SLEA3 - A Dark Star

 

 By Bixyl Shuftan

At the Second Life Endowment for the Arts regions, there's an exhibit named "A Dark Star." It was designed by Gem Preiz, and is listed in the Destinations Guide.

A DARK STAR by Gem Preiz will be the third of 3 installations exhibited on SLEA 3 full region grant during the first half of 2023. It synthesizes the colors of "LINES OF LIGHTS" and the shape of the structures of "COLOR & GLOW", both still on display on the same Sim (see landmarks below). After an enclosed maze of lines and lights, and glowing colors open to sky and horizons, A DARK STAR concludes the series with a construction in 3 dimensions, surrounded by orbiters, and nested in an isotropic 3D universe of glowing lines, the boundaries of which are unreachable.

 

I, along with Charlee, headed to the listed location at SLEA3 (80/66/319). And the place was quite stunning, a little like stepping into a "Tron" scene. It was dark with neon-like lines of colored light, with small pyramid-shapes on the ground and larger crystals. Hearing some sound, I looked around, and there was some cluster of objects made up partially of white, blue, and purplish light and partially of black spheres, the latter which were moving in and out of the cluster. There was also a "throne" of amber crystal and shapes. We also found a spaceship, and were able to fly around see most of the place from above.

It wasn't long before I got contacted by someone, the artist of the exhibit, Gem Preiz. He told me this wasn't the only place in the sim, but the latest one of three, the two others being "Color and Glow" and "Lines of Light." "If you see the two first ones, you will see that this third one, the dark Star is a bit the synthesis of the others," he described.

"I have been exhibiting fractals in SL for years, then started to build environment to display them, and then the builds became predominant, and nowadays I show mostly constructions if this kind, using much reflections, lights and highlighting of this kind. (It is) purely conceptual, not aiming at meaning anything special, else than pleasure for the eyes. And I like minerals, crystals, and geometries. I like repetitive patterns and try to create some nice ones to look at. ... as recommendation, advanced lighting model , shared environment, and long drawing distance to see everything as I created it.

 

"I like to build sim wide environments, almost always going off sim as much as I can,  to maximize (for me at least) the immersion I like to be overwhelmed by the environment. 

When I asked what he had made before, Gem answered, "... in summary, many fractals exhibition, several LEA grants in the past, and sim wide builds : skyscrapers, a short model of a modern city, arcadia, a neoclassical city, a space station, a space base on exoplanet. You can see some pictures of everything in my flickr if you are interested:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/187894176@N07/albums ."

Charlee and I would visit the other two places. "Color and Glow" was just as impressive and striking in its own right. The landscape and some objects would change color every several minutes. Over time, we would see it go from red, to green, to orange and yellow, to blue. So would a "couch" that we saw. There were also large dark spheres that would roll down inclines at some places. 

After some time, we checked out "Lines of Light" next. While interesting, it wasn't quite as good as the other two places, lacking the up and down movement of the other two. Sill, it was worth a look with it's lit blue and reddish passageways.

 

To get to A Dark Star, head to http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SLEA3/80/66/3199 

 

Bixyl Shuftan

 

Andrea Jones' "Reflections of Darkness" Opens at National Museum of Caledon

By Bixyl Shuftan

On Sunday July 22, there was an opening party for a new exhibit at the National Museum of Caledon in the Caledon II sim : "Reflections of Darkness." As it turned out, while this was  Andrea Jones' exhibit, the artwork wasn't hers but rather the poetic verses tied to these dark (mostly) images of various artists. There was a notecard one could pick up at the entrance, as well as a sign on the wall, that explained how the exhibit came to be.

Welcome, Back in the early part of 2013 I was a heavy Facebook user and I was going through a rough time. I ended up spending several months where, as I came across different pictures posted on FB.  I saw stories in the pictures and crafted verses to go with them.

Some of the verses were a form of therapy and as such some are very dark. Some were written for friends on Fb and some as parts to their Wiccan pages. The verses are raw, placed here as they were originally posted so many years ago, good, bad, short or long. Many of the images here have the artists name on them. So credit is placed to them, the words are mine.

