You’ve seen SLN ‘publisher’ Howie before on SL Naturist, but in the main he’s in the background, organising some of it and bankrolling bits of it. Let me explain…SL Naturist was Howie’s idea, him being a naturist himself (and yet another fellow Brit!) as part of what he conceived would be a series of SL related blogs dedicated more to Arts production. And here’s an interview I did with him close to the beginning of SLN, which we never published (at his request at the time…don’t worry, he’s sanctioned this posting).

‘My view was that there was potential cross-over between real life and Second Life arts production, and that we should be encouraging people to fulfil their artistic expression in a virtual way as well. That has been fulfilled, of course, but as a musician myself I was intrigued by the concept of creating virtual-world exclusive work and selling it only in Second Life. You know, the idea that we could have a Second Life ‘Hit Parade’, as they used to say, created by avatars. And the global nature of digital file-swap means it would be entirely possible for an avatar in Australia or America to collaborate with me. That potential still exists, of course, and maybe we’ll get around to that at some point.

‘So the initial plan was a Second Life based record label…open small stores in various locations, gig virtually, and lead it back to a website where people could buy, or download free, the music we avatars were making. And because it was a virtual, fantasy world, we could create bands to perform music that was outside our usual box. In real life I’m essentially a guitar player. In Second Life it would be possible for me to re-create myself in a different musical genre without alienating whatever small real life audience I have.

‘As well as music we now have photographic exhibitions where the real and virtual cross over, dozens of flickr sites where people indulge their photographs SL endeavours, there’s poetry readings…theatre productions…and they all fit, somehow work. Duran Duran are long time advocates of SL, and bless them for sticking with it. People say SL is dying, but I adopt the view that we’re on our way to somewhere else with SL, or something like it, the vehicle for exactly that. Anyone producing art, in whatever genre, within SL gets that.

‘So…what happened was I was exploring SL blogging, and came across Emmanuelle’s blog. (For those who don’t remember, Emmanuelle’s blog is where I got my blogging start, being the ‘naturist reporter’ for a blog that covered many, many elements of sex and sexuality in the context of SL). I asked you if  you’d do it and…woo hoo…we’re suddenly an SL blog ourselves with some posts behind us.

‘I asked you because I think that females are better, more consistent bloggers. Anyway, if you’re taking photos, do you get turned down? (This was before we employed Harry). If I approached some female avatar and asked her to strip off for a pixel-nudie blog I’d get my virtual face slapped…or at least be muted.’

A couple of years later, and Howie continues to be ‘the publisher’, helping out with some elements of the blog, passing me poses, location ideas for example, bank rolling others, but generally in the background. Until recently, when he’s been a little more visible than before. What has changed?

‘I’m experimenting with building after all this time’, he grins. ‘And so I’m examining the idea of producing something, anything, that might be useful naturist-type accessories. And while I’m not particularly good, and maybe never will be, it’s an interesting distraction. I’m trying to build a modular synthesiser, for example, to place in my SL studio. And with those baby steps in building, well, I’ve been experimenting’.

Which is where this post comes in.

Purple Poses group costs nothing to join, and has several free group gifts. The original of the shot above shows a naked male avatar with a ‘For Sale’ sign. But as it’s modifiable Howie ‘tinkered with adding different textures, grabbed some naturist signs from the internet, uploaded them, slid them in place and hey presto….the image I’ve passed to you’.

I like it, and I think this is certainly something we’ll have a little fun with in the days ahead.

Ella.

 Edited to add…

I’ve been online, briefly, and dragged….dragged….the RL Mr. Keng away from the Uruguay-Costa Rica game in the World Cup to pose with me with one of Purple Poses others couples poses which are free, as outlined above. Cute….although that faraway look in his eyes suggests he’d prefer to be watching the footie! 🙂