The Caerleon Museum of Identity Opens on October 2nd in Second Life

On Saturday, the 2^nd of October 2010, the Caerleon Museum of Identity opens. The museum is a collaborative project of one of Second Life's premier artists groups, the Caerleon Artists Coalition. Festivities began at noon PDT/SLT and at 1 pm the incomparable Mommaluv Skytower will perform. The following information was taken from the press release announcing the opening.

The Caerleon Museum of Identity is the latest in the series of sim-wide collaborative installations by the Caerleon Artists Coalition, a project of the Virtual Art Initiative.

The 18 artists participating in this collaboration include:


* Artistide Despres
* Botgirl Questi
* Cat Bocaccio
* Chrome Underwood
* FreeWee Ling (coordinator)
* Fuscia Nightfire
* Gracie Kendal
* Ian Pahute
* L1aura Loire
* Lollito Larkham
* Maya Paris
* Nebulosus Severine
* Pete Jiminy
* Pixels Sideways
* RAG Randt
* Sabrinaa Nightfire
* Taralyn Gravois
* Wotthe Dickins

The Caerleon group was established by Georg Janick (Dr. Gary Zabel of the University of Massachusetts, Boston) and consists of artists, writers, musicians, and scholars who are using the immersive and interactive digital media to develop new forms of artistic content. Members of the coalition are among the most respected and imaginative artists working in SL.

Georg Janick's six Theses on the Art of Virtual Worlds are the framework for the series of collaborations on the Caerleon sims. In addition to major builds on each of the six theses, there have been numerous theme collaborations on various topics, including consumerism, imprisonment, surrealism, and masks, as well as limited resource challenges like the one-prim and limited texture shows.

The Caerleon Museum of Identity is an interpretation by the collaborative team of Georg's fourth thesis: the Ambiguity of Identity. It states in part, "…digital bodies, and the names that uniquely identify them, can be altered, multiplied, discarded, or exchanged at the will of the user. Since bodily presence is open to such radical discontinuity, the identity of the virtual person is protean and ambiguous, including indicators of age, gender, race, and even biological species."

The project has been in development for over a year. Weekly discussions about the project inevitably centered around the subject of identity and how people in virtual worlds both express themselves and interact with others. This is a subject of tremendous interest to many in SL, and some of the team members have formed the open Creative Identity group to continue talking about issues, especially as they relate to creative work.

The early development of the museum metaphor and leadership for the project was the work of Sabrinaa Nightfire, who has run a number of the Caerleon theme collaborations. When Sabrinaa had to withdraw for personal reasons, it fell to FreeWee Ling to take over the coordination of the team and she has brought it finally to the opening with the tremendous support of all the artists. This is the first project of this magnitude FreeWee has done in SL. "It's a very rare opportunity to work with so many creative people. This is why I'm in SL–to be creatively engaged and to be constantly inspired by talented colleagues. I am so grateful to Sabrinaa for recommending my membership in the Caerleon group, for her inspiration on this project, and for her friendship. The Identity team dedicates this build to her with our love and best wishes."

RESOURCES:

Machinimas:
BotGirl Questi: http://vimeo.com/15307758
Ian Pahute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=symG_03vh1Y

The Thesis by Georg Janick (Gary Zabel)

Ambiguity of identity results from the fact that our bodily presence in the virtual world is mediated by a digital representation. All dwelling within a world involves being present in a body which both constitutes our perspective on things and makes us present to other embodied experiencers. Though personal identity can be a very complex construction, its ultimate foundation is continuity of bodily presence. However digital bodies, and the names that uniquely identify them, can be altered, multiplied, discarded, or exchanged at the will of the user. Since bodily presence is open to such radical discontinuity, the identity of the virtual person is protean and ambiguous, including indicators of age, gender, race, and even biological species.

Second Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Art Auction

An invitation arrived from noted photographer, Sennaspirit Coronet about the ongoing event. His note follows:

"The Second Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Art Auction is underway and we would love for you to come and to spread the word about this charity event. We have collected some amazing pieces of art to auction off this year, including quite a few rare pieces (not sold in SL) and limited editions."

