Category: art

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Connecting Globally: Neda Shoaei and Waqqas Shahid talk shop in my Instagram DMs

Giraffitii by Neda Shoaei

Neda
I love this topic Nicole has chosen. And I believe that connection has always been the highest need for human beings throughout history. How we define connection has changed in modern times. Waqqas, how do you see the connections we are creating in the 21st century? Are we as effective as previous generations used to be, you feel?

Waqqas
In the 21st century, we have more tools than ever before to connect with people globally. We build global connections because we want to connect with people from different backgrounds and cultures. By fostering understanding and inclusivity, we can build lasting relationships.

Technology has the potential to bring tremendous financial benefits to individuals and communities. But we should also be using it to improve the lives of people around the globe.

We can start by bridging cultural divides, instead of perpetuating them. By approaching global connections with openness and humility, we can create a more compassionate world. What are your thoughts, Ned?

Waqqas Shahid

Neda
Great points, Waqqas. That meaningful connection is what we are all looking for. And we have amazing new media tools to help with that. People are starting to realize, more and more, that borders have no meaning. We are getting connected on a deeper level. Solidarity is rising because we are getting in touch with more people from different countries, languages, and backgrounds.

When did you personally start creating deeper connections on social media? Was it the same feeling as the physical world conversations you had before?

Waqqas
I began creating deeper connections on social media about seven months ago. By being open to new perspectives, I formed meaningful relationships which have become a part of my real-life network.

Listening and observing are more important to me than speaking, as I really want to understand others. One of the great connections I made was with Nicole, and I am grateful to her for having me here. I encourage others to use social media as a tool for creating genuine and lasting connections with people from all walks of life.

Neda Shoaei

Neda
Waqqas, I like that you said that people should build/find that genuine connection. Knowing these facts from the beginning helps us to keep going until we find like-minded people.

You said you have been connecting with people on social media for seven months now. Was there any point where you felt this was not right, or had any self-doubt?

Waqqas
There were moments of self-doubt. It can be intimidating to put ourselves out there and engage with strangers, especially if we are not sure if we’ll be well-received.

However, the key to overcoming these doubts was to keep an open mind and be willing to learn from others. By listening to their perspectives and experiences, I was able to build genuine connections. The sense of community I have developed has been incredibly rewarding. I’m grateful for the growth and learning opportunities that have come from these experiences.

Neda
I always observe the fact that some communities are very English-centric. I mean, they seem not open or ready for non-English speakers to join them. On the other hand, I see communities that ask for people from different backgrounds and languages to join them. They overcome language barriers by having bilingual speakers in Twitter Spaces or having foreign language channels on their Discord channels.

Again, I believe we should find communities/people that are like-minded. That way, we can feel happy to share our feelings and ideas in an open way. This is the point of global connection at its core.

Neda Shoaei

Waqqas
It is true that some communities tend to prioritize English language and Western culture over others. Understanding different languages and cultures is crucial for global connections. By connecting with people from diverse backgrounds, we get the opportunity to understand and learn from their perspectives and values, which can broaden our own thinking and outlook on life.

On that note, what role does cultural awareness play in building connections with people from diverse backgrounds?

Neda
Normally, media and the role that it’s playing in our lives are not taught in schools. Small, medium and large organizations, as well as communities, should create that message throughout the world.

Schools and universities are being left behind. We need a new educational system to replace the old one. It is amazing when I see how individuals are coming together to make the shift happen.

People who are considered to be in the margins are now finding their voices. A strong global connection is being built that is precious and also unique. I feel more people are noticing this movement and are joining it. We grow stronger each day.

Waqqas
It’s truly amazing to witness how individuals are taking the initiative to push for a more culturally aware and equitable world. Let’s continue to come together and make this shift happen.


｡⁠.ﾟ⁠+⁠ ⁠⟵⁠(⁠｡⁠･⁠ω⁠･⁠)

About the creatives

Neda Shoaei
I’m Ned, 31 and a multidisciplinary artist, with a passion for technology. I have been honing my skills and expanding my creative horizons since 2016. If you like watching videos, you can follow my journey on my YouTube channel. My background in English literature and focus on concepts such as diaspora, post-colonialism, and decentralization gives me a unique perspective on my craft. I am particularly passionate about new media, digitalization, and creating content for both physical and virtual platforms. I started my studies in game design in 2023. My ultimate goal is to create unique, engaging, and thought-provoking experiences for audiences across both physical and virtual worlds.

Artwork by Neda Shoaei

Waqqas Shahid
Hi, I’m Waqqas Shahid, a 30-year-old entrepreneur from Karachi, Pakistan. I come from a family business background in yarn textiles. I decided to pursue my own dreams and become an innovator in the exciting world of cryptoart. I’m a curious soul who loves to research the latest trends and happenings around the world. I believe that through research and hard work, we can create positive change and make a difference in the world. That’s why I ventured into the NFT community. My goal is connecting with people globally and inspiring them to make a positive impact.

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Artist’s Diary: Anneli Berglund

Happy Saturday. Believe it or not, it’s been almost 9 years since I started this blog and this is my first Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Of course, I’m going to bend the rules by introducing Swedish fine artist and graphic designer, Anneli Berglund. In this post, she talks about her soon-to-be released Wabi Sabi Noir generative art project. I hope you enjoy her work as much as I do. She is truly stylish.

$$$$$$

Hello, I’m Anneli, here to tell you about my day. This morning I got up, put on some coffee, and sent the children to school. Then I went to watch a tutorial made by Goblin on YouTube, about how to deploy a generative collection on LaunchMyNft, an NFT platform I am using for my most recent art project.

Before that, I had self-destructed the same collection’s profile page on Foundation. Now, I’m setting up everything on this new platform. So, uhm, follow me on Instagram?

After gathering the information I needed from the tutorial, it was time to press “self-destruct” on Foundation.

In a storm of energy two days ago, I put up a brand new collection of art there. But after exchanging a couple of emails with Foundation Support, I realized I didn’t have a service to help randomize my design elements.

So I had to press the self destruct-button. It happened pretty fast. At first, I felt a little scared. Then, it felt like a cool James Bond movie moment. In truth, I regretted having to spend transaction fees on something I had to burn only two days later.

And now it’s afternoon. The kids will be home in an hour, but I have very little food in the fridge. So I’m thinking egg sandwiches should be fine? I’m still staring at my screen, waiting to add my new artwork to the Ethereum blockchain.

But I see that the transaction fees have gone through the roof. It’s going to cost $90 to mint the collection. That is too much. I’m low on ETH and need every bit of it to push out my work, especially because there’s no real guarantee it will sell.

My reach on all social media is crap right now because I refuse to play by the Algorithm Rules. It’s not a provocative choice; this is how I’m wired. I’m a busy woman, a full time artist and full time mother, and I will not post everyday nonsense to appease current technology. It’s built by greedy humans anyway, if you ask me.

