Creative Power

Calligraphy by Shun Yu.


From a very young age I have been struck by the seemingly universal fact that, generally speaking, it is faster to destroy something than create it. ... alongside that fact it was obvious to me at an early age that the planet itself is being consumed.

The idea though that the universe is, in some way, in balance was a redeeming idea although I can not prove, through logical thought or even illogical thought, that this is indeed the case.

Art and the production of beautiful things are a different kind of consumption to the type of use I would label as destruction even though the production of an exquisite table from an oak tree involves an enormous amount of wastage. For me, on the positive side of the ecological balance sheet is the emotion (if that is indeed what the appreciation of beauty is) generated by a piece of art or craftsmanship.

In very broad strokes it could be said that the consumption of the planet’s matter is redeemed when that matter is turned into beauty. .... a sort of Sublimation of the Earth’s Substance.
Matter becomes Spirit.
Transubstantiation, as I have mentioned before.

The guiding force in this process, I find, is best summed up in these words...

“Creative power is nothing less than the detonating device in the evolutionary bomb....... It could be compared to the generative power of creation when the sperm enters and quickens the egg...... the primal directive that propels us into our destinies ...”

These words are taken from the I Ching (here translated by R.L.Wing,The I Ching Workbook. The Aquarian Press, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire).

Now the I Ching is not just another book, it’s been in constant use for at least 2,500 years both as an aid to divination as well as a philosophical text.... but these things I will not dwell on here.

The first hexagram in the book is Creative Power. The first words in this ancient text.
It is the Big Bang of humanity, of life on earth and of spiritual life.

It is the Alchemy of the Ancients.

Inspiration and the creativity that flows from that mysterious ‘visitation’ is the ‘eureka’ moment of us all whether we consider ourselves to be artists or not ... it’s that spark that makes us step beyond our given circumstances and create something new, something “better” .... as defined by us/me.... a subjective improvement.

As such I think the words “ detonating device in the evolutionary bomb” are not exaggerated.

Now, I have no illusions about how easy it is to forget this fact. We can sink into the sedimentary sludge of existence and watch, exasperated, as our bodies calcify into a living fossil while our minds scream out against our inertia. .... . but... it happens, by the Grace of the Muse, that one day, one moment, we rise up like the Hulk, turn green and shatter the chains that we bind ourselves with.
Inspiration fills us with Creative Power.... and we can conquer the Syrup Syndrome, propelled to new activity.

It’s just good to remember, when things are crap, that it could be today....


:))

An Unexpected Alliance at LEA Opening.

The LEA event opening the Machinima Event went off with a little drama, SL style.

SaveMe Oh, probably the most controversial artist in SL, who I interviewed properly for my blog post on Koinup (not something I do much) entertained the troops with an impromptu performance as she often does when given (or not given) the chance.

She rightly states in her blog that really you don't need a fancy building to view something that looks better on YouTube, where there is no lag or crashing.

"Machinima has to rescue secondlife and Linden Labs. Now as a frequent user I am happy with every attempt to keep SL online but what did they invent?? A stupid event about machinima (NO NUDETY,NO VIOLENCE) (Oliver Stone, Al Pacino, Angelina Jolie and Kate Winslet must be banned in advance), An horrible building (who needs to be covered watching movies in sl?), 1000 seats were you are glued in according to the CARP concept where you can sit and shut up to see machinima that you can view 1000 times better on YouTube, Vimeo or AviewTV."

SaveMe got banned, art is only art if the Organisers say it is Art, I guess.... and let's face it SaveMe can push the envelope better than a herd of elephants.... so I think neither she nor anyone else was very surprised. She is the most banned artist in SL, I would guess.

So... all quite traditional so far.

Ole Etzel, a longterm creator in SL, could not of course show his stuff, especially Part Three of The Disease... (see below)...

