal environment is an extension of my drawings and other works.
The new work will take the shape of passages, whether a maze, labyrinth or labyrinthine. I read that a maze is where you find yourself, and a labyrinth is where you go to know yourself.
As I was uploading the images used for the Being Male installation, I debated whether or not to share the images that include a penis. I decided to include one. I am not Mapplethorpe, but I chose not to censor my work.
Photography is an immediate reaction, drawing is a meditation.”
– Henri Cartier-Bresson
(Drawing Quotes to Speak to the Artist in You)
Yesterday was my seventieth birthday, and I am beginning my third year of retirement, I have one bold request.
ArtChangesLives(Dot)Com is owned by me and started in grad school almost two decades ago. Subscribing to my blog will help the blog’s rank on Google and other search engines. I hope it will become a place for people to share their thoughts while creating artwork … Meaning any of the arts.
I don’t know if I intend to show or sell my work commercially, but I am heading that way.
Thank you to the artists who agreed to let me link their sites to this site. Most of these individuals are friends.
Art has a vital power to promote understanding of one’s self and the world and provides a path for an artist to self-realize and connect with the known unknown.
It is a big ask, but could you subscribe to this site? I’d appreciate it.
BTW, my 70th birthday was fabulous, hearing from friends and family and spending it with family.
Lately, thank goodness, that is not a problem at the moment. I am working between two, probably multiple. This one promises to be fun. Trust me, I have had those moments. What to do?
Do something else if you are stuck. Yes, it distracts you and lets your brain refresh. The new else might help the old else find a solution.
One of our students at MCTC(Minneapolis College) was in a class my mentor and friend, Felix Ampah, taught. I was told the student sat in front of a canvas, and Felix went over and asked if something was wrong. The student blurted out, “I don’t want to ruin it.”
Felix Ahpah asked to have her brush. He took it and made a swash on the canvas, probably not big. Gave his wonderful smile that beamed and said, “Now it is ruined.” Then smiled, and they laughed, and he moved on.“
If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;~ “If” – Rudyard Kipling
I can tell you 101 things that have kept me away from this blog, but with the help of people and, most recently, the Mighty Mo helped with a few more adjustments, I will begin to post more frequently.
I have been organizing the images I can post for the last few days. I have been drawing, exploring various tactile media, and focusing on 3D software for the past two years. I am at the point where I can start showing my work. So my last push is to get the blog up and running again.
Bear with me; you will see more of my work and other posts soon.
Bill : )