Patrons of the Arts in Second Life

I just read Larry Johnson's contribution to NPIRL Bettina Tizzy's blog and was a little overwhelmed with guilt over what is perceived to be a blatant disregard by artists for the hosting sim that displays the artwork. http://npirl.blogspot.com/2009/06/on-artists-and-their-patrons.html

In addition to my Profile picks which is limited to ten, I have this blog which probably no one ever reads. Its like my personal journal. I've closed my Flickr account and my Twitter account to keep me focused on my RL work which is my mainstay of employment. I do not make a living on SL and spend roughly 3 hours a day there. When I'm not making art, I am with friends or someone special, supporting the artwork of others, or collaborating with others in their endeavors.

It is my dream to participate in Burning Life or have an installation of my own someday, if only briefly, documented by pictures. Its my dream to showcase my art to a variety of people in Second Life that appreciate the vast and untapped possibilities of this virtual world. I've found the educational community a vital part of my fan club. Art enhances our Second Lives....its a melting pot of ideas...intellectual, visual, and stimulating to the senses.

I'm also a patron of the arts, having spent a fortune filling up my inventory with artist works. I don't even have an SL home to display them. I feel taken for granted too...and would like to hear some thanks once and awhile when I purchase something and perhaps an inkind purchase of my art. Not everyone "gets" it. I tend to promote a mutual back scratching kind of relationship with other artists and content creators and need to extend this out to the hosting sim, as well, when they have offered to display my work for free. When I make a sale, I try to immediately contact the purchaser and extend my heartfelt thanks for their support. I nurture my customers and need to do the same for other patrons. I'm doing rather well so am spreading the wealth a couple dollars at a time so that other artists in the SL community continue to be engaged in the virtual art experience.

Soooo.......Thank you NMC for enriching the lives of the Second Life Community and crossing over to the realm of real life. Thank you for the exposure at the Aho Museum. I haven't had a chance to experience all that your campus provides but it doesn't mean I don't appreciate your patronage. If I had more Profile Picks, I'd certainly be promoting more sites.

P.S.: On the NMC website there is a directory of posts for "Art". The most recent post is September 2008. When I first heard that I might be exhibiting my work at the Aho Museum I read the single post about it here: http://sl.nmc.org/2008/01/24/aho/