About

These drawings describe a journey and realization I went through due to a serious medical diagnosis. It is simply about living life to the full, and the joy the of just being alive. The drawings display an encrypted password (left) and readable story text (right) of the 10-chapter story. Each drawing has a standalone statement or comment on life as well as being part of the set of ten chapters.

The original drawings are made using pencils, paint, and burnt milk. Milk is brushed on, or poured onto the paper, and then baked in an oven to create rich brown tones that are fixed and don’t deteriorate. I am re-visiting a method we used, as children, to write secret messages to each other. It was a way of creating a space that only us children understood, it was an adult-free world built in our imaginations of hidden treasure maps, and secret letters.

‘A Story in 10 Chapters’ has gone through an encryption process. This method can be used to determine ownership of a unique artifact, and is similar to the creation/sell/buy method used on Blockchains (NFTs). Each chapter is encrypted using an RSA cypher called RSA/ECB/PKCS1Padding. The encrypted text can only be unencrypted using public, and private keys. The two keys are given to different parties, and only when they come together will they reveal the story text. The encrypted output is also password-protected using a hashing mechanism called a Bcrypt hash. The password (hash) is much shorter than the encrypted output and is easier to manage.

It all started when I wanted some of my wonderful friends closer to me. I was diagnosed with cancer in 2021 and I had a bit of a battle ahead. I wanted to see my friends and family’s faces and feel their presence, I needed their friendship in a visible way, as well as physically and emotionally. In some cases, those people were more than 5000 miles away and the only option was a drawing or a photograph.  I decided I would draw portraits; a drawing is so much more personal than a photograph and it really helped me, it meant so much. I loved drawing portraits and so I just carried on doing them. The portraits also form the basis of my Best Friends project.

I have also always admired artists who work in portraiture. It’s great to draw a portrait and include elements that reflect the sitter’s character and heritage. While I love drawing unreal things, I also like to be able to draw realistically.

You can commission a portrait of you, a friend, or relative. The portraits are 7.5” X 11.5” (19cm X 29cm) or 11" X 14" (28cm X 35.5cm) drawn in pencil with a detailed background that in some way reflects the sitter and their life or connection to another person.

The friends’ portraits are part of an ongoing project about friendship, ownership, and the importance of understanding data protection. You need to understand technology as it increasingly impacts all our lives. Our data is bought and sold under our noses and impacts what we see, what we are offered, credit limits, and many more things.

Each portrait is hand-drawn on heavy-weight watercolour paper, the individual portrait drawing is 7.5”x11.5” (19cmx29cm). Each sitter is given their own digital version of their portrait. The individual portraits are grouped in blocks of 14 and made into huge banners and large digital prints.

Each sitter will be issued joint ownership of the larger banner pieces that use their image, they will be part of a profit-sharing scheme that enables them to have part ownership of large scale original artwork and profit from it when it sells.

Ownership and sales are recorded using a similar form of cryptography that Blockchain uses to record transactions, this means that each owner and sale is recorded in an immutable form.

By involving people in this process I hope to lift the lid on some of the more complex forms of data collection and increase the number of people who own large scale artworks, after all, everyone can be a collector of art.

Each drawing represents specific stages in my life and career; there are many moments that reflect the actuality of being an artist, these are unlimited and can be invisible if left unvisited. The moments I have chosen to represent are not necessarily the most important ones but the ones that I have found the most emotionally powerful when defining myself as an artist. I have found it hard to say ‘I am an artist’ whilst at the same time doing nothing else of value, so it is interesting to explore what an artist might expect as they spend their days working their trade. The first and most powerful element of being an artist is to produce a body of work, a body that represents your expression of creativity, and if possible, a recognizable theme or ‘seam’ of fascination or interest. The ‘Artist Makes the work’ drawing represents this very action. Without my central presence, I do not exist, I don’t have a factory that innovates and produces work; if I am not doing it, it isn’t happening. The piece represents the incredibly compelling state of production and action in the exploration of my craft and areas of interest; to be an artist you must ‘make the work’, execute the idea, formulate the concept or theory, and so on. It is about achieving an autotelic state in which I can truly say, I lose time, I am doing what I am doing, and doing it without external or apparent purpose other than the purpose of personal need.

