Day: October 24, 2020

Unveiled: a new art experience in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Sinful Retreat

Unveiled is the title that has been given to the opening of a new art experience in Second Life that has been developed by Chuck Clip with the support of several notable artists and curators of art.

Located on Chuck’s Full region of Sinful Retreat, the experience is intended to be a rolling series of exhibitions and installations that represent Chuck’s desire to turn the region into a centre for art.

This is it! This is the day I’ve been planning since I decided a few months ago to turn Sinful Retreat into an art region. Back at the end of July/the beginning of August, I started contacting artists offering up sections of my region to do with as they would, to create a cohesive environment out of incongruent styles of art. What we celebrate now is the first iteration of that vision. Currently represented are 10 different artists including myself. More are waiting in the wings to take sections over in the coming months to begin the process of evolution. From here on out, the region will continue to slowly change and develop in new directions.

– Chuck Clip

Unveiled: Cica Ghost

For the opening, the region features pieces and installations by Aequitas Nirvana, Chica Ghost, Ciottolina Xue, Eupalinos Ugajin, Livio Korobase, London Junkers, Pixels Sideways, Thoth Jantzen, Toysoldier Thor and Chuck himself. Presented as individual pieces or grouped installations throughout the region. This is an eclectic and electric group of artists who between them present a fascinating series of installations and pieces that offer reflections on human emotions, life and death, ecology, politics, the environment, and more.

In addition to these, Mariposa Upshaw and Tayzia Abattoir, two veteran curators  of art in Second Life will be managing a rotating exhibition of the art they’ve been collecting since 2004 in a dedicated part of the region.

Unveiled: Livio Korobase

For the opening, the title of Unveiled serves a dual purpose. Not only does it reflect the opening of the region’s full artistic breadth, but it also refers to the physical unveiling of the centrepiece for the region. Entitled The Exquisite Corpse, it is a new work of art by Bryn Oh, Cica Ghost and Walton F. Wainwright, and it will be revealed over the course of the 6-hour opening event.

The latter kicks-off at 12:00 noon SLT on Saturday, October 24th, and runs through until 18:00 SLT. It will feature music by Semina, Jovan Buchsbaum, Oblee, and Skye Galaxy from 12:00 noon through until 16:00, with DJ IllSkillz taking over from 16:00 for a two-hour set.

Unveiled: London Junkers

The opening will take place on the region’s elevated main street, where Bryn Oh’s Lady Carmagnolle Theatre has been set-up to host the performers.  bookended by the Janus I and Janus II galleries, the main street location also presents visitors with the opportunity to visit both galleries and view Judilynn India’s Mindscapes exhibition (which I reviewed in JudiLynn’s Mindscapes in Second Life) and Jennifer Steele’s Something for Everyone, which officially opens on Sunday, October 25th.

The rest of the installation / exhibit spaces are one the ground level of the region, which can be reached via a path winding down to it from the south side of the Janus Gallery, for those who fancy the walk. Also on the ground level is the Janus III Gallery, currently hosting an exhibition of art by John Huntsman – I’ll be covering both this and Jennifer’s exhibit in an upcoming review.

Unveiled: Ciottolina Xue

With the focus on changing and evolving exhibits (both outdoors and within the gallery spaces), Sinful Retreat promises to be an outstanding art experience that will offer something to everyone in SL whenever they visit. I admit to being stunned by the way Chuck and his team have already brought together a group who represent some of the artists in Second Life I most admire – including a couple (London and Pixel), whose work I haven’t seen in a while.

This is very much a labour of love for Chuck, and as such, I’ll leave the final comments for this piece to him:

I’d just like to thank my wife and our polypartner, all of the artists, patrons, bloggers, musicians, etc. for their support in this mad idea of mine. The response from the outset has been far better than I ever expected. People keep thanking me for doing this, but I should be the one thanking all of them. I just had an idea. None of it would have happened with out all of them.

– Chuck Clip

Unveiled: Pixels Sideways

Catch the opening of Unveiled from 12:00 noon onwards on Saturday, October 24th, and be sure to give yourself time to explore the region – several visits over the course of several days are recommended to fully appreciate everything.

SLurl Details

  • Unveiled (Sinful Retreat, rated Adult)

Autumn at Whimberly in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Whimberly, October 2020 – click and image for full size

It’s been 18 months since I last wrote about Whimberly, the homestead region held by Staubi Reilig (Engelsstaub) (see: Whimberly’s summer fields in Second Life), which is an interesting break, given it was some fifteen months between that visit and the one before; so maybe I’m getting into a cycle for visits – although given the picturesque nature of Staubi’s designs, more frequent visits should be the order of things.

Anyway, the last time we were there, the region was in the middle of summer. Now autumn has arrived, and with it a delightful new design with plenty of places for people to enjoy the setting.

Whimberly, October 2020

A visit begins on the south side of the region at a Zen garden that looks north over a broad bay. This may have once been an enclosed lake, but which is now open to the waters beyond the region, which are themselves enclosed by mountains.

From the landing point, which overlooks an over-the water terrace complete with comfortable seats and the opportunity to try raw pumpkin, two arms of land stretch northwards to the west and east, reaching out to encircle the bay, linked at their northern extent by a low wooden bridge.

Whimberly, October 2020

The westward arm rises along the gentle slope of low cliffs, a meandering path wandering up it, the route marked by a low fence. A  forest cabin sits at the highest walkable point of the hills, backed by a narrow ridge of rock that might help keep it in the lee of any westerly winds sweeping down from the high peaks beyond the land and its ring of water.

This cabin, cosily furnished, offers a grand view out over the central bay to the eastern side of the island. Tall Douglas firs mark the path up to the cabin and sit around it as if protecting it, before marching onwards with the path as it winds its way back down to the lowlands and the bridge connecting the west and east sides of the island. A spur to the path points west to where a little fishing hut sits at the water’s edge.

Whimberly, October 2020

Eastwards from the landing point, a second path curls its way through a copse of great oak trees to a couple more destinations.

The first of these, sitting behind gabled gates and a large terrace and pond (complete with fountain and swan!) is a small but comfortably furnished hall where a Full English breakfast awaits the hungry  – or for those who prefer, afternoon tea can be had on the front terrace, warmed by one of the two outdoor fireplaces, the other being to the rear of the hall, overlooking the open waters of the region from a brick paved terrace.

Whimberly, October 2020

Outside of the hall’s gates, the path meanders onwards through the trees to become a paved route that passes by another seating are and climbs a low hill to where a farmhouse overlooks a broad field of nanohana awaiting harvesting. With geese outside and more comfortable furnishing within, the farmhouse is of a traditional American design, its red wooden walls a perfect match for the region, a deck again sitting over the waters to the rear for those seeking a place to to relax within the setting.

Hooking its way past the the farmhouse, the path rolls down through the the field to pass an old pier where visitors can rez a rowing boat and head out into the bay, before it comes to the northern bridge to offer a complete loop around the island.

Whimberly, October 2020

Presented in a mix of summer and autumnal colours and rounded out by a rich sound scape, Whimberly remains an attractive, highly photogenic and inviting region that welcomes visitors to come an spend their time.

SLurl Details