Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Historic Music Venue “Menorca” in Second Life for Sale

One of Second Life’s oldest and most venerable musical venues “Menorca” is up for sale by owner Slim Warrior. The Class 5 SIM, which has been open and running since Jan 2006 has been featured on Channel 4, RollingStone Magazine, Sky News and many more. Ms Warrior, who has owned the Music Events Island, has an extensive musical resume in virtual worlds. She was the first Musician from the UK to perform in Second Life and has performed in several other virtual worlds including; Twinity, Active Worlds, Metaplace and Reaction Grid. She is also the owner of the group, Independent Musicians, founder of the SL Music Community Forum, Co-Organizer of Metameets 2010 and is the owner of Music in Virtual Worlds. She is one of Second Life’s revered performers and it’s been both a pleasure to have seen her perform and to have her as a friend. We happened to have caught each other in world yesterday and chatted.

“How's it going Slimmie?” I said in an instant message.


“Hey, all is well ... I moved to Denmark about five weeks ago and I am loving it. I have a wonderful old farmhouse.” She replied and then added; “The sad news is I am closing Menorca. I am trying to find a buyer, but so far no offers. After five years I can’t afford the tier.”

“I’m sorry to hear that Slim. You’re still performing though I trust?”

“Now and again yes, mainly DJ’ing my station and won’t be in SL as much really now. But there is something very new arriving that I am doing for Music in Virtual Worlds. So am really excited.

“Five years is a long time in SL ... what's your best and most wonderful memory and when was the first performance there?”

“Oh far too many memories … It was in April 2006, and was sponsored by City Stages and Coca Cola. They were the first official brand in SL to sponsor a concert. But the island had shows before that, just not the official opening. It’s been featured on a sky news two part thing. We did Metajams here which was the first time ever that we had duets and trios playing on one stream as a concert. We have had celebrities here and more importantly the SL Musicians. I think over the years we have had around maybe around 800-900 musicians perform here.

“Oh wow! That’s a lot of Music.”

“Every week and it soon adds up over the years.”

“It was the cost that drove you to the decision to sell?”

“Yes, same as for many others of course … tier for islands here is expensive, plus the VAT I pay for being in the UK on top.”

“What's your asking price?”

“I haven’t set one. I simply asked for interested parties to IM me and maybe offer something. As just a SIM one can get them for less than a thousand dollars, but if it went as it is, then of course it comes with the music history and a group.”

“There should be a premium for that.”

“That would be nice, but in all honesty I’m not sure if anyone has the money for places anymore. I’m not wanting to make a profit at all … so I’m not looking for stupid money … but I would like to be able to cover at least a bit of the tier I have paid this last two months. I’m stretched so far I can’t pay for next month at all, so it will go.”

“The Lindens will take it off line?”

“Yep, it’s still in my handbag though … all the build etc..“

“To recreate it if and when you have the opportunity?”

“No, I’d never to be able to afford the set up fee and I have a new and very exciting project coming that will take up my time. It’s still about music in virtual worlds though.”

“Other than SL I take it?”

“Yes, although I won’t leave SL … too many friends here to do that … will of course not be here as much

“We'd miss you Slimmie if you left.”

“It may be I will have more time, if I don’t have the island. That may be a plus!”

“A Silver lining huh?”

“But of course it is very very hard to let go after so long and having been here before many others … it was the second full music SIM in SL and the only ever not to have a store or mall … it has simply always been just about music.”

“Anyone can ping you directly to make an offer?”

“Yes goodness yes … all my IM’s go to my email

“Please let me know if anyone buys or if the Lindens take it off line and what your new project is up to when you're ready to discuss.”

“Absolutely! It will be fairly soon I hope. I work for Extreme Reality, Executive Partner for that … and that’s where the new project will be going through.”