Lately I’ve been looking at a decentralized social media app. I was told I’d get a spot on that app but, it’s still in beta.

Looking at my screen again, and the transaction fees are now between $63 and $68. It was down to $25 just a few days ago. Maybe I chose a bad time to do this, but I don’t have much time to sit in front of a screen later today. I really want to launch this collection on March 23 because the date will be 2023/3/23.

See what I did there?

The date itself is not special. I saw a bunch of 23s somewhere and decided March 23 was a good date. I work intuitively, much like when I decided to deconstruct my earlier ink works and put them back together again as unique characters. I call my characters “inklings.” And I have called the collection Wabi Sabi Noir. I guess a lot of what I do seems impulsive, but it’s working for me.

Ah! It’s getting late, and I have to wash my hair. Maybe the transaction fees will go down by the time I’ve finished? Fingers crossed.

Sending ….

God! Twitter removed all the spacing. What a horrible block of text – ha ha ha ha. I am literally heading into the shower now. See you around!

Follow Anneli Berglund on Twitter
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Writers’ Lift: AI integration in Google Workspace

Some exciting news was announced yesterday about generative AI integration in Google Workspace. Most of you might already be familiar with this paid set of apps used to manage a business. We already have access to a free version of the apps through our Google accounts. The workspace suite allows more functionality and comes with pricing options.

Dear Lord, let it be cheap. What I’m truly excited about is the prospect of having AI tools to help me research my writing projects. My second book is already finished and is waiting to be published. The plot itself was simple, and the story timeline was relatively uncomplicated. However, I needed to take the entire 2022 off to battle the great zombie apocalypse at work.

And even though it was challenging, I managed to get my writing done and produce two musical albums to go with the story. For this second novel, what was especially challenging was the research. In my Google Docs, I have a small book’s worth of research on the story. Of course, I love inventing new place names and designing interiors. I also have a wiki about the rules of interactions and laws of the fictional country in which the story is situated. It was also relatively straightforward to design a wave-powered yacht which has a floating indoor farm. But that wasn’t the most challenging part of the research.

This is a romantic story, which is not in my wheelhouse. In order for the story to work I needed a convincing pathogen, a test for that pathogen, and a treatment. Then I also needed a bunch of legal proceedings to distract my protagonist from his love interest. In other words, I had to leave the actual dialogue and chase rabbits down rabbit holes. One particular rabbit hole from which I recently got sprung was in YouTube.

I was fully immersed in some pop culture commentary. One of my protagonists is obsessed with social media. She knows what celebrities have for breakfast, but she thinks she’s better than they are because she doesn’t post countless photos of herself online. I needed to know how she spun her thoughts in her private moments, and I wanted to know what ticked her off. She was pretty irritated for most of the story, and she was using social media as a distraction from what was really bothering her.

I’m not writing about myself, I’m writing about a character. And I might have broken my brain. While I’m rehabilitating, I am creating a plan for how I’ll use the AI tools embedded in Google Docs to write about a much more complex character, Hurricane Nisto, in my third novel. It would be nice to fully flesh out her “voice” using the rules I created in the treatment for the story.

I had a plan to run off to Antarctica to write that story (already started) because that’s where everything happens. But I’m hoping I will be able to access the AI integrated suite for a very affordable price by the time I’m ready to continue working on it. I might not have to travel at all.

Thank you for reading. I’m more than happy to hear about the projects that you’re working on. I have been trying to find your blogs but not sure if I’m meant to comment or not. Please let me know how I can support you. If you find some of my comments in your spam folders, please be kind enough to fish them out for me. Best wishes.

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Titan Queens: Mahnoor Niazi and Aida Boldeanu talk “beauty” in my Twitter DMs

Artwork by Mahnoor

Twitter DMs might be the last place you would expect to read an in-depth conversation on beauty. But when I decided to experiment with this style of interview, Mahnoor Niazi (Islamamabad) and Aida Boldeanu (Prague) were kind enough to join me. Read ahead and find out what they said in my DMs.

Bella Donna by Aida

Mahnoor
Hey there. I have been thinking about this question all day, consciously and unconsciously, and I feel like I can define the meaning of beauty according to local culture in probably one line: ‘A temporary span of age where you look the most pleasing for all those who lay their eyes on you’. However, beauty for me is the spark that people possess as individuals. It is their freedom to feel and express as they want, to realise their wildest dreams and have the reflection of those dreams sparkle in their eyes.

As we see bodies and forms all around us, we confine them into a few genders without asking for names and without thinking about their individual identities and ideals. Beauty to me is the smallest of details that set these bodies apart. It is not what meets they eye; rather, it is our own ability to see beyond physical appearances.

I remember being totally confused about what being beautiful actually meant. And for a long time, I was confused until I understood what it mean to me.

What a small world by Mahnoor

Aida
So for you, Mahnoor, beauty is rather the spirit and intentions reflected in our gaze?

Mahnoor
Yup, I feel like that’s an everlasting form of beauty that is free of conforming to preconceptions or expectations. I have met people whose physical presence or appearance fades away as soon as they start expressing themselves.

Aida
GM.

Mahnoor
Good morning, Aida.

Save Me by Aida on Objkt

Aida
Beauty is a very controversial and difficult topic, and quite complex. The subject covers a wide range of unit measures. And in various geopolitical spaces, beauty ranges from being the most important thing in life to becoming a taboo topic.

I will refer now to only my experiences and culture. I have seen beauty standards shifting in time. And I remember beauty was strongly embedded in cultural values with symbolism, whereas nowadays, beauty is about power.

Artwork by Mahnoor

For me, beauty means various things. I could speak about abstract beauty, human behaviours, architecture, nature and our physical appearance. This last idea is the most controversial and most discussed in society. But I totally love natural physical beauty, and unique features. I admire the bravery and talent of those who choose to emphasise that with beautiful make-up and clothes, even if I am not very good at it. Anyhow, I believe beauty should be free to express itself in whatever form.

Mahnoor
I really wanted to ask you one question to start with. As you work with people, how do you make sure both you and your subject are reflected equally in your artwork?

Aida
That’s an interesting question, with a simple answer: We don’t know and I never focus on that. The results you see are like the product of making love: In the process, one doesn’t actually analyse how much the other partner is giving. It’s a dance, going back and forth, adjusting always to your own pleasure or to the responses of your partner. The final result is filtered out through your values and perceptions, wishes and expectations.

Look up to me by Adia

Mahnoor
Damn! That’s a beautiful take and probably a treat for those who face the lens.

Aida
Sometimes I am not aware I have such answers in me, as I shoot organically. I shoot with my soul, senses, limbs. I barely know how to use the camera, even if I have been doing that for 10+ years (please, don’t disqualify me, haha).

Closed doors and hidden ideasl by Mahnoor

Mahnoor
That’s the best, really. The organic way. The reason why I admire that approach so much is because I have always worked in solitude, and I love it. I love observing things around me as I draw a contrast between the elements I have around me.

