There is a similar forum for gardeners, but not with the elegant design that Max has custom created here at Mudcat. There are people on the www.gardenweb.com forums who have connected with each other over their discussions. The forums I have found for artists and illustrators are plagued with ego competitions and flaming. I have thought about this subject of Mudcat's unique member interaction... I do think the folk music has an influence on the type of people drawn to this forum. Music is more of a shared experience, especially ensemble playing and singing, and there is something about sharing that makes people more generous and thoughtful of the reaction of others. The artists seem to be in their own little fantasy world that they create, and posture for attention even more than ego inflated musicians. My career has been in art instead of music, so I really am aware of this difference. In the 3D world, my friends from music have been much more kind and caring toward myself and my son than the people I know through art. This has been made crystal clear to me recently because of some things that have happened to change our relationship with an artist friend I've known for over 25 years. The musicians we know from the session have enriched our life through our musical connection, whereas the artist, I am now aware, used his friendship to build up his image. He talks about people as his "fans", not his friends. I suppose there are musicians who are that way, too, but it seems like the artists I know and most I meet on art forums, are fighting dog-eat-dog to get their work enshrined in someone's collection. There is something about music that makes people "connect" more to others. The visual arts have isolated me, and music has brought me closer to people.