Ole, along with Mrs Bones (who has a chainsaw, and knows how to use it) has been amusing me for years with his personal view of life, and death.....but.... similar to Nipple Gate, the incident with Rose being banned because of Susa... (and consequent comment by me)... Ole likes blood in his art....and that is not allowed. Like megas, there are rules.





Now, anyone who thinks they can promote the Arts and yet make sure no one breaks the rules is a bit daft. Art and Rules don't mix, they never have, and never will. Period.....as I wrote before in these pages..."The creative anarchy of the human condition is revolutionary and irrepressible."

...But... it was not for reasons of Artistic Freedom that two very unlikely people have become united in their dislike of LEA...

...an excerpt from SaveMe's blog....

Dancoyote Antonelli: did you know why we are on the same side?

SaveMe Oh: Maybe I become the Don Quichotte of SL

SaveMe Oh: tell me?

Dancoyote Antonelli: The director of user experience spoke

Dancoyote Antonelli: one Rhett Linden

Dancoyote Antonelli: and said how greatful he is that art is such good free marketing for Linden Labs

Dancoyote Antonelli: that was the moment we became on the same side

SaveMe Oh: They gave us the canvas, we had to bring the crayons ourselves, and now they want everything back.

SaveMe Oh: So fight along with me for freedom of expression on our own terms

Dancoyote Antonelli: I am with you

Dancoyote Antonelli: and now

Dancoyote Antonelli: we need a private channel

SaveMe Oh: Fear is also not an issue, the moment we brought in our crayons we start to be faster then them.

Dancoyote Antonelli: more on this later. Now LEA will try to kick me for my protest

Dancoyote Antonelli: it will be a big mistake if they do

SaveMe Oh: Make it difficult for them! Good luck as you have every right on your side."

May 4, 2011


Now, I have called this LEA effort Artists Endowment of the Lindens, and it is. Unlike UWA which, for the last 18 months has been awarding cash prizes to artists, known and unknown, and the many altruistic sponsors out there who donate prims and sims so that creators can create, Linden Lab has done nothing. Not a penny, or a cent has been offered. No sim has been donated, not even for Burning Life.

The thing about sponsorship is that there is, or should be, an element of altruism. Art should be sponsored for Art's sake, and the commercialisation of the LEA, i.e. it's use as cheap marketing puts me on the same bench as SaveMe and Dan.

Dancoyote Antonelli: shouts: Artists are NOT Marketing

For while Sasun can say...
"The LEA exists to help encourage and cultivate art and artists within Second Life, to foster community, creativity, and innovation among artists, and collaborate with existing art galleries and groups to help nurture their valuable participation in the SL arts."....

...it's all just words.... and I've heard a lot over the last 4 years....(previous Sasun)

16 months of dragging their feet, there's no 70 sims as promised, (link included for those that claim 70 sims was never mentioned)... just a large building, a game and a sandbox .. oh, and future plans for a welcome centre....

..big deal. I should be impressed??

:))

UWA ..June round...

Yes, the monthly round of UWA's art competition has come around again and it's time to go and vote for your favourites...or...just go and see the best show on the grid.

Here are a few I liked....



Medusa's Gaze by Pravda Core...this classical sculpture is a very accomplished piece, and one of my favs. I know it is possible to do all sorts of fancy stuff with anim smooth textures, scripts and stuff, but sculpture is a complicated enough art form in itself and a lot of 'whistles and bells' just mask the fact, often, that the person can't sculpt.

Pravda can.




Ub Yifu can too....of that there is no doubt, as his Chinese Dragon (above) clearly demonstrates ..[dodgy photo]..




Corcosman has long been a fav sculptor in SL and his Flautist demonstrates that clearly, it would stand proudly with White Lebed's musicians too.




...and...nice to see so many classic sculptors show simultaneously..... The Elephant Child by Eliza Wierwight is a significant piece and her other, 'Angel in Edit' I found very appealing too.




Saveme Oh gives her take on Nipplegate... and causes a huge grin, for me, anyway.




