Windlight Magazine October 2015 Issue

Page 1

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4 OCTOBER 2015

KAYA ANGEL | HUCKLEBERRY HAX | ALANIS GALLERY JOSEFK GALLERY | RHIANNON CHATNOIR | BURN 2 | TRIPP NITELY CHARITY IN SECOND LIFE | ART IN HATS 2015


2


3


4


5


Welcome to Issue #4 of Windlight Magazine! For this issue we are focusing on different art genres: architecture and literature. Second Life and other virtual worlds are a great platform for both of these art categories to thrive and flourish. This issue also discusses a different type of art. Before I name this type of art, let me describe it. The art form in question involves generosity, caring, and most importantly love of others. The art I am referring to is charity. Yes charity is an art and Windlight was fortunate to obtain interviews with several charity coordinators in Second Life. Each coordinator brings their own expertise to their charity, but the end result is the same: to bring attention and raise funds for their respective causes and to demonstrate that Second Life, despite being virtual, can unite a variety of people together for social responsibility and awareness. With charity in mind, Art in Hats 2015 will return in November and it is in support of Team Diabetes of Second Life, a new charity, which I am proud to be the cofounder of and an advisory board member. Team Diabetes raises money for The American Diabetes Association. I hope that you enjoy the articles and features in this issue. Thank you to our readers, sponsors, advertisers, and staff. Each and every one of you make Windlight Magazine stronger and better.

Johannes1977 Johannes1977, Publisher & Editor In Chief 6


PUBLISHER’S NOTE

7


THE CREW SEPTEMBER 2015 ISSUE PUBLISHER & EDITOR IN CHIEF: JOHANNES1977 FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS: EMMA PORTILO INARA PEY KARA TRAPDOOR JESSII2009 WARRHOL SHAKTI ADORED VERUCA TAMMAS SAOIRSEHEART RESIDENT

FASHION ARTOGRAPHY MODELS: CHLOEELECTRA DRAAKJE DAILEY ELESEREN BRIANNA ISSY FLATLEY WICCA MERLIN COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: KAYA ANGEL WEBSITE: WWW.WINDLIGHTMAGAZINE.COM FACEBOOK: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/WINDLIGHTMAGAZINE TWITTER: WWW.TWITTER.COM/WINDLIGHTMAG GOOGLE PLUS: plus.google.com/u/0/114670578575147938083 TUMBLR: WINDLIGHTMAGAZINE.TUMBLR.COM

8


9


10


11


12


13


TABLE OF CONTENTS FEATURED STORY: KAYA ANGEL PAGE 16

AN INSIDE LOOK AT HUCKLEBERRY HAX PAGE 36

ALANIS GALLERY SENSUAL IMAGES

PAGE 48

JOSEFK GALLERY PAGE 58

TRIPP NITELY 68

14

https:// marketpla stores/17


ace.secondlife.com/ 71510

BURN 2 PAGE 78

ART IN HATS PAGE 94

RHIANNON CHATNOIR PAGE 108

CHARITY IN SL PAGE 128

FASHION ARTOGRAPHY PAGE 190

15


KAYA ANGEL: MASTER ARCHITECT

WRITER: JOHN PHOTOGRAPHY: KAYA ANGEL 16


FEATURED STORY

17


If you teleport to Angel Manor in Second Life, you will more than likely be astounded at the scale and grandeur of this incredible building. Spanning across multiple sims, Angel Manor lives up to it’s name in stunning architecture, features, and imagery. Angel Manor is the brainchild of Second Life builder, creator, and architect, Kaya Angel. I was able to catch up to Kaya to discuss Angel Manor and more‌.

too quickly by practicality and cost. So there is something about buildings that break those rules that I really like. This style has also worked well in terms of feeling realistic based on scale. In SL people tend to like a little more room to move around and for their camera to be able to move. So the large rooms and high ceilings work well for that without feeling out of scale.

WM: I noticed that you have recently started building more in mesh, what are some of the pros and cons you WM: Your builds are really amazing have encountered building in mesh and very realistic. Angel Manor is an vs regular prims and vice versa? amazing place. What was the inspiration for Angel Manor? Is it KAYA: We all love the details that modeled after any real life locations? mesh can bring into our world, but indeed as you've pointed out there KAYA: Angel Manor is an original may be pros and cons. There are a building, as I've found it much more few more, but the main one is in fact interesting to create something new that there is almost a snobbery about than to copy something. It's also things not being mesh. Now in things much more rewarding to see people like clothes and furniture there is no enjoy something that you've question that mesh wins hands down. personally brought into existence. But with buildings on a large scale, Though there are a few buildings I mesh does have some challenges. As really love that may have had a signifiI'm sure people have found that when cant impact on the style I love to you scale a mesh item up in size the build. Two of these would be land impact increases. Sometimes Blenheim Palace and the Royal Opera mesh is not the most land impact House in Paris. I've always been friendly thing to use. So although my inspired by architecture that makes last building was about 90% mesh I you feel something, that is evocative. still used a few prims and sculpts, as Much of today's architecture is about they would keep the land impact shape and form, but followed often 18


lower. Another key things is textures. I love detailed and high quality textures. In mesh when using baked textures you can lose a lot of the quality in the process. Or if you try and keep the quality high, the texture files end up at an unfriendly file size which takes too long to download and creates network lag. So I try to use mesh in a way that still allows people to use in world texturing with ease. I also love that people are able to mod my buildings. With many mesh homes if you try to do that it ends up a mess, because in a baked texture the walls and floors can be part of the same baked texture. So I've been working on mesh that still allows people to use SL textures on the walls, floors and ceilings. And the last thing which is a con, is that when you build outside of the world you find yourself not online as much. I did enjoy building in world, but I'm very accepting of change so adapt the best I can.

modern day and takes on the theme of an old English manor estate (Totally fictional as there is nothing on this scale in RL) The theme is that of an aristocratic family who run the house as it's been passed down through the generations. And much like the old grand aristocratic estates of the modern day, they have had to open their doors to the public and serve the community. So many of the activities you can find at Angel Manor are the same sorts of things you can find at the large English estates. From live music events and concerts to arts events and charity work. As well as our large award winning art gallery. There are stables where you can get a horse for a ride around the estate. A 6 hole golf course. Vast gardens to explore, as well as the main house and buildings. It can take many hours to explore and you never know if you have seen everything! WM: Do you have any plans to venture out and build say vehicles or clothing or is architecture going to remain your main focus?

