Jenn Villota: The Artist as a Young Av

Interview with a new and upcoming artist

by Kris Dibou

When I saw the pics for Jenn Villota’s gallery opening, I could not turn my head, nor scroll away. The thought passed through my head that I was in Rod Serling’s Night Gallery, X-rated editor’s cut. Indeed, it appeared that there were demons here, now released to be diluted into the psyches of the metaversal residents. So when Pix said “Why don’t you interview her?” I took the assignment.

Jenn Villota outside her gallery, "Miso Horny"

I soon found myself in Devil’s Pocket, a fascinating group of sims reflecting the parts of a city most of us do not visit. At first I was perplexed as I gazed into an empty lot. Explains Jenn:

“Well originally my gallery was set up on a friends land he owned the plot but as time went on i think he grew tired of people asking him questions about me and my work. He is very supportive of my work but we had a miscommunication and he abandoned the land the night the Herald ad went up. next morning i freaked out and after IMing back and forth he was able to talk to the owner of the sim Nadir who sold it to me thank god. then i spent all morning …so its all good now i actually really like the crack den the feel of it seems perfect for my gallery.”

Another roadblock I ran into was when I tried the link Jenn's work which had disappeared from Flickr…

“The flickr is still a mystery no explanation just gone but again i think it was actually a good thing the community on flickr is very supportive and full of some amazingly cool and talented people who id like so say are some of best friends…”

Finally, I arrived again at Devils Pocket; I met Jenn Villota outside her gallery, called “Miso Horny”.

Kris Dibou: Which part of the rl world are you from?
Jenn Villota: Seattle
Jenn Villota: im orig from chicago

Kris Dibou: Do you create art in the outside world too?
Jenn Villota: mmm not really
Jenn Villota: working on that one
Jenn Villota: I do work at a creative place
Jenn Villota: …but im kinda low on the pole

Kris Dibou: Is this your first showing?
Jenn Villota: um no actually I had the first gallery up a coupla months ago
Jenn Villota: it was my fetish stuff mostly
Jenn Villota: Various Failures
Jenn Villota: I called it

Kris Dibou: kinda poetic....
Kris Dibou: could be the characters in the works...
Kris Dibou: or sales :))
Jenn Villota: yes maybee
Jenn Villota: I try not to take myself to seriously
Jenn Villota: I just like making the pics
Jenn Villota: and hopefully people will like them

Selections from Revenge is a bitch best served cold

Jenn Villota: This set is the Revenge is a bitch best served cold

Kris Dibou: Where do your ideas come from?
Jenn Villota: well some are inspired from things that happened to me in-world
Jenn Villota: and some are more like therapy for me
Jenn Villota: real life stuff
Jenn Villota: I was involved in a very toxic abusive relationship for 2 years
Jenn Villota: I didn’t realize how awful it was

Kris Dibou: It is hard to see until you get out of it
Jenn Villota: yes
Jenn Villota: so yea I’m over it now but
Jenn Villota: the visions still burn inside me
Jenn Villota: I have to get them out

"...the visions still burn inside me..."

Jenn Villota: we all have our demons

Kris Dibou: So you find SL a good release?
Jenn Villota: sometimes
Jenn Villota: yes
Jenn Villota: but some people leave a lot to be desired
Jenn Villota: like rl
Jenn Villota: I guess

Kris Dibou: oh yes...
Kris Dibou: Naked young avs with their new toys.....and no sense whatsoever
Jenn Villota: yess
Jenn Villota: people are petty and hurtful
Jenn Villota: and they treat the av like a video game character
Jenn Villota: I try to treat people as the deserve
Jenn Villota: but I’m selective of who I talk to

Kris Dibou: You are a good person, Jenn
Jenn Villota: ohh hehe some would say not so
Jenn Villota: I’ve lost a lot of friends ‘cause of my art
Jenn Villota: but gained many more
Jenn Villota: so it’s all good
Jenn Villota: it’s not for everyone

Kris Dibou: a few of us felt a pain that lay beneath
Jenn Villota: yes

Exorcising the demons?