Aida
You are in a good place, being self sufficient, and having the ability to feel the life and beauty around you and make friends with it.

Mahnoor, what does Pakistani beauty look like? On average, that is.

Photography interior mockups by Aida

Mahnoor
Oooh, that’s an interesting question. The general perception here might not sound very pleasant. There are different schools of thought here really. For some people here, it’s literally a certain span of age (like somewhere between 18-26). That is when they consider you beautiful in most cases.

I am very glad that there is also a group of people here who don’t highlight beauty in terms of physical appearances. It’s more the substance that a person has; their ability to face life and to take care of themselves.

Artwork by Mahnoor

Aida
So it seems, that in your society, the values are pretty much divided, each carrying different influences or bodies of understanding, perceptions, and preferences. Can you show me a picture of what would define classic Pakistani beauty? Could be a man or woman.

Mahnoor
We have so many sub-sub-cultures here, and with those, a lot of different presentations of what a traditional woman might look like.

Portrait featured on Lens Culture

Aida
One day I must come down there and have you guide me so we can document that variety of beauty.

Mahnoor
Oh my! That would probably do justice to all the different cultures and traditions here.

Aida
I would love that. We could speak about beauty, make a project out of it, and raise funds. I need 1000 euros only for the flights. Maybe some people in the NFT community can sponsor us up front? And we could offer them a “Pakistani Beauty Guide”, as digital collectibles and prints, with lots of behind-the-scenes interviews with people in the local community.

Mahnoor
That sounds amazing, we should definitely do something like that

Aida
Mahnoor, do you consider yourself to be beautiful?

Mahnoor
@aida_studios ooooooohhhh, that’s a question I have always avoided. I wish I could explain why. I feel like I don’t want to apply that to myself. I don’t take myself seriously.

Aida
You are free to take yourself seriously.

Mahnoor
And that freedom, my freedom, is the most beautiful thing I have. But to answer the previous question on the cultural connotations attached to beauty, I would love to share some pictures from around me. I can talk about the people I know or have met and how the physical ideal of beauty might change according to certain occasions and circumstances. But as these are not just my pictures, I don’t know how comfortable the other people might be to have them shared on a blog. I can share them privately, though.

Aida
So she is avoiding the question. We will talk more about this when we meet.

Mahnoor
Yes, we should do that. Whatever gets me out of answering that question now.

Aida
Sure. And I will just add that you are a very beautiful person.

Mahnoor
Thank you, Aida. I am happy you think so.

*****

About the artists

Mahnoor Haroon Niazi is a multi-disciplinary artist from Pakistan. She is the founder of Pakistan’s first and only digital magazine for artists, Chaap. The magazine serves the creative community of the entire country. Mahnoor believes in the power of community, and her art is mostly inspired by shared experiences, culture, and thought-provoking elements. She works to encourage, empower and enable local artists and creative professionals. Niazi believes that art and creative economy have the ability to bring individuals together in order to find a collective voice and form a sustainable community even when political and social circumstances inhibit growth. She is also active in the NFT Community on Twitter. Her digital assets are listed on Objkt and Foundation.

Aida Boldeanu is a Romanian conceptual photographer living in Prague. Through her work, she speaks about freedom and uses her creative gifts to redefine terms, concepts, and trends. Collect her photography as digital assets on Manifold. She combines them with her inner perceptions. In her documentary and street photography, she works with human geometries, spaces, light and details. Aida travels the world, trying to understand as much as possible. And in her travels, she has been meeting and talking with the people she meets about liberties, freedoms and life.

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Art of Triumph: 2023 is Blessing Atas’ Year

From Egrets Collection by Blessing Atas

Today, I am happy to introduce you to visual artist and storyteller, Blessing Atas. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter. She is based in Abuja, Nigeria, and her artistic style revolves around merging tradition and culture with contemporary living. While also creating work that reflects on life and her surroundings, she is enthusiastic about creating artwork that makes the viewer feel something. Growing up, she used to paint, but eventually grew into making art with photography as her medium. This transformation has allowed her to showcase her ideas in a rich visual format.

Blessing, I saw the monochrome runway looks from Dolce & Gabbana on IG Live last weekend. You were the first person I thought of because of your recent feature in Vogue Italia‘s February 2023 issue. Would you like to tell us how that happened?

Honestly, I would say being featured in Vogue Italia with other amazing photographers to celebrate the PhotoVogue community came as a surprise. When I first received the email last year to be a part of this project, I couldn’t believe it. I thought they had made a mistake sending an email to me. It was an amazing moment and I am very grateful for the opportunity.

Egrets: photography collection from Nigerian visual artist Blessing Atas.
Egrets: Photography Collection by Blessing Atas

And how does it feel to be at this stage of your artistic journey? A Vogue feature, in print and online, is a gateway to many wonderful opportunities.

Being at this stage in my artistic journey feels surreal sometimes. I never would have imagined that one day photography would be taking care of me like it is at the moment. And I never imagined I would have had any of these opportunities. It has been one amazing journey for me. There have been a lot of ups and downs and I still go through that even now. But I am glad I can still keep going and not give up. I continue to hope for the best. I want to see where this road takes me.

Egrets: Photography collection by Blessing Atas, Nigerian visual artist.
More from Egrets (via Twitter)

Vogue Italia featured your Egrets Collection. This body of work had the art world eating out of the palm of your hand. It went positively viral. What ideas are at the heart of this story?

The Egrets is a project that is very close to heart and I am so grateful the art world continues to receive in a beautiful way. The project was first inspired by birds (egrets). And as I built more ideas into the project, I started to understand what it really meant to me. The Egrets speak about freedom. This body of work is also inspired by certain internal struggles I had as an artist. I felt the need to break free from those restraints. The Egrets, as a body of work, attempts to document our continuous journey towards finding freedom within a chaotic reality.

In Harmony, from the Egrets Collection by visual artist Blessing Atas.
Egrets: In Harmony from Objkt

That is amazing. And how did you recruit the models? What did you say to them to get them to work with you?

Recruiting models wasn’t much of a challenge because I reached out to some people I had worked with in the past. Before going into a photo session, I usually explain to my models what I am going for. I tell them what mood I want, the story behind the work, and I also send them references so they have an idea what are going to do on shoot day.

It seemed that even the weather was taking directions from you. Was that the mood you wanted? Or did it all simply gel together that way?

It was definitely the mood I wanted when creating these images, and we also postponed some of the sessions when the weather wasn’t on our side. We took about three days to create this entire collection.

Egrets: From the photography collection of Nigerian visual artist Blessing Atas.
Egrets

Tell us more about the gear you used to capture the story.

I am primarily a mobile phone photographer and I have been doing that since 2020. These images, just like the rest of my work, are created with an iPhone. But for this project, I created it with an iPhone 12 Pro.

Swan, featured on PhotoVogue, by Nigerian visual artist Blessing Atas.
Swan: This is one of my favorites. This portrait looks like a Vogue cover.