WM: Angel Manor functions like a real life estate, I have seen a few of these type of places close-up in real KAYA: I like the idea of mastering one life. What type of activities can one trade/skill and not trying to be a jack expect at Angel Manor as a guest or of all trades. I think it's important to resident? find your passion and really work on that one thing. To master something KAYA: Angel Manor is not by any is the point when people will pay means a period RP estate, but it does good money for it. Most of the have a very strong theme. It is set 19


PHOTO BY KAYA ANGEL 20


21


22


PHOTO BY KAYA ANGEL 23


PHOTO BY KAYA ANGEL 24


25


26


PHOTO BY KAYA ANGEL 27


creators who are well regarded in SL lasts forever no matter how much we can be identified as being specifically may want to hold on to it. Because of good in one specific area. I love the that I welcome the change and don't power of architecture and the role is worry about it. I'm sure there will be plays in Second Life. Making an item things I don't like and things I like of clothing that someone may wear more and indeed it will take time to from time to time does not have the get used to. Saying that I'm not going same appeal to me as building a to jump right away by any means and home for someone who will enjoy a I expect Angel Manor to be around for virtual life in it. Having friends come a long time yet. The new world will be over to also enjoy it with them and a mess at the start. It will not be for it to play a centerpiece in the way populated in the way we are used to they showcase who they are in the here. By that I don't mean by people I virtual world is very rewarding. A mean with the items that we buy to home tells people a lot about you as fill our world. It will take time for it's normally packed with decorations creators to move there and start to and items which tell your story. So give us the same sort of options we that's my passion and where I imagine have in SL. So yes indeed, I intend to staying. embrace the new world. No I shall not be going there right away, but shall let WM: While everyone is talking about it grow and before I would think Sansar, the new virtual world that is about moving I do imagine there will scheduled to make it's beta debut to be a cross over when I will have everyone later next year, I have to something both in Sansar and SL. But ask you a Sansar related question. fingers crossed it will be a much more Will you recreate Angel Manor in interesting and successful world that Sansar or remain in Second Life? Or is will allow us to create and share it too early to tell? more. KAYA: I'm excited about Sansar and what it may hold. I do expect some rough times ahead as people will feel they have to make a choice. As people and friends may be pulled apart and as people face the idea of leaving, often vast inventories that may have cost a great deal behind. But nothing 28

WM: You are also noted for your machinima, any plans to expand services in this area? KAYA: I guess when you say services I take it you mean do video work for other people. Well I do and have done video work for other people. Well I


have done video work for others and have a YouTube channel for that other work. Most of my video work is on the Rose Theatre channel, Not all my video work is brand compatible with my main projects so that's always been a sideline that I do only if I find the project interesting and challenging. But I've a list of videos I want to do for Angel Manor at the moment so I'm not doing any custom video work at the moment. WM: What are some tips for new builders, photographers, and even machinimists? How can they explore and see Second Life to its fullest? KAYA: It was not that long ago that I shared a long article covering this. It's too long to put into this and it's not really something I can pull sections out of as it's very much an overall tips guide on making SL look good without losing too much frame rate. But the article can be found on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ kaya.angel.169

when I log in I will ask what would be the most fun thing to do today.... and I do that. Now indeed there can often be activities that are not much fun to do, but getting them done and out the way is a fun idea, so I still do lots of jobs that are not fun to do but knowing that once they are done I can have more fun. But my philosophy has always been that as you lay the road ahead with building blocks that have been fun to do, it takes you down and towards a enjoyable future. No one knows what's in the future, so I don't plan for it too much. I live each day in the best way I can. I never would have expected to be where I am now all those years later from when I very first logged into SL. So my philosophy has been working out very well. And I've heard so many people call Angel Manor a labor of love and it's one of the things that's loved about it. I think all too often we move forward with our heads and not our hearts. WM

You can find out events and more for WM: What are your plans for Angel Angel Manor, by visiting their official Facebook page: Manor and your other Second Life based businesses in the future? What https://www.facebook.com/ about in early 2016? AngelManor?fref=tshttps:// KAYA: I'm not big on making plans as www.facebook.com/AngelManor? fref=ts such... I just follow my joy and see where it leads. By that I mean that 29


30


31


32


33


34


35


AN INSIDE LOOK AT HUCKLEBERRY HAX WRITER: JOHN PHOTOGRAPHY: HUCKLEBERRY HAX

36


37


WM: People do many things in Second Life, you of course write about it and have written several novels that are set in Second Life. When did you decide that you wanted to use Second Life as a literary setting?

WM: Where do you get the information or ideas for your novels?

HUCKLEBERRY: The thing that hit me back in 2007 - the thing that hits all of us who immerse in SL - was just how real SL relationships and their contexts are. Before entering the metaverse, I HUCKLEBERRY: I first played around hadn’t imagined such a thing to be with SL in November 2006 as task possible. Of course, there’s a whole avoidance from the children’s novel I debate to be had around what ‘real’ was working on at the time for means here, but the idea that you National Novel Writing Month. might interact in text with a cartoon Actually, I’d heard from a NaNoWriMo person and come away feeling that podcast earlier that week that you’d spent an evening with your new someone had set up a cafe in SL for best friend was a surprise to me. I’d people working on their November interacted with people in discussion novels to work in, so it was kind of forums before, and that had never felt related (though I never actually found like *being* with someone. Before I that cafe). I didn’t really end up doing entered SL, I’d heard the term much with that account and in March ‘cybersex’ but I imagined that this and 2007 I started over and made an any sort of romantic relationship in SL attempt to find friends and learn how had to be no more than a role-played the metaverse worked. As November thing rather than something that the 2007 approached, I started to think brain treated as though it was an about what my next novel would be actual happening. As I started to like; by then I’d become infected with realize the enormity of this, I began to the SL bug so the idea of setting a wonder about the uglier side of story there seemed obvious to me. relationships: jealousy, suspicion, I’d also struggled for many years with betrayal. I reasoned that there had to writer’s block that was partly based be such things as Second Life private around the conflict I had over what investigators who people hired to find people I knew would think about me if out if their SL partner was being they read the stories I wanted to unfaithful. A quick search confirmed write, so the idea of using my avatar that there were. So then I became name as a pseudonym became very fascinated with thinking about how an attractive. SLPI might work, given the restrictions 38


in the metaverse and also the loopholes. At the time, I was attending some classes on basic scripting and we covered how prims can communicate with each other. I realized that a few lines of script could turn a plain old prim into a highly effective bug which could send all local chat around it to its owner, twenty-four hours a day. What if, I thought, someone put this code into something that was worn by the ‘target’ - a watch or some hair or a piece of jewelry, for example? This would then record all the conversations they had in local with other people - without them knowing a thing. Funnily enough, it was only a few months ago that I got evidence that exactly this sort of technique is indeed employed by SL detectives: a friend of mine who had just finished reading my latest SL novel told me about a ring she had in her inventory which had been given to her by someone and which she had subsequently learned contained a listening script.