Kris Dibou: Have you used Photoshop long?
Kris Dibou: You seem to be 'very' good at it
Jenn Villota: im ps
Jenn Villota: 2 years

Kris Dibou: im ps?
Jenn Villota: yes
Kris Dibou: ahhh

Kris Dibou: photoshop
Kris Dibou: lol
Jenn Villota: sorry hehe

Kris Dibou: lol
Kris Dibou: takes me a minute on shorthand :) like in Artfox's poem :)
Jenn Villota: ohhh

Kris Dibou: Have you read that one?
Jenn Villota: yess
Jenn Villota: it made me giggle

Kris Dibou: I must say that I could not look away when I saw your paintings
Jenn Villota: smiles

Kris Dibou: I think the underlying force holds one...
Kris Dibou: Do you have models you use?
Jenn Villota: sometimes
Jenn Villota: tho’ it’s easier if I just do it myself
Jenn Villota: hard to direct sometimes

Kris Dibou: Yes, quite understandable
Kris Dibou: and it makes it easier to alter the avs
Jenn Villota: yes
Jenn Villota: one time i was working with a model and she was such a pain
Jenn Villota: so i just went and bought the skin
Jenn Villota: did it my self
Jenn Villota: easier
Jenn Villota: i dont like drama

Kris Dibou: most of us don't :)
Jenn Villota: just want to have fun u know

Kris Dibou: that is why we are here ;)
Jenn Villota: yes!

Kris Dibou: We tend to bring a lot of our baggage in with us..
(Jen lights up a cigarette outside the gallery…)
Jenn Villota: I smoke too much
Jenn Villota: I quit in RL
Jenn Villota: damn it

Kris Dibou: Do any of your rl friends go to SL?
Jenn Villota: a couple
Jenn Villota: one quit tho
Jenn Villota: the other I used to work for in RL
Jenn Villota: he taught me PS a lot
Jenn Villota: I was an intern

Kris Dibou: Oh good! Nothing like a mentor ;)
Jenn Villota: yes I was pretty new to it all
Jenn Villota: it was a game company

Kris Dibou: game company?
Jenn Villota: yea video games
Jenn Villota: i was painting texture maps
Jenn Villota: stuff like that

Kris Dibou: Was great to meet you
Jenn Villota: u too!

Kris Dibou: Hope your art does well :)
Jenn Villota: thank u!

Comments

[Aya Pelous]

oh great another "artist" who things PS is the best thing since sliced bread. Graphical is not the same as taking a pencil to a piece of paper. Contact me if you need lessons---From a True Artist.

[anon]

Perhaps you should have asked your interviewee how to use Photoshop. Protip: links should lead to full versions of pictures, and the tradition of not understanding what aspect ratio is continues.

[Ava Cartier]

A bitch is best served cold? Whoa! So *that's* what I've been doing wrong all these years!

[Ari]

Cracks me up how everyone thinks Photoshop is the be-all, end-all. Sure, it's good. Personally, I'll take Fireworks.

Well, up to the last version before Adobe got ahold of it. Hmmm...

I concur with Aya Pelous. Anything that goes through any kind of image-editor is an ILLUSTRATION, not ART.

And ditto to anon

[Rip]

They say art is in the eye of the beholder.
In this case someone needs to hand me the "Visine"!

[Carmen]

Since when does the medium used for art account for anything? You could paint in dog shit and call it art and no doubt some do these days.

As for Anon show us your talent so we can judge then post it here.

[Cai Pirinha]

Wow, amazing interview; I even found some words with more than 2 syllables ...

If that text is an example for the intellectual level of the average SL resident, it would explain so much ...

[Karen]

What's with all the hate? I am a graphic artist and know Jenn pretty well. I don't see how her taking a liking to PS even matters here. Quit being a snot Aya. Gah!

[reef]

Wow, since when is art defined by the program used or whether it is digital or done manually? Since when do creative minds need to refer to themselves as "true artists"? Tell me what true art is Aya! I would LOVE to see an example...pathetic self-bloating hack. Why is it impossible for people to just experience a visual image for what it is and how it makes you feel rather than only inspire bitter and acidic responses from uninspired douchebags who are more preoccupied with the "how" than the "what"! Bravo Jenn! Express yourself and create what you are inspired to create...you only have to be "true" to yourself... not these psuedo-intellectual no accounts who have nothing better to do than pump themselves up by tearing others down.