I exchanged off line messages with him and he told me that, "The show opened last Saturday and will run until Sunday Oct 3. There are approximately 50 pieces of art."

Professional Virtual Designer Society Weekly Speaker Series Guest - Simon Newstead

On Friday, September 24th, Simon Newstead, the CEO of Frenzoo will be a guest at the Professional Virtual Designer Society Weekly Speaker Series. The event begins at 3 pm PDT/SLT.

"Please join us as we welcome Simon Newstead, CEO of Frenzoo.com. discussing "New 3d web worlds - the creator opportunity".

Simon Newstead's background is consumer Internet and infrastructure technology. He is currently running his first startup Frenzoo out of Hong Kong, backed by the Skype co-founders, which is an innovative website for 3D fashion and lifestyle.

Before starting Frenzoo, Simon held a variety of positions at Juniper Networks heading their Advanced Technology Business Unit and in product marketing/management. He started off at Siemens in Australia and Europe.

Em Larrson - "A Closer Look" Exhibition at Angel Gallery

One of Second Life's most talented photographers, Em Larrson exhibition "A Closer Look" opened yesterday evening at Angel Gallery. The texture she'd sent me as invitation, has a sub title A Closer Look "at in world flowers". I am admittedly an admirer of her photographs and was tempted to stay logged in a little while longer to see her latest work. I spoke to her briefly before I logged for the evening and she told me, "This is the first time I have done a show of SL Photography. Still floral macros, but SL this time."

If you enjoy gardens and flowers, you'll not be disappointed that you stopped in to see this talented photographers work.

Linden's Log Out of Avatars United

An e-mail annuncement arrived on my BlackBerry while I was at work earlier this afternoon.

"Saying Farewell to Avatars United"

I scanned the text, stifled a yawn while I did and then deleted it.

A Tour of the Garden for Change

Garden for Change in Second Life



On Saturday, the 18th of September Medora Chevalier of Second Life will conduct a tour of "Garden for Change". I'd met Ms Chevalier nearly two years ago, she was one of the foundational members of the Rings Discussion group that had formed shortly after the notable production, of the "Rings" made its debut in Second Life. The Rings, "a metaverse protest rock opera" created by the Cybernetic Art Research Project (C.A.R.P). The Rings Discussion group was notable for its planning and coordinating a grid wide event to commemorate the 60th anniversary signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The grid wide event was hugely successful and the group and its members spawned many projects and events in Second Life over the succeeding years. One such project and place is the Garden for Change. Beside her virtual activism, she is also active for social causes in her real life and is an activist and proponent for the homeless in the United Kingdom.


The group she founded in Second Life has this as their charter:


"The Garden for Change is a place that celebrates real life work to change lives and to end homelessness. It illustrates the Places for Change Garden presented at the Chelsea Flower Show in London & created by some 200 people with experience of homelessnesss.


This beautiful garden was created to show biodiversity and sustainability. At the end of the show the plants and artifacts return to hostels and day centres.


The project is kindly supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation."


Her announcement is reprinted below:

Hello there!

Have you had the chance to visit the Garden for Change yet? Its a beautiful garden inspired by the RL garden made by 500 homeless people for the Chelsea Flower Show.

I'm working with the Garden to introduce a programme of events - exhibitions, talks, concerts etc

This is an invitation to the creative, artistic and inspirational people I know in SL to join us for an inspiration tour. I'd really like to tell you the stories behind and garden. I hope this will inspire you to create artwork, poetry, music, performance - all responding to the idea that we can see our world free from homelessness.

Then we can have exhibitions and shows that profile these creations!

I'll be taking the tour on Saturday 18th September at 1pm-3pm SLT. Hope you can join us.

In any case, if you would like to perform there, organize a poetry slam or exhibit artwork in sympathy with the aims of the SIM - please let me know!


Please join the subscriber group and sign our guest book - or make a wish at the wishing tree :)


Medora Chevalier or contact Jenny Valerian - SIM owner

Weekly Speaker Series Guest - Harper Beresford @ Professional Virtual Designer Society

An announcement from good friend Georgianna Blackburn

Sept 17th - 3-4 PM SLT
Professional Virtua Designer Society


Please join us as we welcome the infamous Ms. Harper Beresford. Come listen to Harper talk about what it takes to go from creating your product/service to marketing it.