life murder? How might SL be used by terrorists? And so on. WM: What was one of the most surprising things you learned when creating novels that are set in Second Life?

HUCKLEBERRY: Novels set in Second Life are a very niche genre, though I remain optimistic that they will one day attract a wider audience. I decided from the start of writing ‘AFK’ - my first SL detective novel - that I would make it available for free online. This was the best decision I ever made about my writing. I’ve had a couple of authors speak to me quite angrily about this over the years, telling me I was effectively devaluing my work and that of other writers by giving it away rather than going down the route of submission to agencies and publishers. That ‘traditional’ publishing route, however, is an utterly demoralizing process, and one which contributes a great deal to writer’s block. Publishing online for free instantly gained me an audience So after that, thinking about the ways and there is nothing more liberating in which SL could be used by people to a writer than seeing that people are up to no good - and what reading and enjoying your work. This countermeasures might be used to was my big surprise, then: that I could detect them - became something of a become very quickly an author with hobby of mine. How would one go an appreciative audience by writing about tracking an alt? How might SL with passion about something that a be used by someone planning a real small but significant community care 39


care deeply about, and making this available to them. Today, I publish my novels as Amazon Kindle publications (the last eight years have been a fascinating journey for me through the world of self-publishing), but at the lowest possible price, and I still make most of them available to read online for free as Issuu publications. WM: You also have novels set outside Second Life. Which is easier to write--novels in a real life setting or a Second Life setting? HUCKLEBERRY: Probably the latter, because I’m always thinking about new plots within a Second Life setting. But the positive feedback I’ve had about my SL novels has boosted my confidence in my ability (and identity) as an author enormously, and this has made the non-SL novels a great deal easier to write than they would have been previously. WM: Of your novels, which is your favorite one? HUCKLEBERRY: I would have to say, “The Day is Full of Birds,” because that applied the SL concept more imaginatively to a science fiction context, and became in many ways a deeply personal novel. I don’t think it’s my best novel, though (that would probably be ‘Beside an Open Window’) and it’s not my most popular (that would be the ‘AFK’ series). WM: What real life authors inspire you? Any Second Life authors that are also a source of inspiration? HUCKLEBERRY: I read a lot of contemporary fiction, my favorite author in that genre probably being Paul Auster. The themes he explores of failure and coincidence were a big influence on ‘Your Clothing is Still Downloading’. I also read a lot of science fiction. Philip K Dick’s novels had a huge influence on ‘The Day is Full of Birds’ and Isaac Asimov’s short stories inspired me to write more short fiction: my recent ‘Avatar Dining Club’ stories (which are not science fiction) were a very open nod to his ‘Black Widower’ series. WM

40


Windlight Magazine would like to thank Huckleberry Hax for the great interview! You can read Huckleberry’s novels and keep up with is latest projects by visiting his official websites: www.huckleberryhax.wordpress.com www.facebook.com/huckhax twitter.com/#!/huckleberryhax www.youtube.com/user/HuckHax www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&searchalias=digital-text&field-author=Huckleberry%20Hax www.smashwords.com/profile/view/huckleberryhax www.flickr.com/photos/hhax/

41


42


43


44


45


46


47


48


TURNING SEX INTO ART: EXPLORING ALANIS GALLERY SENSUAL IMAGES

WRITER: JOHN PHOTOGRAPHY: LAURA DEMONISTA

49


The Alanis Gallery Sensual Images is an adult gallery which contains art work from exclusive affiliated artists. The type of art work ranges from erotica to BDSM themes to sensual and suggestive sexual images. The gallery is owned and operated in Second Life by Michel Seeten and Sylvia Fitzpatrick. Sylvia is also an artist and her exhibition, “The Submissive Female,” contains real life self-portraits of herself. Other artist at the gallery include Valbona Atanaskovaska-Bona, Gregory Brown, Mark Roberts, Ray Leaning, Carolyn Weltman, Jeff Wack, Nero Grunstein, Paul Alexander, John Tisbury, Richard Savage, Graham Bishop, Saturno Butto, Roger Woods, Tempress Fratica, Paul John Ballard, Garry Walton, Craig Morey, Erica Chappuis, Emiel Drascol, and Sonia Mekanic. Alanis spans numerous wings and floors and contains works which depicts both women and men in various BDSM roles and in suggested sexual poses. The gallery also features “Living Angels.” The Living Angels are avatars who model a variety of sensual and BDSM poses throughout the gallery. Three categories of Angels exist: Alanis Angel (regular gallery model), Directed Alanis Angel (for angels under someone’s guidance), and Silent Angels (angels who wish to pose and not communicate to anyone). Angels can be found at the Angel Fountain, the Billboard Sign, and the Xaara Social Circle. The gallery also has a special underground chamber, called The Enclosure. Special angels are available to accompany anyone of the dominant nature to this special dungeon like area. The gallery also has a non sensual exhibit in the form of landscapes by Sylvia Fitzpatrick and John Tisbury. WM You can visit the Alanis Gallery Sensual Images at the following slurl: http:// maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Xaara/65/207/24 and visit the gallery’s official Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/alanisgallery/

