As I’ve noted a few times in these pages, Bellisseria, the Linden Home continent, provides space not only for people to live and form communities, but also to express themselves and the creativity present in-world and through people’s talents. One of the key ways this is done is though residents in the continent given their homes over for the display of art – their own, the pieces they’ve purchased and / or the works of others they invite to exhibit.
One of the Bellisseria galleries I’ve only recently become aware of – and my thanks to curator Fenella Allen for IMing me – is that of Limoncello Art Gallery.
While perhaps new to Bellisseria (given the continent itself is just over a year old!), this is a gallery with a long history. Originally founded by LastDitch Writer, the gallery existed in a 120-metre long airship hovering over the Mainland region of Nanga, and was home to his personal collection of art, both 2D and 3D.
Limoncello Art Gallery
The space available at Bellisseria is obviously a lot smaller that a 120 metre airship, but Lord Junibalya, who now looks after the collection, has provided a skybox for the art that forms a 2-storey gallery with a fair amount of room for pieces to be displayed – and there is a lot to see!
There is a lean towards art from the physical world – paintings, drawings, portraits, abstracts – but Second Life avatar studies are also well represented, while the upper level floor space lends itself to 3D pieces by Toysoldier Thor and Mistero Hifeng. Other artists represented in the collection whose names are likely to be recognised include Gitu Aura, Dido Haas, Carelyna, JMB Balogh, In Inaka, Audie Whimsy, Wyald Wooley and Asmita Duranjaya, to name a handful.
Limoncello Art Gallery
Given thes pieces are from a private collection, none are directly offered for sale. However it might be possible to purchase a copy of some pieces by contacting the artist directly (but please keep in mind that not all of the artists represented in the gallery may still be active in-world).
An impressive collection offering a lot to appreciate, the compact size of the parcel notwithstanding, Limoncello Art Gallery is well worth the visit for any patron of the arts in Second Life. My thanks again to Fenella for contacting me about it.
Auld Lang Syne, June 2020 – click any image for full size
The highlands and islands of Scotland are proving a popular inspiration for Second Life region designers – and rightly so; there is a deep beauty to their rolling hills and high peaks that invites the imagination and leaves the heart filled with a yearning to explore. As such, we’ve visited a number of Scottish themed locations over the last few years, but this is the first time I’ve been able to write about Elo (WeeWangle Wumpkins) Scottish inspired settings.
The latest iteration of her work – Auld Lang Syne – opened recently, and it offers a mix of the rugged abruptness of the Scottish highlands mixed with a strong sense of age within the buildings to be found scattered around it, together with a healthy dose of mystery with a fitting dash of humour.
Auld Lang Syne, June 2020
Admittedly, getting around on foot isn’t easy in places: the island rises sharply from the surrounding sea, and many of the slopes look like they would need a lot of scrambling to get up and down – just as many of the glacier-cut slopes of Scotland’s north may require the assistance of hands when clambering up them and a certain caution in getting down least one feet end up running away beneath one.
This steepness of setting may not at first be obvious from the landing point, which sits on the island’s highest rise within an ancient but intact fortification (Pupito Helstein’s popular Runestone Castle) – just an easy walk away is a group of standing stones inspired by the Neolithic Callanish Stones, located on the west coast of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. However, descend the slope from the fortification to the ruins of a medieval chapels and its surrounding graveyard, and you’ll immediately get a feel for the region’s natural ruggedness.
Auld Lang Syne, June 2020
Which is not to say it is all hard work is getting around; here and there are paths that make for easier descent to the coastal areas, one of which is just in the lee of the hilly shoulder on which the stand stones sit. It leads to an extensive coastal beach that faces south and offers and gentle sandy walk east and then north, passing hints of the more recent history of the place: the wreck of a fishing boat, the remains of a broken aeroplane engine – presumably all that remains of a past crash -, an aged anchor and the carcass of an old boat.
