103: Folsom Carter sits on my deck

A while back, I dropped into a show of photography by Folsom Carter -- you'll find the notes here -- and I was very impressed by the way he'd built three-dimensionality into the show; something different than the (admittedly great) 2D photography I see so often. Anyway, he and I started chatting recently and after I found out the sort of things he is working on currently I persuaded him to add an interview to his busy schedule so you can find out too. As you'll see, he currently has a show of his photographs going, it's in its last week, and it's pretty interesting stuff -- but you'll have to read the interview to get the SLURL, because I'm cunning that way ;-) He has another interesting project coming up that I'm looking forward to seeing too. But I'll just let him tell it himself.

[15:52] Rusty Redfield: let me just *click* turn on the recorder

[15:52] Rusty Redfield: Hey everyone! I'm here with Folsom Carter

[15:52] Rusty Redfield: well known SL artist and -- other stuff too LOL

[15:52] Rusty Redfield: welcome Folsom!

[15:53] Folsom Carter: Thanks Rusty!

[15:53] Rusty Redfield: and thanks for agreeing to sit on my deck for an interview.

[15:53] Folsom Carter: Glad to be here

[15:53] Rusty Redfield: I know you've been in SL -- what, seven years now?

[15:53] Rusty Redfield: more like eight!

[15:54] Folsom Carter: Almost eight!  Yes, I'm an old-timer.

[15:54] Rusty Redfield: valuable perspective right there.  This should be fun!

[15:54] Rusty Redfield: Okay, I'll line up my first softball LOL

[15:54] Rusty Redfield: 1.  Why do you stay in Second Life?  What keeps you here?

[15:55] Folsom Carter: I think there are a number of things.  First, I've made friends here that I would not want to lose my connection with.  Second, it's so much fun to explore and create here.  Even an old-timer like me still finds new things to try.

[15:55] Rusty Redfield: oh yeah isn't that true -- always something new going on, or to be discovered

[15:56] Folsom Carter: absolutely!  Just when I get somewhat decent at building, suddenly there is this thing called mesh. lol, and I get to learn all over again.

[15:56] Rusty Redfield: haha I just let other clever people build things for me, so I'm glad you have that interest!

[15:57] Rusty Redfield: and circling back, yes, everyone mentions their friends here as being important

[15:57] Folsom Carter: I think that is what surprises people, at least me, about SL.  I am not the most social guy on the grid, but I have made some really great friendships that I never expected to.

[15:58] Rusty Redfield: I know, right? I think that's true for people who come here to create, that they are surprised to meet such great people

[15:58] Rusty Redfield: but that segues naturally into #2

[15:58] Rusty Redfield: 2. What are the qualities that attract you to people in Second Life?

[15:59] Folsom Carter: Plus, I have a short attention span, so I need people to distract me from whatever I am working on. lol

[15:59] Rusty Redfield: that works! 

Yeah, it starts like that and then you find you're spending tons of time with friends and forgetting to work LOLOL

[16:00] Folsom Carter: Yes, that's true

[16:00] Rusty Redfield: sorry, I snuck in question #2 too fast there

[16:00] Folsom Carter: Although to be honest, I tend to get a little obsessed with each project

[16:00] Folsom Carter: lol, that's Ok

[16:00] Rusty Redfield: 2. What are the qualities that attract you to people in Second Life?

[16:02] Folsom Carter: Hmmm, that isn't easy to define.  I don't think there's a formula.  I don't take things too seriously. So I think I probably expect that from other people in SL that I am close to as well.  A sense of humor, and a sense of perspective are both important

[16:02] Rusty Redfield: well put!

[16:03] Rusty Redfield: I've been asked by new residents if there is some secret to making friends here, and I think it's just the same as real life; put out what you want to get back

[16:04] Folsom Carter: Despite whatever naked pics you might find floating around the grid, I'm a pretty solid SL introvert, so I'm not the guy to give the best advice  

on making friends.  But I think honesty, kindness and humor go a long way.

[16:04] Rusty Redfield: <snicker> <makes a mental note to track down the nekkid pictures LOL>

[16:04] Folsom Carter: lol

[16:04] Rusty Redfield: <grin>

[16:05] Rusty Redfield: well, I know you've just mounted a big show of photographs

[16:05] Rusty Redfield: called -- oh jeeze -- Cobalt?

[16:05] Rusty Redfield: I wanted to hear about that, but let me put it in the form of my usual question

[16:05] Rusty Redfield: 3. What are you working on, as a form of artistic expression or in order to earn money, or both?

[16:06] Rusty Redfield: go ahead, self-promote, that's why I ask that question

[16:06] Folsom Carter: Wait, people make money here? LOL

[16:06] Rusty Redfield: yeah, apparently

[16:06] Rusty Redfield: I keep thinking I'll try the stripper pole some night <laughing>

[16:08] Folsom Carter: LOL. But yes, I have two projects right now.  The first is my portrait show called "Indigo".  I'll be honest, it was meant to be a fairly simple "put something out there between exhibits" kind of project.  But the men who posed for me were all really interesting and so different from one another, that the project really became a favorite of mine.  And so it ended up being a pretty big collection of photos.

[16:08] Rusty Redfield: from a lot of different models, I gather.

[16:08] Rusty Redfield: how much longer is the Indigo show on for?

[16:09] Folsom Carter: I keep threatening that it is going to end soon, but really, it will be on display at my gallery for another week or so.

[16:09] Rusty Redfield: aha! let's put in a link so people can go and see it ...