[anon]

>As for Anon show us your talent so we can judge then post it here.

I don't need to show anyone my talent, as not only is that a reverse argument from authority (I don't need to be a dog to recognize your aforementioned dog shit), it has absolutely zero to do with understanding aspect ratio (spoiler: that "lock" button is there for a reason).

Even someone who takes e-screenshots for e-money should know that resizing formerly widescreen images into a square 400x400 box essentially kills their quality.

[Aya Pelous]

Self bloating hack. Thats a new one. Actually, I find it funny that you are so clever witted when you don't even have the bravery to show your whole screen name. Hey, I can show you art...TRUE art and, give you lessons if you are that interested. Feel free to call me douche bag again though that was hilarious.

[Greta Gazov]

OMG not the old photoshop vs. pencil debate again. Hey guys, welcome to the 21st century, it would be nice if you started accepting that there are more expressions of arts than blotting acrylic paint on canvas or rubbing a pencil on a piece of paper until it's as tiny as your tolerance towards modern forms of art. Could we please stick to the subject and discuss the work/art/pictures/imagery presented there? Could we please respect that there is a highly-talented girl expressing emotions that seem incredibly deep, true and honest? I went to see that exhibition and from the first picture on I was caught by the immense sarcasm, the power, the depth of emotions and the talent to choose the right settings, skins, apparel and poses. Hell that's a damn good job Jenn has done and I wish some more artists would follow her example and spoil us with something as nasty and ironical like this chick.

[hmmm]

I dunno...I kinda like it. :3

[Razrcut Brooks]

@ Reef: I was about to post a response to these critical bastards however I could not say it any better than you did. Nicely done.

[blah]

this is not art by any means its crap

[Jenn Villota]

such a great discussion from everyone! Thank you for all the great comments about my work. I always enjoy a good chat, so if people like or dislike me or my work feel free to contact me in world and I will be more than happy to chat about it.

good times!

xoxo
Jenn Villota

[The Artist]

All you modern kids these days!

Why, in my time we used a rock to draw pictures onto cave walls!

Had to find the right shape and size, too. Or had to MAKE IT. With OTHER rocks. It took EFFORT and CREATIVITY.

AND WE LIKED IT

THAT was art!

Stay away from me with that fancy new-age 'pencil'. Lazy wannabes.

[Corona]

The purpose of art is perhaps to make people think outside their normal narrow confines

illustration does not tend to have that purpose

this material can be said to have done so

therefore it is art by definition

[Ava Cartier]

"Feel free to call me douche bag again though that was hilarious."

No one called you a douche-bag. But if you insist...you're a douche-bag!

[Darkfoxx]

oh great another "artist" who thinks they are better then others because they are a 'true' artist because they work in a non digital medium. What is up with that? Because someone uses Photoshop, suddenly they're not a real artist? You think that you can just command Photoshop to make something, and sit back while it does all the work by itself? You obviously never used it enough to get beyond simple filterbashing and decided it's all too easy and not worthy of a real artist.

You forget what art is *really* about: Creativity.

Yes, Photoshop can make anyone have the skill to use for instance an airbrush, but that's about the only thing it does: it helps overcome the skill to use the tool you do your art with, but it doent help anything with the creative process of art.

If you really are a true artist, you would have realized that.

[CC Bloomer]

I don't know about any of you, but I sit night after night with Photoshop trying to make sense out of it and all I've managed to do thus far it put text on a photo. I know nothing about art, can't draw/paint to save myself but I know when a visual image moves me. In the instance of Jenn, she has come up with an idea of an image, staged it by picking a location, props, clothing, lighting etc and put it all together by various means. At the end of it is an image totally created by her imagination....isn't that creative????? Isn't that art in some way?? I think it is and I bet when camera's were first invented, ppl felt the same way about those taking photo's...."that's not art!". Well thousands of photographic exhibitions later I think we realise there are ppl considered photographic artists. Whatever the medium, if the end result is something that evokes thought and feeling, then by my way of thinking, someone has created art. Maybe I'm a simpleton but that is how I see it. Good one Jenn...you artist you.

