A Thousand Words Coffeehouse and Gallery, March 2026: Janine Portal
In February, I received an invite from Astella Warrigal to visit her gallery, A Thousand Words Coffeehouse and Gallery. It was actually to attend the venue’s grand reopening, which was held on February 22nd, 2026. However, things being what they were for me at the time, I was unfortunately unable to attend that event; but I certainly wanted to make sure I got to see the exhibition of art by Janine Portal which formed a part of the re-opening.
I first encountered Janine’s work back in 2018, an immediately found it captivating. As I noted at that time:
Utilising animations and prims to present remarkable collage pieces with a surrealist edge that are quite captivating to see … some of the most unusual art and effects I’ve seen in Second Life for a while, each piece offering an unexpected view of what might otherwise appear to be and ordinary scene or photo or presenting a melding of ideas and / or narrative that is quite engaging.
– The artful collages of Janine Portal in Second Life
A Thousand Words Coffeehouse and Gallery, March 2026: Janine Portal
This is very much the case with the exhibition of Janine’s work at A Thousand Words Coffeehouse and Gallery, where it can be seen on the upper levels of the building. On display are some 13 collage images, all of them comprising found and manipulated (by Janine) art and photographs, including reproductions of artwork by the likes of William Blake, Hilma af Klint, Richard Diebenkorn, and Second Life photographer Ajax Ogleby.
Janine says of her work:
I’ve been making art in Second Life using a technique that involves layering transparent prims to create works with shifting collage images. In RL, long before I made an account in SL, layered transparent paint to express similar ideas, using many of the symbols you see here.
– Janine Portal
A Thousand Words Coffeehouse and Gallery, March 2026: Janine Portal
Janine goes on to note that her art reflects ideas which have woven their way into her thinking and approach to art ever since her time at art school: ideas of the metaphysical and personal symbols of transformation. This gives her work a layered set of interpretations; whether one views them purely as visually engaging works of art or seeks to find those metaphysical ideas. In this, Janine adds her own view on the art:
On a conceptual level they represent, to me, the endlessly shifting nature of reality, the ways in which we move through time and space and the nature of growth, change, and transformation.
– Janine Portal
A Thousand Words Coffeehouse and Gallery, March 2026: Janine Portal
A genuinely captivating exhibition, one definitely worth the time in visiting.
China Buddha Caves, March 2026 – click any image for full size
Located within Gansu province in western China is the county city of Dunhaung. It sits on the old Silk Road, and forms a cultural and religious crossroads. Founded as a garrison town in 11 BCE, Dunhaung is perhaps now more famously known for its proximity to the Mogao Caves, a system of 500 temples, caves and grottoes some 25 kilometres south-east of the city.
Also known as the Thousand Buddha Grottoes or Caves of the Thousand Buddhas, the network represents, along with other cave systems in the area, some of the finest examples of Buddhist art spanning a period some 1,000 years, the earliest caves having been dug in around 366 CE, initially as places of rest, worship and meditation. However, as time passed, they became a place of pilgrimage, and further caves and grottoes were dug, with the system expanding through until the 13th century, before they were “lost” until the late 19th century.
China Buddha Caves, March 2026
I mention all of this because in his latest artistic installation, London Junker offers us a vision of the Mogao Caves and the beauty of their art, sculptures and design with his China Buddha Caves build- project was sponsored by SL Public Land Preserve and Ravenglass Rentals (La Montana Rosa) – to which he extended a personal invitation for me to visit.
Situated in the snowy uplands of south-western Sansara, the build is initially deceptive to the eye. The Landing Point sits at the head of a descending gorge through which water tumbles and falls towards the sea. A large Buddha sits behind the Landing Point, undoubtedly offering blessing to arrivals, whilst a single grotto with wall murals and three more figures of Buddha sits to one side.
China Buddha Caves, March 2026
A further Buddha can be seen lower down in the valley, together with a shrine and structures built with their backs towards the rising cliffs. A single path runs down the side of the gorge, passing over a long bridge and down stairs to reach a second bridge crossing the waters and provide access to the tall statue of Buddha and the shrine, whilst a second path rises to the lowermost of the structures build against the cliff, and which forms the entrance to the caves proper.