Panopticon by Theoretical Afterthought is a thoughtful piece and, tho I don't usually read notecards, this one DID prove to be worth reading....(mostly they are just self-promotional hype which say little about the piece....../me is guilty, too)




...ahh...."nise ichiyou no Soror"... a great compliment from a dear friend.... and, in a classic way, a good piece of art... but I would say that wouldn't I? Miso Musanowa...xxxx




...some more flora.... Sharni's Fae sanctuary incorporates an unusual tree in a very beautiful textured build...this girl is a real texture queen.




...and nice to see Nish Mip blossom forth into the world of flora with "Bloom'...:))


Now, UWA have a 500,000L$ prize pool....details as follows.....I would just like again to say that LL 's efforts to promote the arts in SL is so feeble as to be non-existant, and it's poor show at SL7B where The Official LL Artist, Bryn, occupies the site, compares soo poorly with UWA who have given hundreds of small cash prizes to hundreds of new and old artists on a monthly basis.

"Current total prize pool is more than L$500,000.

A brief summary of the prizes, please read on for the details:

THE IMAGINE CHALLENGE (Art & Design Challenge)
Monthly Prizes:
L$5,000 + RL Custom Tshirt (1st Prize)
L$4,000 Casey Cultural prize (Best work displaying Western Australia)
L$1,750 + RL Custom TShirt (Best non-Scripted entry) ,
L$1,750 (2nd Prize)
L$700 People's Choice Award (1st Prize) L$400 (2nd Prize)
Grand Prize: L$75,000 (1st) L$14,000 (2nd), L$14,000 (Best non-Scripted entry)
* RL custom T-Shirts will be made for the winners based on their favourite texture. This will be custom made, and posted to them, wherever they are in the world! These special prizes come curtesy of Shedworx.com and www.etshirts.com
You can enter up to 2 entries each month, or any month that you choose.
There is also a monthly prize for best non-scripted entry.
There is a people's choice prize every month for the Imagine Challenge.
The Casey Cultural Prize is given monthly from January 2010 to the artwork that best displays aspects of Western Australia (history, culture, art, education, contemporary).
Max prims per entry 100. Take care with script loading.

ARTIST's PARTICIPATION POOL FOR IMAGINE CHALLENGE
Starts with a monthly pool of L$6000 and goes up with all donations to the tip jar in the Imagine Gallery - all artists not winning one of the major awards will receive a share.

FLAGSHIP PRIZES (Architectural competition)
Monthly Prize: L$5,000 (1st) L$1,750 (2nd)
Grand Prize: L$75,000 (1st) L$14,000 (2nd)
Create a concept build/model for UWA's RL Cultural Precinct. Max prims 999. Extra prims abvailable for the art to display in the spaces.

To submit entries for Imagine and Flagship Challenges visit the UWA Art & Design Landing point and drop your entry in the receiver."

...for even more details, contact Jayjay Zifanwe, or Quadrapop Lane, or I have a copy too...

anyway....67 artists showing....go along and see it....today.... and vote for the people's choice if you feel like it.

:)))

"SL is a breeding ground for pedifiles"

Misprint Thursday has been ejected from SL7B.

SHAWN Masters, a volunteer policeman at SL7B, seeking to enforce the No Nipple Policy at SL7B, explained to Misprint Thursday, as Blondin Linden and Doctor Gascoigne stood by..... "SL is a breeding ground for pedifiles [sic]" and Blondin Linden demanded she remove the particle emitter which was churning out pictures of nude Barbie Dolls.

Misprint refused to do so and was ejected from the sim.

Botgirl has great piece on this here.

Now, it seems like there is one important fact I seem to have missed out on...and that is that paedophiles (english spelling) breed in SL. Now, I have been around a while and never caught them at it yet. I would have thought, not that I have a great deal of paedophile experience, that Google or some porn site might provide more interesting and immediate gratification than downloading the SL viewer, making an avatar and going to SL7B to look at nakkid Barbies...but, hey.....what do I know??

