Category: Reviews

Maison de L’amitie in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey

Maison de L’amitie – click any image for full size

Update, September 2019: Update: Maison de L’amitie has relocated.

I first visited Maison de L’amitie a year ago in April 2016. For reasons that escape me, I never actually blogged about it. So a suggestion from Shakespeare that Caitlyn and I should head on over came as a timely reminder.

As I recall (with the aid of photos taken at the time), a year ago Maison de L’amitie presented a rural scene with windmills, vines and lots of green. A year on and the region – designed by Corina Wonder with help from  Lan Erin – now presents a seafront environment which, although surrounded on all four sides by water, suggests that the land should actually continue to the south-east, where it otherwise falls sharply into the sea.

Maison de L’amitie

It is a place evocative of sea-side vacation destinations; much of the region is given over to water to form a natural bay which reflects a golden-hued sky. Sand bars to the south and west protect the bay on two sides. These form two broad, low beaches, the one to the south adjoining a sharp upthrust of land against which a little village sits. Running before this, and separating it from a sandy waterfront, is a wide road overlooking a line of rowing boats moored just off-shore, watched over by cormorants, gulls and a pelican.

The little hamlet – has a decidedly Mediterranean look to it: whitewashed walls fading from the effects of the sun and air doubtless heavy with sea-salt, sitting under red-tiled roofs. The houses and villa occupy a set of terraces stepping up the hill, a broad stone stairway dissecting them. On the lowest tier, at the roadside, sits a cosy-looking villa hotel. above and behind it are more houses – perhaps chalet-style accommodation for the guest of the hotel. The uppermost terrace is the home of a small chapel and the remnants of other buildings, their broken walls adding a certain charm to the island while suggesting a history lies here awaiting discovery.

Maison de L’amitie

Down on the waterfront, the road crosses the water via the triple arches of a sturdy stone bridge to arrive at a grand château. Sitting amidst tidy lawns with trim yew bushes on parade either side of the wide footpath lading up to it, the château appears to have been converted into a ballet school, and offers a commanding view out over the bay from this windows and from its well-tended lawns.

And out on the bay, boats lie at anchor, two single-masted sailing boats, a motor-cruiser, a fishing boats and – a commanding presence among all of them – a three-masted corvette. This sits with sails furled, far enough out to suggest it is standing guard over the bay and the little hamlet. Another protector can be found at the end of the western sand bar, looking out towards the corvette, warding boats away from the risk of running aground.

Maison de L’amitie

Maison de L’amitie is a place for meandering, unhurried exploration. The beaches offer  space to walk on golden sand, coupled with little snuggle points on  or under old rowing boats or on blankets just above the edge of the tide. A little book store between beach and village presents a place for browsing, while a short walk beyond it and around the headland, the broken finger of an old lighthouse lies forlornly at the foot of the hill against which the village has been built. Elsewhere lies a chance to see inside the workshop of a craftsman who makes surf boards, and everywhere are opportunities for photographs.

For those who wish to rez props for use with photos, a land group is available to join – either accept via the greeter at the landing point or step into the reception at the hotel, where you can touch the visitor counter up on the gallery overlooking the reception desk, and join the group. Should you enjoy your visit, please consider a donation towards the continued upkeep of the region for others to enjoy.

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Artful Expressions in Second Life: Pan and Sven

Posted on by Inara Pey
Artful Expressions: Pan

The April exhibition at Artful Expressions, the boutique gallery curated by Sorcha Tyles, opened on Saturday, April 1st, 2017. This month, it’s an all boys affair, featuring Panteleimon Aeon and Sven.

Up until now, exhibitions at the gallery have tended towards offering pairings of artists whose work tend to be complementary to one another. This has always added depth to a visit, encouraging one to compare and appreciate both styles on display and consider them as both individual portfolios and a join exhibition, flowing one to another.  With Pan and Sven, Sorcha has shifted things a notch:  Pan focus on avatar studies, while Sven leans more to landscape images; thus presenting two contrasting portfolios of images, each of which are fascinating in their own right.

Artful Expressions: Pan

Pan’s work is visually striking, combining a sense of posed set piece with natural flavour. The result is that while each may well have been composed, so to could each have been easily caught as a moment from the subject’s life; a frozen instant of an unfolding story, the subject unaware they have been so captured.

As regular readers know, I’m strongly attracted to images with contain a narrative, and Pan’s work easy contains entire novel in each image. They draw us into the story, opening the floodgates of the imagination so that we become enwrapped, filling out the back story to these people, their surrounding, and what brought them to this moment in time. These are images to be admired from an artistic standpoint as well; the use of light and shadow, the muted toning, the use of perspective, depth of field, rule of thirds, framing – all play a role in attracting us to these moments in time.