50


51


52


53


54


55


56


57


58


JOSEFK GALLERY WRITER: KARA TRAPDOOR PHOTOGRAPHY: KARA TRAPDOOR

59


The JosefK Gallery dell'Arte is a one-stop location filled with a variety of art pieces by many of Second Life’s highest profile artists. The art park garden level boasts numerous larger statues and builds while the 5 floor gallery via teleporter contains both pictures as well as sculptures, often with various pieces by different artists positioned together in small vignette style arrangement. Josef K (apw9900) himself takes phenomenal pictures around the grid. He’s easily recognizable in his art skin and creative attire and I’ve run into him at numerous art openings and out exploring. He is well known to the art community. Just a few meters over on the same sim you can also find the historic AM Radio’s “The Far Away” build, currently hosted by another great SL artist, Ziki Questi. So be sure to check out this sim area filled with a sampling of creations by many of SL’s finest artists. I caught up with Josef K at his gallery space and snapped a few pictures of him. He is always very friendly and willingly answered some questions I posed. I inquired as to when he opened his gallery and what led him to open it. Josef K said, “Getting a gallery seemed like a natural thing to do. I 60

had been collecting a lot of art and needed a space to keep it. The art didn't do much good in my inventory. The current build is the third edition of the gallery. I opened it in the summer of 2014. Before that I had two other builds that I used as galleries. One was a rather dark urban street with a factory and six tall buildings. But very soon I ran short of space for new art so I made a very Scandinavian kind of market square instead with nine self-made buildings. But that also got too small. The gallery I have now is built in a way that I can keep adding new floors as long as I have free prims to use. The gallery I have now started out with three floors. Now there are five and I am planning for the next.” I asked if he has a list of all the artists with works in his gallery. He said, “I do have a list but it's always incomplete as I never get to update it and I never seem to find time to do a proper catalogue for the gallery.” Then he provided an alphabetized list with 78 names of some of the highest profile SL artists on it including Aelin Quan, Alles Klaar, AM Radio, Anley Piers, Bryn Oh, Canary Beck, Cherry Manga, Cica Ghost, Cold Frog, Dido Haas, Fuschjia Nightfire, Giovana Cerise, Haveit Neox, Kicca Igaly, Maghda Whitewood, Morgana Nagorski, Paola Mills, Rebeca Bashly, Sabbian Paine,


SaveMe Oh, Sina Souza, Toysoldier Thor, Tutsy Navarantha, Whiskey Monday, WuWai Chun, Ziki Questi and many more.

so far. In June 2015 I celebrated the release of the iBook, "SaveMe Oh The Muse of Many Famous Painters", for which I wrote the prologue.”

I asked if this is his private collection and how he came about having the I also asked if he’d be willing to share a pieces and gallery. He said, “It is my brief glimpse into his first life and he private collection. With two responded with, “In the virtual exceptions. Maghda Whitewood has a unplugged reality I am a teacher in room in the gallery that she can use as the northern part of Denmark. I am she pleases for her art. And SaveMe also a board member in the local Oh has an installation on display in society for rhythmic music in my another room. But the rest is either hometown and when I am not gifts or purchased art.” He exploring galleries and live music continued, “I keep adding art to the events in Second Life I play the drums gallery. Each piece of art I have in my and work to improve the possibilities gallery or in the art park below is for amateurs and semieither a chosen piece of art or a gift professional musicians.” from the artist. It's there for a reason Josef K summed things up nicely, “It so once it is rezzed I can't take it away was virtual art that brought me to again. Every piece means something to Second Life back in 2011 and my very me and I do enjoy just strolling around first purchase was neither clothing nor the gallery looking at them. It's pure hair. It was the train, the rusty ford meditation for me.” “I do visit a lot of and the wheat field in the 'Far Away' exhibitions and galleries in Second by AM Radio. And I have been Life. And very often I bring art back to collecting virtual art ever since. But my own gallery. Sometimes I am not collecting art is no fun if nobody sees sure if I choose the art or the art is it. That's why I have turned my land choosing me. I can walk by several into a non-profit art center housing pictures or pieces of 3D art at an probably the most comprehensive exhibition and suddenly there is a private collection of original art in piece that I just must have. I really Second Life. And of course it's open for can't explain it. But so far I have never the public. Art is made to be seen.” regretted a purchase. “ When asked if he ever holds events, he replied, “I have only had one event 61


62


63


64


65


66


67


68


SPOTLIGHT ON TRIPP NITELY: WINNER OF THE FIRST ANNUAL RETURN TO THE BEACH PHOTO CONTEST WRITER : JOHN PHOTOGRAPHY: TRIPP NITELY

69


WM: So tell us about yourself. How long have you been taking photos in Second Life? How did you first discover Second Life? TRIPP: I'm kind of a technical type in RL but have always felt need to express myself creatively. I got into photography as a kid and have been into it ever since. So it was kind of natural that when I came to Second Life, I would start messing around with photography in the virtual world. Even though I haven't been in SL all that long, I've been into taking pictures pretty much from the start. As to how I got here, I guess I've heard about SL off and on for years. After a friend told me about it one night over a few beers, I decided to check it out for myself, and here I am.

photographer in SL so we had a lot a common. Rose gave me some great pointers along the way. So, it seemed only natural that I should choose Black Basalt Beach as the location for the photos I entered. Plus I've always been fascinated by lighthouses, and the lighthouse at Black Basalt Beach is one of the most beautiful I've found in SL.

WM: Do you have any other exhibits or a personal gallery in Second Life? TRIPP: No, nothing at this time. But I have been helping Rose set up a new gallery, so there could be an opportunity for me to exhibit there sometime in the not-too-distant future. WM: How do you determine what makes an interesting photo for you to create in Second Life?