It’s 2023, and this is still your year. What stories will be inspiring your work in the months ahead?

For 2023, I am looking to celebrate black women and show them with much more softness than the world usually shows them. And I hope I am able to accomplish that objective with my next body of work.

The Day Before: Photograph by Blessing Atas.
The Day Before

There is a fine line between the artist’s vision, pursuit of that vision, and good fortune. I think your work has brought those principles together beautifully. It was great chatting with you. Best of luck.

Thank you so much, this was awesome.

Notes: Thank you for reading this interview. Please read more about the Egrets Collection and view a full portfolio of the work on Blessing’s Instagram profile.

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Political neutrality is for OnlyFans: Artists should lead with their values

Geisha Collection

Political neutrality is for OnlyFans and if you’re not on there, you need to lead with your values. The latest buzzword in marketing is “values-based marketing”. That is, showcasing your work in a way that appeals to your customers’ values. It’s everywhere – content creators on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook infuse their titles with their opinions. And I want to share my thoughts on why doing this is good for you. 

The other day, I read a report about Donald J Trump being called a p***y a** b***h by Chrissy Teigen on Twitter and almost having her account shut down by the White House. Not a fan of hers and this post is not about her. But I thought it was really important for artists to not be wishy-washy about expressing our values in a public space. 

Back to the bones

Living and breathing our values builds trust and that in turn helps our audience to find us. We should take a position on certain matters. Our audience wants to know what we think because they want to know why they are supporting us. 

Political neutrality refers to the idea that an individual should not promote a particular political ideology or agenda. A position like this is certainly appropriate for public institutions such as the judiciary, law enforcement agencies, and civil service. These institutions must maintain fairness and objectivity in decision-making. They are expected to work without bias towards any particular political party or agenda.

Sold out geisha collection from artist Pinxx
Geisha

However, for artists in a commercial space, achieving complete political neutrality should feel unnatural, because our personal or ideological leanings directly influence our work. Naturally, the main disadvantage of being politically neutral is lack of advocacy. By remaining politically neutral, we may miss opportunities to gain support for causes or policies that we believe in.

As artists, we have the means to express ideas in ways that will appeal to a wide cross section of society. If a cause or policy is in the public interest or if there are vulnerable groups who are affected, we should speak up. Being an artist is a privilege and we must always remember the advantages that creative expression affords us. 

Sharp shooter - 3D portrait
Sharp Shooter

According to recent business research, being politically neutral may prevent us from making good business decisions. One negative consequence of fence-sitting is perceived lack of accountability. Political neutrality is often a way to avoid making tough decisions. An audience will notice that. This can be particularly problematic for a highly visible brand. Quite a number of popular artists have been criticised because of their decision to remain silent on matters that their audiences care about.

Remember the Balenciaga ad scandal? Celebrities were called out for not speaking against the inappropriate presentation of children in that infamous ad campaign. And Taylor Swift got pummelled by her fans for not speaking up when the United States was politically split down the middle.

Geisha 3D artwork
Geisha

This brings me to my concern that in the wider society, political neutrality is a type of privilege. For example, some people want to signal that they are comfortable within the status quo. They can use neutrality to look away from people who are being marginalised or exploited. Or, neutrality could be a mask they use to hide their true beliefs while lobbing rhetorical salvos at their ideological opponents.

Many artists will avoid sharing their values or taking a political stance. It is natural to be scared of being called names on social media. But if your values are beneficial to society, being opinionated is good for everyone. Here are some ideas you can think about:

Portrait in 3D format
Back to the bones
  1. Expressing values and beliefs: We often have deeply held values and beliefs about social, economic, and political issues. Taking a political stance allows us to support causes and policies that align with those values and beliefs. We gain support in return and build communities as a result. 
  2. Participating in democracy: Participating in the democratic process doesn’t only mean voting. It means having a say in how society is governed. By engaging in political discourse, voting, and advocating for causes, we can help shape public policies and decisions that affect our lives and the lives of others. That’s the power of influence and how it should be used. 
  3. Making a difference: By taking a political stance and advocating for causes and policies that align with their values, artists can make a positive difference in the world and contribute to social and political change. Isn’t “changing the world” why we are all here? 
  4. Holding leaders accountable: By taking a political stance, and publishing our beliefs in the public domain, we can hold elected officials and other leaders accountable for their actions. This can help ensure that leaders are responsive to the needs and interests of their constituents and are held accountable for any negative impacts of their policies.

Taking a political stance does not necessarily mean aligning yourself with a political party or ideology. Instead, it means advocating for specific causes that you believe will have a positive impact on society.

If there is a cause that you feel passionate about, gather your thoughts and do some research. Reach out to others who have similar ideas. If your present audience does not agree with your stance, then be grateful for the chance to attract new supporters. I hope that you are fortunate, because then you will find that yours is the voice everyone has been waiting for.

Notes: Artwork for this post was generously provided by my fabulous friend, UK based 3D artist Pinxx. You can follow her on Instagram and keep up with her latest posts. And collect her artwork on Makers Place (ETH) or Objkt (tez). You’ll be happy you did. Thank you and have a fabulous week ahead.

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Brain Zest: Contemporary Art on the Move

Cyborgs by Brain Zest via Twitt

Hello. I am Irina, also known as Brain Zest and Ambidextrous Nude. I am a multidisciplinary artist and photographer. I work in watercolour and acrylic. And with digital illustration techniques, I create ambidextrous continuous line art. I also capture street photography. On the 10th of March 2022, I left Ukraine with my two children, a backpack and a suitcase.

In my current painting work, I explore the concepts of self acceptance, body positivity, self validation and the beauty of women’s bodies through different stages of life. My artwork encourages women to feel more included and seen. From the feedback I get for my work, the results have been positive, and it makes me really happy to know that.

Pastel pets from Brain Zest via Twitter.

Leaving my family and friends behind wasn’t an easy decision, but I wanted safety for my children. We traveled for a while. Being a self employed artist made it possible for me to choose to stay in a new country for a longer period of time. Thus, I could work even in a totally new country. Currently, my children and I are settled in Portugal.

Galaxy Rainbowstorm from Catowls collection by Brain Zest
Galaxy Rainbowstorm from Catowls Collection by Brain Zest

It took us some time to adjust to the country. The climate is very different from what I’m used to, and Portuguese language is not really easy to learn or comprehend, although I speak English very well and know some Italian and German.

And it appeared tricky to find new friends. I have some people I know in different cities in Portugal, but happened to have no connections where I ended up living.

Cyborgs by Brain Zest on Twitter

2022 was a challenging year but I always felt the support from my husband, who had to stay in Ukraine, and from my friends in the NFT community. It really helped me to stay positive and be persistent in overcoming the many difficulties on my way.

I look forward to meeting my friends from all over the world, reuniting with my loved ones when the war is over, and discovering new possibilities in this new year. Thank you.

Longing for imagined from Brain Zest on Foundation
Longing for Imagined from Longing for the Wings collection on Foundation.