Chief Marketing Office and Business Manager for RFyre, blogger for www.houseofrfyre.com and slfashionpassion.wordpress.com, marketing manager for NeoStreams, customer service and marketing for Lumipro, Customer service for Avimote/PoseMaker and Co-owner of the fashion bloggers group.


=========================================

Professional Virtua Designers' Society


Our Mission

========

The purpose of the Professional Virtua Designers' Society is to promote and protect the social, economic and professional interests of its members.


The Society is committed to improving conditions for all digital artists designing and developing virtual goods and products intended to be used in virtual worlds. It is also committed to raising standards for the entire emerging industry. The Society embraces digital artists at all skill levels and provides professional development to lift these special content creators to new levels of professionalism and skill.

The 48 Hour Film Project Machinima in Second Life

I had just arrived at an event, an art exhibition that opened on a Saturday afternoon in Second Life. With the number of green dots on the map, I knew it would take much longer than the usual several minutes to rezz, so patiently I waited. As avatar after avatar popped into view, I noticed that Chantal Harvey stood very near to me. We’d met a few times and chatted only briefly each time, an exchange of pleasantries. Coincidently, a note card had arrived from her only the day before regarding the 48 HFP Machinima Project and so I opened an instant message window to say hello. We chatted briefly about the event we’d both chosen to attend that day and I also took the opportunity and referred to the note card she’d passed to me. I then asked if she’d be interested in meeting for an interview about it and she graciously accepted.


The 48 HFP Machinima in Second Life takes place this year starting on the 17th through the 19th of September and the winning machinima will go on to the Filmapalooza Festival, which is part of the Miami Film Festival. It is anticipated that nearly ninety films will compete there along with the one machinima. The winner, and nine runners up will go on to the Cannes film festival in France.

Chantal Harvey is one of Second Life’s premier Machinima makers and has received tremendous recognition for her work and her contributions to the art of making machinima. She is also the founder of the MaMachinima International Festival, a SL Solution Providers Program member SLDEV and she is the producer of the 48 HFP Machinima Project in Second Life. We met at her place for the interview a few days later to talk about the latter and her own projects.

Chantal Harvey: Welcome!

Nazz: Thank you … This is the site?

Chantal: No, this is my studio or, my SIM and set and home. The event will be at UWA - BoSL

Nazz: How did you get involved with the 48 hour film festival?

Chantal: I entered it twice, the machinima one in 2007 and 2008. The first edition was SL only, the second one involved all games and worlds. I think it is probably the best film contest in the world at the moment. It is a real life event and focuses on do, instead of talk.

Nazz: So each team has 48 hours to do their film … rather than a film, followed by speeches and then another film.

Chantal: Well they have 48 hours, yes but before that, they each draw a genre and get a prop, line and character, that has to be in each film … then, it ends with uploading to our server 48 hours later. After that, the jury starts watching and judging the films. On the 22nd, the jury meets in Second Life, they have a conference, during which I am present along with a member of the 48HFP. They decide on awards, winners and feedback and, the 23rd, we have the big event awards and the winner is announced.

Nazz: How many teams have entered?

Chantal: Twenty four teams can enter and last year there was nine … I now have seventeen teams.

Nazz: The entry fee I noted is $48 USD, how is that money applied?

Chantal: The 48HFP is a large organization. It runs its own servers, film festival and website. The real life contest is $150 USD dollars. I talked them into $48 dollars.

Nazz: Are you involved with an entry?

Chantal: No … producers can’t enter. I applied for producer last year, after entering it myself twice, and I don’t regret it. Even when I stop, I can’t enter for two years.

Nazz: The rules are pretty stringent, is it a conflict of interest concern or because you may have some inside knowledge?

Chantal: To avoid people thinking that I have inside knowledge I suspect … you know, after entering it twice, I said I would never do that again ... but last year i actually wished I could have. The teams got their genres, and flew off to work and there I was ...

Nazz: What can a new to the event team expect?

