Category: Reviews

Thea and CioTToLiNa at The Living Room

Posted on by Inara Pey
CioTToLiNa Xue at The Living Room
CioTToLiNa Xue at The Living Room

Now open at The Living Room, the delightful art and music venue operated by Owl, Daallee and Nora, is a new double-header exhibition, one I’m particularly please to see take place, featuring as it does the work of sculptress CioTToLiNa Xue, who is displaying her work alongside the equally eye-catching 2D art of Thea Maiman.

Regular readers here will know of my appreciation of CioTToLiNa’s art, which I first encountered whilst visiting an exhibition of Mistro Hifeng’s work. I was immediately struck by her emerging ability to present emotive studies; so much so, that I was determined to have her display her work at my 2015 LEA installation, Impressions – and remain pleased that she accepted my invitation to so do.

CioTToLiNa Xue at The Living Room
CioTToLiNa Xue at The Living Room

Entirely self-taught, CioTToLiNa has been learning 3D and 2D techniques over the course of the last year, between intensive university studies in veterinary medicine. Extremely shy, she believes she still has a lot to learn and is hoping to further refine her skills. This may be true – creativity as always an evolving process after all; but I think it fair to say her abilities are already self-evident, as the pieces displayed at The Living Room demonstrate. For me, it’s an absolute pleasure to see more people taking an interest in her work and offering her opportunities to exhibit – long may it continue!

I am a little ashamed to admit that prior to visiting the Living Room I was nowhere near as well acquainted with Thea Maiman’s work as I am with CioTToLiNa’s – however, my visit has certainly rectified that! Thea’s work focuses on avatar studies, with those presented in this exhibition richly textured and evocative in both style and study.

Thea
Thea Maiman at The Living Room

Thea says of her work that she finds her inspiration in melancholy and darkness, although light and colours can also move her as well. All of these are evident in the works on display at The Living Room, where the idea of darkness can be interpreted through the use of her subject’s eyes being obscured by dark make-up or covered by a blindfold, while  other images contrast this in the use of colour, whilst sometimes simultaneously conveying a sense of the subject being on their own, which pushes slightly at the idea of melancholy.

None of the above should be taken to mean the images are in any way depressing – far from it. There is a vibrancy and life within Thea’s work which contrasts strongly with her stated sources of inspiration, and which makes them a delight to see.

Thea
Thea Maiman at The Living Room

CioTToLiNa and Thea will remain at The Living Room through until Tuesday, February 23rd, depressing; when a closing party will be held, featuring the music of Lazarus Doghouse. And don’t forget the Thursday Music Party at The Living Room, which this month takes place on Thursday, February 18th, and features Agusto Napoli at 17:00 SLT, followed by The Vinnie Show! at 18:0 SLT.

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Calas Galadhon re-opens in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey

Calas Galadhon; Inara Pey, February 2016, on Flickr Calas Galadhon – Gulf of Lune (click any image for full size)

Monday, February 1st marks the official re-opening of Calas Galadhon Park after the New Year’s break the park’s owners, Ty Tenk and Truck Meredith, traditionally take following what is a hectic three months for them between October and December each year. Although truth be told,  “break” is perhaps not the right word, because while the parkland may well be closed, Ty and Truck, together with Romie and Kerena, are rarely putting their feet up – they’re generally hard at work making changes and tweaks, and generally preparing for the new season.

For those unfamiliar with Calas Galadhon, it is one of the largest, longest-running privately held parks in Second Life, open to everyone to enjoy and offering a marvellous range of attractions and events throughout the year. The park is completely non-residential, and supported entirely by donations and out of Ty and Truck’s own pockets. And it is, in a word, beautiful.- and you can find out more through the park’s website.

Calas Galadhon; Inara Pey, February 2016, on Flickr Calas Galadhon – new landscaping at the Main St. garden

Running an endeavour as big as Calas isn’t easy, and over the years there have been changes; some have been brought about by the economic climate, others for personal reasons.

The latter has played a part in Calas Galadhon’s new look for 2016, as Ty recently explained in a blog post. In sort, two of the southern regions of the park, Eryn Vorn and South Farthing have been “retired”, reducing the park to 10 regions. Glanduin had also been selected for retirement, but in the end, neither Ty nor Truck could bear to see it go, and so its pastoral setting has remained.

Calas Galadhon; Inara Pey, February 2016, on Flickr Calas Galadhon – the view along the revised coastline from Dimrill Dale towards Glanduin

This loss of Eryn Vorn and South Farthing means the southern coastline of Calas Galadhon has changed, and I confess I’ll miss winter walks through the deep snows of both, looking out over the narrow channel of water to the tall mountains of the region surrounds. but, in contrast, the broad bay which now replaces the two regions offers its own beauty and opportunities for photographs.