Another piece in the collection is titled ‘An exhibition’. An exhibition is an incredible and emotional event in any artist’s career, an ‘in’ joke also describes the tension and pressure the artist feels when preparing for a show, - ‘nothing motivates an artist like an exhibition deadline’. It’s true, it can also accelerate the development of a different or new and untested technique. It is generally a period of rapid production and stress. There is a cycle to life as a practicing artist, the search for inspiration, reflection and trials, a period of intense production, then self-doubt and the need for a further questioning and possibly reassurance, and then finally an exhibition. The exhibition reflects the artist’s intent and marks the time they are ready to open themselves up to public scrutiny. My first serious exhibition was my degree show, my whole self, my reputation among my peers and tutors was on the line. This is a pressure that has been reaffirmed as I re-dedicated myself to my passion in 2018. An exhibition is a public statement of your intention, you are saying ‘out loud’ that I am presenting myself as and artist, I am saying I have something I’d like you to see and consider. You can be an artist and never exhibit but it is rare, the exhibition is an essential and amazing opportunity for an artist to get feedback, to grow and develop their technique and incredibly importantly make some money!

 Other pieces include ‘The dedicated supporter’, another essential element of being an artist is to have support, someone who comes to every event, exhibition, or launch, someone who believes in you and your talent. ‘

‘The First Serious Collector’ reflects the excitement when someone invested in my work, and they purchase more than one piece. This was a serious discussion and amazing moment when the gallery representative told me this exchange had occurred. I cannot describe how that felt other than the most intense excitement I have ever felt.

The other underlying theme of this work is also to highlight the importance and versatility of the pencil when expressing ideas and thoughts. The pencil enables the user to write, doodle or draw without the fear of making a mistake. A pencil mark can be replaced, redrawn, or removed completely. 

Colin and Friends

Works on Paper

Everything Starts with a Pencil

The Best Friends

Las Vegas Casinos

Urburain

Portraits

A Story in 10 Chapters

The ValleRy

- The ValleRy Launch Collection

Augmented Society Network

Artwear

- The Las Vegas Influence on Absolutely Everything

The ValleRy

Enter The ValleRy, the first, paid for in part by Nevada Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts, Virtual Reality gallery for Las Vegas and International artists, and creators. The Vallery is the same as an IRL gallery but different in that it can be seen from anywhere in the world giving exhibitors extraordinary, and unparalleled exposure.

Book a Guided Tour - Tour information

24 September Tour - 11am Las Vegas, 7pm UK - BOOK TOUR

28 October Tour - 11am Las Vegas, 7pm UK - BOOK TOUR

The Vallery is connected to the real world by portals placed in partner locations. This project brings much needed new gallery space to Las Vegas. The new space is built using Virtual Reality technology, it is accessed using a QR Code placed at ‘partnership’ locations. The ValleRy has the technical, management and marketing tools needed to support a professional VR gallery and associated promotional events.

The ValleRy launched on 27th June with an exhibition showcase of my cryptographic portraiture work. The goal of this exhibition is to demonstrate the benefits of using Virtual Reality and to showcase the gallery to potential new partnership portals on the Las Vegas Strip and in other locations.

The goal is to provide local and international artists exposure on the Strip by using Strip-based ‘partner’ portals. Breaking the Strip is incredibly difficult but essential to earning a living as a local artist in Clark County. The gallery operates as physical galleries do with a program of exhibitions, educational opportunities and events that connect it to real local venues. I launched this concept in London in November 2023 with great success and showcased 27 both Las Vegas and worldwide artists with both a physical and VR gallery experience in central London with four ASN RSA Network galleries.

