The Mysterious Forest_Open Studio

I will hold an Open Studio for my newest immersive art build, "The Mysterious Forest," on Sunday, February 20, 2 pm PST at Atelier Alizarin. All are cordially invited. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Lie/203/203/321

On approach, your avatar magically disappears into the trees. The world grows ominously dark. The body-snatching moonbeam whispers TOUCH ME. Ghostly voices wail; an invisible man paces, leaving fading foot prints; an owl hoots amid a chorus of other forest calls. Eyes glow from the bushes. Spiders dangle, and swarms of bats swirl out of the trees. Totemic forest animals loom from the shadows and vanish like dreams. **Please touch!** In addition your eyes and ears, THE MYSTERIOUS FOREST interacts with your avatar physically. There are lots of animations: Sits, Marshmellow-toast; Sleep; Trapped (dare you to click on the spiders!); not to mention the mischievous moon. Look out for those creepy feelers under a rock! A beheaded snake - still poisonous? - twitches and rattles when you walk by. Evocative of the artist's childhood experiences camping, part of this build appeared in the Interactivity Collaboration at Caerleon Art Collective, but much has been added that's new.

"The Mysterious Forest" is 20 meters high and 40 meters in diameter, and, at 174 prims, one of my larger immersive art environments. The imagery is based on my digital drawing "Anza Borrego Oak."

This link http://www.marthavista.com/ABO_imagery.htm will take you to a web page where you can see the original digital drawing, as well as two machinimas, one about creating the drawing and one about the build at Caerleon, featuring Miss soror Nishi and me dancing with some other avatars.

Other Atelier Alizarin Attractions include: Musical Kinetics and more immersive art in Sky Studio one level down (TP or jump through the skylight :-), the Sky Sculpture Garden, Orfeo's Oratorio, The Particularium on the third floor, RL digital drawings on the second floor, 2-D digital collages on the first floor, and a beautiful sculpture park on the ground. And don't forget Chez Ali, my store where you can pick up fun bits from earlier builds.

============================================
Links:
DIGITAL ART: Martha Jane Bradford
Web Site: http://www.marthavista.com/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/
MJB Blog: http://marthajanebradford.blogspot.com/
VIRTUAL ART: Alizarin Goldflake (Metaverse avatar of Martha Jane Bradford)
Atelier Alizarin (Second Life studio): http://slurl.com/secondlife/Lie/222/189/35
Blog: http://alizaringoldflake.blogspot.com/
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alizaringoldflake/
YOUTUBE VIDEOS: http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake
Anza Borrego Oak:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/1/5s_KRMi55v8
Acquarella:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/a/u/0/u-lo6JosN0M
Acquarella:the Fable ( a Chantal Harvey machinima)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX1eFMtjV6U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hhO2Rf88uM (Chinese narration)
Metemspyche's Garden:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/2/GfQGuNXWvLo
Studio Tour:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/3/XDjrLmPpopA
The Maze:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/4/OEa9rtEiINE
The Mysterious Forest:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/5/c6Xv_pAf0Qc
The Winter Bear:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMYSYJNkm1E&list=QL&playnext=1

Ophion's Egg

Ginger Alsop just released a new machinima of favs from the January submissions to the UWA 3D Open Art Challenge. It features the works of soror Nishi, Oberon Onmura, Gleman Jun, Suzanne Graves, kyra Roxan, Claudia222 Jewell, mcarp Mavendorf, Nino Vichan, Giovanna Cerise, Silene Christen, Loup Erin, Ginger Aslop and yours truly, Alizarin Goldflake.