Chantal: A lot of adrenaline. It’s a race against the clock. I remember thinking … I have plenty of time *laughs* I didn’t. I had 10 minutes left first year, and smelled like a polar bear … my husband was wondering if i was sane. The second year ... we had 2 minutes left. I was jumping up and down like a frog, *laughs* counting the seconds aloud. The uploading takes time, and if there is an internet hiccup ... that’s it. So it’s best to not leave it till last. Imagine, you work like that for 48 hours, almost no sleep or food ... and then fail. It happened to several teams.

Nazz: That would be a bitter pill and I can imagine the disappointment.

Chantal: It happened twice now to one team and they entered again this year … now, that is determination.

Nazz: I will keep my fingers crossed for them.

Chantal: Another team has entered the 4th time now, they say they will not stop entering till they have won it.

Nazz: You have to admire that.

Chantal: Very … and did you hear the jury news?

Nazz: I did about the film maker who agreed to judge, Peter Greenaway.

Chantal: Yes … I have four jury members … all four top.

Nazz: He'll be in Second Life or is he already here?

Chantal: He is in Second Life, sometimes in a special avatar. I don’t know his Second Life name!

Nazz: Who are the other judges?

Chantal: Phaylen Fairchild, Tom Jantol and Tracy Harwood. Tracy is an academic and founder of the first European machinima festival. Tom Jantol is a real life filmmaker, director, a machinimatographer and writer of Anymation … and Phaylen, does she need an introduction … creator of Divas, writer, machinimatographer.

Nazz: That is an illustrious panel. I would imagine that this event has consumed a good deal of your time. So after this, what's next for Chantal?

Chantal: Yeah, this is like 2 to 5 hours a day of work … today more than 10. After this? … The MMIF starts again. Two big events a year.

Nazz: You are a busy lady. Do you have any of your own projects in the works?

Chantal: Oh yes! I am pretty productive. I am building a set, preparing a series. And, I would want to make a movie in machinima … in different virtual world.

Nazz: Why not Second Life?

Chantal: Every platform has limitations … lag, animations, facial expressions. I would do large scenes in OpenSim, with many actors … crowds … and facials, in iClone … and a movie should be in 3D, don’t you think? That’s my dream.

Nazz: It should.

Chantal: Nazz, the organizer of the 48HFP is coming over. He is the head of outreach. Take advantage. He comes into Second Life twice a year. So if you have questions for him, he might just answer

As she spoke, an avatar dropped in to my right, his name tag read Zaddick Zerbino. Chantal greeted his arrival and we exchanged hellos while waiting for him to rezz in.

Nazz: Hello Zaddick, its pleasure to meet you.

Zaddik: Nice to meet you too.

Nazz: How long have you been involved with the 48 HFP?

Zaddik: I first produced the Boston 48HFP in 2004 and have been the Director of Outreach since 2005. (My RL name is Ben Guaraldi.) I've produced the 48HFP in Boston, NYC, SF, and at Burning Man as well.

Nazz: I think we may have met last year. I was assigned to do a piece for a magazine last year i think.

Zaddik: That sounds right.

Nazz: The 48 HFP is your only involvement in Second Life?

Zaddik: Yeah.

Nazz: Has being in the virtual world had an effect on publicity for the 48 HFP?

Zaddik: I'm not sure I understand the question--do you mean how has the press covered the Machinima 48HFP?

Chantal: Tom Cruise blogged it this year, after Phaylen Fairchild mentioned it to him.

Nazz: Cool ... To rephrase my question, with having a component of the 48 HFP in virtual worlds, has it garnered any additional recognition?

Zaddik: Oh, sure thing. The Tom Cruise article that Chantal mentioned and Peter Greenaway is judging this year's Machinima 48HFP. Those are the most notable ones, but we've had other press as well.

Nazz: The real life event is in Miami?

Chantal: Filmapalooza is the 48HFP festival. It joined forces with the Miami film festival.

Zaddik: That's right. Filmapalooza is our end-of-year event. We show the winning films from each of our locations. Last year, it was at NAB Show in Las Vegas. So the films from the 2010 Tour play at Filmapalooza 2011. We've also had it in Albuquerque, Austin, San Jose, and Washington, DC.