[16:10] Rusty Redfield: last chance, y'all!

[16:10] Rusty Redfield: and your other project, what's that all about?

[16:10] Folsom Carter: Topanga (73,67,29)

[16:11] Rusty Redfield: thanks! that saves me some trouble -- there's your taxi folks

[16:12] Folsom Carter: The other project has been in the works for about a year now.  It is called Tomcats, and it is sort of an SL adult soap opera in the form of a comic.  I'm a writer in RL, so I wanted to add more story telling to my photos, and Tomcats came out of that.  It has been the most fun I've had on a project in SL.

[16:13] Rusty Redfield: like a telenovela?

[16:14] Folsom Carter: I "shoot" it with actor/models here in SL, so it feels like we're producing a telenovela, even though the finished product will be in comic form.

[16:14] Rusty Redfield: wow! Sounds very cool! how far are we away from seeing that, do you think?

[16:15] Folsom Carter: I'm hoping episode 1 will be up and ready for viewing on the web within a week.

[16:15] Rusty Redfield: great!

[16:15] Rusty Redfield: hmm, how best to get people the address

[16:15] Rusty Redfield: you'll be putting it on Facebook?

[16:16] Folsom Carter: Well, I don't really have the address to give yet, so I think the best thing would be to either check my Facebook, or it will be up in the same gallery as the Indigo show.  So folks can follow that link.

[16:16] Rusty Redfield: and when I see it up on Facebook, I'll put in a little blog post, perhaps, or just edit it in here.  We'll get the word out!

[16:17] Rusty Redfield: any hint of the storyline, or do we just wait and see? LOL

[16:19] Folsom Carter: Well, the title Tomcats refers to the Tomcats Cabaret, a gay strip club, and much of the story follows the men who work there.  It starts right off with a murder and goes from there.  So there's mystery, some humor, and of course, it'll be sexy as well.

[16:19] Rusty Redfield: sounds like fun!

[16:19] Rusty Redfield: I mentioned new residents a few minutes ago -- I thought I would throw in a question that an older resident could answer well

[16:19] Rusty Redfield: 4. If you could give advice to your earlier self in the first month that you spent in Second Life, what would you say?

[16:22] Folsom Carter: Wow, that's a great question.  I would tell young Folsom, to slow down and have fun.  I think, and I sound like Grandpa Folsom right now, it seems like you need to open your own club and own land and such to feel like you are part of the community - but take time to just explore what's out there, meet people, dance, scuba dive, get lost...just have fun

[16:23] Rusty Redfield: thanks! I do like it because when I was a month old, I was searching the web for advice ...

[16:23] Rusty Redfield: for me, it would be just "get out there and DO something"

[16:23] Rusty Redfield: and "just have fun" is a good way to go!

[16:24] Rusty Redfield: 5. What’s your favourite place to spend time in Second Life?

[16:24] Rusty Redfield: this one I ask so I can get recommendations about where to go to have fun LOL

[16:27] Folsom Carter: Well, I have a special place in my heart for haunted sims, and the destination guide is a great place to find those.  I also like some of the clubs that have been around for a long time, like Blow Buddies, because I always see familiar faces there.  But I love to surf the destination guide - put in a term like "outer space" or "ancient worlds" and then explore the first five places that come up.

[16:27] Rusty Redfield: ahh! that's fun

[16:27] Rusty Redfield: I have a kind of game I play like that!

[16:28] Rusty Redfield: I go here

[16:28] Rusty Redfield: http://www.watchout4snakes.com/wo4snakes/Random/RandomPhrase

[16:28] Rusty Redfield: and get a random two-word phrase

[16:28] Rusty Redfield: and type it into the search engine

[16:28] Rusty Redfield: and I have to go to one of the top five destination responses

[16:28] Folsom Carter: Oh that sounds like fun!

[16:28] Rusty Redfield: <laughing> well it kind of is except the default is some tacky deserted mall

[16:28] Rusty Redfield: but every once in a while, WOW

[16:29] Folsom Carter: haha.  I often find myself underwater in the spot where a sim used to be.  lol.

[16:29] Rusty Redfield: oh hell yeah

[16:29] Rusty Redfield: just from my landmarks file

[16:29] Folsom Carter: "Hmmm, this doesn't look like a haunted asylum..."

[16:29] Rusty Redfield: LOL I know

[16:29] Rusty Redfield: what I always get is some vast empty space full of women's pre-mesh clothing stores

[16:30] Rusty Redfield: ah well!

[16:30] Rusty Redfield: let me know if you hit anything good ...

[16:30] Folsom Carter: I will

[16:30] Rusty Redfield: well, thanks for stopping by! I always give people a chance at the end to say anything they want

[16:30] Rusty Redfield: what question should I have asked? what philosophy do you want to share?

[16:33] Folsom Carter: Well, I'm in a good mood cause I found a mesh outfit that I'm not too fat to wear, otherwise you might have gotten a rant about clothing designers. lol.  I would just say that even after eight years, I'm having a great time in SL, and I hope to keep meeting more interesting people to add to that, so I hope people will say hi on those rare occassions that they catch me out partying.

[16:33] Rusty Redfield: <laughing>

[16:33] Rusty Redfield: and with that I'll say thanks and shut this *click* thing off ...

So, go and see some interesting portraits in the Indigo show before it closes ... make some time this weekend. If nothing else there is some VERY tasty eye candy on display and Folsom's work is always worth seeing.  I'll let my readers know when the Tomcats piece comes out!