Just before Christmas 2024, Iris Okiddo (IrisSweet) invited me to visit the latest exhibition she and Jules Neveille (Jules Catlyn) are hosting at their Andante Gallery, entitled Hooray for Hollywood.
This is an ensemble exhibition organised by Iris and Jules, featuring piece by Alsatian Kidd, Angel Kavanagh, Awesome Fallen, Ben J, Carter Holloway, Daimaju Clowes, Inka Enkeli-Neville, Jazz Delenz, Jo Aquacade, Ludi Taurus, Mimi Soleil Firelight, Morgan Talbot, Orion Octane, Partee Mytili, Simone Landes, Sparklebottom Lasertits, Tamara Aristocrat, Tupper Moran,
Valeries Muircastle and Vexx Daines with a piece each form Iris and Jules.
Andante Gallery, January 2025: Hooray for Hollywood
Jules and myself have again asked several photographers to give us their interpretation of a theme. This time we asked the invited photographers to send us a picture that would pay tribute to movies and/or moviestars. This wonderful new exhibition is the result. We are very grateful to all the photographers who have agreed to take part.
– from the introduction to Hooray for Hollywood.
The result is a highly expressive – and in places humorous – largely avatar-centric series images celebrating some Hollywood’s most iconic films, movie stars and franchises, spread across the two halls of the gallery and the intervening courtyard. Some of the references are all too clear, others perhaps not so much, depending on your knowledge of films and actors.
Andante Gallery, January 2025: Hooray for Hollywood
To go through all of them would spoil the pleasure of seeing them first-hand, but I will say Jo Aquacade’s 188921977 is a beautifully-framed tribute, whilst Alsatian Kidd’s Iron Man is a very clever tribute to two modern blockbusters; once of which has a soundtrack that sits in my all-time top ten film soundtracks, and Iris Okiddo’s Another Fine Rezz definitely had me smiling.
Bur personal picks aside, all of the pieces are worth taking the time to view, and kudos to all of the participating artists involved – and my thanks to Iris for the personal invite.
Andante Gallery, January 2025: Hooray for Hollywood
Roxksie Logan: Wonderland, December 31, 2024 – January 3, 2025
If you’re looking for somewhere a little different in which to spend New Year in Second Life, then you might try visiting Wonderland, a pop-up art installation by Roxksie Logan (with the support of Sadiya Snow) which will be available briefly from December 31st, 2024 through until January 3rd, 2025 as a pop-up art installation. It offers an interesting fusion of two great literature classics, Alice in Wonderland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, both of which are brought together through the use of motifs, objects and both direct and indirect references in an immersive, semi-interactive environment offering a richness of colour, content and whimsy.
Fusing these two books is an interesting idea; there are both obvious similarities between the two – they are both viewed as children’s novels, for example; there is a degree of magic / mystery and some degree of nonsense involved in both (perhaps more so in Alice than Charlie), both have dark edges to them. some of these differences are far less obvious (such as eating / devouring), and both have a degree of satire and a touch of subtle allegory.
Roxksie Logan: Wonderland, December 31, 2024 – January 3, 2025
Most of all, however, the two books are filled with imagery which is very much locked in the public consciousness, not only because of their popularity as books, but because of their many adaptations (a part of me wonders how many of us are perhaps familiar with either / both on their basis of their many and various film and television adaptions rather than as a result of reading the books themselves).
It is these latter aspects primarily evident within Rocksie’s Wonderland, wherein many of the familiar motifs from Alice in Wonderland (and touches from Alice’s other adventures – such as the presence of unicorn heads guarding the entrance to the main installation) are mixed with reimagining’s of Wonka’s magical and mysterious chocolate factory.
Roxksie Logan: Wonderland, December 31, 2024 – January 3, 2025
Before getting to that however, do note that the Landing Point sits aloft the installation, and will request you join the local Experience – which you should do prior to jumping down the rabbit hole!