Due to the amount of material, It could take some time to go through so take your time. Enjoy.

Cynthia Farshore played the music for the event, which got some complements, "Thanks, trying to put in something for everyone." There were a couple songs from "The Phantom of the Opera," "Thriller," "Ghost Riders in the Sky," the theme music to "Ghostbusters," Ray Stevens' "Sittin Up With The Dead,""Monster Mash," and more.

People also complemented Amdrea for her verses, "... you did write some really good poetry to the pictures, Andrea." "It is true, Andrea, it is only having journeyed through loss and darkness that one truly appreciates the light." Talking to Andrea, she had a few things to say about the exhibit, "There are a few lighter pieces in the mix. The Facebook page was made for darkness though. A few friends are keeping it running. I only wrote for a few months."

Star (Astarynite Resident) is the owner of the museum. When I asked when the idea came about for the exhibit, she told me, "I think Andrea had three weeks to pull everything together." Andrea explained, "I stated importing the verses and pics from Facebook a couple of years ago. I built a museum to put them in, but did not finish pulling them all from outside Second Life. I spent  about three weeks, yes, finishing the material. Star's museum was already to go, so I did them for here. I have more material, but no pics to go with them. Wasn't really needed on the Facebook page"

When Cynthia started playing the theme music of "Dr. Who," that got Andrea thinking, "Hmmm, I had a piece about Dr. Who,. but I don't think I presented it. ... Ah, here it is. 'A Whovians Bad Night.'"

So I am a Whovian and sleep won't come
These rhymes these rhymes bounce off my ear drums.

Like the Master with the drum beat four
Drumming in my head with sledge hammer force

Beating and beating demanding release
Threatening to drive away my nights sleep

O Doctor O Doctor where have you gone
Inside the TARDIS is where peace will come

Inside the time nexus where time rages on
Sleep is possible because everything is gone

Here in the nexus the question is not asked
So silence can not fall like an axe.

Fixed time points must stay safe
So everything in time stays in place.

Alas the rhymes are at last fading
Like the wrath of a good man abating

So sleep is just around the corner
As the Vasta Nerada dances in my quarters

So asleep and dreaming must I be
Because Captain Jack just made a pass at me.

Another picture mentioned was "Sisters Mr. Spider."

Hello Mr Spider why are you there?
What are you doing on the wall over there?
Why are you hanging over fathers head?
He won't like it if he wakes and finds you there.

Mr. Spider why are you so large?
Do spiders grow that large in the yard?
Should father wake up he will try to take charge.
He will try to squish you for being so large.

Mother would probably let out a scream.
Awaking my brother who is pretty mean.
Mother would grab me and run until she ran out of steam.
Leaving father here to squish you to cream.

I think Mr. Spider you should come with me.
I was about to sit down with my dollies and have tea.
You can join us, as I have a cup already laid out for tea.
With as many arms you have, you can have as much as you need.

I think it would be best if we let them sleep.
Waking them now would cause a scene.
If you are hungry I have cookies with my tea with icing.
I think you will like them better than people sleeping.


One visitor commented, "I'm going to sleep with the lights on after seeing this spider over the bed picture." Andrea responded, "I have a spider human avatar, but it cleared the room last time I showed up in it. The DJ was frightened of spiders, she poofed. I left so she could come back." Cynthia commented, "While in the Nav,y a guy told me he was on the ship in his rack which are enclosed but for one side, he opened his eyes to see a spider about an inch and a half wide hanging right above his head which would have been only 8~12 inches." She soon played Jim Stafford's "Spiders and Snakes."

Another visitor commented, "The Great Beyond verse is my favorite so far!" This was a picture of a skeleton in an astronaut's suit. Andrea commented, "I was thinking of the early (Star Trek) Federation space flights when I wrote it, with a little 'Space Above and Beyond.'"