The inaugural exhibition is ‘Everything Starts with a Pencil’. I have produced a series of 10 portraits of local people and icons that incorporate elements of cryptography. This will bring my cryptography work together with my portraiture and is the natural next step for my artistic development.

Constant change, fluid standards, and an ever evolving legislative environment are leading us down many different, and in some cases, conflicting paths. Join the Augmented Society Network to lift the lid on some of this century’s most important societal and technological challenges.

This network explores ideas, activity, and research, in an attempt to understand and influence the ways in which society is augmented now and into the future. We, as individuals and as connected networks, can and should have a greater impact on Society’s relationship with the technologies and systems we use - or are destined to use. Meant as an inclusive, considered and open forum to connect, explore and offer solutions, the network’s monthly virtual sessions have focused on subjects ranging from artificial intelligence to climate change, education, creativity, supply chains, values, and much more while leading to collaborative publications, policy guidance, global events and product development.

We welcome all members of society and are eager to make room at the table for provocative and enlightening discussions around what truly matters in our augmented world.

Objectives

• To create an inspiring and safe place for collaborators and thinkers to explore the impact of augmentative technology on society and the environment.

•  To generate real and virtual content that will inform, generate conversation, assist in the development of policy, and inspire others.

• To implement experimental theoretical and real products and publications combining unlikely or disruptive sources to generate new and exciting thought, creativity and partnerships.
• To reflect RSA mission and strategic work to extend its influence and presence globally.
• The Augmented Society Network @ The RSA

