I come to that question from a blog post, Playing with Pixels, by Jaen Wirefly.   (Of course, I got that post through the services of my Google Reader.)

And the phrase reminds me of a comment by the well-known Second Life artist, Juria Yoshikawa, about his experience in coming into Second Life. 

“…I started to rediscover the sense of play…”

To see the installation art of Juria and to hear comments by by Juria (Lance Shields in the outworld)  click this Link.

Installaton Art by Juria Yoshikawa

Bryn Oh's Vision is coming alive on the Rezable grid!  With 45,000 prim space available at her disposal, her imagination is oozing creativity, as she is creating another one of her amaizng immersive environments.  A work of art you can walk through, immerse yourself in, experience in a way you cannot normally experience art.

When asked to describe her newest installation Bryn had this to say....

Virtual art............is it real?   Many times over I have heard this question asked.  Of course it is real.   Art is Art no matter where or how it exists.  Virtual art, existing in a virtual world or virtual platform online has the ability to be viewed, touched, explored, and interacted with.   One becomes fully immersed within the environment.  Perhaps  more museums and galleries in the physical world will embrace this art of the future which is quickly becoming art of here and now, and share these immersive environments with their patrons.

Virtual art can be static 3d creations from the artists imagination; a replica of a physical real world piece; a magical morphing, musical sculpture that continually recreates itself into a new piece of art as you view it or an entire immersive environment that involves multi-dimensional builds, interaction, intrigue,  wonderment and discovery.

Intrigue-Immersion-interaction--mystery-melancholic at times.... her installations produce awe , deep thought and amazement!

Bryn Oh is a sort of second life "Ghost artist" for a Toronto Oil painter.  She is a Metaverse artist who is meant to exist only online.  She is a concept, a pixel character who inhabits the virtual world of Second Life.  To one day exhibit amongst first life artists in a formal gallery environment as a digital character is the eventual goal.

TejanoTech is a new educational build I have been following. TejanoTech is part of the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).   It is run by constructivIST Solo.  I talked with constructivIST about TejanoTech and here is some of what I learned.

TejanoTech is not part of the U. T. project Transforming Undergraduate Education Program but is aligned with it.   (Look around at nearby islands.) TejanoTech is focused on a blend of science and art in an effort to interweave STEM content with art and cultural content.

STEM: The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Coalition works to support STEM programs for teachers and students at the U. S. Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, and other agencies that offer STEM related programs.

The University of Delaware is inviting Second Life artists to submit works for a show and talk on Outsider Art to be held October 23, 2009 11:30 am SLT (2:30 pm ET)

Outsider Art: a term coined by art critic Roger Cardinal in 1972 as an English synonym for art brut, a label created by French artist Jean Dubuffet to describe art created outside the boundaries of official culture  ... Outsider art has emerged as a successful art marketing category (an annual Outsider Art Fair has taken place in New York since 1992).

"Outside the boundaries of official culture."  That surely applies to artists in Second Life.  So I like that phrase.  Also the phrase, "successful art marketing category."

Some excerpts from the show announcement:

The Louvre version:  Grande Odalisque, also known as Une Odalisque or La Grande Odalisque, is an oil painting of 1814 by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres depicting an odalisque, or concubine.

The Rezzable version is at Black Swan.  I've included a few pictures to show what a 3d painting looks like.  But you will get a better idea if you go to the display and walk around it.  

A bunch of us Hobos went over to see it as soon as Bettina Tizzy told us about it.  Our critical evaluation was "OMG!,"  "WOW!,"  and "Never seen anything like it!"  It was offered for sale at about $60 USD.   That’s gutsy pricing.  But two of us hobos bought copies on the spot.  Mine is displayed on Cookie now.  

 A new sculptie piece over at Black Swan now.  It is next level of realism on the grid. Check and appreciate any comments on your impressions below. Visit it here at Black Swan.

Sophie Yates at Profile Magazine Today has written a review on King Tut Virtual, spicing it up with a neat machinima. Miss Yates says this is the first time she saw this level of visual imagery quality with objects in this virtual world. Yeey! More friendly words: "I really saw the 3D effect there and the interaction for the viewer that was provided was very well done."

"There are quit a few good exhibits going on now but this ones the best 3D, interactive one that really demonstrates how in the future virtual worlds like SL can be applied to so many other subjects either it be history, in the medical field or in the classroom."

Read more by Sophie Yates and watch the machinima at Profile Magazine Today.