Fair Play

In an hour or so, there's fun and dancing at the State Fair - wait, no, no pigs or pies competing, not this time, it's the Virtual State Fair Art Gallery run by Thynka Little and, in a lesser, none-of-my-business kind of a way, DFox Spitteler. Going by the IMs. Voting ends at 8 pm SLT  tonight.

The competition is interesting, not so much by the standard of  the art on show, which is nice - the theme is weather in SL, most people have gone with rain, or tornadoes - wow - but even more so for the fact that the organizers actively encourage, in the Notecard, the use of the dreaded Friend's Vote (though they draw the line at bots and groups).
It may seem a bit naughty, getting your friends over, but it's a nice way of meeting new people, and being hit
on in brand new ways. OK, I may have exaggerated the newness of the pickup lines. But it is a ncie way to get people to come look at art.

Asmita Duranjaya put in an entry, it's the blue one on the right in this photo. There were plenty of people around, long before party time officially commenced, which is always nice to see. Asmita's plan is to spend any prize money ($L3000 for the first prize, $L2000 and 1000 the runners up) on the upkeep of her Space4Art sim. But there was more to it than that.
Asmita Duranjaya:  This competition is so exciting! It is good to experience it from the perspective of a participant from time to time, then I know what the people feel during the voting time of contests!
While I was in the gallery, cunningly built by DFox, the lovely Sia Oh was welcoming a bunch of pals, and fairly new pals. She was enthusiastic about the event, and not surprisingly, was also well ahead with the votes.

 Sia Oh: I've left SL for 1 year, and I've just came back. I made my photo to participate in this conquest.  I discovered this one at the last hour before it was closed. I love to take picture of "paysages" in SL, playing with effects on the weather because we've got a lot of possibilities wth theme of the the sky or  of the water the sea I'm searching the term of settings in SL, for the sky. My goal is to rent a place to have my own studio.
Silene Christen has a haunting image I also loved, and judging by the folks stopped in front of it, I was not alone in my admiration. What inspired her?

Silene Christen: When I read the rules for the contest I thought of rain. Rain in SL is special. The place where I took the photo is a place that first time I went, it was raining. It is a place that its atmosphere is for raining and sad days. I had to work the position, the umbrella position and search for a nice place and the best point of view for the pick. I think a photo has to be of quality, and it means to follow the rules of composition, different spaces, and so on - so for one pick, I made at least 30. With Photoshop, I arranged the rain in a first stage a little and made a little soft the hair textures.

Another delight is by Betty Tureaud, who popped by with girlfriend McKenzie. Why would Betty, best known for her giant installs both in SL and Inworldz, take time to be a part of this competition?
Betty Tureaud: Oh a good friend of me invited me, she knows I love to take photos It's not for the money, really, I just want to participate :) and I think the subject was well chosen.
Rain is a great subject, it's such an exotic element of SL, like Betty who is part Japanese. Which explains the setting of her photo.
Betty Tureaud: This is a pic of my own place on my island. I make this littel teahoues to drink tea with my friends. Japan is a part of me, my mother is from Japan, so I am a mix person - and I am good to make rain!

Fawn Rexen chose the subtheme 'Ray of Hope'.

Fawn Rexen: As I took this pic, I thought of the many people that do have difficulty in RL and SL at times, SL is a safe haven for so many to find calm and peace away from their troubles. There are storms, but always a ray of hope.
Speaking of hope, there's that upcoming prize-giving ceremony...
Fawn Rexen: If I win, I'd spend the money on more photography props etc. I have a studio and photography business in SL. And I'd buy Don a present ! He is my business partner also, he's very supportive he's the person that encourages me every day.

Don't miss the show, and the party - which, look at the time! is about to start! I'm off to bed. lemme know how it all turns out.