Labels:text | screenshot | font OCR: & The question I'd like to raise is in regard to why we participate in the scene. Ask yourself why you got started in the art scene, what made it fun for you, if it is still fun for you, and what you are doing. Just these simple questions can reveal much more than you would think. Upon answering these questions i can recall that: I got started in the scene because I wanted to improve the quality of art being displayed on local PD bulletin boards. What made it fun for me was that it was 'underground', not known by the outside world, yet this vastly complex web of un-reality - it was too much. A global system of monthly releases. Totally intangible, yet rigidly organized. It amazed me and enticed me. It is still fun, to an extent. The artistic process is the most notably fun aspect. The creative end of it. The scene itself, though, is a muddled mess of apathy and politics, two areas that have never interested me. What am I doing? I'm trying, daily, to improve my artistic style. I've recently started doing original artwork, which is a ton of fun for me and coming along really well. I'm also starting this emag, sure to be controversial, yet with a message I feel is important inside *our> scene . Try it. It works. Through this process, I was able to clearly realize what my goals are. Once you have a goal defined, you can begin to attack it in so many more ways than you can approach a vague vision of something you'd like to do/see in the scene. I feel that another problem leading to the sad state of affairs that is the scene is a lack of motivation. Once you realize that you do have goals and can probably realize them in at least partiality, then you feel compelled to do something. Sitting in IRC or doing whatever it is that may be stopping you from achieving your potential is no motivation - even if you are in a major group of some sort. Everyone has to have a reason to act. Of course this doesn't apply to everyone. Some of us out there are doing all sorts of stuff. From running groups to applying, coding utils, drawing even a single ansi, writing articles, constructing inet sites, etc. All of these are worthwhile goals that a more admirable than acting "gAY!" Worry not, there's always something good no matter how bad things seem to be. As far as our ansi scene, there's plenty of good going on and I'd like to take a little bit of space to mention them. 1 . Internal Change. Lately it seems I'm not the only one to notice that something is awry. There are plenty of people who seem to realize that the time may be right for changes 2 . Original Art. Original Art is growing in popularity. About a year ago it was hardly more than a half-assed excuse for an ansi; But now as all artists continue to grow, we are starting to see higher levels of quality in orignal art. Watch Blend, Shade, and others to continue to produce high quality artwork. 3 . The European Art Scene. It seems that our European half is enjoying the acivity that was seen stateside 2 or 3 years ago. BBS's still serve a purpose over there and they are consistently beating our stuff pack after pack =) . Again, look to the high quality exploits of Fuel, Shade, Blend, and the future Euro groups to see what I'm talking about. These guys have their acts together and I'm sure us jaded and/or f'd up American drawers could take a few lessons from them. Lets see and emag, Europe! (forgive my ignorance if there already is a Eurpoean-based scene related emag). 4 Art for the sake of Art. As bulletin boards slowly fade onto the back burner in terms of practical functionality and efficiency, there is less and less use for ansi (although boards and ansi are both *FAR* from dead and/or pointless). Enter Art for the sake of art. Its a good concept and I'd hope to see it rise in popu- larity. For those of you who are in opposition to it ... stop and ask why. Its no more pointless than a Da Vinci or Picasso. 5 ,Telnet Boards. While I'm always glad to see newcomers to the scene I can't help but notice that those who start on the 'net have no respect for the scene whatsoever. My theory on this is the fact that anyone who didn't start on the 'net had to get validated on a private board to get into the scene. This experience really teaches you to appriciate your stay in the scene - you don't take it for granted. And someone on a bullentin board said 'you don't have to get validated to go onto IRC'. That's a true point. I'm not opposed to fresh blood in the scene, but if telnet boards were a hotspot in the scene, then would be sceners would have to get validated to get 'in'. A seemingly innocent, yet extremely impor- tant teaching experience. The scene currently only enjoys the prescence of one telnet - The Regenecy run by Halaster, of Fire. Hopefully this number will grow in the future. I know I'm going to run one as soon as I go to college next September. In conclusion, I'd just like to say that while there is a lot of bad things in the scene, that we'd be better off without, there is still a brightly shining silver lining. So until next time, enjoy life and keep on drawin .. -Rusty
(.png)