[Reef]

Sigh...So now bravery is measured by whether a person shows their screen name. For me it is nothing more than a matter of privacy. I think a very good example of bravery is being a young artist willing to be interviewed, and courageous enough let herself be subject to an onslaught of off-base comments that have little to do with her haunting images, and deliciously creative mind.

Now that I think of it, I do want "true art" classes Aya...could you give me the number of the rec center where you teach? Thank you for offering. Oh, by the way as Ava Cartier pointed out...I never directly called YOU a douche bag, but if the "nozzle" fits....

Maybe I'll call my first work of "true art" under your esteemed instruction "Summer's Eve" in your honor.

[Jay Skall]

Well well, it is interesting how people are so quick to judge Jenn on the fact she uses photoshop, and didn't write a critical essay about her art, but rather answered some basic questions in a basic way.

As an aquiantence of Jenn, and perhaps a friend (we are getting to know each other), I have the upmost respect for her as both an artist and a person.

As an architecture student myself, my prefered mediums in art are a sketch pad and pencil or paint... your traditional fare. I struggle to use photoshop at all effectivly, and so have great admiration for people who can. The fact is art is not restricted to tradional mediums, renaissance artists pioneered new paints, sculpture techniques and all sorts of innovations, stained glass was a breakthrough at the time it was invented, and the 20th century artists embraces new materials and techniques, now, in the digital age, we carry on. We shouldn't stop still, if that was the right course of action we would be daubing dye and blood and dust on cave walls with our fingers still, and calling it true fine art.

The key compnent or art is simply the artistry of that person creating it, not their ability to excell in a certain practical field. I've met exceptional artists who can't draw, and boring people who can draw exceptionally well, it proves absolutely nothing. I would term photpgraphers, painters, musicians, film makers, architects and writers artists, and in terms of practical skill they have very little in common, it is their creativity, perception and skill in communicating their ideas, through whatever means, that sets them apart.

As for Jenn, I have been a fan of her's a while, and her work is not only exceptionally skillful in terms of it's execution, it only taked SL as a crude base, and what she does goe's beyond that medium. but the ideas and concepts behind each piece are valid and interesting. As a person she is articulate and engaging, if alittle reserved and quiet at first, I find once you enquire about work and get into a dialogue, you find a very clever, perceptive and emotional young woman who is gifted with the medium she uses, photoshop.

I doubt many ill educated, short sighted and judgemental critics here could do half of what she does, or even recognise it's value.

At the very least, all art is subjective, and none should be dismissed.

[Ava Cartier]

"I doubt many ill educated, short sighted and judgemental critics here could do half of what she does, or even recognise it's value."

Speaking of ill-educated, you might want to go back and look up a few words, check usage and punctuation and definitely correct some misspellings.

It would behoove you to not call others "ill[-]educated" when you portray yourself as an imbecile.

[Rawst Berry]

Wow, Herald articles never fail to bring out the assholes. If there's nothing to complain about people will *find* something to complain about.

Photoshop and similar programs makes it easier for people who don't have access to paints and other supplies that can be quite expensive. (Compared to the one time cost of the program.) I use a graphics tablet to draw and paint in photoshop... and can someone please tell me how that is any different from using pencil or paint aside from the fact that it doesn't waste paper?

Jenn I do believe that what you do is considered art. I'm a little grossed out by it, heh, but I can still appreciate the creativity behind it.

[Jay Skall]

Of course some typos I made on a quick discussion thread mean I am an idiot, and the ideas presented are irrelevant...

It is exactly this philosophy that causes people to dimiss others like Jenn. You fail to look at and engage with her work, instead dismissing it on face value because it is digital.

I really do think it's others who need to get their heads screwed on straight, and not come on to bitch out of jealousy for other people's ability and the attention they recieve. Afterfall, if you don't have anything nice to say, you should keep your mouth shut, this isn't a debate on the valid ity of art, it is an article brining Jenn to wider attention. If her art isn't you 'thing' then just don't bother to visit her gallery... It really is very simple.