Other changes in the park, I understand, include some changes to Dimrill Dale, new landscaping for the Main St garden next to the Victorian Pavilion, a new Gallery Wine Bar and an updated balloon tour system. And of course, the favourites remain: horse riding, boating, kayaking, hiking, climbing, and discovering all the secrets of Calas Galadhon, spread right across the parklands.

Calas Galadhon; Inara Pey, February 2016, on Flickr Calas Galadhon – the pavilion

Music and live events will also be taking place throughout 2016 at both OZ Nightclub and the Dolphin Café. In fact, music it will very much be a part of the re-opening week, with Reggie Sunset performing at The Dolphin Café from 19:00 SLT on Monday, February 1st, and OZ Nightclub hosting HammerFLA Magic on Friday, February 5th, 2016 from 19:00 SLT, and Samm Qendra on Sunday, February 7th, 2016, again from 19:00 SLT.

Calas Galadhon; Inara Pey, March 2015, on Flickr Calas Galadhon  – Armenelos

I’ve always loved Calas Galadhon. Ty, Truck Romie and Kerena between them produce a marvellous environment we can all enjoy. What makes it especially enjoyable for me this year is that I’ll be able to share the pleasure in discovering Calas for the first time all over again, as it is somewhere Caitlyn has yet to see in all its glory.

So, once again, thank you, Ty and Truck for your generosity in giving us so much to enjoy.

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Terrygold’s visions in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Onirica - +Black Label Exhibitions Corner+
Onirica – +Black Label Exhibitions Corner+

Onirica, literally meaning “dream”, is the latest exhibition to be hosted at the +Black Label Exhibition Corner+. It features the work of Italian artist Terrygold, who also curates the Art on Roofs exhibition space at Solo Donna.

It was at Solo Donna that I first became acquainted with Terrygold’s remarkable images, during her exhibition Ceramic Dolls, which I reviewed here. At the time I was struck by the exquisite beauty of her avatar studies, and I’m pleased to say that Onirica continues in a similar vein, further illustrating her skill and artistry with design, composition and imagery.

Onirica - +Black Label Exhibitions Corner+
Onirica – +Black Label Exhibitions Corner+

The majority of art is displayed with two rooms of an exhibit space which itself forms an overall part of Onirica, and which perhaps suggests different states of vision.

In the first – which forms the arrival point – is bathed in turquoise light and features 11 pieces arranged along two walls of a room bearing a subtle hint of science-fiction about it.  Most of the pieces here are in colour, and feature Terrygold herself as the model. Two of the pieces, locating among the six lining one wall, carry an echo of Ceramic Dolls, offering something of a link between the two exhibitions, whilst two others have clearly been composed within the Onirica spaces, as is one of the pieces on the facing wall.

Onirica - +Black Label Exhibitions Corner+
Onirica – +Black Label Exhibitions Corner+

This room also features a sixth image, framed and hanging at the far end, relative to the landing point. This presents a dramatic study of a nude Terrygold standing within a room pock-marked with dimples in the floor, into which frozen drops of liquid appear to be falling, trailing long strands behind them, which disappear into the darkness overhead.

An arrow on the floor invites you to step through the picture. Doing so leads you into this room of drops, the turquoise space you have just left now framed on the wall behind you, suggesting a move from one state of dreaming to another. A single framed image lies in front of you, a further arrow inviting you to step through it. But before you do, be sure to try the poseball floating amidst the frozen drops, and become a part of Terrygold’s art yourself.

Onirica - +Black Label Exhibitions Corner+
Onirica – +Black Label Exhibitions Corner+

The third room contains a large colourful mobile surrounded by 16 further images spaced around the walls, the majority in black and white.  Some of these images again carry faint echoes of Ceramic Dolls, featuring as they a porcelain-like Terrygold. At the same time the images here are all quite individual, standing distinct from her earlier exhibition, each of them an evocative study guaranteed to capture and hold one’s attention.

Terrygold describes herself as “a builder, interested in art”. I think she is being too modest. Onirica demonstrates that in both her images and her designs, Terrygold is very much an artist first and foremost; the blending of setting and pictures within this exhibition is simply exquisite.

Onirica - +Black Label Exhibitions Corner+
Onirica – +Black Label Exhibitions Corner+

Onirica remains open through until Friday, February 12th, and is not to be missed.

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Seanchai Library’s Crazy Eights in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Dox Quiote - opens Seanchai Library's Crazy Eights series at LE9 on Sunday, January 31st, 2016
Dox Quixote – Words and Images opens Seanchai Library’s Crazy Eights series at LEA 9, 13:30 SLT, Sunday, January 31st, 2016

Opening on Sunday, January 31st is the latest chapter of Seanchai Library’s distinguished history of bring stories and literature to life in virtual worlds through the spoken word. Running through to May 31st, Crazy Eights is a full region installation located at LEA 9, where the Library will be presenting and hosting a range of special story telling events and readings from the world of literature.