The art and carvings within the Mogao Caves is truly magnificent, and the site fortunately escaped the Buddhist persecutions ordered by Emperor Wuzong of Tang in the ninth century, continuing to be used through until the Yuan dynasty in the 13th century. However, it was during that era that new trade routes started to open, and the use of the Silk Road fell into decline – and with it, the use of the Mogao Caves as a place of pilgrimage. By the mid- 14th century, no new caves were being built, and the site was largely forgotten other than by locals.
China Buddha Caves, March 2026
It was not until the 19th century that the caves were re-discovered. Interest in exploring the ancient Silk Road and uncovering its secrets was initially a goal of western explorers and historians, and this eventually led them to Dunhuang and the caves. However, it was at the start of the 20th century that the greatest work of rediscovery commenced, with the good intentions of one man in particular.
His name was Wang Yuanlu. A Chinese Taoist, he had appointed himself guardian of the caves, and in the early 1900s set about clearing the entrances to many which had become blocked over the centuries, as well to trying to renovate many of the damaged statutes.
China Buddha Caves, March 2026
Most particularly, Wang’s work led to the discovery of a vast trove of manuscripts in what had simply been called Cave 17, but which afterwards was referred to as the Library Cave. Some 1100 scrolls and 15,000 books were found in the cave, together with an estimated 50,000 texts on a range of subjects including philosophy, art, literature and medicine. This discovery brought the Mogao Caves to wider global attention, with a number of foreign expeditions to explore them being mounted – several of which simply carted off whatever they could.
Fortunately, London’s China Buddha Caves suffers none of this looting. Rising up through multiple levels, as is the case at Mogao, they instead offer a captivating interpretation of their physical world inspiration, presenting a rich mix of Buddhist art and history, the walls bearing beautiful murals and paintings, the statuary magnificent in detail and finish. As you rises up through the caves (take your time in exploring, some of the rising tunnels are easy to miss!), you will come across an opening to a veranda located against the cliff and above the main entrance, reflecting a similar, almost pagoda-like structure found at Mogao.
China Buddha Caves, March 2026
Each level becomes more expressive and rich as one ascends, with the upper most and the landing and grotto leading up to it being particularly attention-holding. However, all of the levels capture the beauty and history to be found in the caves at Mogao, and perfectly reflect the beauty of the murals to be found in many of the caves there. In this, I would advise using a PBR viewer in order to fully appreciate this installation, or if you are still pre-PBR, that you enable ALM.
Presenting a glimpse of what is now a UNESCO World Heritage Centre (since 1988), London’s China Buddha Caves offer a superb means by which to catch a glimpse of what is a magnificent centre of Buddhist history and art in the physical world.
Pususaari – Where spring feels gentle, February 2026 – click any image for full size
I’ve had a something of a rough couple of weeks, the result of which has been very little time in-world, other than parking myself at the occasional user group meeting and trying to keep up with “routine” posts here. So, as things have decided to improve, I decided to ease back into blogging visits and bits by returning to a location that has been a recent favourite for me: Pususaari.
To be honest, I didn’t arrive at this decision all on my own, my friend Cube Republic poked me with the news that the region had once more been reworked by holders Lu and Leelou Von Perkle (Lu Carrillo and LeeLou Graves respectively), and this served to encourage me to hop over and have a look around once more.
Pususaari – Where spring feels gentle, February 2026
This marks my third visit to the setting, which carries the name Pususaari – Where spring feels gentle, the others having been in April 2025 and again in December 2025. With those visits – as with this one – I could not help be feel at home within the region.
Romantic island for dates and quiet moments. Soft light and gentle nature invite you to relax, wander and connect. Discover a cosy café, hidden seating spot, open verandas, beaches, animals and a unique lighthouse landmark watching over the shore.
– Pususaari About Land Description
Pususaari – Where spring feels gentle, February 2026
The cosy café and lighthouse of the About Land description face each other across the gentle, sandy sweep of a shallow bay on the south side of the region. The café forms the region’s Landing Point on the eastern side of the bay, whilst the lighthouse stands at its western extent.
The latter appears to have been decommissioned some time ago; the lantern is off and the glass of the light room is heavy with grime and dirt to the point of being opaque. Now the only illumination the lighthouse seems to provide is that of a hand-held lamp. This sits on a round table on the lighthouse gallery, a wooden chair alongside it offering a perfect look-out point, although getting up to them appears to require a bit of a jump!