Artful Expressions: Sven

Across the central aisle of the gallery space, Sven also presents nine images, but these are focused on the places in Second Life he has visited and appreciated. “I am definitely no professional by any means. [This is] merely a hobby that I enjoy,” he states disarmingly of his work.

He may not by a professional – after all, how many of us are? – but that doesn’t negate his eye or his style. All of the pieces are again evocative in presenting the scenes they have captured. They also draw us to them, stirring thoughts and imagination, tempting us to wonder at what we might find were we to enter the worlds they offer us and encouraging us to check the pictures for the location names in a desire to visit them (and yes, the names are given).

Artful Expressions: Sven

And did I say these were two contrasting styles? Well, perhaps they are; but they are also drawn together into a cohesive whole by Pan. He has included a single, striking landscape in his set of images. It serves as a natural, subtle link between his display and Sven’s.

Both Pan and Sven will be on display at Artful Expressions until the end of the month. Don’t forget you can also enjoy an ever-changing display of Sorcha’s work on the ground floor of the gallery.

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Six days of Sky Gardens in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey

Sky Gardens, Filling the Cauldron – click any image for full size

Update: the Sky Gardens will remain at Holly Kai Park for the next couple of weeks. If you would like to visit them, touch the teleport “mirror” at the Holl Kai Park welcome gazebo and select “2” from the menu, then touch the beam. The winning gardens are numbered “1” for the overall winner and “2” for the joint runners-up.

ccI’ve written a lot over the last couple of weeks about Filling the Cauldron. This is primarily for two reasons. The first is that I’ve been one of the prime movers of the whole thing; the second, and more important reason, I believe in the cause – Elicio Ember is a very special person and a dear friend. Hence why I hope many of you will drop by the event between now an Sunday, April 9th, 2017 – but I’d like to give you another reason to do so. Well, NINE reasons, actually.

As a part of the run-up to the event, we put out a challenge for people to consider designing a garden featuring Elicio’s plants and creations. Nine people rose to the challenge, and their work is extraordinary, offering exotic, other-worldly realms nestled together which, because of their location on an overhead platform, we’ve called the Sky Gardens.

Sky Gardens, Filling the Cauldron

The nine designers who rose to the challenge are: Abinathra, Chic Aeon, Sweetgwendoline Bailey, Kzru Bruhl, Oscelot Haalan, Alliah Jewell, Opal Lei, Letty Luckstone and Eclair Martinek. All of them have produced the most amazing and beautiful designs  which we’ve set under a sky we hope shows them to their best and reflects Elicio’s use of purple in his work. This should set automatically on Firestorm, otherwise flick over to “[TOR] SCIFI – Purple wisps & egg yolk” if you are using a viewer which does not support parcel windlights (just reset to region default after a visit).

Each gardener had an area of 45 metres on the side, and a land impact allowance of 450 with which to let their creative juices flow. In addition, Alliah Jewell provided some surrounding landscaping and paths to lead visitors around the gardens, and placed some seating areas. One of Elicio’s gazebos finished off the setting, presenting people with another place to sit, offering a soothing environment in which to enjoy the gardens.

Sky Gardens, Filling the Cauldron

It would be easy to think that given the focus in on one creator’s items (although elements from other designers was permitted, as long as the focus was on Elicio’s work), all of these gardens would have a common look and feel. However, this is far from the case. All nine gardens are individual and uniquely beautiful, each one demonstrating a personal interpretation of the fantastic, mythological riches of Elicio’s creations, bringing them very much to life.

The gardens range from the simple elegance and tranquillity offered by gentle waters supporting exotic orchids and reflective bubbles drift on a gentle breeze, through the heart of Amazonian-like rain forests, where waters tumbles down rocks into shimmering pools, parakeets in bright plumage circle overhead; or where a path winds upwards through verdant undergrowth to reveal a temple-like structure hidden within the trees; to mystical places where sphere turn their rune-faced surfaces to visitors or the skeleton of a great beast rests.

Sky Gardens, Filling the Cauldron

Such is the depth of creativity shown with these gardens that I do urge you to pay a visit. Yes, you can also contribute to Filling the Cauldron if you so wish; but in this instance – and I know Elicio agrees – witnessing the creative vision embodied in these designs helps to bring each to life, and pays tribute to the gardeners for all of their work in bringing these garden scenes to us. And believe me, their beauty makes them more than worth the visit. I’d truly love to have them remain at Holly Kai park for people to visit and enjoy well into the future.