Now, these sick major corporations that have been responsible for the sale of, apparently, 1 billion Barbies, would probably disagree with LL on the degree of immorality connected to Barbie.... would they sue?...probably not.

Now, if this company, LL, were run by sexually repressed bigots from some sick religious cult, which it obviously is not.... I could understand their sexual obsession more...but as things stand, I am a bit at a loss.

So...a few questions....

Do they think major corporations will refuse to join SL if the Barbie scandal should be exposed?

...and how can Blondin Linden stand by while SHAWN tells Misprint that SL is a breeding ground for 'pedofiles'...

oh...and another question.....how many pedofiles are there in SL...is there a survey...how do they know??

...and...the most important question of them all.... HAVE YOU ALL COMPLETELY LOST ANY SENSE OF HOW RIDICULOUS YOU LOOK?

Again I am minded to be so grateful for the Linden Endowment for the Arts, it is so wonderful to know how committed LL is in fostering the Arts in our 'community'...or, in the words of the Linden blog...

"Provide a starting point for artists in Second Life and for those interested in art to make connections and display their work

Encourage and cultivate art and artists within Second Life

Foster community, creativity, and innovation among artists and all residents interested in art.

Provide a way for artists to not only sell and promote their art but also to choose to donate it for linden preservation (optional)

Collaborate with existing art regions, galleries, exhibits and performance spaces to help nuture their valuable participation in SL arts"

So that's in safe hands then, the future of the Arts in our 'community'...good.


:((((

Collaborative Art, collective bullshit?

Now, much has been said about inspiration both in these pages and other blogs, but I have never considered the idea that inspiration can truly be a joint effort. Is inspiration by committee possible?

I ask the question for two reasons.....firstly, unsurprisingly, the British entry for the Eurovision Song Contest came last. Life has become so wonderfully democratic in the Free World we live in that YOU can “have your say” about most anything, with a few exceptions of course, (Afghanistan, Israel, freedom fighters, what you have in your luggage, who governs you, etc etc..) but..... you are allowed to vote for.....yes....you guessed...which song WE should enter for the Eurovision Song Contest (Europe has long included Israel!). ..

..so..... as the general public are mostly morons (that’s only based on the people I have met and is not a scientific study) ...they chose the worst of the songs on offer, of course. These are the people that the Boys want in SL, the great mentally unwashed.

Which brings me round to the Boys, again. Now... I did a fair amount of moaning last year about SL6B....and as that time has crept up on us again (people were trying to keep it quiet so I wouldn’t apply)... it is time for me to moan some more.

1) why, oh why, oh why... do people have to invent a Theme? Why not, just as a suggestion....say...”build the best thing you can build”???

2) If you are gonna have a Theme...I could not in 7 years of thinking about it come up with a worse idea than....Unexpected Collaboration. omg omg omg.

“Collaboration is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together in an intersection of common goals — for example, an intellectual endeavor that is creative in nature—by sharing knowledge, learning and building consensus. Most collaboration requires leadership, although the form of leadership can be social within a decentralized and egalitarian group. In particular, teams that work collaboratively can obtain greater resources, recognition and reward when facing competition for finite resources. Collaboration is also present in opposing goals exhibiting the notion of adversarial collaboration, though this is not a common case for using the term.

Structured methods of collaboration encourage introspection of behavior and communication. These methods specifically aim to increase the success of teams as they engage in collaborative problem solving. Forms, rubrics, charts and graphs are useful in these situations to objectively document personal traits with the goal of improving performance in current and future projects.

[I include also the following with tongue in cheek] Since the Second World War the term "Collaboration" acquired a very negative meaning as referring to persons and groups which help a foreign occupier of their country—due to actual use by people in European countries who worked with and for the Nazi German occupiers. Linguistically, "collaboration" implies more or less equal partners who work together—which is obviously not the case when one party is an army of occupation and the other are people of the occupied country living under the power of this army.” (Wikipedia)

now...sorry....if you got lost there..... for me the bit “by sharing knowledge, learning and building consensus” is the bit that does it for me.....

