More St. Patrick's Shenanigans And An Art Exhibit

 

 By Gemma Cleanslate

I spent St. Patrick's Day at a couple events that were fun for the celebration. My first stop was over at The River where an all day dance was in progress for the benefit of The Relay for Life.

 Huge beer mugs sat on the stage where two avatars, ʂȾ.βunny ԋҽʅʅϝყɾҽ Vαլεητϊno (mikiablaze Resident) and ĐŔŨŚĨĻĻÀ ĎĄŔĶĐŔĄĞŐŊ  (drusilla03 Resident) were ready to sacrifice them for their team. I quickly grabbed a baseball and dunked both L.! The team, The River of Life,  of which Selene (selene Jashan) is a member held this event. All were dressed in green, of course. It was a great time with good tunes while I was there. It will be open until the end of the month. There were other people involved in the creation of this lovely installation and you will find their names on the Welcome notecard.

Next I made my way over to The Bellisseria Fairgrounds. After I made my way through the forest I found the magnificent party area built by Gracie (GracieAustinn) Resident, and sponsored by one of the  many active groups of Bellissera, The Bike Drive Scoot Group.

FAR (fwdfwd Farslider) a well known DJ in SL who usually holds a Friday Party at his place was DJing here today, playing really  fun tunes of Ireland. Some from the bars, and some from the streets and some from the choirs of Ireland.

Again most were dressed in green and sporting the gifts from the stage, a ”yay” that produced shamrocks and gold coins that floated through the air. In the same gift box was a great mug of port beer like Guinness . Other food and drink offerings were at the side table.

The Hammies both were there having a great time as I danced by. The dance floor was littered with gold coins but I could not grab any. There were rainbows but no leprechauns that I could find or catch.

Gracie looked lovely in her costume .

Nearby there was a beer delivery truck and  I caught Diamond Marchant , a well known builder in Second Life, slugging a long drink of beer  out of  a faucet at the back of the truck . It was a great party and was still going on as I wandered off to real life. Another whole year before we find what St Pat’s day will hold for us in SL again.

Saturday Morning I attended  a Virtual World Best Practices in Education pre event field trip to view a wonderful exhibit , The Magical Forest” It is truly a lovely installation don’t miss it. Jaz (Jessamine2108) has written a story and then created show boxes for each chapter. One can read the story or one can listen to an audio version.

Visitors can also add some effects to the display . All the directions are there at the entrance. It was a wonderful visit and all enjoyed the offered by the creating artist. The creator, Jaz describes it as “This is the implementation of a metaphorical story about climate change. It tells about a story of a young man, who is chosen to go into a magical forest to explore and bring back information so that the forest can be used and creatures destroyed for humans' greed. The story is implemented in 11 scenes, which are interactive and tell each part of the story. The user will be taken along a road that contains these scenes.”
 

Jaz  accompanied us through it. She also pointed out other parts of the landscape that added to the story. It will be open until the end of the month. The story may not be ended, we will see. 

 

Here is your taxi. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Caribbean%20Ocean/94/20/3206

Gemma Cleanslate

 

CDS and Sunweaver Communities At the MoCA Fimi Exhibit Opening

 
By Bixyl Shuftan

On Sunday May 2, two communities took part in an event for three artists, notably one whom had been part of one and had fans in the other. This was Artistic Fimicloud. Known as Stephanie Koslow in real life, she passed away thirteen years ago this month from cancer. So while the event was also for the other two artists whom had pictures at the exhibit, Sanjeewa Kumara and Sujeewa Kumari from Sir Lanka, it was a chance for people to look back at memories of the little pink fox whom had made her mark through artwork and her efforts at the Relay.

The event started at Noon SL time at the CDS' Museum of Contemporary Art (also known as MoCA) in the Neufreistadt sim. Fimi's art, retrospective paintings, was on the ground floor. Kumara and Kumari's art was on the second floor (European first floor), provided by Asmita Duranjay. Sunweaver Shockwave Yareach was the DJ for the event. He took no tips for playing music. Instead a RFL kiosk was set up for the Sunbeamer team, the Relay team of the Sunweaver community. "We are supporting the Sunbeamer team for Relay for Life of Second Life," the current CDS Chancellor Kyoko Furse-Barzane (Samara Barzane) explained, "So love MoCA and CDS too, but hit that kiosk hard." One guy whose viewer was taking a while commented, "Well, currently I just see "Paintings from the Grey Period" until the textures will be loaded, then chuckled. Kyoko mused, "Ah yes, the specialty of many museums.