But they will soon be passing into the west. Filling the Cauldron draws to a close on Sunday, April 9th. But, should you visit, you can help to ensure one of the gardens will be reborn at another place and time later in the year, as one of these designs will – with your help – be selected for display at the upcoming 2017 Home and Garden Exhibition. You can read more on this at the Filling the Cauldron Gardens in the Sky page.

Sky Gardens, Filling the Cauldron

So, do please pay the Sky Gardens a visit; they will only bloom for a short time.

SLurl and Links

Kultivate 2017 Spring Art Show in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Kultivate Magazine 2017 Spring Art Show

The Kultivate Magazine 2017 Spring Art Show officially opened on Monday, April 3rd and runs through until Sunday, April 9th. This celebration of 3D and 2D art features more than 50 participating artists, with both juried and non-juried art competitions, with those participating in the juried event are competing to win a shared prize pot, gift cards, and more.

The event – which is talking place on a specially constructed festival area at Kultivate Magazine’s home region – will also feature live performers, tribute bands, DJ parties, two hunts and a photo contest, Spring Into Art.

Kultivate Magazine 2017 Spring Art Show

Hunt-wise, the Palette Hunt features artist’s palettes scattered across the show. Simply find them (in any order you come across them), and touch them to receive a prize.  The Art Quest Part 2 hunt is a HUD-based hunt, also running throughout the show, and is a mystery for you to solve. Follow the clues, and the following prizes could be yours:

  • A free mesh artist studio skybox
  • A free mesh slide show frame for your images
  • A free artist furniture mesh set
  • A free mesh frame
  • A free piece of art work.

You can pick up your HUD and the 2D Exhibition Art Gallery.

Kultivate Magazine 2017 Spring Art Show

A full list of participating artists and the event sponsors can be found on the Spring Art Show Press release, and artists are also listed by subject area:

A new component to this year’s show are the Art Talks. These classes feature a variety of subjects, including Second Life photography, copyright and creative commons information, how to market yourself as an artist and more. All of the talks are taking place at the Art Show theatre, at the following dates and times:

  • Tuesday, April 4th, 2017 at 07:00 SLT: Strawberry Singh, “Second Life Photography Tips”
  • Tuesday, April 4th, 2017 at 17:00 SLT:  Veruca Tamma “Copyright and Creative Commons”
  • Wednesday, April 5th, 2017 at 17:00 SLT: Kaijah Chrome “Beginner and Intermediate Photography class”.

So, as is always the way with Kultivate Magazine, there is a lot going on. To get a complete feel for the event, follow the links below, and be sure to visit the Kultivate 2017 Spring Art Show in-world.

Links and SLurls

 

The Poetry of the Planets in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Poetry of the Planets: Uranus – The Magician

Gustav Holst’s The Planets is perhaps one of the best-known suites of classical music; I doubt there are many reading these words who have not heard it at least in part. Notably, perhaps, thanks to Mars: Bringer of War and Jupiter: Bringer of Jollity (a movement from which is often used – possibly with Holst’s own posthumous disapproval – as the music for I Vow To Thee My Country).

Written between 1914 and 1916. Each movement of the suite is named after one of the seven major planets of the Solar System beyond Earth, and its corresponding astrological character as defined by Holst. The pieces are richly evocative and emotive – hence their popularity in modern western culture, and perfect for interpretation through many mediums – dance, theatre, film and musical re-arrangement.

Poetry of the Planets: the Teleport Temple

Holst’s Suite forms the focus for Caledonia Skytower’s Poetry of the Planets, which opened on Sunday, April 2nd, and runs through until the end of May. It offers a unique means ffor further interpreting Holst’s music – through the designs built by Caledonia, the music and our own words.

“Legend has it that the Ancient Gods of the Greeks have abandoned this realm, but evidence of their existence can be found above, in celestial spheres,” Cale explains. “These signs and symbols, both direct and abstract, are also reflected in Gustav Holst’s 1918 orchestral suite, The Planets, Op 32.”

Poetry of the Planets: Venus – Bringer of Peace

And thus, we are invited to take the teleport boards from Olympus Island, where a visit begins, and travel the spheres of Holst’s suite (Bringer of War and Bringer of Jollity – to use the original titles for each piece in the suite before the names of the planets were appended in 1918 – have yet to be added).