Watch the video here:



About Ophion's Egg:
"In the beginning Eurynome, the Goddess of All Things, rose naked from Chaos, but found nothing substantial for her feet to rest upon, and therefore divided the sea from the sky, dancing lovely upon its waves. She danced toward the south, and the wind set in motion behind her seemed something new and apart with which to begin the work of creation. Wheeling about, she caught hold of this north wind, rubbed it between her hands, and behold! the great serpent Ophion. Eurynome danced to warm herself, wildly and more wildly, until Ophion, grown lustful, coiled about those divine limbs ..." -- Robert Graves

Ophion mated with Eurynome. In the form of a dove upon the waves, she laid the Cosmic Egg and bade him to incubate it by coiling seven times around until it split in two and hatched "all things that exist... sun, moon, planets, stars, the earth with its mountains and rivers, its trees, herbs, and living creatures." Then Ophion and Eurynome dwelt on Mt. Olympus until Ophion's boasting led Eurynome to banish him to the darkness below the earth.

Robert Graves in his book The Greek Myths (ISBN 0-14-017199-1) imaginatively reconstructs this Bronze-Age Pelasgian creation myth.

See the build in Second Life here: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Lie/233/154/35
Be sure to walk close and turn your sound on to hear the delicate music that is embedded in the piece.
================================================
Links:
DIGITAL ART: Martha Jane Bradford
Web Site: http://www.marthavista.com/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/
MJB Blog: http://marthajanebradford.blogspot.com/
VIRTUAL ART: Alizarin Goldflake (Metaverse avatar of Martha Jane Bradford)
Atelier Alizarin (Second Life studio): http://slurl.com/secondlife/Lie/222/189/35
Blog: http://alizaringoldflake.blogspot.com/
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alizaringoldflake/
YOUTUBE VIDEOS: http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake
Anza Borrego Oak:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/1/5s_KRMi55v8
Acquarella:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/a/u/0/u-lo6JosN0M
Acquarella:the Fable ( a Chantal Harvey machinima)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX1eFMtjV6U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hhO2Rf88uM (Chinese narration)
Metemspyche's Garden:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/2/GfQGuNXWvLo
Studio Tour:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/3/XDjrLmPpopA
The Maze:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/4/OEa9rtEiINE
The Mysterious Forest:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/5/c6Xv_pAf0Qc
The Winter Bear:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMYSYJNkm1E&list=QL&playnext=1

The Winter Bear @ Pirats!

My immersive art build "The Winter Bear" has just been installed in a snowy landscape that I built at Pirats Art Network Omega this weekend, along with the digital drawings of the totem animals that appear inside as particles. The opening reception will be Tuesday, December 21 (the winter solstice!), at 1:30 pm PST.


I decided to recycle a favorite set from the RL play, "The Winter Bear" by Anne Hanley, as one of my Immersive Art bell jars. The scene happens in the middle of a blizzard with temperatures so cold that hoar frost crystals form spontaneously in midair. The spirit of the Winter Bear reigns over all, while totem animal images populate the wind. Spruces and snowcapped boulders surround the cave from which the bear broke its hibernation to meet its fate. If you take the pose ball inside, you can recapture the last few peaceful moments of the doomed animal's life.


Here's the SLurl to the installation: http://slurl.com/secondlife/PiRats%20Art%20Network/137/87/22Many thanks to Merlina Rokocoko and Newbab Zsigmond for so generously and professionally hosting so much of the amazing art that is being created in Second Life!


Link to the teaser for the RL play: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMYSYJNkm1E&list=QL&playnext=1

============================================
Links:
DIGITAL ART: Martha Jane Bradford
Web Site: http://www.marthavista.com/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/
MJB Blog: http://marthajanebradford.blogspot.com/
VIRTUAL ART: Alizarin Goldflake (Metaverse avatar of Martha Jane Bradford)
Atelier Alizarin (Second Life studio): http://slurl.com/secondlife/Lie/222/189/35
Blog: http://alizaringoldflake.blogspot.com/
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alizaringoldflake/
YOUTUBE VIDEOS: http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake
Anza Borrego Oak:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/1/5s_KRMi55v8
Acquarella:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/a/u/0/u-lo6JosN0M
Acquarella:the Fable ( a Chantal Harvey machinima)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX1eFMtjV6U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hhO2Rf88uM (Chinese narration)
Metemspyche's Garden:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/2/GfQGuNXWvLo
Studio Tour:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/3/XDjrLmPpopA
The Maze:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/4/OEa9rtEiINE
The Mysterious Forest:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/5/c6Xv_pAf0Qc
The Winter Bear:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMYSYJNkm1E&list=QL&playnext=1

Update on my digital-virtual art exhibit in the Cahners ComputerPlace at the Museum of Science, Boston

The Museum is currently accepting applications for two Digital Art Exhibit Spring Internships for my exhibit.

