Two of the panels from one of my latest projects, the graphic novel Chromium and Juliette, about the power of human love unleashed in a virtual world, loosely based on the Shakespeare play and the Pygmalion myth of ancient Greece; a mixture of literary fiction and virtual autobiography. Large format versions of these panels are also currently on exhibit at the Kelly Yap Gallery, along with the work of a number of Second Life artists, all focusing on the theme, Beauty. The opening reception is scheduled for Saturday, September 5th, from 8pm to 9pm; the exhibit runs through the month.

Visit Beauty at the Kelly Yap Gallery in Second Life: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Healy/175/18/150

First, my apologies to the few readers still hanging around waiting for another post here on CNS; it seems the fact that I never sleep has finally caught up with my human resource component. The frenzy of creative activity over the past several months has taken its toll on the poor fellow and has forced him to slow down a bit, to regroup, to reconsider, to focus, to prioritize, and, well, get his act together. Unlike us avatars, he needs something called ‘rest’ to recharge that wet battery he runs on. As an avatar, I find it a bit of a drag on my plans and activities but hey, they are only humans after all – ya can’t live with ‘em, and ya can’t live without ‘em. Thus linked, we soldier on.

To make amends for my absence, though, I offer you a new work of art – not by me (though I have a ton of things to show you) – but by a fellow avatar/artist named RightAsRain Rimbaud, a member of the Rezzable team. He has installed a new ‘sculptie’ 3D piece at their legendary art sim, Black Swan, that has the virtual world all abuzz. Grand Odalisque (seen above in its presentation setting), an out-sized (in more ways than one) hyper-realistic figure of a nude woman.. a figure so realistic it takes your breath away the first time you see her. The buzz is not just about the aesthetic achievement in this work, either, but about the technical achievement it represents; in other words, the how -the-hell-did-he-do-it factor. One thing is certain, however… it has raised the bar a few notches for us artist types who live and breathe this virtual air, and at least us avatars are always up for a challenge.

See Grand Odalisque at: Black Swan (243, 122, 39)

“Most of the guitars on the market in the late 1950s had their share of feminine curves, but the Strat was the wood and metal equivalent of a pin-up model.” -from Wired Online

A mighty big birthday high-five is winging its way to the man who invented one of the most important musical instruments of the 20th century: the Fender electric guitar. As you may have noticed, many of the greatest rock guitarists in the world have built their sound, career and image around the sleek, sexy and fluid Fender Stratocaster, making it the central force in rock culture in the ’50s and ’60s, a period which continues to dominate almost every genre of popular music to this day.

The late Clarence “Leo” Fender was born 100 years ago on August 10, 1909. Thanks for the many soul-searing moments, Leo.