There were a number of Sunweaver and CDS noteables. Besides Kyoko, other locals included (but not limited to) Lilith Ivory, Callipygian Christensen, and Rosie Gray. Rosie was in a tiny raccoon-like avatar, commenting with a grin, "so glad everyone wears nametags in SL." "Rosie, you are adorable," Kyoko woud later say with a smile. Besides the journalist, other Sunnies there were Jenni Greenfield, Dusk Griswold, Cynthia Farshore, and Sunweaver chief and team Sunbeamer captain Rita Mariner. Dusk was in the poodle avatar she wears most of the time these days. She would comment, "I was trying to figure out why a poodle seemed to fit me, then my real-life sister gave me a possible answer. I lost my Mom to cancer when I was 12, so a lot I didn't remember about her. My sister told me her nickname was 'Poodle.'"

Kyoko would say, "I meet Fimi when I started exhibiting at her Park Galleries. After we lost her in May 2008, I took over Park Galleries and ran it until December 2011. Fimi was very special to a lot of us, the cutest, feistiest little pink fox, and I miss her terribly still." Rita would say, "We still relay in her memory. We have a pink fox statue we put out in our Campsite every year, just for her." "The (Redheads) hadn't been a group long when we lost her," Shockwave commented. Kyoko went on, "We were all on the Passionate Redheads in 2008 and 2009. ... We were the first furry/human Relay team. "Freaked people out I think," Shockwaved mused. It was brought up that around 2009 a number of people in the team split away to form their own, Inspired Dreamwalkers, and the Passionate Redheads were mostly people from the Sunweaver community until it's closing in 2013 just before the season started. "I was a Passionate Redhead till the bitter end and it was disbanded," Rita stated.

Shockwave would play songs such as "Mad World" by Tears for Fears, "I Will Remember You," by Asia, "Love Will Find A Way" by Yes, "Fly Like An Eagle," by Steve Miller, and "Learning to Fly" by Tom Petty. "I can't help it," he would say of the last one, "I love Tom Petty. (I) wanted to see him in concert, but wasn't able to swing the cost of tickets.  Two weeks later, he was dead. Was my hint to QUIT (my) job -- no future in it." Dusk commented she would be retiring from hers in several more months. Rita added, "Bunny has been retired for 12 years plus, Love it." Shockwave would later play what Rita called, "one of the funniest songs I ever heard," which was "Viagra in the Water." "Listen to (the) words," Shockwave told everyone, "it's hilarious. I'll bet Fimi would have loved it." "Hungry like the Wolf" by Duran Duran, got a few jokes about "sheepishly made videos" and "not what I expected when they said the film was catered." "You don't need them the way you wolf it down."

At another point, Rosie in her little tiny was wearing a tall hat that changed colors. "Rosie, you are glowing," Kyoko laughed. "It's the only sombrero I have," Rosie responded, "it's a good party hat, especially if you're really small." There was a joke about hat tricks, to which Dusk commented, "Rabbits are good at hat tricks."

There was some talk about movies as well, notably "The Dark Crystal." "I was really disappointed in it," Dusk commented, "I am a big Jim Henson fan. I got into puppetry because of Henson. But sorry, Dark Crystal was bad." Shockwave nodded, "It was difficult to follow.  That's the directors fault." "It is because of how it was made," the puppeteer commented, "He approached it backwards. He created the world and characters first, then made a story to fit them." She did say there was nothing wrong with how the puppetry and props looked, "looks good visually." Cynthia would say, "have to remember it was long before CGI and to get the puppets to act so well was craft."

The talk about puppets went on, Shockwave saying with a smile, "I played with puppetry because of Dusk here. Those were fun years." "Yeah, we had some fun performing at cons," Dusk responded. Rita added, "I got a puppet caused it looked fun at the cons." "Dusk is a wonderful puppeteer," Kyoko commented, "I saw her give a class, learned a lot." Rita added, "Dusk and I were even on the Dave Glover show a couple times, with our puppets." Shockwave had one story, "At the second TFF (Texas Furry Fiesta), a daddy with his cheerleader daughter was having conniptions that all the weirdos were sharing his hotel. I asked him what was wrong, automatically using the puppet. And to my surprise, the man was arguing with the puppet!!" Several people laughed, Shockwave commenting with a grin, "That was when I knew I wasn't bad at it." Cynthia remarked, "Sort of talk to the hand , with a cover over it." Shockwave chuckled, "I wish I had thought ot that then, that would be a good ending. My closing line was 'We may be wierd, but you 're the one fighting with a puppet.'" Kyoko had a good laugh, "Nice one Shocky."