WM: What was your inspiration for your winning photo for the Windlight Return to the Beach Contest? TRIPP: For me it's not so much a conscious process as it is an organic TRIPP: I started exploring SL right one. When a subject catches my eye, I from the start, and one of the first just feel it. Then it's about finding the places I discovered was Black Basalt right angle... and of course the light. Beach on Brandy Wine Island. I was Photography is, after all, the art of immediately enchanted with the sim light, and with all the windlight and it became one of my favorite options in SL it can be a little locations. I had the good fortune to overwhelming at times. For most of meet the owner and creator of the the landscapes I shoot, I try to stay sim, Rosy Highwater, and we got to be true to the subject, just enhancing the pretty good friends. She's a super image without too much talented and well known manipulation. But there are 70


exceptions. WM: Do you have any tips for any budding photographers out there? TRIPP: Yes. Keep shooting! Don't be afraid to experiment and learn the tools that are available to you in SL, Study the work of other SL photographers on flickr and find out what you like to shoot. Don't force it, and it will come naturally. WM You can view Tripp’s art and photography at the following links: My Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tripp_nitely/ Black Basalt Beach Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/groups/blackbasalt/ Rosy Highwater Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rose_arisen/

71


72


73


74


75


76


77


REFLECTIONS OF BURN2 WRITER: JOHN

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISKYE SILVERWEB

78


79


WM: Tells us about Burn 2. How did it begin in Second Life? When was the first Burn 2 held? Who is the founder of Burn 2?

organization to build a tribute to the Burning Man event in Second Life, and so the Lindens built a replica of the Man statue and "burned" it in world, and thus started Burning Life. By 2007, ISKYE: In 1999, a Dreamer named the Lindens became too busy to be Philip Rosedale from San Francisco directly involved in the in world event, arrived on a searing hot 40-mileand other SLers began running it, but square patch of Nevada desert where the SLers had never been to Burning Black Rock City was found. An ancient Man and were using the signs, lake bed, it was called "the Playa" by symbols and jargon of Burning Man geologists who had studied the region. without fully understanding the Ten The temporary city surrounded a 40 Principles of Burning Man. foot tall wooden figure that was The Burning Man organization sent burned to ashes on the second last help in the form of Dusty Udal (Dusty night of the weeklong event called Linden) and Danger Ranger (who was Burning Man. the founder of the Black Rock Rangers In this city, the Dreamer marveled at at Burning Man) to reposition the the cohesiveness of this community of event and to disseminate the diverse people of all walks of life from principles and philosophy of Burning all over the world, who lived by a set Man throughout the in world of guidelines known as the Ten community. Danger also helped Principles of Burning Man. Inspired to organize the Burning Life Rangers true rethink his previous notions of reality, to the principles of the RL Rangers. creativity, identity and community, he In 2010, Burning Life became BURN2, returned to San Francisco determined transforming into an official Regional to complete his project, then called of Burning Man; the first virtual "Linden World," which we now know Regional and the only Regional as Second Life, operated by Linden allowed to Burn the Man. Lab. WM: Burn 2 is based on the real life By 2003, employees of Linden Lab had Burning Man. Do the organizers of been regulars at Burning Man but the Burning Man in real life work with growth of Second Life kept them too the organizers of Burn 2? busy to be able to visit the Playa. Phoenix Linden sought and received ISKYE: As explained above, Burning permission from the Burning Man Life was based on Burning Man; it; 80


it transformed into BURN2, the virtual Regional of Burning Man, from 2010. The BURN2 Staff work closely with representatives from the Burning Man organization. We have a Regional Coordinator who reports regularly to the Burning Man organization, and the representatives visit BURN2 occasionally. All BURN2 Staff are volunteers, gifting their time, talents and energy toward growing and developing the community of virtual Burners. WM: Who are the key organizers of Burn 2? Is linden labs currently involved? ISKYE: Linden Lab is not involved in BURN2. BURN2 is run by dedicated volunteers, some of whom have been to Burning Man in RL, some who have participated in local RL Regionals of Burning Man, and some who have never been to any RL Burning Man activity but strongly support and strive to live the philosophy and principles of Burning Man. We have an informal core of volunteers who meet weekly on the virtual Playa to plan events and activities, collaborate on projects, and provide support and encouragement to members of the virtual Burner community who want to hold smaller events on the Playa between BURN2 events.

WM: How is Burn 2 like the real life Burning Man? How is it different? ISKYE: How are we like Burning Man? We are volunteers, living the Ten Principles to the best of our ability. Volunteers collaborate to see that events are planned, organized and run successfully. Like Burning Man, we have Rangers and Lamplighters; we have a DMV and we have art cars. At BURN2's October events, you'll see the Gate entrance with Greeters, Lamplighters Village, Rangers station and Center Camp. Year round, you will see a replica of parts of the town of Gerlach which in RL lies about 12 miles away from where Burning Man's Black Rock City sits temporarily each year. How are we different to Burning Man? We are a virtual Regional, sort of like a chapter, of Burning Man, but with special permission to Burn the Man at our annual October events. We also have other, smaller, events through the year. In this way we behave more like a regional than like Burning Man. WM: What is the mission of Burn 2 in Second Life? ISKYE: You can find the following at this link: http://burn2.org/about BURN2 is an extension of the Burning Man festival and community into the 81


82


83


WM: Burn 2 often has a theme, can you share the theme with us this year? ISKYE: This year's theme for the "Octoburn" event is Carnival of Mirrors: "This year’s theme is about mirrors and masks, mazes and merger. It will be a kind of magic show that takes the form of an old-fashioned carnival. This Carnival of Mirrors asks three essential questions: within our media saturated world, where products and people, consumption and communion morph into an endlessly diverting spectacle, who is the |trickster, who is being tricked, and how might we discover who we really are? Classic carnivals, as theaters of |illusion, upheld a very strict dividing line that separated carnies, cast as showmen, from members of a naïve public who were labeled chumps and suckers, marks and rubes. Our carnival, however, will perform an even more subversive trick — its motto is Include the Rube. The wall dividing the observer from observed will disappear, as by an act of magic; through the alchemy of interaction, everyone at once can be the carny and the fool." I encourage your readers to find our website at http://www.burn2.org for 84

more details about the event. Participants are welcome. You will soon learn that there are no bystanders at BURN2. We are radically inclusive! WM: What are some other events that Burn 2 has throughout the year in Second Life?

ISKYE: We hold an event in October (nicknamed "Octoburn") followed by the Skin Burn a week or two later (this is a repeat of the Man Burn in a low-lag setting – avatars strip down to just skins and system clothing – no scripts or attachments); December (Santalarity), another in March/April (Burnal Equinox), then one in June/ July (Conception). Our Department of Mutant Vehicles started hosting races with art cars, which was quite well received, so they will continue to have races in the future.

