Gracie Kendal

Kristine Schomaker is a performance artist, new media artist and painter. Her current works are “The Gracie Kendal Project” and “1000 Avatars.” Both of these projects are in the virtual world of Second Life. Schomaker first started “The Gracie Kendal Project” as a way to express herself about body image. She has weight issues and is struggling with an eating disorder. She created an avatar, Gracie Kendal, and made the avatar to be what Schomaker desires to be. Second Life has let her become more comfortable with her self-image. Her work is focused towards accepting one’s self as opposed to changing one’s self. In her other project, “1000 Avatars”, Schomaker is creating portraits of actual avatars in second life.

         I think Schomaker’s “The Gracie Kendal Project” is a positive outlet for her emotions towards her weight. She is able to use virtual art to gain self-acceptance. However, I think that Schomaker should also try to gain self-acceptance in the real world and not just through her avatar in Second Life. She lives vicariously through her avatar and has created her avatar to be what Schomaker wishes she were. I think Schomaker would benefit more from accepting herself outside of the virtual world.