The SL Enquirer: SL Business interview and advice - Part 2

View of an Artist:

So you are the temperamental artist. Oh! You don’t believe in the business of business. Well, let’s take a leaf out of our very own earlier SLE interviewed artist Judi Lynn. She has the right focus while not losing any of the artistic enthusiasm …

Orchids: Who is JudiLynn India?

JudiLynn: Known in SL as JudiLynn India and RL as Judi Lynn, my mission is to share my vision and message as an artist with the global community.

My work embodies my spirit and personality. My goal is to allow you to experience the image with your own mind's eye. My work is entirely intuitive. I get lost in the layering of texture and color. Occasionally, I will include figurative work if my spirit is so presented with the composition. Just as there is order in the chaos of the universe, the energy within me is brought into focus one canvas at a time.

Orchids: When did you find your artistic inspiration?

JudiLynn: I've been drawing since I could hold a crayon. I studied art throughout school, Commercial Art in high school and Graphic Design in college. After the turn of the century, I decided to focus my creativity on acrylic and digital painting and have totally enjoyed the journey.

Orchids: What inspired you to make and sell art in SL?

JudiLynn: Four years ago, I was surfing the web and came across an article about a US artist who'd made a name for himself in Second Life. I wasn't familiar with SL then, but decided that if he could do it, I needed to give it a shot. I've always been a 3D animation enthusiast, so this interested me in more ways than one.

I've been creating art in some form (drawing, painting, ceramics) all of my life and had just started focusing on painting in 2006. I wasn't sure where to start showing my work and this seemed just the ticket. SL makes a great marketing research tool. In SL, I can show my new works and get fairly immediate feedback from colleagues and collectors.

Orchids: What was your best experience related to your work in SL... Any highlight or event or even something simple on a special day :)

JudiLynn: I’ve done a lot of shows over the past 3.5 years, but I think the most well received was this year at the Cuauhnahuac Gallery, hosted by Owl Braveheart and Wilson Voight. A lot of people visited that exhibit and other shows came out of it. I was amazed and honored. I think it was the most productive show I've had in SL. The space allowed me to show a lot of my latest pieces as well as some of my best older work.

Orchids: What would your advice be for the most important: DO's and DON'Ts for anyone looking to do create and sell in SL?

JudiLynn: My advice to anyone who wants to show and sell their art in SL:

DO bring in high quality scans or images of your work, learn how to place the texture on a prim (ask someone how if you need to) and find the best and most visited art or retail sim to rent a space to show. You want to make sure people SEE you. You needn't wait for an invitation. And talk, talk, talk yourself up! Join the art groups and visit as many shows and galleries as possible to see what's being done and who's doing what. Mingle!

DON'T be shy! If you don't market your work to the art loving public, no one else will. And by all means, don't under price yourself. If you don't give your hard work its true value, no one else will, either! Look at a lot of good art similar to yours and note the average selling price. This is original work we're talking about - not discount posters. :> Oh, and NEVER ever pirate from the web!

The world is a better place with your creative inspiration - whether that world is organic or digital. :D

Orchids says: In my opinion the common aspects between the two interviews are:

( http://www.slenquirer.com/2013/07/sl-business-interview-and-advice.html#more )