CORIOLIS - The Exhibition Opens Today in Second Life

"CORIOLIS ", an exhibition by Oberon Onmura opens today, 15-September on TCC Island in Second Life. The opening event starts at 1 pm PDT/SLT with music by Zachh Cale. In his brief note, Oberon announced that "CORIOLIS " is a SIM-wide landscape/soundscape.

Exhibition Opening at the AHO Museum

An exhibit featuring the work of nessuno Myoo opens today at the AHO Museum. The opening begins at 2 pm PDT/SLT. the AHO Museum is curated by Tayzia Abattoir and is located on the NMC campus in Second life. The museum is home to Interactive Art, 3D Sculpture, RL Painting, and SL Photography. Besides seeing the works of nessuno Myoo today, visitors can also view work of other notable Second Life artist such as; Daruma Picnic & Jules Mandelbrot, Kira Westland, Ginger Lorakeet, Filthy Fluno, Winter Nightfire and CHUCKMATRIX Clip.

Exhibition 'We Are Not In The World' Opens Today in Second Life

Dekka Raymaker's newest work "We Are Not In The World" opens today, 11-September at 1:30 pm PDT/SLT. In the notecard I received he explained:


"Dekka Raymaker's new installation 'We Are Not In The World' part inspired by a Arthur Rimbaud quote "What a life! True Life is elsewhere. We are not in the world." A story about a journey, exploration and discovery.


An interactive build, you are encouraged to walk around the area and click on objects, there is sound but most is triggered via sensor scripts. Please set to and view at Midnight.


Dekka Raymaker made most of the textures, and most being made for this particular installation. Everything was built by him with exception of the sinks and toilet which are by Nap Mayo and the suitcase under the bed by Take Lowey."

Professional Virtual Designer Society Kicks Off Weekly Speaker Session

A notecard from good friend Georgianna Blackburn arrived when I logged this morning. The announcement follows:

We're thrilled to kick-off our weekly speakers sessions at the Professional Virtual Designer Society this Friday, September 10th, 2010 @ Noon - 1 pm SLT
 
Join us as we welcome:
 
Callipygian Christensen, who will be addressing the challenges and advantages of creating 2D art in a virtual world. Shooting a variety of subjects, Callipygian Christensen uses SL snapshots to document her view of the Second Life we lead. Calli displays some unretouched images, but also uses post-processing to create photographic art - removing ugly angles and texture blurs caused by SL animation and movement, and to enrich the depth and tone of SL colours.

Calli presents images in many different styles, from portraits to landscapes, from the mundane to the erotic, and has won Best in Show awards in numerous juried SL arts contests and Fan Favourite ballots.

Calli's work can be seen at multiple gallery locations within SL, and images can be purchased both in SL and in the real world.

4TH Annual 9/11 Memorial Event to be Held in Second Life

Good friend Hope McAlpine is busily organizing for her fourth annual 9/11 event to be held at her Blue Angel Memorial Garden. I'd met and interviewed Ms McAlpine for an article I wrote for the SL Newspaper some time ago. Her Memorial Garden is dedicated to "first responders" who have fallen while performing to dangerous jobs. Here are the high lights and an agenda and for the event:

Our 4th Annual 9/11 Memorial Event is promised to be the most memorable and honorable event with some exciting features unlike ever before:

* Central Park like theme surrounds the memorial center
* Storefronts now available for rental at the memorial site to help support the operational cost for Blue Angel Memorial Garden
* Singers in different languages are invited to sing to honor their country and to remember those who have served other around the world
* Some returning and some new exciting speakers to share their thoughts
* Memorial bridge linking between memorial site and Afterhour Fritz for ballroom dance between the memorial event
* Currently being discuss on having the floating parade
* While 24 hours memorial service have been stellar, we decided it would be more practical to hold 12 hours shift but so that people around the world may be able to attend and pay respect for the fallen
* Memorial item cab be rezzed at Blue Angel Garden skybox. (Please contact Hope McAlpine for details)

Agenda:
5:46 am SLT for 8 46 North Tower attack ... one minute of silence
6:03 am SLT for 903 South Tower attack ... one min of silence
6:37 am SLT for 937 Pentagon attack ... one min of silence
7:03 am SLT for Shanksville, PA attack ... one min of silence
9 am SLT ceremonial event
1 pm SLT ceremonial event
6 pm SLT ceremonial event
9 pm SLT ceremonial event

Between events, Afterhours Fritz hosts a ballroom dance, near the bridge which links to memorial event area.