To the east, the path along the beach is almost blocked by the waters flowing out from a deep gorge. Fortunately, fallen trunks have been joined to offer a way over the water, a heron standing on their backs like as if awaiting payment of a toll in order to allow visitors to proceed. Beyond the bridge, more tales of past life can be found, together with some of the island’s current inhabitants, a number of whom appear to have partaken of a wee dip in the sea and are now following another of the trails back up to their hillside home.
Auld Lang Syne, June 2020
One of two towers that rise above the island’s rolling hills watches over these “locals”. Broken and holed, it appears to be a disused water tower, rather than part of any castle or fortress, although a owl is now acting as a look-out, keeping watch from the broken drum of its upper reaches. The view back across the island from this tower reveals the landing point on its high hill, whilst below and to one side, the ruins of what might have been an old manor house can be seen, nestled in secret on a north facing shelf of rock overlooking the beach, sheltered from the rest of the island by a rocky upthrust.
Around to the west, and sheltering below the castle’s hill, is another old ruin, similar in nature to that in the north, and now home to a wonderful garden that positively invites visitors to stay within it. The old structure and garden are in turn watched over by the island’s second tower, also the worse for wear as it sits on a rectangular promontory in the island’s south-west corner.
Auld Lang Syne, June 2020
In between these “main” points of interest are others awaiting discovery that add further depth to the setting and increase the sense of realism to the island. As such, taking the time to wander on foot – particularly in circumnavigating the coast whilst keeping an eye on the slopes above – is recommended. However, for those so inclined, the castle hall forming the landing point has a teleport board that can be used to hop to those main points of interest. The second hall of the castle, meanwhile offers a little galley of photos taken around the region, whilst its flat roof provides a view over the island and places to sit.
All in all, a delightful setting, with plenty of detail and with touches that encourage a smile.
Opening on Monday, June 8th, 2020 at Nitroglobus Roof Gallery, curated by Dido Haas, is Tranquil Droplets, an exhibition of art by Bamboo Barnes.
There can be few involved in the art world within Second Life who can be unfamiliar with Bamboo’s work; it is by turns vibrant, evocative, provocative, emotive and so often rich in narrative. A physical world artist hailing from Japan, Bamboo works with digital tools to produce her pieces, her finished works strongly assertive in terms of its presentation, ability to dominate the space it occupies and in the way it demands the attention of the eye and mind.
Nitroglobus: Bamboo Barnes – Tranquil Droplets
There’s hopeless life still seeking for hopes like abandoned walking shadows of people on the street, my artworks are expression of confusion of life, darkness of light and strangeness of love. I create what I see but maybe you won’t, they are about people’s reality and mind.
– Bamboo Barnes, discussing her work
Much of her works is produced entirely outside of Second Life, which presents itself – along with Flickr – as a means for Bamboo to reach her audience. Which is not to say the pieces offered in Tranquil Droplets originated beyond our digital realm; rather the reverse, in fact, as the focus here is very much on avatar faces.
Not that the pieces offered are in any way a “traditional” avatar portrait / study; far from it. Each is presented in Bamboo’s rich, evocative style such that her use of colour, digital highlighting and layering all serve to add depth to the portraits offered. This gives each piece a life of its own, an expressive richness that presents us with a sense of story.
Nitroglobus: Bamboo Barnes – Traquil Droplets
For Bamboo, emotions are a core element of her art, be they those that are invoked by the piece she is working on; those she felt at the time she started working, and / or those evoked by the music she is listening to, as well as those she sees within her subject.
All of this is strongly evident within the 17 pieces offered within Traquil Droplets, each one of which offers unique reflections of both her subjects and of various artistic techniques – abstract, modernist, hints of dadaism / collages, and impressionism, all without ever merely mimicking these styles.
Nitroglobus: Bamboo Barnes – Tranquil Droplets
As Bamboo says, these pieces are like water whose dripping echoes in the silence; once heard, it cannot easily be forgotten, except here, it is that each of these images that continue to live with the imagination long after they’ve been seen, because of their richness of colour, presentation and emotion. In other words, this is a captivating exhibition.
