Art and Architecture by Xenophile Neurocam

Xenophile Neurocam

Incorporating mathematics and an artistic sensibility, Xenophile Neurocam produces art and architecture that entices the viewer to contemplate and participate in the artistic experience. He has created a unique style through a combination of various influences and technical expertise. Xenophile's work in Second Life® has not been all about self promotion, however.

Throughout his time in Second Life, he has attempted to communicate with newer builders and pass on his knowledge of content creation. Inspired by the unique environment of Second Life, Xenophile Neurocam has found his own contribution to the community of Second Life even as he has helped others find theirs.

Xenophile himself has found many topics fascinating, and all have influenced his view of art and architecture. His reading and research has helped develop his own style of art and architecture within Second Life. He explains his influences:

Artwork in front of Club Symmetry

“I spent a lot of time studying the art and architecture of the 1939 New York World's Fair. I'm influenced by inventive and creative futurists of the past such as Buckminster Fuller and the mathematical works of H.S.M. Coxeter. I find inspiration in the Bauhaus movement, Art Deco, and Art Moderne in general. I like to surround myself with books of science, art, mathematics, both contemporary and ones that look at the past and possible futures. Lately I've been interested in the architectural styles of the Victorian period although I've been interested in a variety of periods throughout history.”

His art and architecture have always been in a state of development as he has found new sources of interest. However, there have always remained the clean lines and geometric forms that characterize his work. When asked about his love of geometry, Xenophile, the creator of the Second Life Pattern Polyhedra Geometry group, responded,

“I'm fascinated by classical geometry, that created with a compass and straight edge. I'm interested in the forms and shapes of the regular polyhedrons and the shapes that can be formed from them. I believe that the power of graphics on the PC has led to a renewed interest and revolution of these areas, a branch of mathematics that had been neglected in favor of algebraic branches of mathematics. Now the two are being merged and developed further with the rise of immersive environments like SL, which will create a new generation of artists that will explore these areas in a new medium. Geometry provides continual inspiration for sculptural and architectural forms.”

Artwork in XN Art Gallery

As geometry lends itself well to many forms of art and architecture, it has become a central focus of Xenophile's work. In addition to his own studies, he has found the work of Wizard Gynoid in Second Life to be particularly challenging. Regarding Wizard, he states, “Wizard Gynoid creates the most sophisticated geometrically based objects in SL that I know of and is famous for her work in that area.”

His own work reflects his varied interests and the particular nature of the Second Life environment. Using the constantly developing tools available for 3-D content as well as his own research and resources, Xenophile Neurocam creates art that is unique in style and structure. When asked to describe his work, he said,

“Interactive, self-modifying, elements of randomness. Some are just plain static. I often use texture animation and particles in my works. There are also things that happen on touch. This makes the artwork immersive. [The observer] can interact with it in a way that allows them to change the shape that is most pleasing or interesting to them. It allows for mutable art that can change on command. They can change it to suit their mood.”

Flowers in front of Art Symmetry

Unlike art in the real world, that in Second Life has an ephemeral nature that allows it to be changed in various ways not otherwise possible. The interactive nature of Xenophile's work makes the experience of his art much different from that of art outside the virtual space.

When asked to comment on how this makes his artwork unique, he stated, “I think that the interactive nature and the continually changing nature of my creations make it easier for the person to delve into the piece. It's like the difference between touching a piece of art and interacting with it rather than simply looking at it. It gives your brain a more tactile sense of the art objects.”

 XN Art Gallery

The particular nature of creation in Second Life has allowed Xenophile Neurocam to develop a varied array of art and architecture to be displayed throughout the grid. His own gallery is in the Hawthorne sim region, one of the original regions in Second Life. Interested residents can view a portion of his art works there, along with his cuboctahedral club, Club Symmetry.

In addition to his display at his gallery, Xenophile has shown his works at other galleries, the latest one being the Turing Gallery in Extropia. He is currently collaborating with friends to create a display for Burn 2.0, quite an honor as the event will be much smaller this year.

September 28, 2010

Xenophile's work in Second Life is not all self promotion, though. He teaches a Second Life content creation course, which he developed himself, at a local community college. It has become a popular course that is a part of many programs at the college. He has also taught courses within Second Life; he is currently engaged in developing his own contribution to the Steampunk community and hopes to teach classes at the Industrial Academy in New Babbage.

Through his own blend of research and technical expertise in the tools of Second Life, Xenophile Neurocam has created art and architecture that has influenced the development of the artistic community within this virtual world. His fascination with geometry and futuristic lines has provided his work with a style that is certainly unique. While contributing to the knowledge of others even as he makes his own place in Second Life, Xenophile has become a valued artist and teacher.

Thank you for reading.

Press Pass Reporter

Satori Marat 

Tiny Products mean Big Business for Peaches Latrell

September 2, 2010

 Peaches Latrell's Lilliput Store

With long experience as a Tiny in Second Life®, Peaches Latrell has seen the beginnings of the Tiny culture and helped to expand on its influence. As she created products that she personally desired, she discovered others interested in her creations. With the opening of her store and later projects, Peaches has founded many various areas in Tiny society that will prove exciting in the future.

