AVATRAIT™: FROM SECOND LIFE® TO FLORENCE ART BOOK RELEASED

Evanston, IL – 10/27/2008 –

AVATRAIT, the leading advocate of the emerging genre of “Digital Impressionist” art from the virtual world of Second Life, is very pleased to announce the release of the first title from their publishing division, AVATRAIT: From Second Life To Florence. Produced to commemorate Avatrait’s participation in the recent Festival della Creatività event in Florence, Italy, as well as the on-going Rinascimento Virtuale exhibit focusing on the art of virtual worlds, this book serves as an introduction to this new form of art.

The Avatrait Gallery is one of the leading art attractions (and a permanent Arts & Culture “hot spot” venue listing) in Second Life, and features some of the most talented visionary artists working in the digital formats of that virtual world. The book presents art from 47 of the Avatrait Gallery artists, along with personal statements of each about their art. In addition there are three essays, Second Life founder Philip Rosedale discussing creativity and identity in the metaverse, Avatrait founder Greg Houston addressing art in the context of the virtual environment, and art professor Mario Gerosa detailing the emergence of “Digital Impressionism” as a new genre in the world of art.

AVATRAIT: From Second Life To Florence (ISBN 978-1-57353-300-3) is a 108-page, 8.25x10.5"-format hard-cover book, featuring full-color graphics throughout. It is available through direct order from Lulu.com.

Avatrait is on the web at http://avatrait.com, the Avatrait Gallery can be found in Second Life at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Simuality/38/210/38, and the book, AVATRAIT: From Second Life to Florence, is available at http://avatraitbooks.com. Second Life is a virtual world created by Linden Lab of San Francisco, CA, and is at http://secondlife.com.