11 Monday May 2020
Posted in Art, Second Life, secondlife
~ Pearl Grey
Plant-ish is the current exhibit at Montara Bridge Works Gallery.
~ Elle Thorkveld
Plant-ish is an exhibit of digital art by Elle Thorkveld, myself, and A.I. (Artificial Intelligence). My work began as watercolor renderings.
~ Pearl Grey
The notecard in the poster near the landing contains artist statements about this show, and information on the software and techniques used.
~ Elle Thorkveld
The exhibit is open until the end of June.
27 Monday Apr 2020
Posted in Second Life, secondlife, Virtual Worlds
≈ Comments Off on YellowDots Cafe
YellowDots “Chatty Cafe” is a friendly, social establishment for avatars including new and returning residents. It’s located on a 3072 sq m parcel in Stanlee at the end of the West Coast Road on Jeogeot.
The open air cafe is in a park setting and rated Moderate.
“Welcome! Seeking friendly people? Like to chat? We want to meet you. Stop in! Join YellowDots group: Rez objects, set home to here. Sandbox, Changing Rooms, Hobo, Lonely, Friends, Coffee, Tea, Old, News, Art, Help, Returning, New, Date, Games”
The Cafe owner, Ann Forbes is currently working on the website, and also finds time to keep up to date with available tours, discussions and events.
There’s space for art exhibits on the fence. Currently there are pieces by Fau Ferdinand shown.
Pods travel by the area, and there are bike rezzers withing a short walking distance up the road at Jonson Springs in Ezquerra.
16 Thursday Apr 2020
Posted in Art, Second Life, secondlife, Virtual Worlds
≈ Comments Off on Wanderlust Bench Art Park 4th Anniversary
Eggs by Klaus
It was a very different world four years ago on April 17th, 2016 when Quinn Leilani obtained a 512 parcel in Quentin, Sansara with a new, bargain, three month Premium membership. He offered the use of the land to some artists who’d been exhibiting work in the old motel at Lollygaggers, as long as I was willing to take care the project.
springtime dream by Veyot and The Authentic Girl Collage by Pearl
I invited a few people to participate and was delighted when two days later LiL Mint (SAULGOODIE) bought the parcel next door and set up WANDERLUST Cafe and Art Park Expansion.
by Wheedle, Klaus, and LiL Mint
It was a lab experiment in exhibiting art, intended to be relaxing, and to encourage avatars to keep creating and showing their work. We wanted to forego the parties and events, and instead hope that the group members would take an interest in the creations and activities of each other.
by Elle Thorkveld and Quinn
Elle Thorkveld has one of her colorful digital art pieces for this round and Quinn chose a photo of the neighboring parcel on the Cafe side. Many neighbors have come and gone during the last four years. I miss the lighthouses, but not the banlined Correctional Center.
The Tango Club next to the park is quite lively, and often filled with dancers. The landscaping next to the Cafe is restful, with Monkeypod trees and a beech forest. Perhaps the Quentin region will be somewhat stable for awhile.
by Amy Inawe, Klaus, and Myra Wildmist
Many of the group members appreciate the Mainland, and there are posters with landmarks to their cafe’s, galleries, and other public parcels.
For those who like to read, a brief, timely essay is available on a notecard in the piece Klaus props against the fence, as shown in the middle above.
3D collage by Pearl Grey
We began by changing the art every month, then realized it was more sustainable to show the exhibits for two months. Many of the artists have been consistently exhibiting for the entire four years.
Pulsar sculpture by Elle Thorkveld.
Part of the experiment had to do with changing the “curator” role. I consider myself to be more of a park ranger, and an initiator instead of a “leader’.
LiL Mint has created a very pleasant space with the Cafe, and the courtyard which can hold 3D pieces and other installations. There’s a gallery on the parcel too.
by Zia Sophia
New, and very welcome to Art Park, and exhibiting in WANDERLUST Cafe is Zia Sophia (Zia Branner).
by Giselle Seeker
Giselle’s colorful works are on the ground floor of the gallery, and LiL Mint’s graphic art is on the top floor.