Fund Raiser for "LEARY'S FIREFIGHTERS FOUNDATION"

Blue Angel Memorial Garden is doing fundraising to help with Leary's Firefighters Foundation. This organization was founded by Denis Leary, an actor and producer of "Rescue Me 9/11". His cousin and childhood friend died along with 5 other firefighters at his hometown, Worcester, MA on Dec 3, 1999. In 2000, he founded Leary Firefighter Foundation which helps purchase equipment and training.

A New Gallery for Shellina Winkler

Luminescence by Shellina Winkler

 

I stopped in to view her new location and to see some of her latest works. I've been a fan of her work for some time now and I was pleased to see her new space. Her piece pictured above, Luminescence, is one of my favorites . She has an extensive color pallet and isn't afraid to apply it to her work. The main floor contains several recently completed pieces, including "Lost in Music" which did transport ones thoughts into a musical realm. The Luminescence piece by the way is located on the roof of the gallery. I also ventured outside into the garden to find many of her sculptures that she had completed over the last few years, along with several immersive pieces. It is well worth the visit when you have the opportunity to stop by.


THE KNOT - Shellina Winkler's Art Gallery

 

AUGUST WINNERS OF THE UWA 3D ART & DESIGN CHALLENGE

Press Release:

103 entries of the highest quality to the final August round of the UWA 3D Art & Design Challenge, and what happens?

Nish Mip's powerful and enveloping piece, THE LAST OCEAN takes the top prize (L$5,000) making it an unprecedented 3rd time she has won First Prize for the IMAGINE Challenge breaking a tie with Bryn Oh & Igor Ballyhoo, both of whom won the Challenge twice. Lee Supermarine and Eliza Wierwight shared honours in taking 2nd Prize. In the FLAGSHIP Challenge, Herick Straaf narrowly beat 5 time champion Nyx Breen to take the top prize for a 2nd time. Jesse Keyes, Alizarin Goldflake & soror Nishi picked up L$6,000 each in winning Legacy Awards for their work across the year for the IMAGINE Challenge, while Nyx Breen took home the Legacy Award for the FLAGSHIP Challenge.

The final month of this year long L$600,000 challenge, August saw a record shattering 103 submissions to the IMAGINE challenge with 6 Flagship Builds pushing the total across the year to 841 entries from more than 300 artists and builders. 6 of the 7 continents of the world are represented as entrants hailed from Venezuela, Belgium, Mexico, Wales, Canada, the USA, the UK, Uruguay, Scotland, England, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, France, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Denmark, Holland, Ireland, Portugal, Austria, Cuba, Serbia, Tunisia, Germany, Japan, New Zealand and Australia.

Commenting on the win, Nish said, "My thanks go to Jayjay and quad for putting so much work in to organising these competitions. They deserve the biggest round of applause for their efforts and to everyone else involved through support and sponsorship in whatever way and that includes the artists, judges, and the people who come along to look and appreciate this great boost for second life art. I really feel proud to have taken part in these competitions. I only came looking for a sandbox to finish my Butterfly house off, but I think everyone in whatever life they have wants to feel that they have a purpose and I'd like to make a special thank you to JJ for spotting something that I hadn't realised I had and am still even now finding hard to believe. I can only put my success down to being a bit of a perfectionist and never being satisfied with what I've done. Perhaps that helps, I don't know, but these competitions have definitely paved a way forward for me that I really appreciate. Thank you everyone who's made that possible. I know with the dedication that the UWA in SL has put in to the virtual art world they will go from strength to strength and I very much look forward to the coming years and to hopefully participating with UWA in making our second lives so much richer. I love you all. "

In acceptance, Legacy Award winner Jesse Keyes said, "I am honored that i managed to hang on long enough to receive the UWA Legacy prize.