Pususaari – Where spring feels gentle, February 2026
The bay and is guardian lighthouse and café are in turn overlooked by an artist’s studio/ retreat sitting up on one of the island’s wooded peaks. It can be reached by walking inland from the café, passing through a gap in the fence backing the beach and then climbing the lower slopes of the peak to where a wooden stairway and deck provide access to the upper slopes and the studio.
Inland, the region is split into two by an east-to-west flowing channel crossed by two bridges. The first of these is reached via an easy walk through a low-lying meadow beyond the slope leading up to the artist’s studio. On the north side of the water channel, this bridge is watched over by a working windmill.
Pususaari – Where spring feels gentle, February 2026
The latter forms a part on a small homestead farm on the north side of the setting, joining with a Tuscan-style farmhouse and outbuildings bordering another sweep of meadowland, horses cattle, horses, pigs and chickens making up the livestock being tended.
The farmhouse is ideally placed to overlook the beach running along the north coast of the region, a waterside summer gazebo offering a retreat of the hard work of the day on the beach, while an outdoor dining space complete with pizza oven offers a further corner of delight for the farm owners and their family.
Pususaari – Where spring feels gentle, February 2026
The western end of the north beach cuts a little more deeply into the land, and sandy walk leads inland and up to the second bridge across the region’s water channel. This provides access to the back of the wooded hill where the artist’s studio is located.
A steep grassy climb runs up over the hill, allowing explorers to make their way back to the studio. An easier walk around the shoulder of the hill offers a path to an old shack on the coast, the deck of which has long since claimed by the load seal population, whilst the interior offers a further retreat for romantics.
Pususaari – Where spring feels gentle, February 2026
A couple of wrecked boats suggest the waters around the island can be a little capricious in their treatment of passing vessels while at the same time offering further points of interest to those exploring the region – and, in the case of one of the boats – for the local pelicans!
All of the above leaves a lot unsaid about this iteration of Pususaari – the level of detail to be found throughout, the mix of local waterfowl, the many places to sir and pass the time alone or in company – and, of course, plenty of opportunities for photography.
Pususaari – Where spring feels gentle, February 2026
So – why not go see for yourself?
SLurl Details
Pususaari – Where spring feels gentle (Bisous, rated Moderate)
Subcutan Art Gallery, February 2026: Sophie de Saint Phalle – Infernal Symbiosis
Sophie de Saint Phalle (Perpetua1010) has recently opened two exhibitions of her work, each of which is also set to words offering both insight and description.
The first, which opened on February 13th at Sophie’s own Subcutan Art Gallery, where it occupies an atmospheric skybox exhibition space. It is entitled Infernal Symbiosis, and perhaps the best way to describe it is a celebration of the meeting of self and nature, and the ability of the latter to remove the noise, the insistent pressure the demons of modern life, and to remind us of our heritage and our being a part of Nature and the world around use.
Subcutan Art Gallery, February 2026: Sophie de Saint Phalle – Infernal Symbiosis
The watercolours were created at the edge of flow— in the forest, beside a narrow creek. Water becomes body; body becomes landscape. Nature and human dissolve their borders and remember their shared origin.
– Sophie de Saint Phalle, Internal Symbiosis
In the darkness of the gallery space, the vibrancy of the 14 abstract paintings is perfectly brought to life, the fluid lines and flowing colours giving a sense of both motion to what are essentially still life images, together with a sense of water-like fluidity. Together they give us a beautiful sense of harmonious intermingling of our humanity and Nature.
Subcutan Art Gallery, February 2026: Sophie de Saint Phalle – Infernal Symbiosis
In this, it is – to me at least – vital to take in the ambience of the gallery space as a whole; within Subcutan, Sophie always takes care to offer her art in terms of an immersive environment, where setting, art and EEP all combine to form an experience to be explored and appreciated. This is very much the case here, the outer lobby of the main hall and the scenes visible through the windows adding creative depth and feeling to the exhibition as a whole.
Sophie’s second current – at the time of writing – exhibition opened on February 19th at ArtCare Gallery, curated and operated by Carelyna. Again occupying a sky-base exhibition space is Yellow Impressions.
ArtCare Gallery, February 2026: Sophie de Saint Phalle – Yellow Impressions
It offers some 13 nude images presented as marble etchings, all of which carry a similar theme of symbiosis and joining – or perhaps understanding might be a better term, as Sophie notes in the text accompanying the exhibition.
