Category: Art in Second Life

The art of … well, me, actually!

Posted on by Inara Pey
Kultivate Loft Gallery, January 2021

As a rule, I’m not a great believer in self-promotion, however, I also have to admit to being delighted and honoured to be invited by John Huntsman to present some of my images of the places I’ve visited in SL in the opening exhibition of 2021 for Kultivate Magazine’s Loft Gallery.

As I’ve oft – and genuinely – stated, I do not consider myself as “artist” when compared to the many, many talents of genuine artists who have a genuine talent for bring Second Life and its avatars to life; my work is really attempts at illustrating the places I visit rather than trying to be any form of artistic statement. So, when I receive an invitation such as this, I am genuinely (and quite considerably) honoured and flattered. In  this case, very, very much so, given the calibre of artist who are generally invited to exhibit at the Kultivate galleries.

I’m also not great with opening events – I prefer to keep to the background and patter / putter around where I can’t be notice. However, and all things being equal, I’ll be at the Loft for the opening John and Tempest have arranged, and I hope that you’ll drop by either for the opening event from 12 noon SLT on sunday, January 3rd, or over the next few weeks and have a peek at the images I’ve selected for the exhibition.

Many thanks again to John and Tempest for arrange this exhibition.

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A new home for an Artists’ Village in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Campbell Coast, January 2021

Back in September 2020, I wrote about the Artists’ Village at Campbell Coast, operated by BJoyful and Doc Rast (rasterscan) and curated by Owl Dragonash.  Since that time, both Campbell Coast and the Village has relocated, the latter now forming a sky platform over the region.

Work recently completed on the relocation, which sees Campbell Coast offer a similar facility as found at the Phoenix Artists Collaboration – a collection of study-style spaces available to artists (group membership required), with up to 110 LI available per artist.

The studios are presented in town house style units with two floors of exhibition space (artists will need to install their own teleport systems between floors), with the studios laid out in blocks separated by cobbled streets and open spaces, complete with an open-air bar / event space at the southern end of the village.

Campbell Coast, January 2021

Some 42 units are available, with 29 already occupied  / reserved by the following artists: Dhyezl, Etamae, Jaz, Gidgy Adagio, Shakti Adored, Caly Applewhyte, Whimsical Aristocrat, Ceekay Ballyhoo, Michiel Bechir, Thomaz Blackburn, Giovanna Cerise, Rey Charles, Owl Dragonash, Apple Fall, Johannes Huntsman, Uli Jansma, Suzen Juel, Lena Kiopak,  Anouk Lafavre, Dimivan Ludwig, Radagast Malaprop, Kitty Mills, Nympheas Nogah, Inara Pey, Blues Rocker, Tempest Rosca, David Silence and Skip Staheli.

They are joined by musicians Jed Luckless, Lexus Melodie, Larree Quixote, and writer GoSpeed Racer. All of whom amount to a rich selection of artistic expression.

With music events to be held on occasion, as well as entertainment for art events, the Artists Village offers a lot for the patron of the arts to appreciate. When not enjoying the art on display, there are opportunities to sit and appreciate the setting  – designed by Kitty Mills and Owl Dragonash – and also to go horse riding.

Campbell Coast, January 2021

Those interested in obtaining a space at the Village should contact one of Bjoful, Doc or Owl in-world.

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A visit to an owl’s nest in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Eulennest, January 2021

Sitting on the southern coast of Corsica is small island occupying the south-western corner of Novatron is a small island called Eulennest (“owl nest”).

Held by Kitty (Kitten Mills) the island is home to a range of social venues Kitty has developed for public use. These include music events areas on the beach and up on the table of rock that forms the island, a  hidden water cistern, room to dock boats (the island can be reached by sailors) and to re-rez them, as well as numerous places to explore and / or to sit and enjoy the views.