Isle of Pandasia, June 2020 – click any image for full size
Update, July 14th: Pandasia is no longer available for public access.
Welcome to the island of Pandasia, mystic with a Zen atmosphere for nature lovers, relaxing and taking photos or taking a boat trip. the sim is fully open including the beach side house. [Have a] Good visit!
– About Land, Isle of Pandasia
For those looking for somewhere just a little bit different in-world to visit, Isle of Pandasia could be just the ticket. The work of T-Chat (noisette Haller), it is a curious mix of oriental themes, fantasy, whimsy and animal cuteness. It might best be described as a series of interlinked vignettes than a continuous landscape, held together by water.
On first arrival, the region seems simple enough: a body of water ringed by high-sided islands of rock, some of which appear to intrude into the region from their off-sim placement. It seems to simply be the home of a couple of low-lying islands, with wooden walkways connecting a Japanese-style shine and pier-end buildings, one of which forms the landing point. But looks can be deceptive.
Isle of Pandasia, June 2020
A walk along the board walk from the landing point can bring visitors to the shrine, Buddha waiting peacefully within. He shares the island with some of the pandas that give the region its name, their presence, like the groves of bamboo close by suggesting more of a Chinese influence than Japanese, while the large sampan-like boat sitting between the board walk and the larger island suggests either Chinese or Japanese origins.
This larger island offers a little Koi house and garden to be explored. Cranes, flamingoes, rabbits and other critters are scattered around the island, all watched over by a little panda on his rocky throne, and who has apparently wandered here over the bridge connecting the island to the shine.
Isle of Pandasia, June 2020
Beautifully laid out, rich in blossom, this is all a soothing setting ideal for restful moments and photography – but t is far from all that is available. Despite appearing as if it is in the centre of the region, the landing point is actually off to one side, and several of the walls of rock surrounding rising from the water actually sit as curtains hiding the rest of the region’s secrets. How you reach these points is a matter of choice: flying is permitted – but if you can find one, there are little rowing boats that can be used to cross the water.
To the west and north, the rocks screen the beach mentioned in the About Land description, complete with the beach house sitting on its own small sand bar. A ring of the curtain cliffs here encircle a lagoon in which castaways can hide from the world if they like. To the south, a great shelf steps out from the cliffs to provide room for cherry blossom trees and a Japanese-style bath house where a cat might offer a massage.
Isle of Pandesia, June 2020
The bath house overlooks a giant blossom tree that rises from the glass-like water. Lanterns dance around this tree whilst sprites form and roll and then vanish. This is another magical place where a rabbit sits on the water with his lantern and a snowy owl shares the boughs of the tree with two wyrm-like cloud dragons as glass flowers sit in the sunbeams.
More is to be found within the deep gorge sitting between high cliffs to the south of the landing point (the southern end of the gorge the home to a rowing boat rezzer, another little house on the shore nearby. Meanwhile, people can, if they wish, escape the water and take to the air on the back of the blue whale that slowly circles to the north-east.
Isle of Pandasia, June 2020
Rich in wildlife, critters and with koi swimming the waters below, Isle of Pandasia has a lot to see and appreciate, and plenty to photograph, all of which makes for an enjoyable visit.
Opening on Saturday, June 6th, 2020 at Raging Bellls’ Raging Graphix Gallery is an exhibition that I’m both delighted and honoured to be sharing with the extraordinary talent of Etamae, and which is entitled A Celebration of the Arts, but which might also have be called The Brits Are Coming!, as Etamae – Eta to her friends – also hails from the UK 🙂 .
In truth, Eta is an extraordinary digital artist. her work, whether landscape or avatar is both unique and distinctive in its presentation. Using digital technique and Second Life capabilities such as Advanced Lighting, Eta never fails to produce utterly captivating pieces that never fail to hold the eye.
