Digital Da Vincis: How Artists Can Thrive In The Age of AI (Online)

Artists Up Closefeatures in-depth and intimate profiles of emerging and established artists in the Seattle area and beyond. Our events offer open conversations between the community and artists across disciplines.  I created Artists Up Close because I’m hungry for arts coverage that goes deep. I’m hungry to read it and I’m hungry to write it. We live in an era of quick hot takes, sound bites, and copy/paste press releases. I’m tired of that. I want to dig beneath the surface of artists’ lives and artistic practices. What makes them tick? What is their reason for existing and creating? I want to take a trip deep into the mind of the artist. Come take that journey with me.

Artists Up Close

Discover how AI is reshaping the art world and uncover the tools you need to thrive.

"Digital Da Vincis" is a unique event dedicated to understanding the profound impact of AI on the art world and envisioning a future where artists don't just adapt but thrive.The lines between art and technology are blurring. Artificial intelligence, once a realm of science fiction, is now at our fingertips, presenting both challenges and opportunities for today's artists.Join artist Adelaide Blair and writer Beverly Aarons for an enlightening and interactive conversation as we delve deep into the intricacies and convergence of AI and art. Key Takeaways:<ul><li>Understanding AI's Role: Discover the groundbreaking ways AI is being used in art creation, curation, and promotion.</li></ul><ul><li>Future Vision: Engage in discussions about the ethical, philosophical, and practical implications of AI in art, shaping the trajectory of the next art revolution.</li></ul><ul><li> Practical Skills: Using our "AI Toolkit," uncover AI tools and technologies that can enhance your artistic processes, from inspiration to execution.</li></ul>Who Should Attend:<ul><li> Visual artists curious about integrating technology into their work.</li></ul><ul><li>Art enthusiasts keen on understanding the evolving dynamics of art and tech.</li></ul><ul><li>Technology professionals interested in the creative applications of AI.</li></ul> Exclusive Perks:A week before the event, every attendee will receive an "AI Primer" sheet to prepare them for the discussion. The primer will be emailed to all attendees. After the event, every attendee will receive an "Artist AI Toolkit," a curated set of resources, tools, and guides to help artists navigate the AI realm. Whether you're just starting your tech journey or you're looking to refine your skills, this toolkit promises value. The toolkit will be emailed to all attendees after the event. This isn't just another artist talk. It is a chance to connect on a deeper level with the artist and fellow attendees, to contribute to a powerful discussion about the intersection of AI and art and prepare yourself for the coming changes. By attending this event, you will gain access to this exclusive in-person experience, along with drinks and snacks and the AI Primer and Toolkit. This is the ONLINE ONLY version of this event. If you want to attend the in-person event, please <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/708461486377?aff=oddtdtcreator">click here</a>. We will live-stream this event from our location and online participants will have an opportunity to comment, ask questions, and fully participate in the discussion. Date: Friday, September 22, 2023Time: 7pm – 9pmLocation: Online via ZoomPrice: $40 (discounted from original ticket price $50)

<h1>W﻿hat Attendees Are Saying About Past Events</h1>

<a href="https://adelaideblair.substack.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Adelaide Blair</a> lives in Seattle and has a BFA from Southern Oregon University and an MFA from the Pacific Northwest College of Art (Willamette University). Her artwork has exhibited in numerous group and solo shows since 1996. And in a former life she was a Perl programmer and has dabbled in JavaScript. In the winter of 2022 she read a New York Times article about GPT-3, an artificial intelligence text generator, and was inspired to create a chapbook of AI-written poems, Nine Mildly Depressing Poems About Art, Copies, Simulations, and the Sadness of Life. Her next project, Ghost Machine, explored ghosts and artificial intelligence as manifestations of our unconscious - both singular and collective. She has illustrated several small books using AI and is currently using it to manipulate her hand-drawn images. Shortly after publishing Ghost Machine, ChatGPT and DALLE*2 became available to the general public, and what started out as a niche interest became part of a larger discussion about what AI outputs mean and the ethics underlying their existence. She believes this can be a powerful tool for artists, but has concerns about AI companies and how their products can be used for surveillance or the creation of things that only give participants more of what they already like rather than allowing people to use the technology to create art with a distinct point of view.

With a professional writing career spanning 30+ years, Beverly Aarons is a distinguished storyteller, exploring the intersections of history, current realities, and imagined future worlds. As an award-winning journalist, she has interviewed a diverse range of individuals, from <a href="https://southseattleemerald.com/2020/05/05/visual-artist-juan-alonso-finds-wellspring-of-creativity-in-pandemic-chaos/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">artists</a> and <a href="https://southseattleemerald.com/2021/01/21/gardnerglobal-serves-up-a-plan-for-generational-black-wealth/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">business owners</a> to <a href="https://southseattleemerald.com/2020/09/15/materials-scientist-ainissa-ramirez-explores-how-technology-has-changed-us/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">scientists</a>, for publications such as South Seattle Emerald and The Iranian. And she has facilitated several conversations at Town Hall Seattle. In 2022, she <a href="https://townhallseattle.org/event/orly-lobel-with-beverly-aarons/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">interviewed Orly Lobel,</a> the author of The Equality Machine: Harnessing Digital Technology for a Brighter, More Inclusive Future, for a Town Hall Seattle event. She is also a game developer and teaches teens how to develop virtual reality experiences. Recognizing the need for in-depth arts coverage, Beverly Aarons founded Artists Up Close in 2022. Her passion for uncovering the deeper layers of artists' lives and creative processes drives her to tell stories that transcend superficial hot-takes and soundbites.In 2023, she began collaborating with Seattle artists to create unique, transformative artist conversations that are more than just a bunch of talking heads and a silent audience. Her artist gatherings are more than talks, they’re community discussions where the artist and attendees share their thoughts about the artwork, its themes, and the artist’s process."I created <a href="https://www.artistsupclose.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Artists Up Close</a> because I’m hungry for arts coverage that goes deep. I’m hungry to read it and I’m hungry to write it.

<aside>Portrait of Andy Kusama: 2022 (Artwork by Adelaide Blair)</aside>Black and white image generated by DALLE*2, an image generator developed by OpenAI. Additional layers created in Photoshop and Stochaster 2. Final image is a three-color screen-print.

<aside>Ocean Creature: 2023 (Artwork by Adelaide Blair)</aside>Drawing (watercolor and water soluble graphite) run through Dream by Wombo image generator twice. This version is three Photoshop-manipulated half-tone layers of the original drawing and both AI images. Currently, this is a digital image that I will break down and turn into photo positives for screenprinting.

Agenda

Chat and Chill

Interactive Conversation

Closing Event

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