Date: 01/12/2014 LILA_S ||
Folio: MIDSUMMER_NIGHTS
A landslide vote at HQ this month for Lila_S' "Midsummer Nights", a folio which takes us from the sweet sun-drenched tiles of Lila's flower strewn patio, to beneath the foaming of the aquamarine waves at the beach. Lila's true beauty shines from within, but it's her skills with her camera that allow her to share it so eloquently, regardless of the physical distance between us. Congratulations, Lila_S, for winning November's Art Prize!

Date: 01/11/2014 BETTY_J ||
Folio: RHIZINE
A thread outlined in light, a tiny golden filament, the pupil of her eye, widening oh so slightly. Maggie_A strips down and breaks down: the world into its component parts, her feelings into colors, her naked body into the grass. Art, emotion, nudity and light collide in Rhizine, resulting in a splendid example of self-portraiture which goes well beyond the stretch-and-snap. Congratulations, Maggie A! You've won October's Art Prize!

Date: 01/10/2014
Artist: SAMSARA_H
Folio: TRIBAL_FUSION
Samsara H is a breath of fresh air, filling our screens with a joyful mood and rich, dynamic color palettes which put us in mind of long days shooting 35mm film, when the experience mattered just as much as the final product. Samsara's simple day at the beach, underlined with evocative moments of contemplation and abstract plays at shape and form, have us feeling all touched and nostalgic. So congratulations, Samsara H, for winning September's Art Prize!

Date: 01/08/2014
Artist: AINSLEY_C
Folio: FIRST_MORNING
It takes great courage to post naked photos of oneself here at ISM, and Ainsley C's folio, "First Morning", takes the exposure one step further. Baring her scars for the first time, Ainsley takes on the whole world at once - daring us to look, and to love her as much as she loves herself. Along with the emotional depth of this exposure comes an elegantly enacted theme of emergence, deep vivid colors, and beautifully framed closeups, making Ainsley_C's debut folio a shoo-in for July's Art Prize. Congratulations!

Date: 01/07/2014
Artist: PIXIE_P
Folio: COTTON_TAIL
Pixie_P embraces the audience from the start, introducing the details of her body in intimate close up shots. As she takes the camera to arm's length, she allows us wider look into her world: hand drawn pictures on the wall, her pet rabbit. For her artful use of field size and composition, we are proud to award June's Art Prize to Pixie_P, for her primary folio, "Cotton_Tail". Congratulations!

Date: 01/06/2014
Artist: AZUMI
Folio: ECHOING
It wasn't easy for Azumi's folio to sneak up on us - her feet on the bare floorboards, echoing, the snap of a twig - but what alerted us to her presence most of all was the sound of her heart beating. Alive and vital, Azumi came echoing in through empty aesthetic spaces, filling them instead with her light and thought and body. Congratulations, Azumi, for winning May's Art Prize!

Date: 01/05/2014
Artist: KAWA
Folio: AKIBARE
When Kawa turns her gaze on herself, a strange beauty is magnified. 'Akibare' reflects the quiet brightness of the cusp between seasons, waxing and waning, a folio of shrewd curiosity as Kawa casts auto-erotic glances into her own in-between spaces. Congratulations, Kawa, for winning April's Art Prize!

Date: 01/04/2014 GRACIE_LEE ||
Folio: GRACIES_WEB
One day, Gracie_Lee walked out, naked as a sparrow, her footfalls delicate on the bending grasses and her camera taptapping against her hip. The world through Gracie's eyes is a soft and quiet place, rich with light refracting. Gracie Lee, fascinated by brilliance of her suncaught hair, the bokeh beauty of the day's colors brought back into focus by a sharp, clean twist of her efficient lens, the rippled creases and long taut planes of her own skin. Congratulations, Gracie Lee.

Date: 01/03/2014
Artist: VIVIANA
Folio: LAUGH_RIOT
Going through Viviana's folio "Laugh Riot" is like pulling a scarf out of a hat filled with emotions, each picture capturing a pure expression of mood. It's important to remember that beauty isn't always sunshine and laughter, but also moments of stark reality and calm contemplation. For reminding us of this, Viviana, thank you - and congratulations, for winning February's Art Prize!

Date: 01/02/2014
Artist: JAY_D
Folio: SUSPEND
Jay D's "Suspend" took big risks this month, combining flawless photography, thrilling public nudity, and fearless performance art as she perched on the balcony of her apartment tower, proudly displaying her naked body for the world to see. Jay_D ought to be proud - her risks paid off, nabbing January's Art Prize and our ardent admiration. Cheers, and congratulations to you, Jay D!

Date: 01/01/2014
Artist: MADITA
Folio: GOLDENESTUNDE
We're so pleased to wrap up 2013 and usher in the new year by offering up December's Art Prize to the curly-haired nyphette Madita, who has us alternately soothed and swooning with her white flowers and long bluegrass, that cheeky smile and elegant framing. Well done Madita, Glückliches neues Jahr, and congratulations!

Date: 01/12/2013
Artist: TROUBLEGRRRL
Folio: FAT_GRRRL
As we get down on our knees and offer up November's Art Prize to Troublegrrrl, we're in fine company - with no less than 6 Feminist Porn Awards, 7 AVN awards and countless others, we won't be the first (or the last) to recognize Troublegrrrl's brilliance. She got a heap of experience under that sexy belt, which is probably crumpled among the rest of her clothes, in a pile over yonder. It's our pleasure to add accomplished self-shooter to her impressive resume.

Date: 01/11/2013
Artist: AUTUMN_W
Folio: ANTLERED_DOE
With her attention to the finest details of her physical being, the way her skin brushes against, pushes out, slides on, and clutches to all the smooth textures of life which she gathers around her, Autumn W has captured our imagination, and brought a breath of magic into HQ from all the way over the sea. Thank you Finland, for giving us Autumn W and the landscapes which inspire her, and congratulations, Autumn W, for winning October's Art Prize.

Date: 01/10/2013
Artist: CREATURA
Folio: GRASSLANDS
A Creatura unlike the rest. It was nearly unanimous at HQ - we were all over-the-moon this month for Creatura's stunning debut "Grasslands", a tribute to all things green and glowing in the golden hour. Creatura opened up her lens and sucked in the sunlight, and the result was a folio as warm and beautiful as Creatura herself.

Date: 01/09/2013
Artist: ANNIE_BLOOM
Folio: MEMORIA_A_BOR
This month the art prize goes to Hungary, and 23-year old artist and student Annie_Bloom. Her moody folio uses "found light" perfectly and plays with focus and perspective to give us an all too brief look into the mind of this intriguing and beautiful woman.