Raging Graphix Gallery: Etamae
My photography and art is exclusive to SL, taken from the things she has seen and loved which have inspired her to transform them into something else – not more, nor better – simply different. As an avid SL traveller, I truly enjoy the inventiveness our double click world inspires.
Mesh creators like Mistero Hfeng, Bryn Oh, Toysoldier Thor, CioTToLiNa Xue, Theda Tammas, Tralala Loordes, Cherry Manga, Meilo Minotaur, Maru Kado, Safar Fiertze, Tansee and Harry Cover to name just a few provide me with subject matter and inspiration, and I hope you enjoy my work as much as I enjoyed creating it.
– Etamae
Raging Graphix Gallery: Etamae (r) and Yours Truly (l)
For my part, I remain genuinely flattered that people find my work worthy of a focused exhibition. As I’ve mentioned in the past, I don’t regard my images as art, but rather as illustrations for this blog; I don’t pretend to understand anything more than some of the basics of photography, and my post-processing skill – although they have grown somewhat over the years – remain limited when it comes to present any of them as “art”.
The Exhibition space is on the upper floor of the gallery, giving visitors the opportunity to appreciate Raging’s own art on the ground floor, adding a further attraction to any visit.
Raging Graphix Gallery: Yours Truly
The official opening for A Celebration of the Arts is 11:00 SLT on Saturday June 6th, and Eta and I hope you’ll join us. If not, I certainly hope you’ll visit the exhibition during the month it is open; my thanks to Raging for the invitation and opportunity to present at her gallery.
Paris for Ara, June 2020 – click any image for full size
Occupying a Homestead region, Paris for Ara has been designed by Trouble Dethly as a tribute to both the capital of France and to he SL partner AraceliSoto. Intended for photography, it captures much of the romantic heart of that city, whilst – with one notable exception – avoiding the usual focuses of attraction to be found within the heart of that city.
Paris for Ara, June 2020
That one exception is the wrought-iron lattice tower that bears the name of its engineer: Gustave Eiffel. Built for the 1889 World’s Fair, Eiffel’s design was initially disliked by many in the French art and intellectual communities for its modernity. Nevertheless it became, and remains, one of the world’s great cultural icons, and the most-visited paid monument in the world.
Often seen as a romantic setting for marriage proposals in the physical world, here the tower stands on a small island to the north of the region and connected to it by a bridge, the water beneath the bridge mindful of the Seine, the gardens beneath the tower suggestive of the Champ de Mars.
Paris for Ara, June 2020
Facing this north side island, the rest of the build offers not the broad avenues oft photographed or considered when thinking about Paris, but rather the narrower cobbled streets that pass through the city’s older blocks. Streets that so often offer hidden charms, be they little cafés in which one can shelter from a change in weather or to escape the broader noise of the city, through to places where a meal can be enjoyed alfresco, or corners where street artists ply their trade from mime to paintings of all kinds – including, perhaps those of people who have paid to sit and have their portrait painted.
Paris for Ara, June 2020
Most of the buildings around these little streets and alleys are shells or façades – but this doesn’t matter. The aim of this build is to capture the romance of Paris, and in this it does so admirably, the relatively small size of the build definitely adding to this. As a place designed for photography – notably avatar-centric images – it has multiple places suitable for this task, from sitting and enjoying the aforementioned alfresco meal or posing alongside the mime artist or one of the cats and dogs dotted around the streets, to simply sitting on one of the many benches or in the gardens of little cosy fair.
For those who want to take the romance further, there are two fee-payable fine dining options that are available. These offer (I believe) private use of the region for an average of 50-60 minutes for parties of two or more. Those interested can click on the Eiffel Tower sign boards at the street dining area or at the tower itself to obtain a link to the on-line booking form.
Paris for Ara, June 2020
Capturing the essence of Paris and highly photogenic, Paris for Ara makes for a gentle, pleasing visit.
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 