Within the main element of the installation, the mixes of motifs and ideas are everywhere: sweets and sweet snacks abound ( some of them very … bouncy … shall we say?); pumps deliver chocolate, giant candies form Christmas Trees; cats grin as they line up to guard the walk into a garden dominated by a familiar top hat as human-faced flowers look on; open-topped cakes offer a carousel ride (sit and touch the central handle of the plate on which they sit); card houses tower into the sky and more.
Roxksie Logan: Wonderland, December 31, 2024 – January 3, 2025
Elsewhere, meringues stand-in for snowy hills, gumball vendors and slushy-like drinks dispensers await the opportunity to dispense, and of course there is the tea party, chess boards, and more, all presenting a visual feast through which visitors can wander. There are also more subtle references within the build as well – at least for those who might want to seek them.
For example, just as mathematics and logic play a role within Lewis Carroll’s work (under his real name, he was a mathematician at Oxford’s Christ Church and some have seen Alice as a reaction against aspects of 19th Century mathematics), so too are geometric patterns used here here as representations of logic and mathematics: neat rows of rectangles set out to form a square; arrays of sweets, the grid pattern making up the rectangular dance floor together with it circular centrepiece homage to Alice herself.
Roxksie Logan: Wonderland, December 31, 2024 – January 3, 2025
Yet more might be written concerning this engaging installation, but really the best way to appreciate it is to enjoy it first-hand – and as noted, you can do so through until January 3rd, 2025.
Loch Tredach Inn & Retreat, December 2024 – click any image for full size
Loch Tredach Inn & Retreat is a Full region leveraging the Land Capacity bonus offered by Linden Lab. It is held by Isabelle Larkspur, who is largely responsible for the region’s design and for most of it being available as a public venue. I caveat things here because most of the north-eastern quarter of the region is given over to a private home and extensive grounds, which means it is both private and the landscape is their own.
Given that this part of the region is a private residence, it will play no further role in this article, other than to note it is possible to accidently wander into the property from the north side of the rest of the region – which is open to the public throughout – without spotting the signs warning of the private property. Should you witness a change in the local environment as you explore the ruins beyond the Aviary, you will know you have crossed the property boundary and at risk of trespass.
Loch Tredach Inn & Retreat, December 2024
But that said, even in respecting the privacy of those living in the region, the rest of the setting offers a lot to see and appreciate, bringing together as it does a mix of wild countryside, mystical locations, romance and opportunities for skating, dancing and simply relaxing. At the time of my visit, the region was dressed for winter, and as it was my first visit, I have no idea if only the seasons change here through the year, or if the majority of the region goes through periodic re-dressing; that’s something I’ll have to find out in the future!
Welcome to the enchanting Loch Tredach Inn and Retreat – a place where romance, vibrancy, and magic come together to create unforgettable memories. Step into a realm where every corner is a canvas waiting to be painted with the hues of love and joy. Capture the essence of the season. Every nook and cranny offers a picturesque backdrop for your lens to capture candid moments, from secluded gardens to the mystical ruins.
– from the Loch Tredach Inn & Retreat Destination Guide entry
Loch Tredach Inn & Retreat, December 2024
The Landing Point sits towards the centre of the region, on the west bank of a frozen lake where snow falls in mist-like sheets, and a pavilion sits out over the frozen water, held up by stout wooden legs oblivious to the cold, and a fire in the hearth awaits the opportunity to warm cold fingers as it provides further cosiness to the pavilion’s genteel comfort. A somewhat Dwarven-looking Santa stand stands at the pavilion’s boardwalk, ready to offer skates to those wising to take to the ice.
From here, it is a short walk south and over a bridge spanning the bubbling stream that feed the lake to reach the inn of the setting’s title, its red timbers announcing the promise of warmth and comfort inside. Nestled between the inn and a shoulder of the curtain walls of rock that run from here to the west and then northward along the coast sits another pavilion, this one fully enclosed by tall glass windows and doors, the home of a hot tub ready for use by guests at the inn.
Loch Tredach Inn & Retreat, December 2024
A path from here runs towards the western rocks, and following it gives explorers the choice of crossing another bridge and heading north, or turning south over the snow and into the arms of the cliffs, where a romantic little hideaway overlooks the stream’s high falls, the tumbling waters offering a rainbow to visitors.