Peaches Lattrel wearing some of her designs.

A Tiny for almost four years now, Peaches began creating her own dresses and accessories due to the lack of variety in clothing available at the time. This urge toward innovation has helped Peaches throughout her career as a content creator in Second Life. As friends enjoyed her clothing, she decided to open her own store, Lilliput. She continues:

“Lilliput products have always been things that I wanted for myself and couldn't find. For example, back in 2006 I created SL's first rideable horse for Tinies because I wanted one! Everything in my shop is something that I wanted or needed for myself, so I guess you could say that my own tastes and desires are my inspiration.”

Peaches wearing a dress of her own design.

Her products, including the horse, outdoor furniture, and clothing, have become popular in Tiny areas such as Raglan Shire. As her business has expanded, she recently opened a new and bigger Lilliput. In addition to her current products available at the original store, she will soon offer many more products:

“I have started to focus more on my tiny animations and am working on some new tiny dance sequences along with my rl/sl husband Apollo Kronos. Also in the works is a new furniture line and some posh, trendy clothing. Another exciting project that I am currently working on is a collaboration with the makers of RendeZvous - Avatar Animation & Mobility Technology. We are experimenting with a Tinies version to add to their current family of products which includes their wildly popular couples’ animator for humans.” 

Having been in Tiny society for quite awhile, Peaches has seen the changes in Tiny culture, as well as trends in fashion. When asked what upcoming trends she sees in Tiny fashion, Peaches responded:

“One welcome trend that I have seen growing in the Tiny community is more diversity in general. Many new designers are representing styles like punk, goth, trendy casual, etc. This is a huge improvement over the days when our choices revolved around big frilly dresses or t-shirts. While I do still enjoy wearing a fancy dress, a girl likes to have wardrobe options! My male friends have also expressed appreciation for the growing selection they have in fashion. Male clothing and accesories have traditionally been an underserved market in SL and male Tinies have expressed appreciation for all of the new designers and styles.”

Inside Lilliput

While Tiny fashion is becoming more varied, much of the fashion is very similar, especially Tiny shoes. Peaches states that she would love to see more “hair options and more shoes.” Indeed, this is happening as more people like Peaches become involved in the world of Tiny fashion.

Perhaps her most exciting new venture is Tinywood, a new sim influenced by Hollywood. Peaches is a big fan of movies in real life, and so this influence was a natural one for her. Although the sim has not yet opened, Peaches describes some features of the new sim:

“We will have Tinywood Boulevard for our shops and attractions, including my new main shop Madame Latrell's Wax Museum, Grauman's Tinese Theatre, an Ottertorium, and even Frederick's of Tinywood which is a fun tongue-in-cheek venture. Lining the streets of Tinywood Blvd will, of course, be the Paws of Fame display with the names, pawprints and pictures of tiny visitors and friends. Everyone will be a superstar in Tinywood!

The Lilliput Miniature Horse

“Aside from the shops, we are creating faux, interactive movie lots where Tinies can jump into famous scenes for picture-taking fun. Some of the first ones will include an 'I'm the King of the World!' scene, Tiny Kong, Gone with the Prim and some more fun surprises. We have fun contests planned for the community including 'Build Your Own Set' with a rotating, specific movie genre.”

In addition to the shops and movie lots, Tinywood will also include its own television studio, where Tinywood shows will be produced and later published on Youtube. Other attractions will be the Music Hall of Fame and Tinywood Bowl. Tinies will surely find many fun activities in Tinywood.

One of the features of Tinywood will be Sweet Pea’s, Peaches’ Tiny bakery. Her first creations can be viewed already at Lilliput, but they will soon find a new home in Tinywood. When asked her inspiration for the bakery, Peaches responded:

“I created Sweet Pea's when my friend LittleBlackDuck Lindsay asked me to make some tiny food for his cafes in The Nation of Victoriana and its tiny sim Tinytoriana. I enjoyed it so much and had such a favorable response from customers that I have decided to expand my menu and make the shop a permanent fixture in Tinywood.”

Although a new Lilliput store and the Tinywood sim would be enough for some, Peaches also has plans for another new project, Muse Isle Productions and Tinywood Studios. This is a joint venture with her friend, JenzZa Misfit, owner of the Muse Isle sims. After working together on a wedding gift video for a friend, both decided to produce more. They have several movies in the works, including Harespray. They will be shooting their videos at the new Tinywood studios and at scenic locations throughout Muse Isle. The friends’ first collaborative effort, “A Very Tiny Wedding Thriller Dance in Second Life® - Michael Jackson Tribute,” can be found on Youtube. Their mutual enjoyment in the productions will surely come through in their upcoming movies.

As Tiny society has grown, Peaches Latrell has shown a creativity and ingenuity that has added to the unique character of the Tinies. Beginning out of necessity, Peaches’ work has helped others enjoy their Second Life.

Thank you for reading.