• • Goldwell Open Air Museum – Board member July 2024
  • Launch of The ValleRy – VR Gallery for Las Vegas and International Artists
  • Everything Starts with a Pencil exhibition June to December 2024 XR
  • 6th Annual “Use Other Door”, CORE Contemporary's national juried Exhibition, Las Vegas – Group Show
  • The King and Queen Exhibition ReBar Las Vegas Group exhibition - June 2024
  • Celebrating Life! 2024 Exhibition Charleston Heights Arts Center, City of Las Vegas - First Place (Drawing and Pastel) – Congressional Award
  • Nevada Arts Council Artist Project Grant Award 2024
  • Creativity Offers Us A New Formula For Life 2.0 The Hive Worcester University 2024
  • ‘Creativity offers us a new formula for life 2.0’ Group Exhibition, The Hive Worcestershire University, UK, and in Virtual Reality 2024
  • Royal Society of the Arts Journal – ‘Creativity to Connect’ article 2024
  • Society Magazine Interview @SocietyOfficiel, Paris, France 2024
  • Guest Artist Slonina ARTSpace, Las Vegas 2024
  • ‘Creativity offers us a new formula for life’ Group Exhibition Royal Society of Arts, John Adam’s House, London, and in Virtual Reality 2023-4
  • The Las Vegas Influence on Absolutely Everything Fashion Show 2023
  • Core Contemporary Gallery of Fine Art - Solo Show 2022
  • Las Vegas Review Journal - artists’ most likely to 'break out' in 2022
  • Good Work Guild Journal – Contributor and member 2022
  • 2nd Annual Industry Insights IoT Awards – Thought Leader of the Year Shortlist 2021
  • Chicago Architecture Biennial Panelist 2021
  • Blockchain and NFT for the Available City 2021
  • Beyond IoT | Immersive Technology Webinar | XR | VR | AR | MR | 3D – Panelist 2021
  • Beyond IoT | Expanding Education – Panelist 2021
  • Fem4 – Four-woman Exhibition Core Contemporary gallery 2021
  • CityScapes juried Exhibition Rotunda Gallery at the Government Center Las Vegas
  • Use other door, National Juried Art Exhibition 2021.
  • 2021 The RSA ASN An Opportunity to Reimagine Learning Pandemic Catalyst Paper
  • Use other door, National Juried Art Exhibition 2020.
  • My Two Cents - Invitational Exhibition 2020
  • HILAL Magazine – Virtually there, or there virtually, 2019
  • Co-founder RSA Augmented Society (Thematic) Network. 2019
  • Use other door, National Juried Art Exhibition 2019.
  • RSA Las Vegas - AI. Blockchain. Humanity. Rinse. Repeat. – Speaker 2018
  • Super Brains: Cognitive Computing for CEOs, Technologists, and Business Decision Makers – contributor 2018
  • Vegas Seven Magazine. Intriguing People 2018, our annual celebration of Las Vegas’ cultural trailblazers and social trendsetters. Zoe Camper: Tech Transplant.
  • Las Vegas Review Journal interview - Britain-based enlightenment group starts Las Vegas chapter - 2018
  • RSA Las Vegas - Artificial Intelligence: Dream vs. Nightmare. Exploring a Future Fashioned by AI – Speaker 2018
  • Established RSA Las Vegas (RSA USA Connector) - 2018
  • NESTA Research Interview –Confronting Dr Robot future of AI and Health - 2017
  • ARUK Digital Summit – Founder 2017
  • Diginomica – Arthritis Research UK enlists AI chatbot ‘Arthy’ in mission to offer information and advice 2017
  • AMRC Google DeepMind Conference – Product story 2017
  • World of Watson speaker – Using cognitive computing to help people with arthritis 2016
  • The User Experience, IBM HealthConnect 2016
  • Deus Ex Machina: AI and Bots in a Modern Marketing Landscape 2016.
  • Charity Comms conference speaker – Content marketing 2015
  • Charity Comms conference speaker – Content publishing using COPE principles 2014
  • Charity Comms - Top 10 article: Creating a content strategy in a fast-moving world – 2013
  • FastTrain Manchester BBC conference sponsored by BBC and Salford University, Master class in HTML5 ‘the good stuff’, 2012
  • BBC TV News ‘South East Today’, interview on impact of Twitter, 2010
  • BBC Radio Kent, Interview on John and Jule’s Breakfast Show – YouTube use, 2010
  • BBC TV News ‘South East Today’, interview on Using the Internet for campaigning, 2010
  • BBC Radio Kent, interview on John and Jule’s Breakfast Show – Using Facebook, 2009
  • BBC A+M Festival and Awards, Speaker, Websites, 2007
  • Sky TV, 'Really caught in the act' – interview on History of Web cams, 1999
  • Government SPIN Conference – 25% and beyond Speaker, 1999
  • BBC Breakfast News, interview on Websites for all, 1998
  • London Radio Services, interview on Cybercafés, 1998
  • BBC World, TV program on using Internet IRC, 1998
  • BBC TV program article on ‘Computers don't bite’, 1998
  • Creative Technology, Article on HTML, 1998
  • Irish Times ‘Netprofit’ Conference, Speaker, 1997
  • Sony ‘Women in Technology’ award Speaker, 1997
  • BBC Radio 4 interview for ‘Women in Technology’ Series, 1997
  • BBC Radio 4 interview for ‘All in the mind’, 1997
  • BBC World Service, 20 programs for the 'Network' series (Broadcast Worldwide), 1997
  • International German Cybercafé Conference, Speaker, 1997 and 2000
  • IRN, EBN, ABN, CNN, Radio 5, Channel One, Interviews, 1996, 97, 98, 99, 2000
  • BBC Radio 4 Interview for ‘Books and Company’, 1996
  • The Future File, TV article for European Business News, 1996
  • Legal Network TV ‘The Internet and Law’ - Legal Training Material, video, 1996
  • 'No anorak required' Internet training video - published 1996
  • ’Millennium Metamorphosis’ conference, speaker, 1996
  • Serpentine Gallery, London – open show 1990

Zoë Camper is a practicing artist and technologist. She is CEO of Zoë Camper LLC, an RSA Fellow, and Co-Founder of the Augmented Society Network. She is a London native based in Fabulous Las Vegas.