Real Life and Second Life are both unpredictable. At this point, I am planning to have another exhibit for May and June at Wanderlust Bench Art Park.
05 Sunday Apr 2020
Posted in Second Life, secondlife, Virtual Worlds
≈ Comments Off on Last Drop Cafe ~ Chain of Coffee Shops
Last Drop Cafe in Montiaur
For those of you who travel the mainland, have you come across a Last Drop Cafe? It began with one, and now there are nine. They are operated and decorated by different avatars, and are on at least four continents. The parcel sizes range from 192 – 1024 square meters.
The Cafe in Montiaur is operated by MBeatrix and Veyot. “Oh no, that lady at the Cafe is moving furniture again! But, come in and have some coffee and a sandwich.”
Last Drop Cafe in Craggen Maw
This shows the inside of the Cafe in Craggen Maw. The low Li, small footprint buildings were given to us by the builder, MBeatrix. Veyot and she operate this shop. There’s a gorgeous garden on the grounds with spring flowers and trees.
“Take the Last Drop Challenge! Can you visit all nine cafes? You can drive to the one at Chapala if you study the map a little. Take the free car or the bike outside and travel!”
Last Drop Cafe in Chapala
The shop in Chapala is on the smallest parcel – 192 sq m. It is operated by Klaus Bereznyak and me. One weekend, a large group of avatars did indeed travel from Craggen Maw to this location. Some of us continued on, while the rest of us sat and chatted.
Soon, there will be a notecard with a route mapped out to travel from this location to a different type of Cafe in Stanlee, at the end of West Coast Road, owned by Ann Forbes. The notecard will include rez zone landmarks along the way, and will be located inside a jar in the front yard.
“Cafe near rez zone. Art. Posters. Welcome. Get landmarks for the other Last Drop Cafes from the news vendor machine.”
Last Drop Cafe in Leafminer
The Coffee Shop in this location is part of Xiraz in Leafminer. It’s located near Leafminer Park and Mole Mart. There is a taxi rezzer out front. Avatars can travel be road to and from the Coffee Shop in Rustic.
Last Drop Cafe in Rustic
The Coffee Shop in Rustic is owned by Dawnie Macarthur. There’s seating out front overlooking the water, and pod boats go by at 8 minutes after the hour. “Have your coffee on the deck by the water.”
Last Drop Cafe in Wyrd
The Last Drop Cafe at Wyrd is located on the continent of Satori, and gorgeously decorated by Seraphim Placebo. “Always open. Watch for our cafes wherever you travel.”
Zoe’s Last Drop Cafe at Shoshin Lodge
This is the only snowlands coffee shop so far. It’s located at Shoshin Lodge in Kendall. The Lodge, owned by Zoe Foodiboo, is open to the public too.
“Welcome weary travelers! Come in, relax, warm up, make yourself something to eat. Rest up before you continue on your journey through the snowlands of Sansara.”
Last Drop Cafe in Taeniatum
The SLurl for this Cafe at Cultured Goats will take you directly inside the building. It is located on a very steep hill. You can climb down a ladder to a small park in front, or use the teleporter to access the treehouse art gallery above. The High Mountain Road is very close by, above the gallery. The parcel is owned by Elle Thorkveld, and the cafe is decorated by Klaus and me. “Art + Goats + Cafe”
Last Drop Cafe in Rosewood
This location is on the rocky land in Rosewood, just off Circuit La Corse. It’s operated by Klaus and myself, and there are other things to look at and places to hang out on the small parcel called Last Drop Cafe and Dimensional Way Station. The black news vendor shown out front in the photo above contains a notecard with all the landmarks to the other locations.
“Welcome kindly avatars. Last Drop Cafe. Art. Hedda Sterne & William H. Johnson exhibit in sky gallery. Teleporter on outside wall in back of the parcel.”
