The University of Western Australia (UWA) in Second Life: Fuschia & Flivelwitz snatch IMAGINE, Breen machine chugs on! MARCH WINNERS OF UWA 3D ART & DESIGN CHALLENGE‏

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For the very first time, a collaborative work has taken the top IMAGINE Arts prize for the March round of the UWA 3D Art & Design Challenge. The enchanting and enveloping HEATH, created by Fuschia Nightfire & Flivelwitz Alsop held off a very strong field of 55 works from artists all across SL in taking the $L5,000 first prize. Meanwhile in the FLAGSHIP building design challenge, no one seems capable of stopping Nyx Breen who has now won 4 of the 7 FLAgSHIP prizes in this year long competition which has just crossed into month 8!

First time entrant, Flivelwitz and veteran Fuschia were thrilled and stunned to have taken the top gong. "Well i suspected we had won something! but not this", said Fuschia, while Flivelwitz when asked to comment said "It is exciting to be the first to win in a collaboration at the UWA".

The top 3 in fact were very close, and for the first time ever, a joint 2nd prize was awarded to Julez Odigaunt & Kolor Fall for their incredible works, JULIA'S WILTING HEART SHRINE & Kolor's elegant OCEANS OF LIGHT.

"Its such an honor that UWA appreciated Julia's Wilting Heart Shrine. It is a very personal piece and I am glad it was well received. I would like to thank Ulrich Lionheart, the author of the poem. His words are so powerful and full of emotion - purely expressing what I was feeling at the time - it inspired me to create a shrine that allowed me to expose the mindset I was in at the time. It was quite healing" said Julez.

With Nyx's back to back to back win in March to go with his October win taking his tally to 4, seems it will take some doing to dislodge Nyx who has declared that he will have one FLAGSHIP build submitted each month for the rest of the competition. It is going to take some doing to stop Nyx from having more than half of the entries that will come under consideration for the Grand Prize!

Following the announcements yesterday at the traditional winners announcement party at the UWA SIM, Nyx said, "I would like to state that outside of developing some wonderful friendships in Second Life, that nothing has been as enjoyable as participating in an event that has truly global and groundbreaking results as the UWA Flagship Challenge. UWA has taken a small art show and made it a must see destination in the Cyber world and an event that if missed in Second Life, then one doesn't understand the true potential of what was envisioned as the purpose of Second Life... creativity shared across a medium that brings us all closer.Great Job UWA, JJ & Quad and all that help make this possible."

The best non-scripted entry was BLOOM GLOW by Sledge Roffo, another vetran of the UWA 3D Art & Design Challenge, while Sharni Azalee's FOREST OF DREAMS was voted top for the PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD!

The Artist Book Prize, being awarded for the final time, went to Miranda Mhia work, STANDING ROOM ONLY. UWA would like to thank Juanita Deharo, Victor Vezina and Juko Temple for making this award possible.

Other winners include Sundog Branner, Ichiko Miles, Gleman Jun, Betty Tureand and Nish Mip. Full list below.

Some other exciting things were also mentioned during the awards ceremony. First of all, UWA played host both in SL & RL to the Big Kahuna himself M Linden, who for the very first time in any universe was displaying his wonderful artworks. These can still be seen at a permanent exhibition within at the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery in SL which is on one of the 5 UWA SIMS.

This space on WASP Land has been listed as an SL destination for the Arts, which is the 2nd location within the UWA SIMS designated as an SL destination for the Arts, the other one being UWA's Art & Design Challenge platform.

You can hear M Linden's speech and watch some of the wonderful machinima created for the event on the UWA in Second Life Blog

The next wonderful thing, is because of all the good news and publicity surrounding the machinima, the art & design competition and M's show, UWA have been given funding for the Arts & Machinima for a further 3 years following the end of this current cycle in August 2010. The funding we have received will allow UWA to provide L$1,000,000 per year for Art Challenges and L$500,000 for Machinima.

Also mentioned was the work of Lilli Field, an Australian RL architect who has recreated UWA's School of Business Building. A replica created based on the original building plans of an incredible award winning build at UWA

For those interested in the Flagship Challenge, Prim Pushers have volunteered to assist new entrants in the Flagship challenge to understand the build requirements and guidelines for the contest.
http://primpushers.blogspot.com/2010/03/prim-pushers-opens.html

WINNERS OF THE MARCH ROUND OF THE UWA 3D ART & DESIGN CHALLENGE
IMAGINE CHALLENGE - 3D ART

Imagine Challenge 1st Prize:
($L5,000 + Custom T-Shirt)
HEATH by Flivelwitz Alsop & Fuschia Nightfire

Imagine Challenge 2nd Prize:
($L1,250) JOINT PRIZE
OCEANS OF LIGHT by Kolor Fall/Patrick Faith

JULIA'S WILTING HEART SHRINE by Julez Odigaunt

Best Non-Scripted Entry:
($L1,250 + Custom T-Shirt)
BLOOM GLOW by Sledge Roffo

Casey WA Cultural Prize
1st Prize (L$4,000)
TBA

FLAGSHIP CHALLENGE - BUILDING DESIGN
Flagship Challenge 1st Prize : ($L5,000)
AxS GALLERY by Nyx Breen (4th time winner)