Meanwhile, the route north passes steps leading down to snowy shelf of rock with chairs drawn close against a blazing brazier, and onwards to where a folly presents a bookworm’s retreat – although the weather might be a tad cold for wintertime use; just as well, then, that another pavilion stands close by with a fire of its own, and comfortable seating where books might be reasonably carried and read.
Loch Tredach Inn & Retreat, December 2024
Beyond this, the path passes through a rocky hallway to arrive back close to the Landing Point. A round folly stands close by, looking down on the lake as it guards the entrance to the setting’s more mystical elements. Here, trees bend their backs to present an aisled walkway passing between rock wall and gentle slope to arrive at a beautiful venue suitable for a range of events – and which I believe I’m correct in saying is available for hire by those seeking somewhere special for a party or wedding or similar. Stone steps climb from the terrace overlooking this space to reach a mirror pond surrounded by crystal walls, within which more steps rise upwards through the clouds, presenting if not a stairway to heaven, then certainly one to a floating garden.
Overlooking the main venue with its flagstones serenely floating on the waters beneath and its beckoning ruins, sits the Aviary. Reached either by climbing another stairway rising up to it from the venue space or by climbing the slopes of the hill on which it sits from the Landing Point, the Aviary offers an indoor space suitable for a special events such as a wedding reception or more formal / romantic dance, and includes a terraced space outdoors with seating.
Loch Tredach Inn & Retreat, December 2024
As noted above, it is beyond the Aviary that the land belonging to the private residence commences, so explorers should proceed from it with caution. This residence can also be reached via the trails on the south side of the island as they cross a high bridge to the east of the in.
Here the boundary between public spaces is more obvious, a pond and fast-flowing stream (which also tumbles its way down to the lake below) marking it for all eyes to see. Prior to reaching the stream, however, the path offers a chance to visit the local café and lighthouse.
LLoch Tredach Inn & Retreat, December 2024
With Itan dancing columns throughout, multiple places to sit – not all of which are mentioned here – plus the general beauty of the setting, Loch Tredach Inn & Retreat makes for an ideal visit.
Now open at the Serena Arts Centre and Plaza is an ensemble art exhibition with something of a seasonal taste, given this time of year tends to be the time of stories, tales and magical fables, whilst also being suited to any time of the year.
Fairy Tales or the Magical Power of Dream Worlds brings together BelleAllure, Captainofmysoul, Dantelios, JanaOrchid, Mystic Audion, Sheba Blitz, Raven Cedarbridge, Barret Darkfold, Evelyn Irelund, Hermes Kondor, Pagan Lane, Magda Schmidtzau, AmandaT Tamatzui, Vita Theas and Pask Wasp, with Christian Carter providing a marvellous homage to Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.
Serena Art Centre and Hub, December 2024: AmandaT Tamatzui (l) and Magda Schmidtzau (r)
Each artist has been invited to submit two images on the subject of fairy tales and dreams, with the organisers describing the exhibition thus:
From past to present, fairy tales have inspired visual, decorative and performing arts. From theatre to opera, ballet, painting, sculpture, textile and cinema. Inspired by the tales in the saga, every artist fed and improved the next generation of stories with their own unique touch. Let’s embark together on a journey to dream worlds.
– Introduction to Fairy Tales or the Magical Power of Dream Worlds
Serena Art Centre and Hub, December 2024: Sheba Blitz (l) and Vita Theas
The art itself encompasses multiple genres and formats: original art uploaded to Second Life; photography captured from within Second Life, digital art created with AI assistance, avatar-centric pieces, abstract art, and more.
This results in a richly diverse selection of art, and an excellent way for those perhaps new to art in Second Life to witness an engaging cross-section of artistic expression from around the globe. All have something to say in an of themselves and the over-arching theme, but I confess to being drawn to Vita Theas’ pairing of images, which come with a folktale and poem respectively (both penned by Vita). The story is that of Elder Leaf and the Ice Warrior, the other a poem of the sea, life and cycles. Alongside of Vita’s pieces I came close to falling in love with Pask Wasp’s beautiful interpretations of two classic tales: Tom Thumb and Sleeping Beauty.