Please find the info for the Flash Programmer Intern here: http://www.mos.org/visitor_info/about_the_museum/internships&d=4750

and for the Open Sim/Second Life Developer here:
http://www.mos.org/visitor_info/about_the_museum/internships&d=4752

As Alizarin Goldflake, Second Life(R) avatar of Martha Jane Bradford, I am designing a digital-virtual art exhibit for the Cahners ComputerPlace at the Museum, in real life. The exhibit will further visitors' understanding of digital image creation and manipulation (http://www.marthavista.com/). It will also introduce people to the idea of making virtual art. The physical design of the exhibit will be an immersive installation employing sound and video projection to simulate the experience of being inside one of the immersive art environments that I create in Second Life. Thoth Jansen ( Bob Johnson in RL) is currently working on the technical design.



Links:
DIGITAL ART: Martha Jane Bradford
Web Site: http://www.marthavista.com/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/

VIRTUAL ART: Alizarin Goldflake (Metaverse avatar of Martha Jane Bradford)
Atelier Alizarin (Second Life studio): http://slurl.com/secondlife/Lie/222/189/35
Blog: http://alizaringoldflake.blogspot.com/
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alizaringoldflake/
YOUTUBE VIDEOS: http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake

CHEZ ALI Grand Opening

View of Chez Ali from the south. Particle emitters! Paper Lanterns!And much more!






I am pleased to announce the grand opening on Saturday, November 27, at 3 pm SL time, of CHEZ ALI! http://slurl.com/secondlife/Lie/204/174/701 The shop features an eclectic mix of beautiful garden items, furniture, particle emitters, personal accessories, and more, all of which are derived from my art and studio builds. They retain what some have called "the unique and deliciously ethereal quality" of my artwork but are also practical items for your SL home, garden, or avatar. Start your holiday shopping here! Gift wrapping at no charge (look under the Christmas tree on the first floor).


















Pick up your free Skate skates by soror Nishi on the North Patio.


















The North Garden has Hoar Frost and Snowflake particle emitters and a cool snow cave you can hibernate in.


















Tapestries and the Arizona Chairs and Table set on the South Patio.


















The Greenwoods Collection of furniture can be found on the first floor. Elegant shapes and upholstery and high-quality Bits and Bobs furniture animations.

The Winter Bear

Another fun crossover project! I recently constructed Second Life sets for a Real Life play, The Winter Bear, that will premiere in Anchorage October 29, 2010. My machinima of the SL sets will be projected on a cyc (cycloramic backdrop) as a major component of the RL stage.

There is a teaser for the play made up of short clips from the machinima that just went up on YouTube. A/V production by Alfred M. Ajami.

View it here:



Or take the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMYSYJNkm1E&list=QL&playnext=1

The sets feature my digital drawings, done with Corel Painter and a Wacom tablet, and my Second Life building skills, including sculpties (unique 3-D shapes created in Blender) , scripts (code), and particles (temporary phantom images) which I also use to make virtual Immersive Art.

about THE WINTER BEAR
Written by Alaska State Writer Laureate Anne Hanley and directed by Jayne Wenger. Troubled Athabascan teenager Duane “Shadow” David is considering committing suicide when he’s sentenced to cut wood for elder Sidney Huntington. It’s only by combining the elder’s knowledge of old hunting ways with the boy’s expertise in video games that they stand a chance against a marauding Winter Bear. The Winter Bear delivers a message of hope that a young man can become a leader by using the wisdom of his traditional culture to transcend the traumas of his past.