We also encourage Burners to submit proposals to have smaller events on the Playa in between - they can be DJ'd parties, storytelling, single-day themed events. We will provide support and assistance where needed. WM: With the creation of the upcoming new Second Life virtual world, Project Sansar, on the horizon,


will we see a Burn 2 there? ISKYE: This is a question we've asked as well. The honest answer is we don't know at this point. We recently set up a replica of our Playa in OSGrid and invited artists and Burners to come and build there, much like we do for our October event. Our Regional Coordinator, Suz Super, recreated that playa on a standalone computer and took it to Burning Man to showcase what our virtual Regional does.

have - and sign up for any that interest you. The Lamplighters group collaborates closely with the BURN2 Staff and lead processions, drumming's and sessions in teaching the Ten Principles. They are a separate group, with their own blog at thelamplightersblog.wordpress.com. They meet, often on the Playa, on the first Sunday of each month at 11:00am to drum and dance together. All are welcome to join them. WM

WM: How can artists, musicians, etc If you are interested in Burn 2 in get involved with Burn 2? What types Second Life, check out Burn 2’s of positions are available? official webpages below: ISKYE: Artists, musicians, DJs, performers, dance artists, all are welcome to participate in our events. Being entirely volunteer driven, we operate with gifted hours, talents and a passion for the Burner way. If you would like to become a part of BURN2, we invite you to attend our meetings if you can. They are on Thursday nights at 10:00pm SLT (Pacific Time) on the BURN2 Playa. We selected this time in order to include more of our Burners across multiple time zones. You can also visit http:// www.burn2.org/open-jobs to review the available volunteer roles we

Website: http://burn2.org Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/groups/ burn2/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ BURN2BURNER Facebook Page: https:// www.facebook.com/BURN2BURNERS Facebook Group: https:// www.facebook.com/groups/Burn2.SL/ Regional Page: http:// regionals.burningman.com/regionals/ cyberspace/second-life/

85


86


87


88


89


90


91


92


93


HATS AS A STATEMENT OF ART AND A STAND AGAINST DIABETES WRITER & PHOTOGRAPHY: INARA PEY

94


95


Art In Hats will be returning to second Life this November, as a part of the inaugural fund-raising season is support of the American Diabetes Association, which is being organised by Team Diabetes of Second Life.

year later - only this time bigger, and with an adopted charity: Feed a Smile, a part of Live and Learn in Kenya (LLK) organised and run by Brique Topaz (Brique Zeiner in the physical world). Feed a Smile which provides nutritious warm lunches for over 400 children The event, first held in 2013, was the every day, paid for entirely from brainchild of Quan Lavender. It offered donations - over one-third of which come from within Second Life. a clever means of bringing art and couture together in a unique collaboration where the hat is For this second Art in Hats event, featured as a statement of art. co-organisers Quan Lavender and E mma Portilo took a slightly different This first event took place in June and approach, pairing designers with July of 2013 at Veekay Navarathna's photographers, tasking them to design Art India Gallery. It featured over 30 and then photograph headgear, which artists and designers who combined resulted in some highly imaginative their talents in a display featuring designs and a very unique exhibition images of hats and the hats of photography, all of which were themselves. displayed to their advantage in the purpose-built open-air exhibit space, which featured over 100 items of As well as the exhibition, there was also a special competition for visitors. headwear and their accompanying images. Those wishing to participate were invited to take a free, full permission cloche hat and then decorate it As with 2013, the second Art in Hats howsoever they pleased and take a event included a visitor’s competition, photo of it (worn or unworn). this time focused on decorating top Submitted photos were then voted hats, but with the same overall upon by both a panel of judges and be arrangement for voting and visitors to the exhibition, and prizes determining winners. awarded to the three winners at the close of the event. To support Feed a Smile, the 2014 event featured donation kiosks and a Such was the popularity of the first Art special auction of unique hats in Hats exhibition that it returned a designed by Secret Rage, including the 96


the remarkable Symphony, which included playable piano keys! The 2015 Art in Hats event will be the largest to date. It will kick-off on Wednesday, November 4th and run through until Saturday, November 14th under the guiding hands of Emma Portilo, Chloe Seljan, designer Kimmera Madison, Jessii Warhol and Johannes1977 Resident. The event will be launching with a special Grand Hat Gala, and will be hosting a range of events to run alongside the main Art in Hats exhibition. Nor does it end there. Throughout the event there will be daily entertainment scheduled to suit times on both sides of the Atlantic, and which will include DJs, live performers and (hopefully) tribute bands - and as a change of pace, there may even be a magician! In keeping with the spirit of the first two events, there will be a further decorate your own hat competition, and there will of course be a special auction in which all of the proceeds, alongside of general donations given, will go directly to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), which in 2015 is celebrating its 75th anniversary.

population, and this figure is expected to rise to almost 600 million in the next 20 years. The disease has equal rates between men and women, and is estimated to cause between 1.5 to 4.9 million deaths annually. The global economic cost of diabetes in 2014 was estimated to be US $612 billion.

The American Diabetes Association is at the forefront of attempts to curb all forms of diabetes: Type 1 (generally occurring in young people), Type 2 and Gestational Diabetes among pregnant women. It funds research to manage, cure and prevent diabetes, delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides information for both patients and health care professionals; and advocates on behalf of people denied their rights because of diabetes.

Team Diabetes of Second Life has been formed to directly support the work of the ADA, and is the Association’ s official representative body within Second Life. Art in Hats itself is the second of two major events taking place as a part of the Team’s inaugural season. The other is the Fall Showcase, offering creators, designers, artists, photographers, etc., Diabetes affects some 387 million people worldwide, of whom 90% have the opportunity to both promote their in-world activities and help raise Type 2 diabetes, representing awareness of diabetes within the SL almost 9% of the world’s adult 97


98


99


community. The event started on October 1st, 2015 and runs through until October 15th. . You can find out more through the Team Diabetes of Second Life web site.

100


In the meantime, artists, designers, entertainers and bloggers wishing to participate in and support Art in Hats are invited to complete the relevant Art in Hats application form on the Art in Hats web site, if applications haven’t already closed. WM

101


102


103


104


105


106


107


108


THE ART OF CHARITY & NONPROFITS: RHIANNON CHATNOIR WRITER: JOHN PHOTOGRAPHY: RHIANNON CHATNOIR

109


WM: You have an extensive real life and virtual worlds background. Tell us how you first discovered virtual worlds, particularly Second Life. What made you join up and remain?

good causes, like Relay for Life, Katrina Relief, Virtual Haiti Relief, etc., and my involvement with virtual community which has ultimately has shaped me long term. WM: How did you become involved with Nonprofit Commons? Describe your role there.