It's been a long year and I look forward to making and entering more contest builds in the up and coming year. I would like to thank all the people that have worked on setting up the contest and to Jay Jay Zifanwe for putting bugs in my ears on when the build is due (they were real bugs). Thanks again UWA for hosting such a great event". She emoted, "gets drunk and falls off the podium, waves to everyone, uses trophy to crack walnuts."

soror Nishi, fellow Legacy Award winner, and winner of the Honourable Mention Prize for JOY for August, with 'Dotty the Dragon' chimed in, "It's a great thing to feel that what you try to do as an artist, that what you try to 'say' has been understood. An award is like someone saying 'yes, soror, I agree'..and it makes it possible to go on creating, trying to express difficult 'stuff'."

The biggest winner on the night in terms of the number of awards won was Eliza Wierwight, whose cleverly named entry, THE SATIRICAL POLEMICIST won the 2nd overall IMAGINE prize (L$3,000), 2nd Prize in the People's Choice Award (L$500) as well as the Rain Prize (L$1,000). "What an interesting journey from working in isolation for such a long time, then the genuine feeling that I am a part of the Arts Community family in Second Life as I do now. I'm smitten. While I'll know I will always seek time to get delightfully lost in the process of creation in seclusion, it's a reaffirming joy when I head back to shore to find such warm welcome as has been expressed in these awards I've been honored with today. If I was to say that a position in the People's Choice is like an embrace, then the Imagine Challenge Prize and the Rain Prize on top of that had me floored with delight. My huge and genuine thanks to the SL Community , the University of Western Australia, my precious friends, my muse , the delightful Miss Q (quadrapop Lane) and the genuine and astounding Jayjay Zifanwe whom I am still honing an ever developing artistic temperament on just for the sheer amusement of it. Again, for everything, my sincere thanks."

The Non-Scripted IMAGINE prize was won back to back for the first time every, by prim wizard nessuno Myoo with THE UNICORN WOOD EDITION. "I'm really happy and I want thank all for the great opportunity to show my works alongside all this masterpieces. For me it is a great honor." Only he and soror Nishi have more than one piece in the reckoning for the Non-Scripted Grand Prize.

Corcosman Voom, who won an Honourable Mention for the Legacy Award (L$4,500), also took the Bohemian Ghost Prize (L$1,000 + 600 prims on the Summerland SIM). "I was very pleased to have been awarded an Honourable Mention UWA Legacy prize and The Bohemina Ghost prize in this, the final round, of the UWA 3D Art & Design Challenge. It has been my pleasure to be able to exhibit my art this past year in the company of work by so many talented artists. I am very grateful to UWA and everyone associated with the Challenge for the opportunity it has given to so many people. Most of all, I appreciate the dedication and hard work Jayjay and quadrapop have put into making this project a success. Thank you both for making this a great year."

A paradigm breaking piece called 'ANTARCTICA - AN INDIVIDUAL EXISTENCE' by Glyph Graves won the Honourable Mention Prize for Second Life Wizardry. This must see work, uses real time data from weather stations in Antarctica to create an enchanting symphony of sound and light. The technical expertise required to create such a work is mind-boggling.

Gleman Jun was also a multiple award winner as his 'STOP FEAR' won the People's Choice Award as well as the Honourable Mention (HM) Prize for Emotion. Other award winners included Oberon Onmura (Legacy Award HM), Oldoak Merlin (Casey Prize & FLAGSHIP HM), Blue Tsuki (HM Prize for Immersion), Gingered Alsop (HM Prize for Scripting Magic), Pinkpink Sorbet (Anton Mesmer HM Prize).

Joining the extended judging panel for the Grand Prize are art philanthropist & founding patron of UWA-BOSL Amphitheatre, Phillip Vought, Paisley Beebe, CEO of Perfect World Productions TV and Jopsy Pendragon, creator of the Particle Laboratory Learning Centerhave who have all stepped in to take the place vacated by M Linden. They will have the entire month of September to make their decisions.

