2006.0519
VERSION 7
AND Seven Years of Online Existence

It started with a vision.

Or perhaps the abstract art I saw when I was a kid. Probably it runs in the blood and the neurons too... the desire to create and devour the limits... and the space that exists beyond those limits.

I really can't remember when, but I do remember downloading a Luis Royo image from the 'net while surfing a certain site that is supposed to be storing anime. Those were during my college days.

It was the same time we, as a class, started learning HTML and ASP and me discovering the internet.

While other classmates were busy MIRC-in', downloading porn and pounding keyboards typing e-mails, playing online and, yes, some of us do research (really), I was downloading Luis Royo

After a couple of months or more I was done with college, and aside from a degree, already had a massive amount of downloaded stuff to show for it. Free from the constraints of education, I had more time on my hands so I decided to organize the loot I had.

What better way to organize these things then to create thumbnails and HTMLs.

Boris Vallejo, Julie Bell, Keith Parkinson, Hajime Sorayama and other fantasy artists were added to the acquire-and-acquire-more list.

Then I got a call for work... my first job after college.

I continued working on that collection after office hours and since the company had an internet connection ten-times faster than what my 56K modem can barf out, and we are extremely free (and even encouraged) to surf and do what we will with the internet, the loot grew.

After five months in that workplace, our NOS (Network Operation Specialist and not Noel Over Sexed (though his name is Noel (and thanks by the way to him.))) was kind enough to give me server space... for free... for me to abuse and upload anything my heart desires.

So it was around November of 1998 when I uploaded the loot I have gradually amassed and called the site coollections. (I do miss that site and will find means one of these days to revive it once more. (More free webservers, anyone..?)) Now coollections did not only hold fantasy art, anime and

Around 1999 I discovered Metacreation's Bryce 2. Thank Heavens it was much easier than the AutoDesk Release 3.4 (for DOS!) we were using in college. Bryce 2 also produced delightful renders.

So I thought it might be nice to include my Bryce 2 artworks in the digital art section of the coollections site. Just for kicks.

I uploaded that section in the month of May 1999 and called it Pixelworkz... black background and all those centered ascii decorations... which I changed into a cleaner white version in the following year.

Then I discovered Looroll.com, I discovered Misery in Motion (DeadDreamer.com), I discovered EndEffect and Pseudoart.org (off line, where art thou, Jake..?), DeviantArt (when it was still

And the rest was history. Of course there were countless shows of support and love along the way.

Niko (of Plastiqueweb Networks) was so kind to offer a host, which... no offense to our local linux-powered Pentium IIs servers, is way way faster and hardly, if ever, bugs down.

I jumped shipped as I was about to release version 5.00. Of course there was that green and edible pixel-powered skin-inspired version 4... : ]

And of course I met qs online, who, in more than a thousand ways does help me in this site. She may not be blabbering and scribbling as much as I do but still her help, words and even back-end related matters, will never be overlooked.

She gives a different voice to this site.

Plus of course the inspiration... : ]

Most of the artworks you see in this site are created for her. (Collective Aaaw sound effects in the background.)

Or when I'm mad at her. (see Pandora and the thoughts behing that creation... : ] (Just bear with the popping out new windows at this point.))

This scribble, my friend, is getting too long already but I would like to end this by saying 'Thank You'.

Thanks for the support and all... and may we see you in the next version relaunch, a new project or next year (and next next year), whichever comes first.

Better yet, feel free to visit the site everyday for pixelnews and pixelGOODIES.

Thanks once again... and have a nice day!

Much pixel-love,
- pixelcatalyst and niz