Shockwave had another story, "We had a teams meeting.  And one of my group was on the island, from home. The joke was made, 'Is the SS Minnow fixed yet?' Everyone laughed but one guy. He said he was googleing what the SS minnow was. I NOW feel old." we all chuckled, Kyoko commenting, "I remember before dial phones."

Talk turned back to Fimi and two of her friends, Rita saying, "She was very close to Treminari," a female red Lusk fox whom was part of the Sunweavers until around 2010. Shockwave commented, "Don't know what happened to her. I know there was a falling out, yes. Well, I wish her the best wherever she is." I myself would say, "Tremi never forgot Fimi, saying she had with her some of her best times in Second Life." Rita would add, "Still hoping Lommy finds his way back," referring to Lomgren Smalls who was known for his six-inch tall avatar. Shockwave would say, "In Lom's case, I didn't KNOW he was sick. ... Lom I sense now and then here and there." Kyoko mused, "Check Rita's cleavage."

Eventually, things were getting close to the end. Rita invited, "You know Kyoko, you are still more than welcome to come visit us." Kyoko responded, "I will. I had forgotten how much fun you all are. The younger furs, too yiffy for me. But you guys and my vintage, and really intelligent." Rita offered to show off the demolition derby the Sunbeamer team made part of an event a few weeks ago, "I figure we will use it again later this month." Shockwave, whom made the derby with Cynthia, mused, "All those years of chasing cars." Dusk commented, "A poodle proved to be the most destructive." Cyanthia joked, "that kind of driving just seems to come natural to you." "I have driven a mail truck for 33 years," Dusk joked, "what do you expect?" Kyoko suggested, "Should I introduce Shocky to my exploding sheep?" Rita joked, "You know the sound a sheep makes when it explodes? 'Hiss BOOM  Baaaaaaa!'" Kyoko chuckled, "Good one Rita." Dusk changed to her sheep avatar, "see if I explode."

Finally came the last song of the event, "Together in Electric Dreams" by the Human League. Kyoko told everyone, "This exhibit will be up into June. So please bring friends over." She also invited the Sunweavers to explore the sims, "By the way, we will have a quad horse in our Representative Assembly next term." Cyanthia mused, "Well guess better than an ass at the Representative Assembly." Dusk joined in, "Horses always depress me, all those long faces." 

The Relay kiosk took in 5000 Lindens for Team Sunbeamers.

With the end of the event, people began going their separate ways, some after looking one more time at the paintings, and one quote of Fimi's.

"My art, my life, is about looking forward, never looking back. Looking back serves no purpose but to break one's heart when you're walking a path as difficult as some of us do. So instead, I look forward, to that next beautiful sunset on the river."

Bixyl Shuftan
 

The Crhistmas Truce Exhibit

By Bixyl Shuftan

Over the Holidays, there was an exhibit in the WW2 Combat RP area that covered an event not of the Second World War, but of the first. It was a hundred years ago in which Europe was locked in what was then called "The Great War." After the initial German march into France was stopped, both sides dug in and the Western Front was locked in the stalemate of trench warfare, with no end in sight.

Although there were truces in the fighting so both sides could tend to their dead and wounded, in December 1914, something very different took place. The "Christmas Truce" was unique in that so many soldiers took part and that there was not only a lack of fighting but soldiers from opposing sides often meeting up to chat or even exchange items. Although there had been calls from the Pope for a truce, and some officers and generals wanted at least a break in the fighting, what happened came about through the spontaneous combined actions of the infantrymen. For a short time in this war marked by so much death destruction and misery, there was peace.

A hundred years later in Second Life, the New Bastogne region had an exhibit about the Christmas Truce, "(Many visitors have) already seen the Christmas Truce Exhibit on Ardennes sim. On the exhibit you will find period time photos, press and the most important, the individual histories of who lived it. Don't miss this great exhibit."

At Homely Isle,there were a number of photographs and descriptions up for display, describing scenes of how the Christmas Truce came to be.

We were in the front line, we were about 300 yards from the Germans. And we had, I think on Christmas Eve, we'd been singing carols and this that and the other, and the Germans had been doing the same. And we'd been shouting to each other, sometimes rude remarks more often just joking remarks.

Anyway, eventually a German said, "Tomorrow you no shoot, we no shoot." And the morning came and we didn't shoot and they didn't shoot. So then we began to pop our heads over the side and jump down quickly in case they shot but they didn't shoot. And then we saw a German standing up, waving his arms and we didn't shoot and so on, and so it gradually grew.