UWA is grateful to Bohemian Ghost and the Summerland Estate for raising L$33,000 which was put toward the Legacy Awards. Bohemian Ghost will also be part sponsoring the People's Choice Award for the Grand Finale, along with the Residents of Artemesia who have been sponsoring the monthly People's Choice Awards.

The Grand Prize Round is now open, and there is a People's Choice Vote for this. There has been a beed over the past few weeks to rezz all the past winning flagships across the grid. We would like to acknowledge all those who have given up valuable prims and space to allow UWA to put up these flagships till the end of the voting period which is the 30th of September. They include Caren McCaw & Nyx Breen (of the Annapurna SIM), Dijodi Dubratt (Toor), quadrapop Lane (Poorlatrice), Kip Yellowjacket (Virtlantis), Lilli Field (Mysten), Phillip Vought (Acquitaine), Cuwynne Deerhunter & Eliza Wierwight (Patron) and the Linden Endowment for Arts (LEA).

This is the first time LEA land is being used and opened up to the public. One SIM of the LEA cluster has been opened up for this purpose.

The machinima challenge, MachinimUWA II: Art of the Artists, is ongoing, and closes on the 20th of September. & works have come in thus far from Tutsy Navarathna,spyvspy Aeon, Bryn Oh, Megan Merlin, Missy Restless and Yesikita Coppola. These Machinima feature the works that have been entered across the year to the UWA 3D Art & Design Challenge. They are all linked on the blog http://www.uwainsl.blogspot.com/.

WINNERS OF THE AUGUST ROUND OF THE UWA 3D ART & DESIGN CHALLENGE

IMAGINE CHALLENGE - 3D ART

LEGACY PRIZE (IMAGINE): $L6,000

Alizarin Goldflake

soror Nishi

Jesse Keyes

LEGACY PRIZE (FLAGSHIP): $L6,000

Nyx Breen

LEGACY PRIZE (Hon Mention): L$4,500

Oberon Onmura

Corcosman Voom

Imagine Challenge 1st Prize: ($L5,000 + Custom T-Shirt)

THE LAST OCEAN by Nish Mip

Imagine Challenge 2nd Prize: ($L3,000) JOINT

THE SATIRICAL POLEMICIST by Eliza Wierwight &

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD by Lea Supermarine

Best Non-Scripted Entry: ($L3,000 + Custom T-Shirt)

THE UNICORN WOOD EDITION by Nessuno Myoo

FLAGSHIP CHALLENGE - BUILDING DESIGN

Flagship Challenge 1st Prize : ($L5,000)

CONCEPT BUILDING FOR AXS LAB by Herick Straaf

Flagship Challenge 2nd Prize: ($L3,000)

UWA AXS LAB by Nyx Breen

Flagship Honourable Mention Prize: (L$1,000)

Oldoak Merlin

Honourable Mention Prize for EMOTION (L$1,000)

STOP FEAR by Gleman Jun

Honourable Mention Prize for SECOND LIFE WIZARDRY (L$1,000)

ANTARCTICA - AN INDIVIDUAL EXISTENCE by Glyph Graves

Honourable Mention Prize for JOY (L$1,000)

DOTTY THE DRAGON by Soror Nishi

Honourable Mention Prize for IMMERSION (L$1,000)

THE DEEP by Blue Tsuki

Honourable Mention Prize for SCRIPTING MAGIC (L$1,000)

QUANTUM MATRIX by Gingered Alsop

THE ANTON MESMER Honourable Mention Prize (L$1,000)

PARTLY ANTSY CHAMBER by Pinkpink Sorbet

The RAIN PRIZE (L$1,000) - Established for one of the Founding Patron of the UWA 3D Art & Design Challenge

THE SATIRICAL POLEMICIST by Eliza Wierwight

CASEY PRIZE - JULY (L$4,000)

BLACK SWAN by Oldoak Merlin

THE BOHEMIAN GHOST PRIZE (L$1,000 + 600 Prims on the Summerland SIMM for at least 3 months)

THE AERIALIST by Corcosman Voom

PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD - 1st prize (L$1,000):

STOP FEAR by Gleman Jun

PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD - 2nd prize (L$500):

THE SATIRICAL POLEMICIST by Eliza Wierwight