RHIANNON: Hi everyone, I am Rhiannon Chatnoir, also known as Joyce Bettencourt out in the physical world. I first discovered Second Life in RHIANNON: I wear many hat here in January of 2005. At that point I was an the work I do in Second Life - I in-house corporate designer in the manage communities, organize financial services industry and I think events, develop educational and at that point looking for more creative immersive learning content, and outlets. I was an illustration major in produce media. One of these college and fell in love with the important roles is that of Online creative environment that SL was, and Community Manager of the some of my earliest textures created Nonprofit Commons in Second Life were of some of my real life art work. community, which is a community of I quickly realized SL was a creative practice for nonprofits & others medium unto itself, and started to interested in social good. create small immersive art builds. The other thing that hooked me to Second Nonprofit Commons (NPC) began in Life was the collaborative nature of things. Creativity in an artist sense is early 2006, organized by the avatar often a solitary experience, you work Glitteractica Cookie, Susan Tenby in in your studio, and then it often isn’t the physical world, and the 501c3 nonprofit TechSoup.org she worked till you show the art do you invite others in. But in SL, it felt more like in for as the Online Community a collective studio, where you could Manager, who were interested in how they could use this space to network create with others, together, and share creative ideas readily to those with other nonprofits. TechSoup began having regular weekly meetings around you. So the ability to create by June of 2006, and I discovered content in Second Life, and with others, started me down my path to them within the Second Life events getting involved with the many social listing, due to my interest in using my 110


skills towards social good and started attending them. Through other projects I was involved with, like Virtual Haiti Relief and the professional work I did with Global Kids in Teen Second Life, I began collaborating more with the TechSoup Nonprofit Commons community, and then in October of 2012 I had the opportunity to become community manager. Still under Susan/ Glitteractica, and with the help of many amazing community members, I continue to help manage the community, host weekly meetings, reach out to others doing relevant social good work in SL and other virtual environments, and share all of that back to the NPC community at large.

probably 50+ people at that first event, but it was amazing to connect with the folks behind the avatars. The subsequent SLCC conferences took place yearly in various cities throughout the United States, with the crowd of attendees rising to a bit over 900 people in 2008.

I was friends with many of the early organizers of SLCC, and began helping with design, speaking at events, and organizing content tracks for them. When the last of the initial core group that ran the SLCC’s wanted to step down, I felt bringing the community-at-large together was too important to have the event fade, so myself and a few others (Fleep Tuque, Crucial Armitage, Misty Rhodes) got together to create a new, nonprofit WM: I see that you are one of the organization to initially help organize founding members of AvaCon. What the yearly SLCC’s, but also with a was the driving force in creating broader focus to support users of AvaCon? What are some of the virtual communities regardless of services and activities that AvaCon is platform. participating in? AvaCon obtained it’s 501c3, which RHIANNON: AvaCon was born out of means we are officially recognized by the yearly Second Life Community the IRS as a charity, working towards Convention (SLCC) that brought our mission of being dedicated to together in real life the people promoting the growth, enhancement, behind SL avatars in a community and development of the metaverse, event. The SLCC’s started up in 2005 virtual worlds, augmented reality, and in New York City, and with that first 3D immersive and virtual spaces. We one being in tandem with the Serious hold conventions and meetings to Games conference. There were 111


112


113


to promote educational and scientific inquiry into these spaces, and to support organized fan activities, including performances, lectures, art, music, machinima, and much more. Our primary goal is to connect and support the diverse communities and practitioners involved in co-creating and using virtual worlds, and to educate the public and our constituents about the emerging ecosystem of technologies broadly known as the metaverse.

virtual environments to weigh in and ask questions. I think Linden Lab has been doing a better job at reaching out to various communities, and find out what their uses are for Second Life, and how that might transcend to the new Sansar platform.

For myself, I am very much an explorer,experimenter, and early adopter type of person, so I look f orward to trying out the new Sansar platform. And, through my community management work and You can find out more on AvaCon at events we host at Nonprofit Comhttp://avacon.org mons, I try to encourage others to explore other virtual environments WM: Much buzz has been made and tech tools. At NPC we have had about Sansar recently. Are you going many presenters talk on their work to migrate to Sansar? What about and lead field trips not just in Second Non Profit Commons and AvaCon? Life, but also in other platforms like OpenSimulator, which is an open RHIANNON: Last summer, along with source variant platform to SL and Nonprofit Commons founder Susan allows users to host their own grids Tenby (Glitteractica Cookie in SL), we and content, while still being able to had the opportunity to meet with ‘hypergrid’ travel between their grids Ebbe Altberg, CEO of Linden Lab at and others (akin to teleporting in SL). their offices and talk on the role of nonprofits in Second Life. During that And, AvaCon has organized many meeting, Ebbe talked with us on the community events, not just Second then early dev and thinking behind Life focused ones, like SLCC, but also what is now being called Project the OpenSimulator Community Sansar. We then followed that up with (http:// Ebbe coming to present at Nonprofit conference.opensimulator.org/), the Commons on the new virtual Federal Consortium of Virtual Worlds platform, and it was a chance to allow symposium belst our fellow avatars (and the humans behind them). those interested in social good uses of 114


(http://fcvw.militarymetaverse.org/), and other events that have taken place in various Open Simulator grids, game worlds like Minecraft, and High Fidelity (https://highfidelity.com/), which is another virtual world platform to watch being developed by the founder of Second Life, Philip Rosedale. AvaCon’s mission focuses on supporting users throughout the greater metaverse, and users of many platforms/world/game spaces that fall within that.

good just in those that are part of Nonprofit Commons including elder and women’s issues nonprofits, transgender support, environmental groups, as well as AIDS, diabetes, disability, mental health, substance abuse, chronic illness and other support groups. And through these things, I believe that Second Life is a wonderful place not just to entertain, but also to educate, inspire, and work together to assist our fellow avatars (and the humans behind them).