More than a hundred thousand soldiers would take part in the truce. While it was often just simply leaving one another alone, there were numerous examples of the soldiers getting out into No-Mans-Land and chatting with one another, exchanging items such as tobacco with one another, even exchanging Christmas gifts, often alcoholic drinks. There were even soccer matches set up between the two sides.

A Scottish soldier appeared with a football, which seemed to come from nowhere, and a few minutes later a real football match got underway. The Scots marked their goal with their strange caps, and we did the same with ours. It was far from easy to play on the frozen ground, but we continued, keeping rigorously to the rules, despite that it only lasted an hour, and that we had no referee. A great many of the passes went wide, but all the amateaur footballers, although they must have been very tired, played with huge enthusiasm.

One might think after weeks of stalemate someone among the leadership might have suggested making the truce official and give the governments a chance to negotiate, especially with the Germans whom were fighting a two front war. But it was not to be. Eventually the generals on both sides grew more irritated with the truce, and began ordering the fighting to resume under threat of punishment. The following year, soldiers were warned they faced court-martial, even execution, if they fraternized with the enemy. Some smaller truces still came about in that year and the next, but there would never again be another Christmas Truce like 1914 had seen.

The Christmas Truce Exhibit remained up after New Years, and will be taken down tomorrow on January 10.

Homely Isle (98/135/31)

Bixyl Shuftan

Press Day at Burn 2

October 17 was Press Day at the Burn2 area. Bloggers and newsletter writers were invited to come by for a sneak peak. And in the corner of my eye I saw a few such as Inara Pey. I arrived a bit late to be part of a tour group. But there was plenty to see.

Almost right away, I ran into one builder: Alexi Denortak (Shawnna Chrome). Alexi showed me her paper-mache castle in Burning Man-Elko, "good thing it never rains in the desert," two towers connected by a bridge.

One could pick up a copy of Alexi's castle, "buy" it for zero Lindens, as well as the couch and top hat inside.

Nearby was a "Pancake Breakfast tent." By the looks of one set of tables, the owner heard about the Tinies' reputation for a great love of waffles.

 And there was the 3-D Maze, this year's theme being Ancient Egypt.

 

This place looked real colorful and trippy on the inside.

Gemma recommended I head to one particular build: Leroy Horton's Quetzalcoatl exhibit at Burning Man-Deep Hole (113/197/25)

Quetzalcoatl was an Aztec god whom a provided notecard depicted as nurturing human civilization, which fit in nicely with the Burn's "Cargo Cult" theme, and condemning human sacrifice while promoting self-sacrifice. The build was best viewed at midnight, in which the light effects were best seen. The parcel stream played Mesoamerican music.

Besides the notecard, one could pick up a t-shirt and a wearable snake. I asked Leroy how might he react if a group in anthro-reptile avatars came to see his exhibit. "That would be cool! I'd love it!" he responded.

"I have had a problem getting some of my friends to come because they hate snakes!" Leroy laughed, "I take it as a compliment as I hope they think they look real enough." The tail on the bigger snake and the head of the medium sized ones move a little, but Leroy's working on making it look like the snakes breathe.

Nearby was a tall statue of a nude (PG) woman. When touched, packages would rain down on her. After a certain amount, she would sink to the ground in flames. A plaque in front explained the exhibit's theme.

 Following that, Mrs. Mia Wallace (Mia Quinote) invited me to her exhibit at Burning Man-Black Rock (190/177/24). "Welcome to John Frum's little home," she announced when I got there. The build was a flying saucer stuck in the sand.

 Mia directed me to the back, where there was a display for a youtube film, "I filmed this story told by Danger Ranger on the Black Rock City Playa this year." She reminded me that Danger Ranger was a co-founder of the Burning Man festival. "This video is well, the story of John Frum and the playa." If one can't see the video inworld, one can get a link to see it on one's web browser.

Two objects will send you upward, one to over over the saucer. The other will have you standing on top of it to open a box, "Meet John Frum. ... when you watch the video, you will get the connection."

And what's in the box and video, well, you'll have to visit the exhibit to see for yourself.

Mia then directed me to Camp Everywhere, where there's a number of pieces of 2-D art. She called for it's host, DocLivingston Resident, who soon arrived.

 "Welcome to Camp Everywhere," DocLivingston greeted me, "I am a real-life Burner for eight years in a row, and a three year Regional Contact for the real-life Burning Man." He had heard of the festival, but it took a friend who told him, "We Need You There!" So I loaded up My Big Sound System a couple months later and a whole bunch of camping stuff and headed to the desert, 'Wow,'  my whole life changed in that Moment."

