by Kayly Iali
Susan Braveheart is an illustrator who brings her delightful illustrations into Second Life.
Kayly:What kind of artist are you? and what medium do you work in? How would you describe your art?
Susan:
I am a small furry long tailed kind of visual art creator. I don’t use
any specific medium as a standard; I like experimenting and mixing
things. My art is mostly made up of illustrations with animals,
especially cats. Kind of naive imaginative illustrations with a touch of
seriousness and/or humor. It also is made up of different kind of
patterns or abstract decorative drawings.
Kayly: What is your process? Do you work from photos? Do you work from life? How do you approach your art?
Susan:
Process... hmmm, well, usually there just pops up a vision or picture
in my mind. It can be when something or somewhere catches my eye, or a
situation or just anything. Usually, I start off with pencil and paper
and continue with ink. Then I would color the picture with pens and/or
watercolor depending on the effect I want to add. Last of all, I scan
the drawing into (the) computer to make it printable. Very often I would
add effects by retouch or colorize.
Kayly: Did you have any formal training in art? If so, what university? If not did you take workshops or learned from books?
Susan:
No, I did not have any formal training in art only graphic
design/advertising a big bunch of years ago. I have worked as a textile
pattern designer, but I am otherwise self-taught.
Kayly: What is
your earliest experience with art that you remembered that mark your
path into becoming an artist? Who influenced you to be an artist? A
family member, a teacher....
Susan: I think it was probably my
grandmother who influenced me.When I was a child visiting my
grandparents summer cottage, I saw her paintings of flowers and birds
and cats. They were the prettiest paintings ever. Otherwise, I always
been seeing pictures in things and happenings around me. Suddenly
pictures would just popup for an idea/vision.
Kayly: What artists in real-life and Second Life have affected you?
Susan: There are way too many for me to put a finger to name.
Kayly:
What is your reason to exhibit in Second Life? and what is your
experience had been? Any positive or negative. And has exhibiting in SL
affected your real-life art?
Susan: I just like to share what I
do. If people like my art and it brings bring a smile or two,then I am
happy. Someone buying my art is just an extra bonus, but most of all I
am always honored I have affected someone that much with my work that
they want a share of it as their own.
Kayly: Do you have your
own galleries? Do you exhibit in other galleries? What art related
projects do you usually do in Second Life?
Susan: I share my work
on and off in different galleries, and not that long ago I put up my
own little art building at my main store location, where I have put up
some of my work together with some fashion with my artwork printed on
them. As I have my art for sale printed on various items in real-life
online stores. So I thought well why not put such items up in Second
Life also.
Kayly:What real-life online stores are you in?
Susan:
My art is currently up for sale as prints on various items on
redbubble.com, society6.com, and zazzle.com. They are under MissLongtail
- https://www.redbubble.com/people/misslongtail/shop
Kayly:Do you find that your Second Life customers visit your real-life online stores?
Susan: Some have actually gone to my real-life stores after seeing stuff here. Yes,items I have sold on my real-life sites have been abroad from people all over the world. But mostly in Europe.
Kayly:What advice would you give to artists who is interested in exhibiting in Second Life?
Susan: Do what you are passionate about show it to the world!
Kayly: So besides being an artist you are also a musician. When did you start becoming a musician?
Susan: Oh, that was way back in 2009, I just happened to end up at the O-Lounge, a karaoke lounge.I believe it was the first and only one back then. A good friend, Canipanic, talked me over to get on stage. I only knew one song to sing and I was super nervous. And so that’s how I got started and learned more mewsic. Then I got talked into entering a Second Life Idol contest which I won :-D And shortly after that I got booked for my first real sets. Now I am hooked. Mewsic is my feel good medicine and joy.
Kayly:How does being a musician affect your art?
Susan: I think they go hand in hand. Both parts of me inspire one another. Mewsic gives me visions of pictures and pictures sometimes puts mewsic in my head.
Kayly: When did you become a tiny or a furry animal? and why?
Susan: Well,the tiny kitten, kitteh in me is just a smaller furrier and purrier version of the bigger or real me. I do shape shift at times but never lose my tail or ears. I am always a kitten no matter what shape or size (big grin). Actually the me here in Second Life was a normal biggie avatar in the beginning in 2007 and also, I purr-formed under different name. Then during a period of surgery and sick leave for fun I created this kitten from my back up alternate account. And I got stuck being all meowy and purry when I came across this kitten avatar. Too much fun (big grin).
Home page: http://misslongtail.wix.com/miss-longtail
Mewsic:
https://www.youtube.com/user/OnsterMerlin/videos
My shop/cafe/showroom place:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Haven%20Shire/168/31/22
Real life art can be found here:
http://www.redbubble.com/people/misslongtail
https://society6.com/misslongtail
http://www.zazzle.com/misslongtail
http://www.artsadd.com/store/misslongtail
Kayly Iali
