Massachusetts’ based artist Jeffrey Lipsky, otherwise known as “Filthy Fluno” in the 3-D virtual world Second Life®, will team together with San Francisco based artist C.J. Ross, a.k.a. “Winter Nightfire”, to host a charity “Art-a-thon” during the Second Life Community Convention [SLCC] taking place at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, August 13th to 16th, 2009.

“Filthy Fluno” and “Winter Nightfire” will capture the excitement of the SLCC with paints and pastels in a mash-up of abstract art and virtual world culture. The artists will hit the floors of the conference and create masterpieces to commemorate the people, discussions, music, and architecture of the SLCC, while raising money for charity. Not only is this a live, art-in-the-making event, it is a chance to interact with “Fithly Fluno” and “Winter Nightfire” in a real-world workshop where other artists will learn successful tools and techniques on using virtual world technology to market themselves and their artwork to millions worldwide.

Artworks will be auctioned off on Sunday, August 16th at 2:30 pm (PT) in Panel Room II at the Westin St. Francis Hotel. Proceeds will be donated to Virtual Ability, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that helps make Second Life more accessible for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses.

About Filthy Fluno
“Filthy Fluno” is the avatar and character created by internationally-renowned artist Jeffrey Lipsky for Second Life® and other online virtual worlds. The persona and accomplishments of Filthy Fluno have brought attention to Lipsky's artwork that otherwise never could have been achieved through traditional means. A resident of Lowell, Massachusetts, Lipsky often finds inspiration from the online adventures of his avatar as he gallivants around the virtual world, meeting different people and creating unique experiences. Lipsky also uses Filthy Fluno to network, make friends, collaborate and market his artwork to millions of arts and technology
enthusiasts from throughout the US and Europe.

Lipsky’s style undermines conventional ideas about reality and boldly examines how people are affected by each other‘s actions. His work has said to “combine the gritty, urban style of street graffiti with the anarchy of early surrealism, a combination that creates a powerful statement.”

About Winter Nightfire
Winter Nightfire aka C.J Ross is a self-taught painter from San Francisco, California. Her exposure to Abstract Expressionism began at age 16 in the North Beach neighborhood at Caffe Trieste, where she befriended her mentors, the noted Beat artists Jack Hirschman and George Long. She displayed her first painting at a group show with her mentors in 2001 at age 24, and has been showing solo at venues across San Francisco ever since. In 2006, Nightfire took her work on the road, traveling on a west coast tour with Tha Musemeant, an acid-folk quartet out of Nothern New Mexico. Painting live has since become one of Nightfire's passions, and she has frequented music venues across San Francisco with paint "on hand", creating reflections in pigment of the scenes and sounds around her. Inspired by light and the language of texture, Nightfire's signature metallics and the frequent appearance of black and white in her works illustrate her emphasis on contrast to give meaning to various combinations of form and color.

The SLCC Art-a-thon with “Filthy Fluno” and “Winter Nightfire” is sponsored by Avalon Arts District and CounterpART Gallery. Media interviews may be scheduled by contacting Courtney Guertin at Courtney.Guertin@lintv.com or by calling 401-368-6655.