Notes: Thank you for reading this guest post from my friend Irina, a Ukrainian national now living in Portugal. Follow her on Twitter. Support her artwork by collecting on Objkt and from the collection Longing for the Wings which you can find on Foundation.

It has been just over a year since the invasion began. I remember randomly bursting into tears every day for about a month after it started. I know many people from Ukraine. Some of them are former colleagues and college classmates. The devastation caused to millions of people is incalculable. Let us remember that regardless of our opinions in political matters, ordinary people – friends, neighbours, colleagues and their children – are suffering the most.

Our elected leaders remain pampered, safe, secure, and well-fed. They have advisors and housekeepers, chefs, stylists, and speechwriters. They don’t need to be coddled. They need to be reminded to do their jobs and work hard to restore peace.

Irina’s Twitter account for ambidextrous line art
Categories
about me art artificial intelligence creative writing science fiction technology TV women writing

How to market your novel with music

West Port: Intro to Songs for Maitheland (Part I)

Hello, everyone. It is time for another adventure in “how do I market my second novel”. My second fiction novel, which I am calling Maitheland, is wrapped. And, as you know, I have been working on this novel for some time.

The story takes inspiration from romantic flash fiction I wrote for this blog eight years ago. I decided to repackage the story and make one of the main characters a nephew of King Cordial from The Quarter Percent. This time around, I plan to promote the novel with music.

I took my time to finish writing the novel because I had to relaunch, promote, and relaunch my startup again. During that time, social audio became an adventure and I made lots of great connections through this new medium. Some of my new colleagues have been featured here on this blog.

Photo by Maisie Kane

Sidebar: Speaking of social audio, now that Elon Musk owns Twitter, if you’re not on there, kindly dust off your accounts and hop in now because the popcorn drama is on every hour. Not even journalists, clamping their eyeballs on their phone screens, can keep up.

On Thursday morning, Elon cohosted a Twitter Space. A day later, I read a news report that the host, Robin Wheeler, and cohost, Yoel Roth had quit. About two hours after I scheduled this post, I see a tweet from Robin saying that she was still at Twitter. That was too fast. The space was recorded, so you can listen in.

And now, back to promoting my novel. You may remember that my attempts at promoting my first novel, The Quarter Percent, were pure drama. This time, music has been my focus.

Why music? Aren’t you only supposed to read a novel? I wanted to create an immersive experience for readers. The story is sensual and moody, and I think that listeners will appreciate that. There are also lots of soundtrack music fans out there. And I have my own playlist I listen to when I want to concentrate. That is why why I thought this idea would work.

Photo by Marcelo Chagas

After producing a suite of classical tracks for one scene in the novel, Maitheland, I thought about creating EDM tracks related to the story. But as I contemplated the expense of hiring a new team, I asked Google if AI could generate music for me.

The answer was yes, and that was how I found the platform Boomy. Over the course of two days, I created five songs. If you go to my Vimeo channel, you can hear five tracks in the easy listening, loopy style that is really popular on YouTube.

How does all this help with marketing my book and other creative projects? Simply put, presence, exposure, and traffic. My plan is to take advantage of Boomy’s role as my distributor. The platform will submit my work to all of these streaming services:

Rolling hills and river in Iceland, the physical location for my fiction work, Maitheland.
Natural scene from Maitheland

… Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, Amazon, Google Music, YouTube Music, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Shazam, 24/7, 7 Digital, 8Tracks, Akazoo, Alibaba Music, Amie, Audiomack, AWA, Deezer, EOS, iHeartRadio, iMusica, Kanjian, KKBox, Line Music, Leeway, MediaNet, RealNetworks, NetEase, Neurotic Media, RX Music, Saavn, Slacker, SoundExchange, Tencent Music, Aspiro, TouchTunes, UMA Music, Yandez, and Zvook.

Boomy ｜About

Have you even heard of some of those platforms?! In other words, based on the uptake, the soundtrack for my novel is going to be available everywhere. And that means (if I have used really good keywords) someone will find my work. Then, if they are intrigued, they will look me up. The first release of five tracks is called Songs for Maitheland Part I. There are four completed tracks, and I am hoping to expand that over the coming few weeks.

At the moment, I am waiting to find out if my music will be accepted by the above streaming platforms. Until then, I am building a presence on Vimeo. The rest is up to you. I hope that you enjoy the sounds of Maitheland.

Categories
art creative writing fiction news opinion technology TV women writing

What revolution?


Fabric swatches on canvas with makeshift cardboard frames
Fabric swatches on canvas

The Netflix film, 365 Days, is not the worst film ever made. That distinction belongs to the threequel, The Next 365 Days. And this is according to journos who got paid to write nice things about it. The films are based on the series of novels by Polish author, Blanka Lipińska.

According to the Daily Beast’s Kevin Fallon, stories like 365 Days serve an important purpose. They allow us to watch as the inversion of our values play out in real world scenarios. And as we watch the scenes play out, our tablet or TV screens shield us from the consequences.

Sketchbook doodle from Charlie Esposito

Now, I think that as we broadcast disapproval of fan-fiction hot sex, we are avoiding the real hot topics. We might tell ourselves that we are staying neutral on those issues. But there is no political fence, not really.

Based on my experiences on social media over the past year, these are some questions I feel like asking people I am meeting for the first time:

Are you all in on a multicultural society? Can same-sex couples get married if they want? Can people with wombs please get a prescription filled without a pharmacist asking them to pee on a stick so their religious rules are not broken?

Dr. Emily Porter finds that medical professionals doing their job is going to be very frustrating

Neutrality is a nice word that means we are scared of saying what we think in case someone screams in our faces. Being human is already a lot of work, which is why we elect public officials to help us out. Yet, we keep electing representatives who won’t let us get on with living. They create legislation on matters that should remain private; and drag their feet on issues that are in the public’s interest. This is precisely the reason why more of us are speaking out.

With all of that in the background, I now ask you to consider the artist’s work during times of struggle. One of the best things about being an artist is that we usually end up collaborating to start a movement. The movement is whatever we choose to call it. We make noise as a collective, and people pay attention to our message.

Medusa Marie is on Twitter. Follow her for more fabulous visual art.

Unfortunately, the creative space is most vulnerable to interference. Because we artists are living in a society filled with outrage, our worst enemy becomes what we think others want from us. Fear stifles our productivity. But if we don’t make things, we cannot refine our process and become better artists.

Artists are people with feelings, and this makes us easy targets. And people use their own reactions to our relatively benign creations as an excuse to avoid the draft.

If you are a hobbyist critic, should you pack up and leave? Not so fast. There is still time to get some real work done.

Find balance in everything you do. drawing of stones balanced on top of each other.
“Find balance in everything you do” Artwork by MHBB via Twitter

Here are some people who will benefit from your support: Women, children, minority ethnic groups, refugees, the homeless, the starving, the physically challenged, the mentally unwell, recovering addicts and the orphaned. Dial up your voice to the usual strength. Vote for representatives who can help. Keep writing letters to them until they mobilise resources to alleviate pain and suffering.