As myself became intertwined with the soul structures of others, surface turned into tangible life. In this transition — between inner perception and outward appearance —an image-skin emerges that does not depict, but carries.
– Sophie de Saint Phalle, Yellow Impressions
ArtCare Gallery, February 2026: Sophie de Saint Phalle – Yellow Impressions
That the nudes are what might be termed partial studies – and indeed possibly familiar to followers of Sophie’s work – matters not. Again, as Sophie notes, reduction of the body, the absence of features (e.g. head, or facial features) and focus on specific elements of the human body (e.g. the torso),becomes a method of approach, a means to express the idea of both self and our perception of others becoming intertwined; an energy flow if you will, of a subconscious yet perceptual openness – or perhaps offering – of one to another.
Taken together or individually, Infernal Symbiosis and Yellow Expressions are both shirking and visually engaging, whilst the words accompanying them (touch the exhibition title boards in each case to receive these), allow us to thread the path of the deeper expression and meaning within both.
ArtCare Gallery, February 2026: Sophie de Saint Phalle – Yellow Impressions
Stevie Basevi’s Sanctuary, February 2026 – click any image for full size
Earlier in February, Honey Heart (H0neyHeart) – whose Sable Hound Hollow I visited towards the end of January 2026 – dropped me a line to let me know our mutual friend / acquaintance, Stevie Morane Basevi (Stevie Basevi) would be officially re-opening her region of Sanctuary on February 19th, although it is already available for people to drop in an explore, together with the neighbouring region of Zantosa.
Stevie is something of a tour de force in Second Life. I first met her through Relay for Life of Second Life, before coming to know her a little more through both her art and her association with projects I’ve tended to follow and support in my own way: One Billion Rising, The Dickens Project and the Bradbury Project. An avid role-player, Stevie first established Sanctuary in 2008, growing it over time to a community and location covering many aspects of Second Life.
Stevie Basevi’s Sanctuary, February 2026
Sanctuary, long celebrated for its award-winning historical role-play, has evolved into a vibrant cultural space for art, photography, dance, music, and theatre—welcoming global gatherings and creativity without borders.
– Sanctuary About Land Description
For this latest iteration, both Sanctuary and Zantosa – each of which are Full private regions leveraging the Land Capacity bonus available to such regions – Stevie has turned to another old acquaintance to design the overall look and layout of the regions: Busta (Busta Blakewell, previously badboyhi, whose regions designs have regularly featured throughout this blog.
Stevie Basevi’s Sanctuary, February 2026
Given the size of both regions, I’m not going to try to cover them both in a single post; they are richly laid out and offer much to be discovered, so will hopefully return to Zantosa at some point in the near future.
Sanctuary offers a setting suggestive of somewhere in England; a place with certain timelessness – parts of it could easily be Victorian, others carry a faint hint of the 1950s-1960.
Stevie Basevi’s Sanctuary, February 2026
This town is the kind of place in which it would come as no surprise to turn a corner and find Sherlock Holmes lecturing Dr. John Watson on the minutiae of various powdering of ash and a certain bird droppings will inevitably lead to the cornering of their quarry. Turn another and it would be equally unsurprising to witness find a dapper John Steed stepping down from the running board of his 1930 Bentley Speed Six, umbrella in hand as he rounds the front of the car to open the door to allow Ms. Emma Peel to gracefully alight.
In other words, it is immediately immersive and open to broad role-play opportunities.
Stevie Basevi’s Sanctuary, February 2026
The Landing Point sits to the east side of the region and within the town square. Splitting the townscape in two is a high wall and a tall gatehouse. The latter forms a teleport link to the neighbouring Zantosa. Simply walk towards the gates to be teleported across the region boundary.
The local lunatic asylum offers its own opportunity for potential role-play, having been turned into a bar – although who is to say some of the former residents aren’t lurking in the upper floors? The asylum is one of a number of locations within the town which can be explored. Others include the local church, a pair of pavilions offering a kind of two-part music conservatory, the theatre and the Sanctuary art gallery, featuring Stevie’s art on the ground floor.
Stevie Basevi’s Sanctuary, February 2026
It is outside the church that visitors can obtain further information on the region, including a delightful back-story to its development and a teleport HUD to help reach points of interest – simply add it from inventory to use it.