Serena Arts Centre and Hub, December 2024: Pask Wasp
All told, an engaging exhibition and worth taking time to see.
Calas Galadhon Christmas 2024 – click any image for full size
So, Santa has (hopefully) made all his visits for 2024, and the year is marching to to close. However, for those seeking to retain the joy and excitement of Christmas can do little better than take a trip to the Calas Galadhon Christmas regions and embrace the warmth and fun offered by the three Calas Midwinter regions.
Following the general design seen in 2023, Tymus Tenk and Truck Meredith, together with the rest of the Calas Galadhon estate team, have once again bring forth a setting that offers opportunities for entertainment, ice skating, sleigh rides, balloon tours, horse riding and plenty of opportunities for photography.
Calas Galadhon Christmas 2024
As is common for the Calas seasonal regions, a visit commences high in the air at a crowd-clearing landing point, complete with a walk across an (Ant)Arctic setting to the teleport portal. However, in difference to previous years, rather then carrying you down to the regions proper, this will first deliver you to Santa’s workshop (follow the arrows!). Teleporting will require acceptance of the local Experience, but this only needs to be done once (and then only if you’ve not previously accepted it).
The workshop allows you to see Santa’s pixies and fairies and elves all hard at work (presumably getting up a good stock of toys, gifts and stocking fillers for Xmas 2025 now!). Santa himself is present, and will let you take a photo with him if you’re nice.
Calas Galadhon Christmas 2024
Beyond the workshop is the loading area, where presents and toys are stack ready for transfer to the outdoor loading bay for Santa’s sleigh – and it is out beyond the sleigh loading area is the second teleport portal that will transfer visitors down to the ground level.
To the south, the expanse of Midwinter 3 forms open countryside, here and there broken by woodlands, hills and water, ripe for exploration on foot or horseback (there is a horse rezzer for the latter just down the slope from the sleigh ride tours or you can add your own, if you have one). Also to be found within this region is a local Christmas Market, once again given a sense of life by static NPCs, while the land and woods have a mix of wildlife. Tucked away within the hills and gorges of the southern extent of this region sits a teleport back up to Santa’s workshop.
Calas Galadhon Christmas 2024
The ground-level arrival point overlooks all three regions, being located up the uplands of MidWinter 2. As is usual with the Calas Christmas settings, this includes the traditional sleigh rides through all of the regions. Alongside of these is a landmark giver, which will present visitors with a notecard containing landmarks to the major locations within the regions, helpful for those who want to get somewhere quickly.
On the other side of the hill from the sleighs sit a couple of rezzers for skis and sleds, allowing visitor to scoot down the slope towards the southernmost region, thus giving a quick means to go exploring. Another new (I believe, as I don’t remember it from 2023 but could easily be wrong) is the cross-country ski tour. This requires membership of the Calas Group to obtain the skis alongside it (or you could try the skis from the rezzer close to the ground-level arrival point). Just sit on one of the two skiing pose balls and select the tour.
Calas Galadhon Christmas 2024
Of course, in the run-up to Christmas the Pavilion was the focal point for events, with the lake below it available for ice skating. The latter remains popular whilst the former now makes for a quiet visit with the Christmas events drawn to a close – and the portals remain for quick TP flips to various locations. There is once again seating all around the lakeside, and a nice little touch for this year is the Disney Island sitting out on the ice. Other attractions here include the balloon ride, the Calas Polar Express train, couples photo points, and indoor cuddles / conversations before the great fires in the Pavilion’s lounges.
As always, the Calas Galadhon Christmas regions offer a lot to see and enjoy – so make the most of them now to both continue your Christmas and holiday celebrations and before they once again vanish into the night for another year!
The Outer Garden, December 2024 – click any image for full size
It has been just over two years since my last visit to Bisou Dexler’s The Outer Garden, a place of beauty and enigma, art and creative spark, and peace and contemplation. It’s a location which generally combines two settings, once which may change on a very subtle level from time to time / with the seasons, and the other often presenting something completely new.
