Thanks for visiting The Jagged Rooms, a web site that is intended to serve as a personal artistic venue. To get you acquainted with the overall effort here, some general information will follow using a Question&Answer format.

1. Who are you?

My name is Richard Jordan Smoot and I am a professional composer by training who has been actively working with visual media, including photography and video in recent years. My interest in mediums other than those which are inherently musical is usually related to my musical thinking nonetheless. I have been writing music and works of a literary nature since I was a child. After spending a number of years in and around academia (I was an Associate Professor of Music in a past incarnation), as well as the music and art scene, I have joined the multitudinous ranks of artists interested in new venues that enable the individual to communicate directly with an audience without the so-called "middle-man" or the politicians of art regulating what is presented.

2. What is The Jagged Rooms and why the name?

This can best be described as an open-ended web site for the presentation of my work. The name for the web site reflects my ongoing interest in perception, memory and consciousness as these things relate to creative activity and the active imagination.

3. How many other people are involved with this web site?

This site is based upon my concept exclusively. Nonetheless, I have had the pleasure of working with a talented and creative web designer who has been a significant part of bringing this site into being. He is a musician as well and understands my concerns in a wonderfully egoless manner. Also, I use the site to promote the work of other talented guest artists whose work I like.

4. What can we expect to see and hear?

To put it simply -- creative work. Logically, this will include a good deal of music, but also photography, experimental video clips and writings of various sorts. As I have said I am viewing this as a medium for artistic communication.

5. How do we obtain the work encountered here?

At the bottom right of most TJR pages you will find an icon that will take you to the site area for my professional studio, Sound Endeavors . There you will be able to buy music, including CDs and published scores, photographs (including less expensive, digital prints), experimental video works and published writings as items become available at our secure, online MIVA Store. For some items you will be referred to my publisher, Acoma Company, and their retail resources.

6. What are the Loft, Archives and Miscellanea areas?

Think of the the Loft as a workspace where I share information about current work. Also, visitors to The Jagged Rooms are welcome to offer feedback about the work encountered here that I may post in the Loft [Check the icons at the bottom of most TJR pages.] I will try to post the best comments.

The Archives will be the place where you will find samples of past work. And look at our links page as well.

The Miscellanea section is my blog.

7. Will you respond to your e-mail personally?

That is my intention at this point. Feel free to write and specify whether or not you want your thoughts posted. No names will be given and e-mail addresses will not be sold or transmitted to other parties. I will maintain a mailing list for purposes of notifying visitors of updates, etc. I will remove your address upon request.

8. How often will material be posted?

I plan to post new work as it is created and files are prepared. Please note that this is a time consuming process and that I am one man with a dedicated but still relatively inexperienced apprentice helping with content. My goal is to post at around the end of the month into the first week of the next month. I post to the Miscellanea and Loft areas irregularly, but frequently. PLEASE! Be patient. I will be making work available in the free area as well, so check the Miscellanea section and the Preview areas.

9. Why is part of this site a Patron-oriented pay site?

Two words -- artistic freedom. By charging a very low Patron's fee, I can be assured that an age verification process is at work and feel comfortable communicating freely within the site. As well it enables me to obtain a modicum of financial support for this costly endeavor. Moreover, I create a lot of photos involving the nude and wish to offer visitors adequate warning regarding the site's content.

10. What are the requirements for media delivery with this website?

You must have a working MP3 player installed for playback of my music MP3 files. Please note that usually I am posting complete works. These files can be very large. If you are on a slower modem be prepared to wait. You will need the latest Quicktime or Windows Media Player for playing back my video files. Again, these files are rather large. Imagery is in the JPG format. We test everything on this end in the MAC and Windows environments to confirm that all is in solid working order. If you have any problems please contact us via e-mail. Remember that all media is copyrighted by Richard Jordan Smoot and cannot be transferred or distributed in any way, shape or form.

11. What is the best way to keep abreast of developments on this site?

Please check the Current Updates area by clicking on the icon found on the main page. Current information is available for my various areas of creative activity as well as general subjects related to this site.

12. How do we contact you?

Simply on the various email links found throughout the site. Be sure to put something in the email title field to distinguish your email from the spam that I get (and discard en masse). I will personally respond promptly. Don't be shy; I love to talk about my work, etc.

Remember to have your name added to the mailing list by following the email link on the main page or clicking here.

I view the Internet as a remarkable means for communicating with an unconventional audience. Ultimately, I am not strongly motivated by a desire to make big bucks for this effort; rather, it is all about the joy of art-making and reaching people. I look forward to sharing my work with you and maybe exchanging a few thoughts and ideas.

Enjoy your visit.

Richard Jordan Smoot