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Frances Anderton and Pamela Davis Kivelson

. . . Meanwhile, an alternative to dealers has been developed; "The Kaleidoscope" [Kaleidospace] is a novel, LA-based venture for selling art over the computer networks. This is a service whereby any artist can, for a fee of $50 per art piece, show their work to "20 million people, in 127 countries" on the computer networks.

Art On the Infobahn

Cassandra Nelson

Kaleidospace has launched a multimedia Internet service to help independent artists and musicians. With this new service, Internet users sample text, graphics, sound and even short movies from each artist.

WIRED (October 1994)

THE (SECOND PHASE OF THE) REVOLUTION HAS BEGUN

Cool Web Pages: A Sampler

Gary Wolf

Kaleidospace - Material from writers, artists, musicians and videographers. The Kspace people charge a nominal fee to digitize and publicize unknowns.

***Our home page is printed in true color!***

BOSTON GLOBE (October 9, 1994)

A SIMPLE MOSAIC

A Stop On The Web

Aaron Zitner

Los Angeles-based Kaleidospace is a cyber gallery for sculptors, writers, filmmakers and other artists [*oops - they left out music!*]. The artists pay a fee to put their work on the World Wide Web. Featured recently has been Vitold Kosir, a Croatian sculptor, who offers photos of his metallic assemblages (prices: $850 to $1,550 - order on line!). Click on his personal icon, and you'll see that Kosir has long hair, chiseled features and an impressively rounded resume. Other Kaleidospace offerings include a chance to buy videos of animated short films.

***Again, a full color picture of our home page is printed -- this time on the cover of the Business section!***

FINDING CREATIVITY ON THE INTERNET

Cyberspace: Jeannie Novak and Pete Markiewicz created Kalediospace, a place to view and purchase works of artists, musicians and writers.

Robert Levine

Jeannie Novak was having trouble finding a record company to distribute her solo album of modern classical piano. So last year she began thinking about other ways to promote and sell her music. With her background in computer programming, it's no surprise that she thought about he Internet, which seemed like an inexpensive way for independent artists to reach potential buyers.

The idea was the seed that bore Kaleidospace. Last March, Novak, 29 and partner Pete Markiewicz, 38, maxed out their credit cards and used some room in their Santa Monica apartment to launch the arts-oriented site on the World Wide Web, the fast-growing, easy-to-use graphics based part of the Internet.

Kaleidospace showcases and eclectic range of works including lithographs, sculpture, alternative rock, world music, avant-garde compositions, comedy, graphic novels and experimental fiction.

Kaleidospace has also basically taken over the apartment in which it was launched. "Is this living?" a busy Novak asks during an interview in a living-room-turned-office filled with several computers. "I guess it is."

Partly because the World Wide Web is international, the Kaleidospace workday goes on well into the evening. "Every machine makes a certain sound," Novak explains. "(And a user) might call to place an order at 4 in the morning."

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB

Robin Talyor Parets

#98--Jeannie Novak
Kaleidospace debuted January 1, 1994 as the first company to commercially distribute works by independent artists via the Web. Ms. Novak created the site to distribute her own album and to empower independent artists who had no easy way to promote themselves, distribute their work or make industry contacts in the physical world. Kspace offers such a forum.

Yardena Arar

"I really think it has helped me get a lot of exposure I wouldn't have had otherwise,"  said (musician Nancy) Gaian, who...signed on after hearing Novak talk about her plans at a January 1994 Women in Music meeting.

"It's a great way for an independent artist with an independent label to get exposure without having to go through the expensive process of distribution," said Jim Bartz of Portage, Ind., who describes himself as a futuristic musician.

Bartz said he has sold 15 CDs of his work to people who heard it on Kaleidospace; he was also contacted recently by a Canadian who specializes in finding music for films and TV shows.

"We think this is just the first step in terms of something that can really revolutionize media," Novak said. "It won't be a CD that we sell, eventually. It won't be this tangible object that we're sending thorough. It will be an interactive experience--like a virtual theme park."

Andy Marx

While state-of-the art advances in technology have enabled artists such as filmmakers and musicians to create works with less financial resources than has been traditionally necessary, one area that continues to be a stumbling block is distribution.

Many artists are beginning to find out that no matter how good the technology is, it's no help if there is no place to distribute an artist's work.

Happily for many of these artists, the lack of distribution is beginning to be less of a problem thanks to the Internet--and to such sites as Kaleidospace, the first World Wide web site devoted to the distribution and recognition of works crated by independent artists and musicians.

"The whole idea that people can produce their own stuff and sell it is empowerment," says Novak. "This is a worldwide market. This helps people get exposure, gigs--people are getting shown in other galleries. These are things that are not on the shelves. These are people who could not have that kind of exposure."

A current cruise of the Kaleidospace site bears her out: Not only can one locate independent artists on the site, but commercial art galleries are also featured.

Interestingly, Kaleidospace's Artists-in-Residence are commercial artists, whom Novak says "contribute a philosophy of high-profile artists who happen to be independent-minded," a factor that Novak says is important to the success of the site.

"They are not there to sell anything," says Novak. "They want to help independent artists."

Spinning Through Kaleidospace: Independent artists are 'net surfing over marketing obstacles.

Michael Brown

Kaleidospace is a way station on the Internet where musicians and other artists can showcase and sell their work directly to the consumer.

"Kaleidospace is a dream-come-true marketing tool for the independent artist," says (singer-songwriter Nancy) Gaian. "It gives me exposure that I wouldn't be able to get any other way."

Kaleidospace is the perfect home for artists who resist being categorized by A&R reps, radio stations, and retailers.

"If the industry likes you, but can't fit you into an existing category, they'll label you as an 'alternative,'" says Gaian. "When you get right down to it, every artist's style is an alternative. With Kaleidospace, you don't get stopped by those A&R bottlenecks. There's no gatekeeper making judgments about who deserves to be heard and who doesn't."

Independent artists and performers could very well get their big break on Kaleidospace, a Web page that promotes, distributes and sells works by musicians, writers, performers, animators, filmmakers, CD-ROM authors and software developers.

Artists have the option of renting space in one of Kaleidospace's Artist Rooms. A writer, for example can post an excerpt from her book in the Reading Room while a musician might want to provide a clip from his latest song in the Music Kiosk.

Kaleidospace also consults artists who want to establish their own Web pages.

Cyberscope: ONLINE: Prodigy News

with Kaleidospace home page in a Prodigy browser window as "Surfing the Web" example

Beating out rivals America Online and CompuServe, Prodigy last week unveiled a custom World Wide Web graphical browser for its more than 2 million customers. the World Wide Web, developed by the European Particle Physics Laboratory, is an information-retrieval system that uses hypermedia links instead of menus. Prodigy's Windows-equipped users can now explore the graphical universe of URLs and homepages, previously available only to the most determined Internet users. AOL and CompuServe plan to offer Web access this year.

American recordings, home to Slayer and Johnny Cash, among others, nests on the Internet at http://american.redordings.com. The site is packed with discographies, tour guides and assorted computer goodies (an MC 900 Ft. Jesus screen saver, an interactive Love an Rockets press kit, etc.) for the label's entire roster. The site was devised in coordination with a consulting firm called Kaleidospace, whose own site (kspace.com) offers freeware utilities for taking advantage of the video and audio segments available at the American sites and countless other hot spots around the net.