Saturday, May 16, 2015

Exhibitionists: Domino and Graham @ Katmee's

It's a true pleasure to see the community we call of "Pornstars" in SL gather very different type of people, with very different personal histories and with very different takes on the sensual and sexual side of SL.

 This time, I am just going to bring your attention to a thoroughly creative person with Katmee. Someone with a great love for the arts, not to mention a very pronounced artistic side herself, and wonderfully sensual. But back to the first point, love for the arts: she put together a lovely installation, which now is hosting the exhibit of 2 outstanding artists from our group: Domino Dupre and Graham Collinson.

  Katmee
Katmee, by Domino Dupre

I sat down (yes, this time for real. Waiting at her beautiful sim also proved to be a very interesting experience...) with her and had a chat, curious especially about the possibilities for fellow Pornstars members to enjoy the facilities she kindly puts at our disposal.



- First of all, short and to the point: what motivated you into starting a gallery in SL?

"Well. I have MS and went on disability a couple of years ago. My RL brother suggested SL and that it'd be fun for me. Sort of an outlet for my creativity. I had been playing around with 3d mesh programs and doing artist renders so when I checked out Second Life, the gallery just seemed natural. I bought mainland and made my first one on one of the original sims. Made a lot of mistakes and learned tons of stuff. I do wish I got more traffic and more people saw the pieces here."

winner_002
Katmee and Drakaina Lamia were the proud winners of the Flossify Contest ! Still open to visit ( taxi )

- Your place shows a certain eclectism and attention to various forms of arts. I am of course interested a lot in your taste for erotica. How did you find out about The Sexiest Pornstars group?

"I met Maddelyn Maye at one point and was at her island one day and met Domino Dupre."

  My First Exhibit!
Domino, by Domino, shown in front of Domino, by Domino. Topple one and begin the game!

"She suggested joining the group and has been very encouraging. I found the group to be closely knit at first but she encouraged me to keep posting and helped me break in. That was about the time I discovered SL photography..."

- Sexuality and eros played a role already in your life as artist and as a woman, I imagine.

"Most of my 3d renders were erotic in nature. I am drawn to erotic art because it's more fun for me to learn that way and to explore different techniques. My grandmother said to me once "Katherine, just remember to have fun. No matter how long you live it won't be nearly long enough."



Kat's grandma also taught her proper table manners

- That's great to hear. (well, not that we won't live long enough. That's sad ! ) We do like to encourage people to express themselves. And I believe in erotica as a good way to find stimulation, no pun intended, into trying new things.

"Fine Art can be very intimidating given the centuries of great artists. And yes, exploring and playing around with erotica is fun. Art should be fun and the nature of art is to play.
I am very sexual. I guess because I am open-minded. I am learning to be more open about all of that in SL. I live in the U.S. and it's still very Puritanical. People here hide their sexually. Especially women I think. "Slut" is still a huge stigma. Actually I think the net and things like Netflix have really helped."



One of the many unique models of mr. Collinson, China Gausman, helps me illustrate the exhibit.

"I've watched some series from New Zealand and there is a lot more sex in their shows. It seems more natural and fun somehow. In the U.S. being sexually open somehow equates to "betrayal" or having no morals which is nonsense.

And sexuality is safer here because there are no STD's !"

- Very true ! "Natural and "fun" are two adjectives that I would use to define your own erotic artwork as well. I appreciate it and I am glad to see you doing it. And also that everyone in this room is STD free, yes.




Speaking of STDs: porn God and notorious Graham stalker Luigi Trappatoni protests for not being in the exhibit.

- You already mentioned Domino: what made you choose Graham Collinson and her respectively as your first featured artists?

"Well I have admired both of their work for quite a while now. Along with many others. And they seemed like a good match to show together. They have similarities to their work and enough differences to make a nice contrast without clashing And both of them said "yes" right away and followed through which is really what it takes when you invite artists to exhibit."

My First Exhibit!
 Domino knows how to put a great display!  She also takes photos, I am told.

- The sim has various other exhibits, and 'several fun spots to take your own photos', not just the gallery. I'd love it you wanted to share more about it for our readers. What did you build first, for instance, and your favourite spots ?

"Trying to remember...I think I sort of put out the buildings I wanted to use first and my home, then played around until I found a positioning I liked. The little town square of the gallery emerged and then I built the stream. Next came the farm areas that is still evolving. That is one of my favorite places and will be good for photos I think. I will eventually put something else there Maybe the Tuscan Villa by 8f8."

icecream_005
Katmee and her tasty treats. Her sim has beautiful sites, like this.

"And I do have a sky platform for different sets. Right now I have a bakery train car and a camping set in a woods. I just added a barber shop for a photo shoot I want to do and then I'll put something else there.

One of my favorite spots is the little patio next to the building where guest artists exhibit. It's next to the water and very relaxing to sit and think there. There is a spot where people can rez a row boat. I like to do that and then row about and sit on the water."



- Oh yes. You also like to sail, don't you? There's a movie you might like to check out then...

"Yes I love to sail. Especially on the Blake Sea. Raymond and I had an island in the tropical part of Sailors Cove for months before we moved over here. I miss that part of SL and try to get over there and rez a boat at least once a week in some of the public rez areas. Sailing is very relaxing and a great place to think about images and what might come next."

- Do you have other oncoming projects linked to your venue and do you have already plans for other artists to be featured?

"I plan on Drakaina Lamia exhibiting and have talked with Havoc Mayhem and Laura D as well as Lil Lowey. And I see lots of folks on Flickr I would love to invite like Kat Kassner. I think my next project will be the camping scene. I think it will be highly erotic in nature. I am trying to decide on a male model to use. someone who has nice looking feet and maybe a mesh body. These days I tend to only shoot models with mesh bodies."

disheveled2
Kat in her natural habitat

Thank you very much to Katmee for sitting down for the interview. Now, you already know Domino and Graham very well, i am sure, so just GO Visit their exhibition at Katmee's gallery!!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Red%20Wing/156/239/21

Also, as a little treat and to learn more about this due of artists, I suggest you to take a look at one of the many excellent blog posts Domino has been doing through the years, where the two met and had a chat. It is from some time back, but you will find how certain aspects can remain remarkably the same!


Vineyard Vixen

Four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire
Like Graham's obsession for soccer. Enjoy!


1 comment:

  1. Thank you so much Katina for covering the exhibit! And while I have a chance, add my two cents about Katmee's sim. I encourage others to drop by and check out what she has created. I hardly lag there, and those who know me, know that is saying something! She has all sorts of little niches to snag some pictures. And wow on finding that interview with Graham, that sure brought back some memories!

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