The majority of the locations on the teleport HUD can be found on the ground level of the setting and so can be reached on foot. Two, however, are sky-based and will require the HUD to reach them.
Stevie Basevi’s Sanctuary, February 2026
I’m not going to give a blow-by-blow description of the region, it really does speak for itself in terms of design, atmosphere and details. I will however note that there is a further art display – dedicated to Sue Elaine Winkler to the rear of the main gallery building.
Part of the region is cut through with a storm drain linking two low-lying parts of the setting. This carries a suggestion a degree of land reclamation has taken place, resulting in an inland body of water complete with multiple places to sit and appreciate the setting, together with a recovered area of coastline forming both a walk and further places to sit and pass the time.
Stevie Basevi’s Sanctuary, February 2026
Whether or not you are into role-play, structured or casual, sanctuary makes for an engaging and photogenic visit.
Grauland Gap, February 2026 – click any image for full size
It seems Sod’s Law and I are becoming very well acquainted. This was brought home to me today with regards to Jim Jim Garand’s Grauland. I’ve been aware that Jim had been working on a new design for his region for over a month, so had been keeping an eye out for its opening. Sod’s Law then determined I would be absent SL when it did open, causing me to miss the event.
I always enjoy Jim’s builds; they offer much to appreciate and draw on lots of varying sources of inspiration, some of them present in the physical world, other from the imagination; hence why I’ve been writing about them for some six years. The region design Jim presents to us at the start of 2026 is called Grauland Gap, and it appears to draw a degree of inspiration from Los Angeles.
Grauland Gap, February 2026
The most obvious evidence for this statement lies in the “gap” which gives the setting its name. It splits the region north-to-south, cutting it into two unequal halves. This gap – a broad channel – carries a striking resemblance to the channel found within Los Angeles and which carry the waters of the Los Angeles River and its associated storm channels. It’s a look enhanced by the road and rail bridges crossing it; however, unlike the many LA channels seen in film and television, this one has an uneven riverbed floor rather than further smooth cement, giving it a unique look quite apart from any hint of LA.
The landscape in which Grauland Gap is far enough removed from LA, however, to ensure it stands apart from any physical world location. High mountains and tall cliffs rise over the setting, some of the mountains reaching out to sea and rising from it, leaving Grauland Gap with a second meaning behind its name: the town sits within a gap between the high cliffs and mountains, connected to the rest of the world by tunnels alone.
Grauland Gap, February 2026
As a town, Grauland Gap is rich in detail and local life, be it the graffiti along the angled sides of the river channel to the people attending at what appears to be a gathering of classic and vintage cars in the south-west corner of the region, or enjoying a sunny wander along the streets. There is also what – to me at least – something of a clever juxtapositions within the region which might be seen as something of an artistic statement in place of the more overt art elements that so often form a part of Jim’s design.
This can be found in the car show mentioned above. It sits alongside a trendy coffee house, the cars pristine and admired in a weekly Cruise Night car and music show. The vignette speaks to the upbeat America we all prefer to see, from the trendy coffee house to the shiny fast cars – a general love of life and freedom.
Grauland Gap, February 2026
Across the river channel however, and diagonally opposite the pristine cars in their well-kept parking lot, is a wrecking yard filled with the rusting, broken, carcasses of disposed cars and vehicles. The contrast between the two could not be more striking particularly in what might be seen as a possible artistic commentary on American consumerism, and short-termism.
The contrast can also be found in the sheer newness of the coffee house, its parking lot and the cars and the tired façades of the buildings across the road. Elsewhere, artistic intent is more directly expressed in the form of a sculpture upon which a latter-day artist has added their own statement, courtesy of a few spray cans of paint. It joins the river channel graffiti form the most visible physical displays of art.
Grauland Gap, February 2026
The Landing Point sits on the south side of the region in the middle of the road running alongside the wrecking yard. A teleport disk sits in the road like an oversized manhole cover ready to do nasty things to an unwary passing car provides access to Jim’s skyborne store. Sitting between the landing point and the open sea is a children’s playground and steps down to a rough shingle beach that curves around to join the outflow of the river channel.
That the majority of the buildings in the setting are just façades and without interiors makes no difference: Grauland Gap (anywhere USA) is a visually engaging setting – do be sure to view it under the region EEP settings.
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 