Within the spheres, scenes have been set which elegantly reflect the central theme of each piece, while a web link allows visitors to hear the associated piece from Holst’s suite via YouTube. Uranus, for example, offers a world of light and symbols, circles turn, runes glow, stars are born and fade mist hides and reveals – all emblematic of the arcane science of magic.

Meanwhile, Saturn offers a long winding patch that twists ever upward, passing windows in which a candle slowly burns. Steps along this winding path are in keeping with the doleful beat to The Bringer of Old Age, while the windows and the candle remind us of the passing of years, the slowness of progress up the hill a physical reminder of growing age until we reach the top – and?

Poetry of the Planets

As you explore these spheres and allow their mystique and the beauty of Holst’s music infuse you, you may well be moved to words and poetry – which is precisely the aim.

“Let your exploration of one or all of the planets inspire you to write a poem, Cale explains. “You need not be an experienced poet – all poems are welcome. You are even welcome to write a poem about Olympus Island itself.

“One poem a day will be featured here on the project blog,  In May, at the end of the project, there will be a reading event to share selections from the featured project poems.”

Poetry of the Planets: Neptune the Mystic

Dropboxes for poems can be found within each of the spheres, close to the landing point in each (where a blue sphere also offers a teleport back to the temple at ground level), and Cale points out that all rights to the poems submitted are retained by the poem’s author.

Poetry of the Planets is an inspired idea, bringing together fable, mysticism, music and words – and a wonderful means by which we can immerse ourselves in Holst’s suite. I look forward to a return visit to witness Bringer of War and Bringer of Jollity – and to trying my hand at writing a poem or two.

Poetry of the Planets will be open through until the end of May, as noted – and don’t forget to visit the resource centre while there.

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Orcadi Island’s simple splendour in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey

Orcadi Island – click any image for full size

Orcadi Island is a homestead design by Julya (Julya77) which is beautiful in its simplicity of approach, and likely mindful of places we may have visited or seen in the physical world. In my case, the strongest impression was that of England’s and Scotland’s heathland, thanks to the wide open vista presented. To others, doubtless it will evoke thoughts of America’s grain belt or the vast farms of the Australian outback.

The island rises from the sea table-like, the mostly flat top is entirely covered in tough wild grass turned sandy blond and suggestive of an autumn’s day – a feeling enhanced by the region’s windlight. A single hill rises to one side of this flat expanse, topped by the slim tower of a lighthouse. While this may break the illusion that the region is in the middle of a broad swath of heathland or wheat fields or the outback, it also reminds us that Orcadi Island isn’t really any attempt to mimic a particular place, but rather to evoke feelings and perhaps stir memories.

Orcadi Island

The landing point sits before the single cottage occupying the land – the storybook LAQ  Picturesque Cottage, which I still adore seeing, even if it’s not really suitable for placement at home. Its presence here further enhances the intertwining of feelings that this place is familiar with the knowledge it is really unique.

A track runs past the cottage, pointing towards the lighthouse on its hill in one direction, whilst winding its way towards a thatch roofed windmill in the other, passing horses grazing on the tall grass along the way. A branch of this path also offers the way to the beach on the north-east side of the island. A second windmill sits closer to the cottage, its circular sail turning slowly, a snuggle for couples sitting just above the late-blooming flowers surrounding it.

Orcadi Island

As well as the horses roaming the island, the yard of the cottage is occupied by chickens, while the nearby bales of hay, neatly rolled or squared, and the red bulk of a tractor suggest this is a working farmstead. But also scattered across the island are small ruins: a wall here, a shattered corner and floor there, the arches of what might have once been a chapel overlooking the sea. all of which suggest this place has long been a place of human habitation.

It’s often said that the skill invested in a design is often shown within its apparent simplicity – a word to which I keep circling back. Orcadi Island exemplifies this in spades: it seems so simple a design, deceptively hiding the care and thought invested in making it such a beautiful setting. Yes, you might be able to “see all there is to see” within a few minutes of arriving, but that’s not the point. This is a place to be savoured; a setting in which you can lose yourself in thought enjoy time spent with a loved one or friend without feeling the need to hurry on and see what’s around the next corner.

Orcadi Island

This is also a wonderfully photogenic place, richly evocative;  while walking through the tall grass, I found myself wanting to open my hands and feel the bushy tops of the golden stalks stroking my offered palms.

Should you enjoy your visit, do please make a donation at the tip jar by the landing point and help ensure Orcadi Island continues to be a place people can visit and enjoy.

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With thanks, yet again, to Shakespeare for pointing me towards Orcadi Island.