Fairies are real and help us achieve our dreams as we sleep. AI assisted digital painting by Simply Veronica.
Fairies are real and assist us in our dreams – artwork by Simply Veronica

The revolution calls you to the draft. There is no need to burn your old scripts. Find a new cause, make some edits, and read them again. You might need a change of costume. Maybe a haircut. Or perhaps a 15-minute session on IG Live will get the ball rolling. The energy expenditure will leave you exhausted and restless. But soon enough, someone will hear you. And then, they will listen.

Good luck out there.

❤️

Postscript: Big shout outs to my lovely friends, Charlie Esposito, Medusa Marie, MHBB, and Simply Veronica. Thank you very much for responding to that last-minute request. Keep inspiring everyone with your activism and hard work.

Categories
art entrepreneurs men women

Sephi Bergerson

Intro
Happy Thursday, everyone. Today’s post features nude photography. In addition to that, we learn more about photographer Sephi Bergerson’s philosophy of “One”, evolved minds, and how religious beliefs shape our perception of the world. Today, we invite you to catch a glimpse of this surreal collection with the religious motifs enfolding each subject. And what about you? Are you searching for your own divine source?

Sephi Bergerson
Looking for God in a church, synagogue, or mosque is religion. Looking for God inside is spirituality. This is what I believe. And you may be surprised to learn that I was born in a secular Jewish house. Yes, they really exist. And that is what I am referencing when I say that I believe in God, but I do not follow any organised religion.

I feel that religions have historically divided humanity, while spirituality is universal and brings us together. Many people take great comfort in the teachings laid down by the religion they follow. However, in my opinion, religions are all based on half-truths. They also tend to bind followers to a set of core assumptions and dogmatic thinking. And thus, in most cases, do not encourage free thinking.

There is one truth. I believe that evolve minds understand this truth even though they call it by many names. What I mean is that we can all speak about the same God. But because of our upbringing and environment, we use different names for the same deity that so many religions speak about. Those who are not restricted by their religion usually agree on this idea.

My work is an exploration of the emotions triggered by various religious symbols. I believe that inspiration is divine grace, and I am searching for a connection to this source of inspiration. I am particularly interested in how people perceive and react to the use of religious items in art and specifically connected with the human body.

I create photos using religious objects as styling for nude photographs. By doing so, I want to reclaim these worldly objects and alter their original religious purpose to question the attitudes, fears and unwritten rules which have formed religious dogma and people’s behaviour within it.

I focus on the three most influential monotheistic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, as they were all born in the Middle East and are all inextricably linked to one another. Christianity was born within the Jewish tradition, and Islam developed from Christianity and Judaism. Growing up in Israel, I was surrounded by the monuments and realities of these three religions that formed the background of my upbringing and my visual language.

I am aware of the controversial side of this body of work. Some people might find my work offensive to their religious beliefs, and voice their protest accordingly. I would like to have a conversation about God and inspiration, but I know this subject brings out a lot of emotions. I have not experienced any violence with regard to this project, but a few people on twitter did say they find it offensive. I expect more of this once the project gets more exposure.

For example, we have also witnessed violence against artists who chose to depict religious items or subjects in their work. It is not uncommon that museums and galleries are forced to take a stand or forced to remove controversial work from their exhibition walls due to public outcry. There will always be those who oppose these ideas and rush to the defence of religion like white blood cells rushing to fight a virus.

I feel that God is everywhere, and the one I believe in does not require any protection, yet I think there is a high chance that gallery owners or museum curators would think twice before showing this work. This is why I believe that virtual galleries, cryptocurrencies, and non-fungible tokens are a good fit for this work.

Outro
Thank you for reading. Sephi Bergerson is an award-winning documentary and corporate photographer, and author. Follow him on Twitter. And of course, you can find the full range of his photography work on Instagram. After living in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, New York City, San Francisco, Paris and New Delhi, Sephi set down roots with his wife and children in Goa, India, in 2002. After moving to India, he started taking documentary assignments for corporate clients, international NGOs, and print publications.

Visit his website, Sephi Bergerson, and view all the photographs in this project, The Truth is One. Purchase items from this collection as non-fungible tokens on Foundation.

This photography project has won the following awards:

  • Budapest International Foto Awards 2021: SILVER In Fine Art/ Nudes
  • Tokyo International Foto Awards 2020: Silver In Fine Art/Nudes
  • Tokyo International Foto Awards 2020: Silver In Portfolio/Fine Art
  • One Eye Land Photography Awards 2018 – Silver Award
  • 11th Annual Black & White SPIDER Awards 2017 – Nominee
  • IPA ~ International Photography Awards 2016 – Honourable Mention
  • 10th Annual Black & White SPIDER Awards 2016 Honourable Mention
Categories
art entrepreneurs technology women

Designing the Future: Charlie Esposito

Charlie Esposito

Several years ago, I watched a video clip on my Facebook feed. It featured an augmented reality exhibition which inspired me to pay closer attention to the future of digital art. Later, I was spurred on by an artist whose journey into Web 3 (decentralised platforms which use blockchain technology) I watched unfold on Instagram. As I was researching blockchain technology, I decided to list digital versions of my physical works on the Open Sea platform. This was how I got started with creating digital and hybrid art.

(Re)Connect

It was a natural progression for me because I am fascinated by anything innovative. I was mesmerised by the vast potential of virtual reality. This is because I realise that I could use this to overcome the barriers to owning my own physical gallery.

Then, I discovered Spatial, which is a great platform for creating free VR spaces. Using that platform, I was able to realise my dream of starting my own gallery. This was incredible because my gallery space can be accessed from anywhere in the world. It really is an invaluable tool because it can help artists to independently reach a much wider audience.

The Lights

Artists can set up and curate galleries themselves and hyperlink to their online shops. They can create any number of events and bring in people to network with. Virtual galleries are also a great way to host collectors, and hold artist talks or educational workshops.

Emotive abstractions web gallery

More recently, I decided to set up a gallery for my own Web 3 community. I wanted to do something to elevate others and I wanted to provide a completely free exhibition opportunity for artists. The Charlie ART Community Gallery went live over the last few weeks.

Displaced

There are endless possibilities for VR exhibiting and experiences. I eventually want to develop and make my galleries more immersive, and I’m looking forward to expanding into other platforms. I urge all other artists to discover and learn more about art in the Metaverse.

(Re)Connect on the cover of Excursions postgraduate journal

Outro
Artist Charlotte Esposito has been making both large and small scale artworks for over thirty years. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram. She also creates high end murals for interiors and makes bespoke apparel. She has exhibited widely and has sold works to both public and private collections. Her physical artwork is currently available via her website and at Saatchi Art. Her genesis collection of digital art is available as non-fungible tokens and can be collected on Open Sea.