Eulennest, January 2021
[Eulennest is] open for your events and parties – just book an appointment with Uli Jansma, register a DJ (you have to bring your own stream). If special decoration is desired or recitals are required, please contact Uli Jansma or Kitten Mills. It costs nothing!

from Kitten’s Profile

The focal point of the island is the Eulennest café-restaurant and gallery. It is set within Scarlet Creative’s Serendipity Retreat – oft seen within public regions as a deserted structure, and which here is put to very good use.   The café element sits within the courtyard of the building, whilst the two wings of the building form the gallery space within.

Eulennest: Anouk Lefavre

It was the gallery that drew me to visit, hosting as it does (at the time of writing) an exhibition of landscape images by Anouk Lefavre. Always a delight to see, the 19 images here perfectly encapsulate Anouk’s ability to bring the settings she visits to life . Here, the majority of images presented by the artist have a focus / theme of water, from coastal settings to rivers and streams – with the presence of water in one being quite subtle.

These are all captivating pieces, each one guaranteed to hold the attention and offered for sale at L$450, whilst the island as a whole offers plenty for the eye and camera to appreciate, and the body and mind to sit and rest while enjoying a visit.

Eulennest: Anouk Lefavre

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Giovanna: a welcome return to Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Giovanna Cerise at Campbell Coast

For several years, Giovanna Cerise was a name synonymous with engaging, evocative 3D art installations within Second Life. Her work – which I took considerable delight in exploring and writing about – encompassed many ideas, themes and narratives, often drawn from the physical world as much as her own thoughts and imagination, with some offering unique interpretations of classic pieces.

It was through the latter – a re-interpretation of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, presented in 2015 – that I became utterly captivated in Giovanna’s work (although I had encountered and appreciated it prior to that installation) – and remained so throughout the time she was creating in Second Life. Marvellously capturing the essence of the classic story of Tristan, knight of Cornwall, loyal to King Mark(e), and Isolde, Irish Princess, Giovnna offered key scenes from the story, beautifully interwoven into settings that offered visitors insights into Wagner, opera, and a rich symbolism and commentary that reached beyond the original tale to make the installation truly unique of itself.

Giovanna Cerise, Tristan und Isolde, 2015

In Soul of Colours (presented in 2012 and again 2016),  Giovanna similarly presented an unfolding story inspired by Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute, K620), the 2-art opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Within her installation, Giovanna allowed visitors to undertake a journey through key scenes and events from the opera, and to appreciate the music from it in a richly layered and evolving setting.

With pieces such as Monochrome, and Line, Giovanna offered explorations of themes, often simple in idea but complex and engaging in execution; unfolding tales, if you will, with Line enfolding both Giovanna’s £d and 2D art. Both of which, for a time, could be appreciated in her own gallery Last Harbour, which again was always a joy to visit.

Giovanna Cerise at Campbell Coast

All of this I mention, because several years ago, Giovanna stepped back from active arts expression in Second Life – although her presence remained on the Marketplace. However, she is now making a return to SL, and may well be resuming her role as one of the platform’s most engaging artists.

I have entered Second Life a little recently, but now I have a desire to start over. I have to organize myself and then I think about taking a land. I have some ideas in my head that I want to do.

– Giovanna Cerise to me, discussing her re-engagement in SL

While she is considering her next steps – something she and I also discussed, but I’ll not break confidences to say more here – Giovanna has taken up a modest studio gallery where she is exhibiting some of her smaller pieces. The studio can be found at the growing arts community at Campbell Coast (about which I’ll have more to say in an upcoming article), and I commend all those with a love of art in Second Life to hop over and take a look at both Giovanna’s studio and Campbell Coast as a whole – ans to keep an eye on both as 2021 unfolds.

SLurl Details and Links

Artistic Gratitude in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
The University of Western Australia has been a long-term patron of the arts in Second Life

The end of 2020 marks the end of an era in Second Life, as we will be saying farewell to the in-world presence of the University of Western Australia, as their last remaining active region is due to close.

Between 2009 and 2018, the University’s name was synonymous with patronage of the arts in Second Life, sponsoring as it did numerous Art Challenges with large-scale cash prizes on offer to participating artists. In the process these challenges yielded some of the most exceptional displays of art and creativity seen within – and beyond – Second Life. Art that I had both the privilege and the honour to both cover in these pages, and to help adjudicate as an invited judge for several of the challenges, allowing me to witness an appreciate first-hand the depth of creativity they seeded and nurtured.