“Consensus is defined in English as, firstly - general agreement and, secondly - group solidarity of belief or sentiment. It has its origin in a Latin word meaning literally to feel together.

The formal process of achieving consensus ideally requires serious treatment of the considered opinion of each group member: those advocating the adoption, say, of a particular course of action, genuinely wish to hear those who may be against the proposal, since discussion, it is supposed, can only enhance ultimate consensus. The hope is that in such circumstances action, or the adoption of group opinion, without resolution of dissent will be rare. A consensus rather than a voting process is often employed with this intention, as well as to minimize any possible damage to interpersonal relationships.”(Wikipedia)

Now...add to this the idea that this consensus could be arrived at as an "Unexpected Collaboration"....Duh!

What an amazingly wonderfully democatically CRAP IDEA..... this returns us full circle to the question...Is inspiration by committee possible?

Art is not like building a new Ford.
Art is not construction, although some may be necessary.
MichaelAngelo did not ask the cloakroom attendant which colours she thought he should use.
Art is, in no way, shape or form a democratic process.
Art is elitist in nature....

....and I see “Collaborative Art” as a crap mock-democratic pathetic pseudonym for Communal Bullshit...... and I defy anyone to show me an amazing, life-changing piece hanging in a gallery anywhere in the world which is a collaboration.....(or....as I am often wrong.... what percentage of masterpieces are collaborative efforts).

Let’s hope SL7B will do better than Josh Dubovie (UK entry)....

:))

Arty thoughts and stuff

Well, as often happens a couple of comments have had my brain going this weekend... firstly a new friend and customer, seeking to help me get my act together asked me to think strategically about where I was going with my art, and Quad commented on a previous post about copybotting (if indeed that is a verb, seems like everything can be nowadays).

So....hanging behind me, (RL!!!) on the wall is the above painting I did just before encountering SL.

The quote is very very old and actually relates to Alchemy (which used to be known as The Art), and the words basically mean that perfection has to be sought inside yourself before you go chasing around the globe looking for it. Trying to distil gold from goat poo is not gonna work no matter how long you go at it.

So...the rather 'outsider art' image that goes with it shows the old king (talked about this before in one of my "psychology of virtual existence" posts.... here) being cooked up, in an effort to redeem the Old and morph it into something new.

But...the snake has not taken on the form of the Oruborus (pictured below)




.... symbolising the Increatum , and the man is part animal, part human (I had never seen a neko at this point or he would have had ears too)...so.... the inference is, that without some sort of completion this poor soul might as well throw his paint brushes on the fire.

Now, that's a pretty extreme statement, mine are still packed away in a box, and not one I would honestly recommend.

BUT..... it does really depict my view on art. Art is a process of individuation, and not to be confused with the bi-product, which is the 'artwork', the 'piece'.

I don't really have any strategic plan or ambitions for my bi-products, hence no fear of them being stolen or copied. End of.

Hehehehe....in other news......

Have had a massive shopping spree at Alpha Auer's place, went dancing at Alienspeaking , then turned up for the UWA awards......very well documented here

My Koinup piece was good enough for NWN to link to it, (a feather in my cap) and just before Magoo got returned I had two sims in Search > Showcase > Hot Spots..... all good.

Wizzy again amazed me with her travels to Ancient Archeological Sites.... pictured .. here at the oldest place on the grid... Da Boom, or Great Zero. She likes to sit on things.

...and loved Ravenelle's new images here and here...

Sort of a mixed week really, like a lot of arty types I get a bit of post-natal depression so the blogging has been slack....sorry (not very sorry)... oh, yes, made a new tree...it's in the UWA December Competition.... only place to see it so far. Pop over if you are dying to see it...hehehhhehehee

...and Happy Rezz Day Lalo


:)))

Sam the dog...