Monday, August 23, 2010

Red Moon Rising: A Summer Garden Party at Atelier Alizarin



A Summer Garden Party at Atelier Alizarin

PRESS RELEASE

From: Alizarin Goldflake

Topic: *!RED MOON RISING!* - a summer garden party

Event date: Tuesday, August 24, 2 pm PDT

The August full moon is sometimes known as "The Red Moon," and it seems an auspicious date to celebrate the completion of my new Sky Sculpture Garden with a summer garden party for my friends and art lovers. Please visit me on Tuesday, August 24, at 2 pm PDT. Frilly gowns? Straw boaters? Flower avatars? A L$5,000 Atelier Alizarin Gift Certificate goes to wearer of the costume that best captures the spirit of "Summer!" Judges: Chrome Underwood, Maeve Eiren, and Thirza Ember!

The Sky Sculpture Garden, which is full of lush plants, stones, moss, and gravel, is inspired by a real Japanese garden called "Tenshin En." Its main feature is a "dry waterfall" on the east wall. The walkways are decorated with festive paper lanterns, and strollers will hear soft fragments of Japanese flutes, drums, and a koto. There are viewing benches for sitting and surveying the scene, and at the west end there is a dance floor and dance ball with animations to match the flamenco and classical guitar land music. Champagne and petit fours for your virtual hunger and thirst.

The Sky Sculpture Garden was built at the suggestion of some of my friends that I make a demonstration of how people might display my work on their own land. So the center island features my recent art environment, "At the End of the Day" - wander inside and you will find yourself transported to another world!

Other Atelier Alizarin Attractions include: Orfeo's Oratorio, Musical Kinetics and more immersive art (sorry soror!) in Sky Studio, The Particularium on the third floor, RL digital drawings on the second floor, 2-D digital collages on the first floor, and a beautiful sculpture park on the ground - just look for the tp boxes O.O

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Tricia Aferdita Gallery Anniversary Celebration

Congratulations Tricia!

Very good and dear friend Tricia Aferdita is celebrating the third year of business for her gallery in Second Life and her second anniversary a Avalon. Ms Aferdita is very active in the Second Life art scene and is also a manager at the Avalon Town SIM complex.

"We're celebrating the gallery's second year in Avalon Town and more than three years in business with a party at the gallery! Starting at noon on Sunday the 22nd with the entertaining rock guitarist Simon Voix, then the amazing DJ Skott Westland will take over the stream with music to party to. New works will be featured by both GM Nikolaidis and Raven Haalan, currently on exhibit at the gallery. Don't miss the fun!"

Viewing Islands, from the Gallery by an Architect



The notice came to me from Comet Morigi to announce her latest exhibition, "Viewing Islands, from the Gallery by an Architect" presented by SOLA Gallery. It wasn't clear whether or not the note was announcing it as opening, however she did indicate that it would be open until the 16th of September. Her note went on to explain:

"This exhibition has 3 phases as shown below:

1) Off-sim islands surrounding the gallery I made. You view the islands through the back wall which the Artist made transparent.

2) On the wall inside the gallery are some document photos, a model from a past landwork, and snapshots of their collectors’ rooms.

3) The observatory to view the islands is on a small hill next to the gallery. You can find this by following the line of hovering seagulls.

A gallery managed by an architect is different than one managed by a dealer or a curator. An architect is a maker as much as an Artist. For an architect, laying out pictures on walls is done with the same sense as laying out windows or air vents.

For this display, I remade the gallery and its environment for the architecture. Although I made a wall and floor transparent, the windows and floor are the same in size/layout/shape/texture/color.

The intention is to exhibit what I did to the gallery, rather than to exhibit something in the gallery.
You discover works ONLY BECAUSE they are in a gallery within the expected Art context. If you destroyed the gallery, visitors couldn’t find your works there. That’s why I continue to have the gallery as the basis for exhibiting my work.

I appreciate the sims KAZE&SOLA residents’ patience during my 3 months working on this town.

Also Kaikou Splash for me, who specialized his hovering seagulls “Thermal Catcher” to “Wind Catcher,” so that they keep facing against the current SL wind."


Jul.15, 2010
comet Morigi, the Artist

http://www.koinup.com/comet_Morigi/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/comet_morigi/
http://art.slmame.com/

“simplexity” Opens at NMC Campus West on Sunday





An exhibit called "simplexiity" created by Thoth Jantzen opens on Sunday the 22nd of August. The opening begins at 3pm PDT/SLT and will run for one month. The exhibition is described as a "totally immersive multi-media-based virtual environment" and it is being hosted at the Aho Museum. In the announcement sent to me by museum curator Tayzia Abattoir, she asks the question, "What do you get when COMPLEXITY merges with SIMPLICITY?"