At the real life festival, there is also a Camp Everywhere, "It is Built by the Regional Network all over the world." In Second Life, it was a little different, "it's a place to come and Learn about the real-life Burn and to meet the people who help to run it."

How was it being a contact for the two festivals? "Mostly amazing. Defiantly when its all said 'n done, it is worth every bit of effort." He did feel it was "sometimes frustrating to me ... but, the people are the same, Beautiful, Loving, Passionate, Currious, Generous, Willing to Help each other."

"I had a transition I had to make deep inside my soul," Doc explained, "yet a learning experience I would never take away, one that tought me that ANYONE can be a part of a more Beautiful World whether it be at the real life Burn or a regional burn around the world."

Of Burn2, "I am blessed to have met soooo many amazing people." For Second Life Burners who had yet to go to Burning Man, he recommended they talk to someone who had first, "get an idea of what to expect from several peoples experiences."

 DocLivingston was proud of his mutant vehicle, "my Art Car the Yellow OyStarrrrr." He had yet to see much of this year's exhibits beyond Camp Everywhere, and was looking forward to experience what the artists had to offer.

I was looking for one final exhibit before calling it a day, Ub Yiffu's. Fortunately help was right there a minute after leaving Camp Everywhere, and she told me where to go.

 UB Yiffu's exhibit, "Flesh Dreams," definitely had a post-apocalyptic look to it.

There were a few ways to interact with parts of the exhibit, so come by and see how.

And with that, my Press Day came to a close as events in real life needed my attention. Don't forget to come by Burn2 yourself. The festival starts Saturday Oct 19.

Bixyl Shuftan

The End of the 1000 Avatars Exhibit

On the afternoon of Sunday June 3, 2012, Gracie Kendal's 1000 Avatars exhibit came to a close. Before the end, the artist threw a party at Noon SL time to celebrate it's success, and a number of friends and fans came by during the time. Among them were artists Scottius Polke and Wizard Gynoid, and blogger Treminari Huet.


Gracie's friend Kaj Juutilainen DJed for the event high above the Coyote sim. During the time people talked about when they and friends had their pictures taken, about the mixed reality art show she held in both Second Life and a Los Angeles art gallery about a month earlier, and general joking around, such as the "crab dance" gestures.

Finally at five minutes after 3PM, Gracie asked, "Are we ready? … Oh, we may want to fly, 'cuz you may fall (laughter). … Ready to take down the installation. (smile)" Scottius began chanting, "Tear down the wall! Tear down the wall!" Gracie laughed, "Hahaha Scottie." Then she turned to the DJ, "Ohhh Kaj, some Floyd? 'Tear Down The Wall?' Heeheehee." "Great call Gracie!" one of the other attendees cheered, and soon Pink Floyd's "The Wall" came up.

"Okay," Gracie told, "we will count down. I'll start with 10." "These are going to be Gracie's Walls of Jericho," someone commented. And as people started flying, "Fly peeps," Gracie did the countdown, "Okay, here we go … 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 … Wait!" "Oh my God!" "Just kidding (grin)." And a few people laughed.

"There we go!" And with Gracie's announcement the place began to crumble. The 2000 avatar pictures became individual bricks as the bonds holding them began loosening, and they began plummeting down. The floor came apart too, and also fell down in chunks, "Whoah!" "Wow." "Oh wait, there go my keys!" ""Oh my God! They are all going separately." "(singing) All in all, you're just another prim in the wall."

And soon, there was nothing left of the build, save the artist and the others whom were there, floating around, "Damn, that was cool." "That rawked!!" Gracie grinned, "Hey, I could always rez it and do it again (laughter)." For a few minutes, everyone continued to hang around. Then everyone began to head their separate ways.







And so the 1000 Avatar Project is over. But it still exists in the minds of the 2000 people who took part and numerous others whom stopped by, and of course numerous Flickr pages, articles and pictures, and numerous screenshots in who-knows-how-many computers.

"It’s been a great run these past couple years. The 1000 Avatars project has been a wonderful experience for me. I am so lucky to have met all the people and made so many new friends. Online identity is still very important to me and I definitely continue to work on other art projects relating to it."



For more information on Gracie Kendal's 1000 Avatar Project, go to it's website at http://1000avatars.wordpress.com/ . 


"Thank you to all who attended the fun and exciting event. You guys rock!!!"

Bixyl Shuftan