The region has been beautifully landscaped by Caledonia Skytower with the support of Shandon Loring, to present a series of event areas, all distinct from one another but linked together and to the landing point by the Story Forest, where visitors walk between tall trees on a path apparently paved in the covers of books, and can discover more about stories, folk tales and more, as they stop at any of the 20 Story Stations lining the paths through the woods.

Walk through the Story Forest to visit the themed area of the region
Crazy Eights: walk through the Story Forest to visit the themed areas of the region, stopping at the Story Stations as you go

The “eight” of the title Crazy Eights, refers to this being Seanchai Library’s eighth year of operation. It was founded in 2008 by Derry McMahon, a Master of Library Sciences in the physical world, after she toured Second Life’s existing libraries and found that while many were inspiring builds, most were empty and seemingly little used.

Derry realised that with all the rich immersive opportunities available in-world, people were unlikely to log-in simply to sit down and read a story or poem or extract from a novel on a note card or from a web page; reading simply doesn’t require a virtual space. It was from this realisation that she established Seanchai Library (“seanchai” – pronounced shawn-a-kee – being is a traditional Irish storyteller/historian): a place where people could come together and read and listen to stories from around the globe and covering all possible genres, giving literature in-world a voice.

The island area
Crazy Eights: the Featured Book Area

Initially, Seanchai Library focused on gatherings which allowed this to happen, establishing a convivial atmosphere in which tales could be shared. But such is the nature of Second Life that it became obvious that more could be done to present literature as a living statement of the arts. Thus, Seanchai gave birth to Storyfests (now folded back into Seanchai’s core activities), which allowed staff and volunteers to organise special literary events, such as their Bard on the Beach and Halloween inspired Boofest series, without detracting from the Library’s core aim of brining stories of every kind to life.

Crazy Eights allows visitors to immerse themselves in both literature and traditional verbal story telling as an art form, and discover more about Seanchai Library itself. The Featured Book Area, for example, will be used to present a book a month through February to the end of May, using a 360-degree setting. The series launches on Thursday, February 4th at 19:00 SLT,  when Shandon Loring, Seanchai’s Chief Storyteller, presents On The Island by Tracey Garvis Graves in a suitably tropical setting (see the image above).

Crazy Eights:
Crazy Eights: Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson feature large, through Seanchai Library’s popular Tea Time at Baker Street sessions every Sunday at 13:30 SLT from February through until the end of May, complete with the opportunity to learn more about those who have played the leading roles in the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories on stage, film, radio, and television down the years

Crazy Eights also present the opportunity for visitors to attend one of the Library’s most popular series of readings: Tea Time at Baker Street. Here, in a setting inspired set of the ITV Granada (UK) television series The Return of Sherlock Holmes, visitors can enter 221B Baker Street every Sunday and hear of the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor John Watson. The first story, selected from the series will be The Adventure of the Empty House, the first story in the volume The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes, at 13:30 SLT on Sunday February 7th.

Southward from here lies the Library Island, home to the Information Centre. Here visitors can discover more about weekly events at the Library’s headquarters at Bradley University, and about major productions such as Explore the Great Gatsby. Just a stone’s throw from this is the Storyteller’s Workshop, will hosts the first session on Saturday, February 13th, at 13:00.

Crazy Eights: the lounge at 221B Baker Street stands ready to receive guests
Crazy Eights: the lounge at 221B Baker Street stands ready to receive guests

Crazy Eights officially opens, however at the East Meadow, an area devoted to stories based on  or inspired by art displays mounted in the meadow.

Here, on Sunday, January 31st, at 13:30 SLT, Derry McMahon and Bear Silvershade will present Don Quixote – Words and Images, where guests are invited to sit beneath a windmill and listen to the story of  Miguel de Cervantes’s Gentleman of La Mancha. On display around the meadow are pictures by Derry inspired by Don Quixote’s adventures, which are simply superb (and which I had the good fortune to review in 2014, when some formed a part of that year’s Fine Arts Tour).

Crazy Eights: the Story Forest path includes 20 story stations to be be discovered by visitors
Crazy Eights: the Story Forest path includes 20 story stations to be discovered by visitors

If you’re already familiar with Seanchai Library’s activities in-world, then you are going to enjoy exploring and spending time at Crazy Eights. If you’ve never attended an event or session by Seanchai Library, then Crazy Eights offers the perfect introduction to a group and their activities in Second Life and virtual worlds, as they keep alive the great tradition of story telling in voice.

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High Water in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey

High Water; Inara Pey, January 2016, on Flickr High Water (Flickr) – click any image for full size

High Water is a languid setting; a place where the water drifts by at ankle depth, its surface broken in places by scatterings of trees, wild flowers and slender stalks of grass. Overhead, clouds pass a little more hurriedly, their scudding passage the fastest movement to be seen. Beyond them, the sky is turning deep blue as the Sun lowers itself slowly towards a distant horizon.