My previous post is regarding the exhibit in the sky in Rosewood.
Veyot and MBeatrix have been inspiring with this project I’ve enjoyed the last month or so.
12 Thursday Mar 2020
Posted in Art, Second Life, secondlife
≈ Comments Off on Hedda Sterne and William H Johnson Virtual Exhibit
Recently I learned of a real world artist whose work, and approach to making art appealed to me. Reading about Hedda Sterne, and finding fair use images of her art inspired me to bring some pieces into Second Life, to view them on the walls of a small skybox that is now functioning as a gallery.
Around the same time, my friend Klaus came across the work of William H. Johnson whose art he appreciates. He brought some pieces inworld into what I’m now calling Rosewood Way Station Gallery. We’d like to share the exhibit with other virtual residents.
In the real world, Hedda Sterne’s art would not be displayed so close together, and William Johnson’s woodcuts would be shown much smaller. There is an informational notecard in the exhibit poster.
The pieces selected from Sterne’s body of work span decades, and differs from many of her contemporaries in its avoidance of a signature style. I also like that she considered herself a “pointer” in that her art was not self-expression, but pointing at something.
She was a member of “The Irascible 18”, a label given to a group of abstract artists who rejected the exhibit, and boycotted the competition, at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s American Painting Today – 1950. She posed with a group of the artists for an iconic photo in Life Magazine. Many of them didn’t want her included because she was a woman.
She outlived them all. More information can be found here.
William Johnson’s wonderful art was almost destroyed in 1956; over a thousand works were eventually transferred to The Smithsonian American Art Museum. He led a fascinating, but tragic life.
Widely traveled, he returned to the US when war threatened Europe. He’d become fascinated with “folk art” style, and depicted African American life. Today he’s considered to be one of the most important artists of his generation. More information can be found here.
08 Sunday Mar 2020
Posted in Art, Second Life, secondlife, Virtual Worlds
≈ Comments Off on Shells ~ Digital Collages
Tags
Gaston Bachelard, Klaus Bereznyak, Montara Bridge Works Gallery, Sansara, Second Life, Shells, The Poetics of Space
“Shells” is a collection of digital collages inspired by the entire chapter on the subject in Gaston Bachelard’s Poetics of Space. The exhibit by Klaus Bereznyak is open through the end of March at Montara Bridge Works Gallery.
Klaus “instantly connected with the author’s words as a long-time collector of shells and fossils and a lover of the diverse forms of habitable space.”
“On the first floor are five works in square format reflecting on the primal meanings I associate with shells.”
“On the second floor are six large-format pieces in a coherent sequence, each leading to the next.”
“Put together these would create a whole picture, yet each stands on its own. It is for the watcher to simply enjoy the ideas that arise in the mind in response to this sequence.”
Montara Bridge Works Gallery is located in the sky on Sansara. A teleport leads to the beach below, near the Hooper Bridge.
07 Friday Feb 2020
Posted in Life, Second Life, secondlife, Virtual Worlds
≈ Comments Off on Hill of Crosses, Verdigris
Created by Fleming Helfenstein, Hill of Crosses is located in one of my favorite virtual places, Verdigris. The classic Verdigris windlight is used in the build; I’ve lightened the exposure on these photos.
At the landing point is an info board with welcoming notecard.
Hill of Crosses is inspired by a Real Life location in Lithuania. The notecard contains a link to the Wikipedia page.
“This is not a graveyard, but a quiet place of peace, introspection and tranquility.”
“A sense of melancholia lies over the small hill, and it can be a site of mourning and longing. The items and plants – even the layout of the ground – are often symbolic, but instead of telling too much I would like to invite visitors to create their own meaning and story here.”
“Please feel free to explore the parcel, there are many hidden (non-adult) corners inviting to rest and relax.”