Now, there's a new story that's grabbed the attention of more than one news report here in the UK, it's about a painting dog.

"Sam is a regular renaissance dog and his abstract paintings are all the rage with the hip New York galleries," says Mary Stadelbacher, Sam's owner.
"He loves his painting and would happily carry on for hours if I left him to it.
"He loves to work in a variety of colours and layers his paintings with darker shades first and then moves on to lighter ones later." Quote from the Telegraph... here

His paintings sell for more than £1000.

Now, the fact that the woman involved is totally deluded is only confirmed by the following statement...
"Using his specialised training as a house-help dog, combined with my amateur art background, Sam is a fully trained artist," explains Mary.
....and, worse.... "He is quite a unique abstract artist."

OK, so I am not even gonna discuss this, after all I have earthworms in my garden who could do a good imitation Pollock. My big question is, however, how did he get an SL account, I'm sure I've seen his work in a few galleries here...
...and who taught him to use Anim Smooth??


:)))

Stuff and the University of Delaware

Well, I'm totally Burning Life'd out....so.....although I have a few more things to check out, I'm not gonna be doing much more than kicking back and chilling the next few days, I hope.


ColeMarie has done a great video of my stuff at Magoo and thats on view at Koinup.


I did find the article that LL has been advertising in the NY Times quite amusing, but then I am easily amused (as has been claimed before, and easily bored too)....


So....this Friday will no doubt find me at the University of Delaware, where I have done a Sea Stack with my new tree on top.




...official blurb..."The University of Delaware invites you to join us Friday Oct. 23 2009, 11:30 SLT, for Outsider Art.
This event features a live in-world talk on Outsider Art, Lance Winn, Lance Winn, Associate Professor, Department of Art, University of Delaware.
For an overview of his real life art please visit: http://www.udel.edu/art/winn/ [I did and got bored]

"Outside of What?" will explore issues around both the historic status of "Outsider Art" and how artists working in Second Life conform or deviate from past ideas of what it meant to be outside of the mainstream art world. The talk will attempt to figure out how these definitions were developed in the first place, what the so-called insider "art world" is in our current time, and how we might think of things like self-taught at time when all artists working in the digital realm are essentially learning on their own as new software is continually developing. The discussion will attempt to define and develop the notion of aura as it relates to original experience and to question what this might mean in virtual worlds and will attempt to develop a set of questions concerning the internal versus external world as it relates to both vision and the "visionary."

In addition to the talk there will be an art exhibit spanning both islands from Oct. 23 - Nov.17, 2009.
The exhibit will feature the works of notable Second Life creators including:
AM Radio • Bryn Oh • Cheen Pitney • Cutea Benelli • DC Spensley • Filthy Fluno • Glyph Graves • Kilara Balnarring • Raskolnikow Roffo • Sabrinaa Nightfire • soror Nishi • Ub Yifu • with more to be announced soon!"

well, I know for a fact that Scotsgraymouser is showing too... so we'll see who else....

now......whether or not I can hold out long enough to hear the whole thing will depend on if its all in dodgy voice ...and how comfortable the seats are.
I also have a bit of an allergy to intellectual analysis of art, seems to me things like reading about food, talking about films and intellectualising about art are related in that they are all sofa-time-wasting. However, I am the first to admit when I am wrong, and would love it to be a great evening..... don't hold your breath, tho...

oh yes....the Slurl.... glad I didn't forget that...

:)))

University of Western Australia, and other stuff

Popped over to Aliz'z plaze and she has the builder in.....more later, when he's finished.... but we had to get a photo. This is the pair of us on a stair to nowhere...and....

talking of stairs... well, I went to Pirats, the Bunker, to see a show. OMG the lag was more than bad...anyway, after hanging around on the TP site I decided to try and guess where the entrance is....RANT WARNING>>>>>> why oh why oh why do people not make proper entrances on their buildings.