Zoë works at the intersection of art and technology, her creative practice combines labor-intensive, highly detailed drawings with technology to explore storytelling, pattern making and cryptography.

She combines technologies to experiment with encryption, and the process required to encrypt, obscure, hide, and reveal messages in her work.  Using XR and other digital tools to both produce, and influence her work, has enabled her to push the boundaries of both analog, and digital formats. She also uses encryption to ensure provenance, and proof of authenticity, using the same decentralized encryption techniques as blockchain and NFT’s. Zoë launched The ValleRy in June 2024, a VR hybrid gallery that uses IRL portals to anchor it into the real world. The ValleRy showcases Zoë’s work, Las Vegas, and international artists. She has exhibited in the UK and USA and has spoken at many conferences around the world, and led the team that created the UK’s first IBM Watson AI virtual health companion.

Everything starts with an idea, a story, and my pencils (my favorite medium).  My work falls into different styles and categories including fantastical landscapes, portraiture, and conceptual works. I am inspired by built environments, fantasy, and simply experimenting with different types of technology. I love playing with what is real, what is made-up, or partially obscured, and combining that with stories, people, characters, and technology.

Her intellectual work explores creativity, privacy, kinship, and trust in all its forms. The Augmented Society Network (An RSA Thematic Network) creates an inspiring, and safe place for collaborators and thinkers to explore the impact of augmentative technology on society and the environment. It has produced experimental exhibitions, and publications combining unlikely, or disruptive sources to push creativity’s boundaries, and generate exciting thinking, and new partnerships. 

Zoe taught Design Principles, Convergent Journalism, and Advance Coding at the BBC Academy, holds a Post Graduate Cert of Education and Hons Degree in 3D Design.