Space the Final Frontier
Where your corpse is preserved for all the years

In space no one can hear you scream
Outside your capsule all is quiet and serene

No more eyes, no more ears
Nothing left with for you to know fear

Through time and space you hurtle on
A silent witness to the great beyond

One picture looked like a big contrast with the others, a picture of puppies. What are puppies doing in a gallery full of ghoulish pictures? But a closer looked showed something wasn't quite right, especially with the title: "Demon Dogs."

We look so cute. But that is a disguise.
To see our true nature just look into our eyes

Still don't see what our disguises hide
Why you should run and hide

Come closer and we will show you why


Star has only had a few exhibits in the museum before this one, "Andrea's is my fifth show. I was hoping to have a miniature show of builders builds, but most builders it seems do not make small versions of their builds and many things in the build are already at their smallest size and can't be shrunk."

So what is Andrea planning next? She told me, "I'm working on a community build in the Steam Skye City region. The Island of the Circle. ... I'm trying to come up with a build for Burn 2 in October ... for the Caledon Oxbridge University October fundraiser." She would be doing a Halloween-themed build, "I'm going to build one big one like last year ... with maybe two dance areas."

As for Star's museum after Andrea's exhibit, "I will be looking for a show in September if anyone has photographs, writings, anything they would like to display for a month or so."

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Caledon%20II/164/52/23

Bixyl Shuftan

Star Hunting

By Theonlyjohnny Resident


    A creation of the Rise Gaming Association, Star Hunting is a scavenger hunt, consisting of various colors of both gems and shields.

    Each color gem, as well as each color shield, awards different amounts of unpaid earnings. Unpaid earnings can then be traded for linden, at the ATM, equaling the amount of unpaid earnings that the Rise Player, someone who plays Star Hunt, has at that very moment.

    However, it is a scavenger hunt, so most of the shields and gems are hidden, the ones that are hidden very well are the ones that give a greater amount of unpaid earnings. There are, however, shields that are out in the open, since the creator of Star Hunting, as well as the owners of the sims that participate in Star hunting, are some of the most respectful, down to earth, and thoughtful people that you will ever have the chance of meeting.

    When asked why Star Hunting was created, the creator responded with the following statement, "We've seen many games like this. I decided to make one because I have seen games of similar degree that is taking money from players. Those games aren't for the fun factor. Those games are just for the owner's favor. Rise Star Gaming is one of the first that would feature fun factor as a major factor. If there wasn't a game that has a fun factor rather than a money factor, it does not deserve to really be a real game. A game decides to only be fun if they are owned and managed by a friendly group of staff or owners."


    When asked why the name Star hunting, the creator responded by saying, "We didn't name it anything else. We wanted players to feel like Stars. By "stars" they are referred as Superstars, and players that reach certain feats in Rise's community receive actual stars on the floor, similar to a walk of fame at the new Rise Headquarters building. If they felt very honorable and treated well, it makes them feel like a true star when they play along with me instead of something else that usually gets ignored."

    Of course the owner isn't the only one that I talked to. When asked how she found out about Star Hunting, Emerald25 responded by saying, "I was here as staff in the beginning because I knew Warden from another game." Her favorite part of Star hunting is, and I quote, "The diversity, the colors, the happy community and that everyone can reach the same achievement levels i their own time:)"

    I am a Star hunter, myself, and I can vouch for the integrity, the diversity, the excitement, and the happiness, that Star Hunting brings to its players. There are no lies when it comes to Star Hunting. There are no catches either. It's simple and easy to follow, and because of the major outcome of the game, it's a wonderful game to participate in. I would recommend this game to anyone who loves to travel to different sims, as this game is played in many sims, all of these sims have the same idea for Star Hunting.

    Every sim, involved in Star hunting, plans to bring happiness to all those that visit, no matter who they may be. Everyone is welcome to every sim involved, even Roma Zona, the headquarter of the Rise Gaming Association. A visit to Roma Zona, is one that is worth it, and really makes a grand beginning to all people just starting out, in Star hunting.

TheonlyJohnny