Designed by Morton Funk, High Water is a tranquil place where even the sounds are few; while birds circle in places, they make no noise, and although the passage of the breeze may stir the leaves and branches of the trees, it does not cause them to offer the expected sigh to mark its passing.

High Water; Inara Pey, January 2016, on Flickr High Water (Flickr)

Also scattered across this watery vista are places to sit, each placed so that those using them can look out over the water, as a fine mist clings to it here and there, and simply contemplate whatever chooses to slip gently into their thoughts.

Within this tranquillity, a touch of whimsy and signs of an open heart can be found. As you explore, you may come across a pair of Cica Ghost’s cats, apparently enjoying the water, or a strange fish happily “swimming” in the air above the water. Elsewhere, beneath the surface of the water, a heartfelt message reads, if you should leave me. I have no place to go.

High Water; Inara Pey, January 2016, on Flickr High Water (Flickr)

For those who enjoy a little activity, horses roam the waters, awaiting riders. Should you do so, the sound of hooves beneath you might be the only thing to break the stillness of the region. Or if you prefer, and again located just beneath the surface of the water, a dance machine will allow you to enjoy the music stream which, at the time of our visit, featured  the music of the late David Bowie.

High Water has the feel of being organic in form; as we wandered, I couldn’t help but feel that things had arrived here not so much by intentional design, but as thoughts and ideas occurred to Morton, the environment thus growing quite naturally over time. This, and the tranquil setting, makes it a place to which we’re almost certain to return, to see what else may have arrived.

High Water; Inara Pey, January 2016, on Flickr High Water (Flickr)

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Dutch Masters at Holly Kai Garden

Posted on by Inara Pey
Paintings of the Dutch Masters - Holly Kai Garden
Paintings of the Dutch Masters – Holly Kai Garden

In October 2014, I wrote about the Dutch Masters exhibition curated and mounted by Drw (Drwyndwn Tyne) at his Gallery, Tyne’s Fine Art. At the time, the exhibition made quite an impression on me, such was the sense of presence one gained in being able to view masterpieces of the Dutch Golden Age, uniquely gathered together and beautifully presented in a single location.

I’m therefore extremely delighted that Drw accepted an invitation to display his collection at Holly Kai as the inaugural exhibition in our new Art at the Garden  series.

Paintings of the Dutch Masters - Holly Kai Garden
Paintings of the Dutch Masters – Holly Kai Garden

Opening on Wednesday, January 27th and running through until 28th February, 2015, Paintings of the Dutch Masters presents 40 painting by the likes of Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, Ludolf Bakhuizen, Gerard van Honthorst, all beautifully reproduced and mounted by Drw, and displayed within the two terraces at Holly Kai Garden.

Each piece has been reproduced in the precise aspect ratio of the original, with an additional 15% added to allow for viewing in Second Life, thus adding to the authentic look to each of them, and care has been taken to ensure any copyrights held by the museums hosting the original pieces have not been violated. Further, they are all mounted in picture frames which heighten the feeling of viewing the pieces in person. Click on a frame, it will offer two options: Museum Card and Examine. The former will offer you a texture containing the notes accompanying the piece as presented by the gallery where it is displayed.

Paintings of the Dutch Masters - Holly Kai Garden
Paintings of the Dutch Masters – Holly Kai Garden

Select Examine, however, and you’ll be invited to click the painting again. This will place your avatar in a seated hover position and focus your camera directly on the art; thus, you are able to examine the painting in fine detail, almost as if standing before it in a physical world gallery  (should your camera fail to orient itself after clicking the painting, tap ESC once to adjust it).

Paintings of the Dutch Masters presents a marvellous cross-section of art from the period: portraits, landscapes, studies, all of which help to understand why this period in Dutch History, spanning the 17th century, was so influential; the new Dutch Republic being the most prosperous European nation at the time, leading the way in European trade, science, and art.

Paintings of the Dutch Masters - Holly Kai Garden
Paintings of the Dutch Masters – Holly Kai Garden

More than that, however, it offers the means to truly appreciate magnificent artwork for some of the great masters of their craft, side-by-side and in a manner which could not be enjoyed in the physical world, where many of the pieces are geographically separated by museums. We look forward to seeing you at the garden.

To mark the opening, there will be a special celebration at the garden terrace, from 4:00pm SLT on Friday, January 29th, featuring the music of DJ Anthony Wesburn. Anthony brings a unique style to his music in Second Life. Covering multiple genres including blues, classic rock, and jazz, he not only spinning the tunes, but brings his audience little tidbits of information on the songs and artists he’s playing. Dress code is smart casual / semi-formal.

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