Visit the VR Gallery
At the start of her Spot VR residency, Shaw was keen on expanding her practice by exploring virtual reality technology as an artistic medium to incorporate into her existing illustration practice.
Shaw began her Spot VR residency by learning about virtual reality technology and software such as Open Brush and Space XR which she found effective and user friendly. This lead towards the creation of illustrations, logos and 3D Models of miniature worlds in VR. She also experimented with making video in VR by importing 3D models into the video game engine software, Unity.
‘The Landscape That Shapes Us,’ Shaw's illustrative project in digital media and wool-felt material invites us to connect with nature, our inner selves and emotions as humans. Shaw's illustrations portray warmth and nostalgia, with scenic depictions of self portraiture, nature, city scapes and balance. Aaliyah's needle felting work grounds us in comfort, cosiness, ease and protection as a physical depiction of her subjects in real time, while her digital illustrations in virtual reality act as escapism into fantasy realms which bring relief, as they deviate from the mundane and expectations of the real world.