Interview for Path of Flight
Categories
art creative writing fiction women writing

The Lotus (Short film): Meet Australian filmmaker Bernadette Walsh

The Lotus: Short film by Bernadette Walsh

Thank you for viewing The Lotus, a short film by Australian filmmaker, Bernadette Walsh. It has been a while since the last short film Friday. When I caught up with Bernadette in Twitter Spaces the other night, I knew her activism would resonate well with you. Read on as she opens a window into her project.

The Lotus: Behind the scenes with director Bernadette Walsh

My name is Bernadette Walsh and I wrote and directed the short film, The Lotus. The film tells the mythical story of a brother and sister who were rescued from the darkest of places, and given a future with hope. I wrote the story in 2019, because I was inspired by the work of Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation, an NGO based in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Bernadette Walsh and her sister, Kate Walsh

The Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation was founded by Australian philanthropist Michael Brosowski in 2004, when he saw the need to rescue children from exploitation by labour and sex traffickers. Michael founded the NGO to provide these children with the care and support they would need to help rebuild their lives. In 2020, Blue Dragon rescued the 1,000th survivor of human trafficking. Today Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation is still working with over 10,000 children and youth from around Vietnam.

Transforming the lives of children who were trafficked is hard work. And I knew that I wanted to support the NGO in any way I could. Working together with Blue Dragon, I raised funds through the Australian crowdfunding platform, Pozible, to make my film project a reality. My family and friends also chipped in to offer support.

The Lotus was brought to life by sand animation artist, Kseniya Simonova who rose to prominence in 2009, after winning Ukraine’s Got Talent 2009. Ten years later, she participated in The Champion on America’s got Talent. And on Britain’s Got Talent, she was the only act to receive two Golden Buzzers. Kseniya is an extraordinary artist who brings to life moving stories through incredible sand art. Having previously seen her work online, she immediately came to mind as the person who could breathe life into the story.

Sand art by Kseniya Simonova

The other wonderful, creative and talented people working on The Lotus included fine artist Kate Walsh, who created the storyboard visuals for Kseniya. The original music was created by Australian film composer, Robert John Sedky. And as the narrator, my 11-year-old son, Michael, was happy to offer his voice.

I enjoy testing new narrative styles in storytelling. This is why my next film project, Navigating a Pandemic will be testing more boundaries. For this project, I will be using artificial intelligent software to animate pandemic-related data into a 3D pigmented sculpture. I am fortunate to have the support of a high-performance computer company, which is supplying me with the computing power I need to render the project.

Kseniya Simonova meeting with King Jigme of Bhutan

Next stop? Raising funds to produce the project, and I will do that via the sale of non-fungible tokens. For me, token sales to multiple buyers works in the same way as traditional fundraising platforms. Supporters will be funding the project with the proceeds of their crypto investments. In the meantime, I am working to focus my fundraising activities within the community of crypto investors. The possibilities are both exciting and daunting. Wish me luck.

The Lotus has received the following awards:

  • Special Jury Animation Award at the Awareness Film Festival in Los Angeles (Oct 2019)
  • Finalist at the Rome Independent Prisma Awards (March 2020)
  • Award of Merit at Best Shorts Festival in California (Apr 2020)
  • Finalist Mescalito Biopic Fes (Nov 2020)
  • Finalist JellyFEST Season 6 (Feb 2021)
  • Humanitarian Award at the Best Shorts Competition 2020 (2020)

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Categories
art men

Hendro Soetrisno: Chasing Perfection

LIFE by Hendro Soetrisno

Hendro Soetrisno’s his art is easy on the eyes. He has spent 25 years chasing perfection. His second collection of crypto artwork, LIFE, is on Sloika. Before we start, you can follow him on Twitter or find him on Instagram. And now, let’s get to know him.

Pelican Mood

What does it mean to be a visual storyteller?
My fine art nature images are real and also a part of my imagination, where the color of the water is sometimes pink instead of blue, where birds and other animals speak to me when I speak to them. My work is a result of more than 25 years of photography, thousands of captures, endless waiting for a single perfect moment followed by months of post production to bring my world of imagination to you.

And your signature style?
There are a lot of talented photographers in the world, and I was told that I needed to distinguish my work from theirs. So, I chose not to be known as a nature photographer. I wanted to see myself as a visual story teller who uses animal fine art to share my imagination.

Lavender Cupid

In other words, you paint images in your imagination and bring them to life in photos. And how long have you identified as a photographer?
I have been doing photography for 25+ years using a large and a medium format film before switching to digital. I was a landscape photographer at the beginning but then my interest expanded to include wedding and portrait before settling down in fine art nature.

Twilight Curtains

You enjoy photography competitions. Tell us more about those.
One of my proudest moments was being chosen to represent the United States in the prestigious World Photographic Cup. Olympics of professional photography. I brought home a gold medal in Nature category and also won the Best of Nations. But I remember where it all started. I entered my first professional competition in the Australia Institute of Professional Photography where I got my first awards. Then, I began entering major professional competitions like the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography, Wedding and Portrait Photographers International, Professional Photographers of America, and Master Photographers International. In total, I’ve won 150 awards so far.

Primrose Seal

One hundred and fifty awards is quite an accomplishment. You must have many adoring apprentices.
Thank you, it is an honour to be considered a mentor, and yes, I have helped fellow photographers to develop their skills. The feeling I get when I see them doing very well has been satisfying.

Is there a signature style we can see with you and your students?
My current photography style is a combination of what I learned and experience as a landscape and wedding/portrait photographer. While landscape is quite dependent on natural light, wedding/portrait can be manipulated using man made. I “light” my animals using the same principles as how I would light a human either using natural or artificial light. The event that brought me to my current style was actually a casual conversation with one of the most reputable wedding photographers in the world. I attended his workshop and during a break he told me that I needed to be my own not just a copy of him. This is something I tell the photographers I mentor, too.

Follow Hendro on Instagram

And how did you enter the world of cryptoart? How have you done so far?
I started minting NFTs in mid January 2022 after receiving an acceptance letter from the curated photography marketplace @sloikaxyz. I sold out Vivid, a collection of ten photographs, in four weeks. And now, I am presenting my second series on the same platform. This collection is about celebrating life. The collection is brought together from thousands of captures, and the endless wait for a perfect moment. This life is my unique vision.

Categories
art creative writing science fiction technology women writing

A gift of birth (W I P)

Floral montage with fabric swatches on canvas

A work in progress. Still drafting the story, even though I am about six months behind in writing. The best part is that this delay has allowed me to rethink the story I am trying to tell, and build more rounded characters.

In mid-January, I drafted two scenes to show faith intersecting science and politics. This is an important theme in the story because the politics are influenced by a religious doctrine. Blending them will be interesting, because I do not plan to make anything obvious. In this untitled scene, the science is explained in a conversation between two government officials.

Photo by Vidal Balielo Jr.