The first of these settings is home to the main Landing Point. It is a sky platform occupied by the decaying hulk of a once grand manor house; one now with roofing gone and walls broken and cracked, and signs in places of attempts to rebuild. A long hallway stretches before arrivals, pointing the way to a distant stair climbing to a round window.
The Outer Garden, December 2024
Rooms sit to either side of this hallway, one to the right two on the left. The first, and closest to the landing point, appears to have one been a grand chamber. Now flooded by the waters pouring in from the walls, it is a beautiful garden space, with a snowy floor (as with much of the rest of the building) and pools through which the water tumbles and poppies, lobster claw, cattails and herbs grow, and over which gnarled trees hang their boughs.
A hole in the wall here offers access to the remnants of another grand room, of which little is now left but for columned wall sections and a tumbled tower, its sides open to the snow-covered gardens wherein multiple attractions might be reached and numerous more opportunities for photography found. Or’ if preferred, tea might be taken within might have once been a further hall linking two wings of the now broken and tumbling house.
The Outer Garden, December 2024
Of the other rooms, one offers itself as a living space come boudoir; a place of music, art, and retreat, the jumbled furniture, floating balloons, musty books on their shelves and the detritus of a fallen ceiling and roof giving it a sense of romantic charm. Beyond it sits what appears to have once been a private garden space or courtyard, separating the lounge / boudoir from the empty shell of the second room which can only be accessed from the grounds outside.
The long hall itself is (as ever) beautifully dressed and well frosted with winter, again offering multiple opportunities for photography. However, closest to the landing point is an introduction to the second setting within The Outer Garden, together with the first of two teleports leading to it. Simply sit at the mirror and select the option To Find Solace. On arrival, walk through the tunnel with its 3D representation of a garden from a Ukiyoe painting to where a trapeze artist’s ring hangs and you can teleport on to the main art installation (it doesn’t matter which of the listing destination options you choose.
The Outer Garden, December 2024
Your destination will be a gorgeous 3D representation of a traditional Japanese painting, one which draws on Hagoromo, one of the most-performed Japanese Noh (dramatic dance) plays. Subject to multiple adaptations over the centuries (including W.B. Yeats, who drew upon its story for his one act play, At the Hawk’s Well), it tells of s fisherman who, whilst out walking on a springtime night, happens upon the feather cloak of a tennin (an aerial spirit or celestial dancer) hanging on a tree bough.
Taking the hagoromo, the fisherman plans on keeping it as an heirloom; however, the tennin sees him with it and begs for him to return it to her, for without it she cannot return to the heavenly realms. taking it, and demands its return – for she cannot return to Heaven without it. At first, the fisherman refuses, but touched by the tennin’s sorrow, he relents: he will return the hagoromo to her – if she will show him her celestial dance.
The Outer Garden, December 2024
After hesitating in turn, the tennin agrees to his terms and she performs a symbolic dance honouring the Moon and its phases (represented by the number three, five and fifteen), before the fisherman returns her cloak to her, and she vanishes, “like a mountain slowly hidden in the mist”.
Within Bijou’s Hagoromo, elements of this story are present; there are fish to represent the fisherman, there’s the shoreline where he walked with his friends; little island sit on the water whilst the Moon can be seen in a number of symbolic forms. However, what is offered should not be taken as any literal interpretation of the play; rather, it is, as noted a 3D celebration of traditional Japanese art into which we can step and experience from within.
The Outer Garden, December 2024
Multiple places to sit are available for this, including what I’m going to calla “celestial cart” which can carry visitors around and through the painting. To explore on foot, simply pass under the line of Torii gates and drop down to the level below, and then from there make your way around (and down) to where another mirror teleport will return you either to the Torri gates or back to the intermediary teleport point, with the mirror there taking you back to the main landing point.
Throughout all of this there is a sense of serenity to be found; wandering the halls of the house or along the covered walkways of the painting, there are no distractions of unnecessary sounds or music (which is not to say The Outer Garden is entirely without sound; rather sounds are restricted to where they need to be), allowing the mind to settle and appreciate without undue agitation.
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 