SIMPLEXITY

Was the one word answer.
I had a chance to preview the exhibit several weeks ago, when good friend and artist Thoth sent me both a TP request and IM asking me to come over for a "look see". I did and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. You will as well, this is a Lane's List must see.

The note card also explained:

EPILEPSY WARNING: Not recommended if you have epilepsy, seizures, have had a stroke or are otherwise adversely affected by rapidly flashing lights and changing colors.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Terra Luce Grand Opening in Avalon Town

This is an announcement that received earlier today through my association with Avalon Town and I thought it well worth mentioning. Later today at 5 pm PDT/SLT, the noted second life artist Winter Nightfire will celebrate the opening of her newest endeavor, "Terra Luce", where she has created a line of eclectic furniture.

The announcement read:

"Saturday August 21st @ 5pm - Join in celebrating the opening of Winter Nightfire's beautiful new furniture gallery in Avalon Art District - A luminous collection of abstract furniture inspired by earth and light. Carved from stone, wood, glass and more, with a touch of greenery and water features here and there, a truly unique collection. Stop by and party to the tunes of DJ Lynda Ultsch!"

THE FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT VIRTUAL MUSEUM HAS BEEN GRANTED NON-PROFIT STATUS

PRESS RELEASE


For Immediate Release
21 August 2010

THE FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT VIRTUAL MUSEUM HAS BEEN GRANTED NON-PROFIT STATUS
We are pleased to announce that Virtual Museums Inc.— the governing body of the Frank Lloyd Wright Virtual Museum (FLWVM)— has been awarded 501(c)3 Non-Profit status by the United States Internal Revenue Service, retroactive from the date of application in December 2009. “I am literally in tears of joy here—no kidding;” exclaimed Board Member and former Assistant Director Rosalie Oldrich, who spearheaded the effort for non-profit status. “This means that all contributions given to the museum in 2010 are tax deductible!”

This status will also reduce our tier payments to Linden Labs by 50%. This enables the museum to focus on a capital campaign, which in turn will allow for future expansion of the already popular museum on the Second Life™ grid.

“We are of course thrilled by this news,” said FLWVM Board Chairman Ethan Westland,” and it couldn’t come at a better time, as we have launched a capital campaign to add another region.”

The museum, which operates within a licensing agreement with the RL Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, will be working closely with the Wright archives to realize new virtual reproductions of Wright’s most famous buildings. Up to this point, several have been built by museum staff, friends and external partners, and some had generously been on long-term loan to the museum. “While we appreciate everything our previous builders have done, we are also excited to move forward with new virtual replicas that are crafted in close coordination with the RL organization.”

We give much of the credit for this development to former museum CEO, Frey Bravin, a passionate Wright enthusiast whose vision saw the museum through its first year. His vision is so grand, in fact, that he has moved on to start an exciting new endeavor: the Museum of American Architecture. The staff and board wish him all the best in this new endeavor. Former operations director and well-respected artist Curt Kongo has stepped in as interim CEO. A formal search for a new CEO will begin shortly.

The museum is also thrilled to announce that Pathfinder Lester (formerly Linden) has joined our Board of Directors. Extremely well-respected in the education and creative communities, path brings with him a wealth of experience, as well as in-depth knowledge of Linden Labs, which will rather fittingly help the museum pave its path to the future.

We are also pleased to welcome several new staff members to the museum. “We’ve chosen Gina Broono as our new Museum Curator, and couldn’t be happier,” said Westland. “Gina is an RL architect with a passion for Wright, and has experience working in museums such as the Metropolitan and the Guggenheim in New York City. She brings a rich educational background —something the Foundation is keen for us to focus on.”

Additionally, Terra Tepper has been promoted to Operations Director. Anyone who has seen her stunning works, including the museum’s Loren B. Pope residence, knows she is the perfect woman for the job.

Other new staff members include Ocean Wade as Director of Education, Jadyn Firehawk as Lecture Series Coordinator, and Snow Scarmon as Archivist/Collections Manager.