Previews of the play in Galena and Fairbanks were enthusiastically received, and I am very excited to be flying to Anchorage for the official premiere.

Gala opening Oct 29th, 2010 at Cyrano's Off-Center Playhouse: http://www.cyranos.org/
Performances Thursday through Saturday at 7 pm and Sunday at 3 pm through Nov. 13th. Special added WEDNESDAY performance Nov. 10th.



============================================
Links:
DIGITAL ART: Martha Jane Bradford
Web Site: http://www.marthavista.com/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/
MJB Blog: http://marthajanebradford.blogspot.com/
VIRTUAL ART: Alizarin Goldflake (Metaverse avatar of Martha Jane Bradford)
Atelier Alizarin (Second Life studio): http://slurl.com/secondlife/Lie/222/189/35
Blog: http://alizaringoldflake.blogspot.com/
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alizaringoldflake/
YOUTUBE VIDEOS: http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake
Anza Borrego Oak:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/1/5s_KRMi55v8
Acquarella:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/a/u/0/u-lo6JosN0M
Acquarella:the Fable ( a Chantal Harvey machinima)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX1eFMtjV6U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hhO2Rf88uM (Chinese narration)
Metemspyche's Garden:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/2/GfQGuNXWvLo
Studio Tour:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/3/XDjrLmPpopA
The Maze:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/4/OEa9rtEiINE
The Mysterious Forest:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/5/c6Xv_pAf0Qc
The Winter Bear:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMYSYJNkm1E&list=QL&playnext=1

"Acquarella: The Fable" showing at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai now!

It gives me great pleasure to announce that my digital and virtual art is now on view at the World Expo in Shanghai!

Chantal Harvey brought her awesome machinima skills to filming "Acquarella: The Fable," and I did the story, storyboard, art, set, costumes, props management, direction, production, and acted the part of Acquarella. The parts of the three Nymphs were acted by soror Nishi, BridgetMarlane McDonnell, and Yman Juran. The sophisticated and lovely Chinese narration (in Mandarin) was translated from the English and performed by Wei Yin. Our collaborative effort is now showing in the Air Tree Exhibit in the Madrid Pavilion of the World Expo in Shanghai, curated by Spanish curator Cristina García-Lasuén (Aino Barr in Second Life), founder of the virtual arts group Open This End.

You can watch the English version of the machinima, narrated by Alfred M. Ajami, here:



and the Chinese version here:



To see the list of accepted machinima on the Madrid Pavilion web site, please go to
http://www.madrid2010shanghai.com/calendario.asp?evid=79&id=1 (click on the English flag in the upper right corner). Scroll down to 3rd Exhibition, September - October 2010 . Our video is under the name of the machinimist, Chantal Harvey.

"Acquarella: The Fable" was inspired by one of my immersive art creations by the same name: http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/a/u/0/u-lo6JosN0M
============================================
Links:
DIGITAL ART: Martha Jane Bradford
Web Site: http://www.marthavista.com/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/
MJB Blog: http://marthajanebradford.blogspot.com/
VIRTUAL ART: Alizarin Goldflake (Metaverse avatar of Martha Jane Bradford)
Atelier Alizarin (Second Life studio): http://slurl.com/secondlife/Lie/222/189/35
Blog: http://alizaringoldflake.blogspot.com/
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alizaringoldflake/
YOUTUBE VIDEOS: http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake
Anza Borrego Oak:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/1/5s_KRMi55v8
Acquarella:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/a/u/0/u-lo6JosN0M
Acquarella:the Fable ( a Chantal Harvey machinima)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX1eFMtjV6U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hhO2Rf88uM (Chinese narration)
Metemspyche's Garden:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/2/GfQGuNXWvLo
Studio Tour:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/3/XDjrLmPpopA
The Maze:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/4/OEa9rtEiINE
The Mysterious Forest:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlizarinGoldflake#p/u/5/c6Xv_pAf0Qc