Fear

Some artists who studied art in real life and did a lot to learn do not like to hear it, but especially in Second Life are some autodidacts which created remarkable works. That could be due to the fact that the virtual world is a new media where everyone has to learn how to work with.

When it comes to painting it is a bit different. I cannot count how often I stood shuddering in front of awful paintings of laymen with lack of talent and even more of practise. When I see weird proportions, twisted perspectives and limbs I know why painting has to be learned.  But the the self perception of some autodidacts is far from reality and they rather blame the world of ignoring their genius instead of having a more critical view on the own works.

Emma Watts is layman but far away from all that. Everything in her images is right - right to let us take part of her painful internal life where art maybe is the only way to let it out and give her agony a face. She seems to know all sides of it and is able to let us relate. And maybe the anonymity in Second Life helps her to open up more as she would be able in real life.

You might know the saying "Genius is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration." Sweat can come from hard work or from fears, suffering and panic. Emma Watts payed -and I think as all really good artists- a high price for the quality of her works.

Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Koala%20dAlliez/145/154/22