Career

• Goldwell Open Air Museum – Board member July 2024
• Launch of The ValleRy – VR Gallery for Las Vegas and International Artists
• Everything Starts with a Pencil exhibition June to December 2024 XR
• 6th Annual “Use Other Door”, CORE Contemporary's national juried Exhibition, Las Vegas – Group Show
• The King and Queen Exhibition ReBar Las Vegas Group exhibition - June 2024
• Celebrating Life! 2024 Exhibition Charleston Heights Arts Center, City of Las Vegas - First Place (Drawing and Pastel) – Congressional Award
• Nevada Arts Council Artist Project Grant Award 2024
• Creativity Offers Us A New Formula For Life 2.0 The Hive Worcester University 2024
• ‘Creativity offers us a new formula for life 2.0’ Group Exhibition, The Hive Worcestershire University, UK, and in Virtual Reality 2024
• Royal Society of the Arts Journal – ‘Creativity to Connect’ article 2024
• Society Magazine Interview @SocietyOfficiel, Paris, France 2024
• Guest Artist Slonina ARTSpace, Las Vegas 2024
• ‘Creativity offers us a new formula for life’ Group Exhibition Royal Society of Arts, John Adam’s House, London, and in Virtual Reality 2023-4
• The Las Vegas Influence on Absolutely Everything Fashion Show 2023
• Core Contemporary Gallery of Fine Art - Solo Show 2022
• Las Vegas Review Journal - artists’ most likely to 'break out' in 2022
• Good Work Guild Journal – Contributor and member 2022
• 2nd Annual Industry Insights IoT Awards – Thought Leader of the Year Shortlist 2021
• Chicago Architecture Biennial Panelist 2021
• Blockchain and NFT for the Available City 2021
• Beyond IoT | Immersive Technology Webinar | XR | VR | AR | MR | 3D – Panelist 2021
• Beyond IoT | Expanding Education – Panelist 2021
• Fem4 – Four-woman Exhibition Core Contemporary gallery 2021
• CityScapes juried Exhibition Rotunda Gallery at the Government Center Las Vegas
• Use other door, National Juried Art Exhibition 2021.
• 2021 The RSA ASN An Opportunity to Reimagine Learning Pandemic Catalyst Paper
• Use other door, National Juried Art Exhibition 2020.
• My Two Cents - Invitational Exhibition 2020
• HILAL Magazine – Virtually there, or there virtually, 2019
• Co-founder RSA Augmented Society (Thematic) Network. 2019
• Use other door, National Juried Art Exhibition 2019.
• RSA Las Vegas - AI. Blockchain. Humanity. Rinse. Repeat. – Speaker 2018
• Super Brains: Cognitive Computing for CEOs, Technologists, and Business Decision Makers – contributor 2018
• Vegas Seven Magazine. Intriguing People 2018, our annual celebration of Las Vegas’ cultural trailblazers and social trendsetters. Zoe Camper: Tech Transplant.
• Las Vegas Review Journal interview - Britain-based enlightenment group starts Las Vegas chapter - 2018
• RSA Las Vegas - Artificial Intelligence: Dream vs. Nightmare. Exploring a Future Fashioned by AI – Speaker 2018
• Established RSA Las Vegas (RSA USA Connector) - 2018
• NESTA Research Interview –Confronting Dr Robot future of AI and Health - 2017
• ARUK Digital Summit – Founder 2017
• Diginomica – Arthritis Research UK enlists AI chatbot ‘Arthy’ in mission to offer information and advice 2017
• AMRC Google DeepMind Conference – Product story 2017
• World of Watson speaker – Using cognitive computing to help people with arthritis 2016
• The User Experience, IBM HealthConnect 2016
• Deus Ex Machina: AI and Bots in a Modern Marketing Landscape 2016.
• Charity Comms conference speaker – Content marketing 2015
• Charity Comms conference speaker – Content publishing using COPE principles 2014
• Charity Comms - Top 10 article: Creating a content strategy in a fast-moving world – 2013
• FastTrain Manchester BBC conference sponsored by BBC and Salford University, Master class in HTML5 ‘the good stuff’, 2012
• BBC TV News ‘South East Today’, interview on impact of Twitter, 2010
• BBC Radio Kent, Interview on John and Jule’s Breakfast Show – YouTube use, 2010
• BBC TV News ‘South East Today’, interview on Using the Internet for campaigning, 2010
• BBC Radio Kent, interview on John and Jule’s Breakfast Show – Using Facebook, 2009
• BBC A+M Festival and Awards, Speaker, Websites, 2007
• Sky TV, 'Really caught in the act' – interview on History of Web cams, 1999
• Government SPIN Conference – 25% and beyond Speaker, 1999
• BBC Breakfast News, interview on Websites for all, 1998
• London Radio Services, interview on Cybercafés, 1998
• BBC World, TV program on using Internet IRC, 1998
• BBC TV program article on ‘Computers don't bite’, 1998
• Creative Technology, Article on HTML, 1998
• Irish Times ‘Netprofit’ Conference, Speaker, 1997
• Sony ‘Women in Technology’ award Speaker, 1997
• BBC Radio 4 interview for ‘Women in Technology’ Series, 1997
• BBC Radio 4 interview for ‘All in the mind’, 1997
• BBC World Service, 20 programs for the 'Network' series (Broadcast Worldwide), 1997
• International German Cybercafé Conference, Speaker, 1997 and 2000
• IRN, EBN, ABN, CNN, Radio 5, Channel One, Interviews, 1996, 97, 98, 99, 2000
• BBC Radio 4 Interview for ‘Books and Company’, 1996
• The Future File, TV article for European Business News, 1996
• Legal Network TV ‘The Internet and Law’ - Legal Training Material, video, 1996
• 'No anorak required' Internet training video - published 1996
• ’Millennium Metamorphosis’ conference, speaker, 1996
• Serpentine Gallery, London – open show 1990