I found Hill of Crosses to be a lovely, restful place; the music stream is appropriate for the sim. I enjoyed the pathways and the spirit of contemplation.
A Flickr group is listed, and contact info for those who want to rez their own cross.
01 Saturday Feb 2020
Posted in Art, Second Life, secondlife, Virtual Photography, Virtual Worlds
≈ Comments Off on Wanderlust Art Park and Cafe ~ January – February
The current exhibit at Wanderlust Bench Art Park is showing until the end of this month. On the left in the photo above is a piece by Quinn, Art Park owner. On the right, a photo by Kate Silver.
By Mango Lassi
The neighborhood has changed again. Next door in Hookton, an established Tango Club has moved in.
Digital art by Klaus, LiL Mint, and Elle Thorkveld.
From left to right, by Amy Inawe, and Klaus.
Left to right, by Pearl Grey, and Wheedle.
Collage by Veyot.
Next door at Wanderlust Cafe and Art Park Expansion, Giselle Seeker has an exhibit on the gallery ground floor.
And upstairs, graphic art by LiL Mint.
The next exhibit will be March through April. Please contact pearlgrey resident if you’d like to show your work.
22 Wednesday Jan 2020
Posted in Art, Second Life, secondlife, Virtual Worlds
≈ Comments Off on qeddoq
A lovely homestead nestled between Sparquerry and ACC Alpha, qeddoq has been created with heart over several months, beginning some time last early autumn.
The efficient, fun rail system will transport you to and from Port of Sparquerry on one side of the island. The house in the left of the photo above is phantom: the walls are covered with sketches.
I was delighted that I’d intrepidly poked around into so many details, finding these sketches by Haveit Neox, the creator of qeddoq.
There are nature areas, with seating for lingering, and whimsical touches including a miniature village.
The underground caverns are restful. Exploration will yield the discovery of a piano, a throne, and a bathtub.
There are artistic elements that hold memories.
The courtyard holds tables for dining with an abundance of flowers, plants, and fountains. There are two lovely outdoor pools on each end of the small village, and more dining and dancing on the outdoor terraced landscape.
Follow the arrow down to more dining below the courtyard. And the washroom is well worth seeking out.
I find qeddoq to be wonderfully complimentary to Port of Sparquerry and ACC Alpha.
And it has its own unique beauty and charm.
The train system will transport you to and from ACC Alpha on another side of the island. It could take weeks, even months to explore all there is to see on these sims by Haveit Neox.
22 Sunday Dec 2019
Posted in Second Life, secondlife
There’s a collaborative building project happening in Kowloon. A 100 story building has been constructed, with a variety of avatar tenants who’ve each installed a room.
Magnum Yoshikawa, the sim owner and project manager has created this wonderful activity that’s enjoyable to visit, and also in which to participate.
There were a few changes since the building began about two weeks ago, and the space has filled quickly. The “floors” were purchased, and coordinates were given to stack one on top of the other. Available Li ran out, and the original 22 Li floors were updated to a 10 Li version.
An avatar can walk up all the stairs in the back, some of which have been personalized.
Flying is allowed, and one can be selective of which floors to further explore.
The textures inside can be changed, and with one click. reset.
There’s a good number of bars, lounges, and snack rooms. Some holiday season decor is included, and even a welcoming space for vampires. There are at least two corpses in the building last I checked.
The protocol was fairly easy, – purchase a floor, click on a sign to request admittance into the group, wait for the invite, and rez the floor on top of the last one. Many of the notices during the changes had English instructions, as well as Japanese; Google translate worked great.
Numbers have been placed on the side of the building at each 10 stories to help with getting bearings. There are 102 floors as of right now.
My floor is fairly close to the ground. I put some art pieces I’ve made, and then removed one to help with the overall primmage.
This build will come down sometime in mid-January, and then another will go up for those who couldn’t participate this time. More information can be found on the Kowloon blog, which has a post in English text, as well as Japanese.