“That was their colossal cock up,” shouted the health minister. The minister was not inside his study, so Sebastian was talking to an empty desk this afternoon. The health minister was speaking from a different room, and he was shouting even though his voice was transmitted over voice activated smart mics in his home.

“Sir,” replied Sebastian, “Treasury does not have jurisdiction over private medical cases.”

“You can revoke their funding,” was the minister’s surly response.

“True, but taking away funding from medical research into fertility treatment would be tantamount to a human rights violation,” said a smirking Sebastian. He was rather pleased with himself. “And may I remind you that overseas investors are plugging large amounts of cash into the research and development?”

“Money, money, money,” said the health minister. “She is suing me for lack of oversight. Me, personally. The research shows that uterine cells never generate fetal tissues even when exposed to a massive cocktail of hormones.”

“It was an act of God,” said Sebastian. He was laughing silently because he knew the statement would annoy his colleague. He stopped laughing and raised an eyebrow because he wondered if the health minister could see his face on a monitor somewhere.

Collage elements, fabric swatches and acrylic on canvas

“An outdated notion,” was the swift correction from the health minister’s voice.

Sebastian rolled his eyes, slightly relieved that his mocking behaviour had not been noticed.

He said, “She is with the Congregation, so those notions are alive and well. And support, across the world, has been universally positive. Also, remember that this is a giant leap forward for fertility research. The value of stock portfolios of biotech investors have skyrocketed. Absolutely everyone loves her.”

“Fine,” replied the health minister. “She is raising her daughter, and enjoying sainthood, but why is she suing me … and the government for the near fatal heart attack she suffered minutes after giving birth? I feel sorry that she had to go through that, but the same technology reprinted her blood vessels that were damaged. She is alive because of us and is suing us? Yet, everyone believes her actions are justified. Especially after that fiction!”

“Creative non-fiction, sir,” corrected Sebastian. He glanced over on his screen to review the article published in the National Gazette, in which the woman recounted the experience of giving birth to a girl less than a year after male-to-female gender reassignment surgery. Bloating, swelling and discomfort were normal after these procedures. She and her doctors did not know she was pregnant and there were no sperm or egg donors. Her doctors guessed that because of the hormone protocol she received, some of the cells in her ovaries had changed to reproductive cells. After exhaustive tests, they concluded that the most likely explanation was that one of the cells moved to her uterus and started dividing spontaneously. The hormone protocol facilitated the pregnancy, and the fetus was delivered at the six month mark.

Sebastian looked at the highlighted text of an email which was opened in another window on his screen. His cousin, Gala of Vale, was the first person he contacted when the health minister asked him for a meeting. She had replied to him with a voice message. Reading the transcription, he saw that it had everything he needed.

“Technically,” Sebsastian continued, “she cloned herself but this not a flaw in the medicine. She is reproducing, which is, biologically, what her body is supposed to do. Ask your team to focus on that argument and petition the tribunal to force a settlement on those grounds. But while you do that, tread softly. Her story is about family, faith, and the belief in miracles. Something that is lost in our world. People like hoping for things. We shouldn’t try to take it away from them.”

Paper collage with 3D elements

“All right,” replied the health minister with a sigh. “And what can I do?”

“Hire her as a special health advocate,” answered Sebastian.

“Even though she’s suing me,” retorted the health minister.

“Yes. Exactly,” replied Sebastian. He glanced over at the rest of the notes from his cousin. “And for the settlement negotiations, you personally offer money and resources only if she agrees to set up a foundation. Ask the Congregation to join the negotiations as an appropriate third party. As health minister, you will appoint an advisory board to represent the Congregation and the biotech industry. Instead of fighting her at a tribunal, we should help her to build a platform and set an agenda for the next three decades.”

“All right, Sebs. I am going to get legal on the phone, and I want another meeting with all of you before dinnertime today.”

“Yes, minister. We will see each other then.”

Categories
art men opinion

Jelly Doods by Ron Schippert: Journey to Recovery

Piano Dood by Ron Schippert

Intro
Greetings everyone, and happy Thursday because I have another guest post for you. Yesterday, February 23, was the Emperor Reiwa’s birthday and a national holiday. And I thought, what would it be like to spend 12 hours cohosting a Twitter Space for artists? Starting at 11:00 JST, I did just that. The energy in the space was warm, vibrant, and supportive. Because of that, I felt revived after three long weeks of burnout and autoimmune flareups.

One of our guests in the fourth hour was artist and community activist named Ron Schippert. As I listened to his story, I knew you would warmly welcome him here. Please read his story, and enjoy the cute Jelly Dood characters he created for a worthy cause. Thank you.

Skater Chef Dood

Hello everyone, my name is Ron Schippert and I am a 45-year-old artist from Pennsylvania, USA. I am an addict in recovery and I celebrated 10 years clean on February 10. At an early age, I never felt like I fit in anywhere, whether at school, sports or just outside playing. As years went by and I got older, I turned to other substances to feel like I belonged. In reality, I was walking down a path of self-destruction. After spending years in and out of hospitals, detox clinics, psych wards, and rehabilitation centers, I decided to go into treatment one last time. I had no idea what the future would hold. That day, February 10, 2012, marked the day of my rebirth.

Piano Wizard Dood

After completing full treatment, I moved to South Florida. There, in the early days of my recovery, I felt a strong desire to help others who were struggling with addiction. That meant spending sleepless nights sitting in waiting rooms, and driving people to detox clinics or hospitals. Doing something to help others made me feel whole again. Because of that, I continued my work with recovering addicts. I have supported hundreds of addicts as they got clean but unfortunately, some of my friends did not make it. In spite of that, I am committed to doing whatever I can to help.

Football Dood

Even today, ten clean years later, I still see the many obstacles that recovering addicts face with health insurance or finances. There should never be a reason for someone to be refused the help that they need. This is why I have created a fundraising project using non-fungible tokens. The artwork is called Jelly Doods NFT. Proceeds from sales of these tokens are used to pay for addiction treatment for people who cannot afford it.

And why did I choose art? Ever since I was young, art has helped me settle my mind and feel all right with myself. Making art takes me to a place of peace and serenity. This is the purpose of the Jelly Doods characters. They are simple, fun characters created to bring a smile to your face. If this project can help one more person receive treatment for substance abuse, then it will have served its purpose.

Blue Dood

In life, I have only a few passions. Art has remained number one because it is something that I do for others. And my dearest wish is to use my art to give someone their life back. I live by the motto, “I can only keep what I have by giving it away.” And I give you Jelly Doods.

Follow the Jelly Doods on Twitter

Outro
Thank you everyone for reading this presentation and for viewing this gallery of art. Ron may be reached on socials at the links below. Please be sure to follow him. I imagine that you were sending him your positive thoughts of appreciation while you were reading. I know that Ron appreciates the support you have given him with your attention today. Thank you.

Jelly Doods website

@JellyDoods on Twitter

Join Jelly Doods on Discord

Full Jelly Doods NFT Collection