UWA: Gratitude – Suzanne Graves
By way of a last farewell and to offer a “thank you” to the UWA for its support of the arts down the years, the arts platform over the region is currently home to a special exhibition of 2D and 3D art.

Entitled Gratitudes, the exhibition has been organised by Chuck Clip, who issued an invitation for artists to contributed 2D and 3D pieces back in September (see: Calling artists: an exhibition to say farewell to the UWA in Second Life). The result is a exhibition that includes news pieces created specifically for inclusion in it, as well a pieces that have been past UWA Grand Challenge winners – such as Sharni Azalee’s evocative Never Say Never,  a Grand Prize winner back in 2014.

UWA: Gratitude – Elle Thorkveld

The art is displayed on the sky platform over the UWA campus grounds in the region, and is framed by a collection of posters marking some of the art challenges organised by UWA under the stewardship of Jayjay Zifanwee and UWA in SL curator Freewee Ling.

Artists who responded to the open invitation to participate in the event include Sharnee Azalee, Chic Aeon, Suzanne Graves, Pixels Sideways, Merranda Ginssberg, Vroum Short, Ciottolina Zue, Cherry Manga, Alpha Auer, Sheba Blitz, Kayly Iali, Judylynn India, Monroe Snook and Chuck Clip himself, among numerous others. All of whom present s rich mix of 2D and 3D art to be appreciated and admired. Further 3D art selected by Jayjay can be found within the ground level of the university in what is very much a 3D art garden.

UWA: Gratitude – 2D art

All told, Gratitude presents a rich cross-section of art and creativity, and is well worth taking the time to visit and appreciate. It will remain open until the end of December 30th, 2020.

SLurl Details

  • Gratitude (University of WA, rated General)

A little Andante in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Andante Gallery

Andante is the name Jules Catlyn and Iris Okiddo (IrisSweet) have given to their cosy gallery, located in is own gardens alongside, but quite separate to, Jules’ car business of [Surplus motors].

I have to confess that this is a gallery I’ve somehow managed to miss until now, which is a shame as it is very charmingly appointed within its grounds.It comprises the Apple Fall Country Hall (a place that, coincidentally, we have set for one of our own home designs). It’s a versatile build, and here has been “twinned” with itself to provide two large exhibition spaces with an interlinking open-air courtyard.

The garden offers art of its own in the form of sculptures by Mistero Hifeng, the ground around the gallery richly flowered in a manner that is inviting and encourages a sense of warmth and of taking thing slowly in the manner of the gallery’s name.

Andante Gallery: Charlie Namiboo, December 2020

Exhibitions apparently open here every 5-6 weeks, although at the time of our visit, the current exhibition was into its 10th week. Not that I’m complaining;  the guest artist is Charlie Namiboo, and her work is always a delight to see – but just keep in mind that as it has been around for a while, the gallery could be changing artists fairly soon.

Don’t Judge Me is a series of images by Charlie predominantly focused on avatar studies, with a handful of landscapes to break the mould.

Offered in both colour and black and white, the avatar studies present thoughts and feeling on life and relationships that are genuinely emotive. they are mixed with self-studies that while posed, can oft appear as candid, spur-of-the-moment snaps that give them their own unique depth. The landscape pieces, meanwhile reveal Charlie’s ability to both capture a scene and render it as a piece of art guaranteed to capture the eye and and found myself particularly drawn into Wildness is the preservation of the world.

Andante Gallery: Charlie Namiboo, December 2020

As noted, I don’t know how much longer Charlie’s work will be on display at Andante, but I would recommend hopping over sooner rather than later in order to see it – contrary to the exhibit’s title, these are pieces worthy of our judgement in that they are all very much pieces worthy of viewing and appreciation. As to Andante Gallery itself, it’s now on my list, and I hope to be returning in the new year to see who else Jules and Iris invite to exhibit there.

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