For Avatars In Lag....ALL entrances should be 10 to 20 meters wide....why not? you got a problem with that??? Bloody architects (poor Newbab got a bit of a rant when I finally arrived)....... here are a list of idiocies

1) spiral stairs.... words fail me when I want to describe how much I hate spiral stairs. Let's just say that I hate them more than.... more than the most hated things in any world.

2) floor to ceiling flat "glass" invisible prims on the front of malls.... the ones you walk into 5 times trying to get into the store.... Duh!!!! RL glass has reflections and frames, and theres no lag!!

3) doors you have to click to get in....WHY? just make em phantom so I can walk through them...

4) porta loos at Burning Life....this is the 3rd year that I have been at Burning Life and I want to know why, after all this time, people still find it SO amusing to build porta loos?? ..Toilet humour I use to enjoy before I reached 10 years old....what a total waste of prims.

...anyway, I digress (and I do it well, some think)... my story was about Pirats who have a very good show at the Bunker, I particulary liked Ling's stuff, altho quite cutsie.... Well, after I had aged, waiting for things to rezz...I thought that these stairs have to be the way in...and I started climbing them. Now although I stopped pressing any keys on my baby mac...SL continued my journey for me, as happens.... I climbed vertically up the doors that didnt open, over the roof and fell off into the sea on the other side....

...that's when I screamed for help and Merlina TPed me in....(why the tp point couldn't have been inside I have no idea...like they want visitors to enjoy the architectural marvels of the exterior first???) ... and I enjoyed the show.





So...this is a sight (site) that sort of gets the blood flowing... a prim free area waiting for plants etc.

Jayjay Zifanwe of the University of Western Australia got me over to have a look and asked me to do a bit...







So, sandwiched (artisically, not sexually) between Quadrapop Lane and Glyph Graves, I put out a few trees and flowers....will post a couple more photos when its finished and pukker, but it all seems to be going well....

Scotsgraymouser is entering the Building building competition, that should be good.... bit too much for me I think tho....bet she does a good entrance......


:))

The Art and craft...

Now its an interesting thing to do, making stuff, and as with all jobs or hobbies there are times when you take a good hard look at what you spend your time doing.

The borderline between Art and craft is pretty vague at times, and to my mind it doesn’t matter too much which you prefer to do (they overlap a lot), but it is a different viewpoint.
Thinking about yourself as an artist can put a strain on your creativity to always come up with a new idea; as an artisan or craftsperson the pressure is simply to make another well made piece.

Mastering a craft is a lot to do with honing a technique til it gets about as near to perfect as you need it to be to feel satisfied with your labours.

Art, if it is, as quoted here before, “long, immense and deliberate derangement of the senses” has a kind of inbuilt escalation. There’s a desire or need to make the piece more and more.... deranged? Not quite the right word. ... but you maybe get the idea.

So, if you feel able to make anything.... what do you make? It’s a common problem for builders, and SL offers lots of new avenues for creativity, when you are competent in one field you can simply move on to the next. Good with prims?...learn scripting. Good with scripting......learn anims. etc. etc.

The thing that gets lost, however, is the idea that, actually, the thing you make, the product, the piece.... is really speaking a bi-product. It is the physical/virtual husk or shell which, like a photo, is only a reminder of the process you went thro to get to where you are.

The real Art is what happens in yourself. Alchemy is called The Art for this very reason.

A craft has a similar effect on you psychologically, but with a craft it is your interaction with Matter (or virtual matter) that is the crucible in which you cook your alchemical potion.

My favourite saying of all time, possibly, is one from Gerald Dorn, a 17th Century Alchemist,
“You will never make from others the One thou seekest save first there be made one thing of thy self.”
...which means, roughly, that striving for perfection outside of yourself is gonna be fruitless unless you aim for a harmony inside too.

Luckily, for us poor imperfect beings, there is Grace, and Grace sends us the occasional visit from the god Genius (or her daughter, baby genius) and the joy that brings us is remembered most of our lives.

:))