While a celebration will be announced shortly, the museum welcomes your support now with your tax-deductible contributions, and by asking you to volunteer to help us out as we grow. If you are a builder with a passion for Wright, definitely get in touch with us! Broono and Tepper are currently drafting a building plan for future museum development alongside Board Member Ethos Erlanger—builder of the FLWVM’s Fallingwater—and are looking for more creative minds!

For more information on these exciting developments, please contact Farqot Gustafson, Director of Communications for the museum. You can visit the FLWVM in world at: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Usonia/40/40/21 and our website www.vminc.org

MISSION

The Frank Lloyd Wright Museum of Second Life engages the public in educational and aesthetic experiences to foster an appreciation of architecture, design and the legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright.

VISION

The Frank Lloyd Wright Museum of Second Life will be a multi-disciplinary center for education, scholarship, debate and research committed to exposing and promoting the works, ideas, and innovative spirit of Frank Lloyd Wright for the benefit of all members of Second Life worldwide.

August Open House and Dance Party at Pixel to Pixel Foundation

PIXEL TO PIXEL FOUNDATION

♪♫♪ WHAT: August Open House/Dance Party
♪♫♪ WHEN: Saturday, August 21, 12-2 pm SLT
♪♫♪ WHERE: P2P Headquarters at Artropolis

Time for another Open House/Dance Party at our headquarters this Saturday! Dress is casual. Groove to reggae on the rooftop, and celebrateour recent growth and successes!

Also, come and check out Pixel Gallery, located inside P2P's headquarters. Matty Luminos is this month's featured artist. If you missed this amazing fractal art exhibit at the opening earlier this month, now's a great time to come and see!

SPECIAL THANKS goes out this month to Doc Grun for his article about us in Examiner.com, NationalEdition. YES, we hit the RL media, National Edition! Read the story.

IN OTHER NEWS, we have a waiting list now for foundation funding recipients, with four people currently on it. Please if you can, help us move them off the waiting list by making a donation either at the donation box at the event or directly to Pixel Falconer, manager of the foundation's funds.
Sizable donations are especially sought, although any amount is deeply appreciated!

All are welcome ... pass along this invitation ... post it in your groups ... bring a friend ... bring 'em all!

Friday, August 20, 2010

Exhibit Opening at L'atelier de Luciella & June

South American artist luciella Lutrova announced via a notecard that she is hosting a new exhibit at her gallery, L'atelier de Luciella & June. The artists being featured are; ABSO ZLATKIS,  FIONA LEITNER, JUNE CLAVENHAM and LUCIELLA LUTROVA.

"TELEOCTOSCOPE" OPENING at the Turing Gallery

I received a notecard from Maya Paris telling me that, "TELEOCTOSCOPE" is opening today, Friday 20th August @ 6PM PDT/SLT at the Turing Gallery. Her notecard explains; "Step right up and see for yourself! Peer into the amazing TeleOctoscope and instantly see what is thousands of miles away as if it were right there!! The TeleOctoscope has been built by cephalopods, maintained by a squad of Mer -Mechanics, and is powered by steam, tea, and chocolate. And we need YOU! The pay's terrible but you get to keep the suit."

JUST CLICK THE SIGN WHEN YOU ARRIVE for all the necessaries.....
1- Wear your Mer-mechanic suit , hop into the water, flipper down and find the viewing pods on the seabed.
2- TO ENGAGE the TeleOctoscope
***TURN ON your streaming media and SIT on one of the 4 viewing pods.

Each pod will show you something different, so try them all.
Lookout posts up top!

Friday, August 13, 2010

The Last Performance of "The Wall" on Sunday

In a group announcement, Josina Burgess sent word that the last scheduled performance of "The Wall" is scheduled for the Sunday at 3 pm PDT/SLT. In the notice Ms Burgess wrote: "We hope that this will become a fantastic evening with 3 sims full of you, our friends and supporters. We are thinking about a spectacular after party of course!"

If you've not had a chance to see this show, I highly recommend you take advantage of this opportunity. You will not be disappointed.

Venue Right
Venue Left
Venue Center