Press Pass Reporter

Satori Marat

An Interview with Amerie Aristocrat of Aristocrat Avatars®

July 19, 2010

 

 Amerie Aristocrat, owner of Aristocrat Avatars

As Second Life® often mirrors real life, busy residents searching for the right look for themselves and their homes will often turn to a personal stylist who can guide them through the plethora of products available in the virtual world. In addition, having the advice of someone who is familiar with fashion and design will be invaluable for those without that particular sense. Amerie Aristocrat has provided these and similar services for residents of Second Life since 2008.


Amerie Aristocrat is the owner of Aristocrat Avatars®, a unique, high quality styling agency for avatars. With two galleries and an office with prominent displays of recent, custom avatar stylings, a potential client will definitely see the range of looks that she has to offer. She also owns Aristocrat Interiors & Exteriors, a business that serves those residents seeking help with decorating their virtual homes and gardens.

Exterior of Aristocrat Avatar Office

Looking at the pictures of her recent avatar creations, I wondered what inspired the looks that she creates in Second Life. Amerie explained her process and inspirations:


“My rl inspires the looks I create. I value diversity and tradition and all types of beauty. I've been blessed where I can travel rl frequently. I take notice of the people I encounter and their respective cultures, dress, rituals, styles. And as for interior design, I am inspired by what I see day to day. Lately I have been living in, and exploring, Asia. It's quite exciting being on this side of the planet when cultures are constantly in flux, transforming, modern mixing with the ancient. Design in the East is a hodgepodge of Eastern traditional, colonial influence, and the new international look. I love it, the good, the bad and the ugly.”

Some of Aristocrat Avatar's Clients

With Second Life's worldwide residency, Amerie's real life experiences are important in being able to find looks that would appeal to a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. Blending the styles of various cultures and artistic differences produces unique designs that would not otherwise be possible without the variety and diversity that she values.


When working with a client, Amerie spends time with each person, asking questions so that she can determine what sort of look they would prefer for their avatar. She describes her work in this way:


“I ask many questions about the client's sl lifestyle, desires, expectations, favorite actor or actress, if they want a rl fascimile or a new unique design, and create accordingly. Meeting new people and finding out what makes them tick is the best part of the job. The second best part is their reaction to the finished product.”

Photos of Aristocrat Avatar clients adorn the company's office walls.

Her interest in people's natures and how it relates to their sense of style and fashion certainly contributes to her ability to produce avatars that will fit a person's personality both in real life and their desired look in Second Life.


In her work on avatars and style in general, Amerie Aristocrat attempts to seek out quality products in the metaverse. With her artistic sense, she continually views the changing needs of avatars and fashion in Second Life. When asked how she determines appropriate, quality products for her creations, she responded,


“I have an eye for detail and colour. Price is generally not always a factor. There are a lot of talented designers out there that aren't on every single blog or are off the beaten path. I tend to go to them along with the more established designers when creating a unique look. I like to be ahead of a trend.”


Amerie's experience with fashion and style allows her to look ahead of the current fashions in order to provide her clients with the most current styles.


Her service does not stop at the initial look, however. After finding the right accessories for the client, she then gives them an updated list of her favorite creators so that her clients can find additional looks. She did give me a couple of her favorite designers for skins and accessories:


“For exceptional ethnic and caucasian skins for men I recommend Tellaq. He's a brilliant designer and an expat like myself with exceptional realistic design skills. I'd also recommend GOS watches, shades and shoes.”


Although avatar styling is currently the majority of her work, she did start as a landscaping artist and interior designer. She has worked on many builds and will occasionally take on projects, depending on her interest and the time involved. When Amerie works with an interior design client, she looks at the general environment and allows that to direct the appearance of the design. When asked what eras of interior design she finds most inspirational, she responded:


“Eras, I like it all. But I tend to utilize an eclectic mix from French country, Chinese antiquity, Japanese, Tahitian, Balinese, modern euro , post modern American, anything done well in Sl I can and do incorporate. Give me a Barcelona chair, antique Chinese emperor bed from Qing dynasty with a mink throw, zebra skin rug, and I'm in design heaven. And yes SL has it.”

The interior of Aristocrat Avatar

As a part of her work in interior design, Amerie Aristocrat has also done landscaping. While many gardens in Second Life are fantastic, she tends toward the realistic, focusing on the creation of beauty in the virtual garden. Her work in landscaping is inspired totally by her real life grandmother, who would “put Martha Stewart to shame.”


For a final question, I asked Amerie about her greatest accomplishment, to which she responded,


“My reputation. Being known for making people love their avis and creating beautiful scenes in which people take pleasure. That's why I'm here. That's what I love to do.”


It is this love of her craft that comes through in all of her creations. Whether avatar styling, interior design, or landscaping, Amerie Aristocrat provides Second Life residents with a valuable resource in their search for a fashionable and beautiful virtual life.

Please send Amerie an IM or notecard if you're interested in a consultation for her services because she works by appointment only. 


Thank you for reading and I hope you'll contact Aristocrat Avatars for a chance to see Amerie's talent for yourself.


Satori Marat
Press Pass Blogger