WM: What role do you believe Supporting users and developers and nonprofits and charities have in virtu- helping further the community, social al worlds? Any tips for nonprofits and good and serous uses cases of virtual charities that are not involved in any worlds has also been important to the virtual world? work I do with AvaCon, including our Land for Social Good program offering RHIANNON: I think we can see lots space to those with nonprofit work of examples of social good in virtual they might want to explore in an open worlds such as Second Life or source virtual environment like Open Simulator. You have fundraising Open Simulator. for good examples like Relay for Life that has raised over a million dollars And for any nonprofits or charities in the many years it has been taking that might be interested in getting place in Second Life, and is one of involved in using a virtual world for American Cancer Society's larger your cause, I encourage them to overall team earners. There is also the connect with others doing similar amazing work that nonprofits like work in this space. . Nonprofit Virtual Ability, and others do to help Commons was designed to create a people often dealing with real life community of practice for nonprofits physical or medical conditions to explore, share best practices and through peer support or therapy learn within a virtual world, and to inside of virtual environments. There investigate the many ways in which are so many examples of folks doing 115


Ebbe Altberg, CEO of Linden Lab, demoing use of the Oculus Rift within Second Life to Susan Tenby, Director of Social Community & Strategic Partnerships at Caravan Studios, a division of TechSoup Global)

116


117


nonprofits might utilize this unique virtual environment and other emerging technologies. Nonprofit Commons also provides free office space to qualifying groups around the world, hosts weekly meetings and networking events, to create a cooperative learning environment and foster outreach, education, fund-raising, all in a virtual space. All this with the focus being on creating a community for effective collaboration and support, regardless of geographic location of community members. A good start is to attend one of the weekly Nonprofit Commons meetings held every Friday, 8:30AM - 10AM PDT for nonprofits, libraries, educators and those interested in social good and technology.

two important collaborators Jeroen Frans and Amulius Lioncourt, we founded a small development studio called The Vesuvius Group to create virtual builds and immersive experiences for educational, nonprofit and businesses who were starting to come into Second Life. That was another milestone that led to being more open to real and virtual identities being linked. Specially when working with larger, real-world clients, they wanted to know they were working with an actual identifiable person, and you have to start signing contracts, etc.

Then, by the time I changed real world careers from the corporate designer position in 2007, to working for the NYC youth educational nonprofit Global Kids on their online digital media and virtual projects in WM: I see that you do not have an the then Teen Grid of Second Life, my issue mixing real life and Second professional and personal identity Life. Did you reveal your real life were fully transparent and linked with persona by chance or you always intended to merge real life with your my SL avatar. So at this point, if you search for my SL avatar name of virtual life? Rhiannon Chatnoir, or my real name of Joyce Bettencourt, the connections RHIANNON: I didn’t start with the idea of being fully open on who the between the two are very transparent. real person behind my avatar was. But, the more I got involved with events and activities that blurred over I think the choice to be open or not to into the real world, the more it the real life identity behind your became the case. In late 2006, with avatar is a very personal decision. 118


And, even when we ran the SLCC real life events, we always gave attendees the choice and respect to go by identity names they were most comfortable with. WM: What's next for you for the rest of the year? What things can we expect from you, Nonprofit Commons, and AvaCon in 2016? RHIANNON: I think as a whole we are seeing a resurgence of those outside of virtual worlds looking again at them. Some of this is due to the increase in awareness of virtual reality devices like Oculus Rift and other similar tech. So I think next year will be interesting to see the developments that come not only out of those, but from Linden Lab’s Sansar project, High Fidelity’s virtual world platform and technologies, and the continued movement forward of Open Simulator as the closest thing to an open source metaverse there is at this point. Nonprofit Commons will continue to be a central point for those looking for a community of practice in a virtual environment, and AvaCon will continue to support the user community at large, and we expect to be partnering with folks from Open Simulator, VWBPE, Federal

Consortium and others in the new year on new events and projects. More immediately, I will be attending the Oculus developer conference, and exploring not only the VR tech and tools there, but what innovative things are being done by others using virtual reality. I think at this point the VR ecosystem is more focused on the tech, but the knowledge that many of us have garnered in how to effectively use, interact, and engage with others in virtual world environments will be important lessons learned to apply towards newer VR tools. As someone who can see the potential of how people can create, Nonprofit Commons will continue to be a central point for those looking for a community of practice in a virtual environment, and AvaCon will continue to support the user community at large, and we expect to be partnering with folks from Open Simulator, VWBPE, Federal Consortium and others in the new year on new events and projects. Joyce Bettencourt (Rhiannon Chatnoir in SL) is the Online Community Manager for TechSoup Global’s Nonprofit Commons in Second Life community. She is co-founder of the non-profit, AvaCon, Inc. dedicated to promoting the growth, 119


enhancement, and development of the metaverse, virtual worlds, “augmented reality and 3D immersive spaces. AvaCon, Inc. are organizers of the Federal Consortium for Virtual Worlds symposium, the yearly virtual Open Simulator Community “Conference, and were organizers of the Second Life Community Conference that brought together hundreds of users in cities such as Boston (2010) and Oakland (2011).

produced digital media learning content for the web and in the former Teen Second Life, machinima projects, mixed reality events, and the Second Life social issue game CONSENT!

As the avatar Rhiannon Chatnoir, she began exploring the virtual world of Second Life in January of 2005, and has since used it as a medium for networking, marketing and creating art, as well as organizing numerous In addition, she is Creative Director of charity and social good online events, The Vesuvius Group, a collaborative including the Virtual Haiti Relief studio specializing in developing campaign within the virtual world of online immersive, virtual and social Second Life that helped raise environments for education and awareness and $10,000 USD in virtual community-building for businesses, micro transactions. WM nonprofits and organizations such as the American Museum of Natural Keep up to date with The Non Profit History, California Academy of Commons, AvaCon, and of course Science, the Field Museum, the Rhiannon’s journeys in both real and World Bank, Georgia Tech, Georgia Second Life, by visiting the following State University, Arizona State links: University, University of Southern California’s Annenberg Institute, New http://about.me/joycebettencourt York City Department of Education, http://nonprofitcommons.org and Ramapo School District. Joyce is a http://avacon.org 2012 graduate of the http://vesuviusgroup.com Singularity University Graduate Studies program, focused on applying future is technologies to addressing Global Grand Challenges. Previously she was digital media producer for the Online Leadership Program at the educational nonprofit Global Kids and 120


121


122


123


124


125


126


127


128


CHARITY IN SL: SAFFIA WIDDERSHINS WRITER: JOHN PHOTOGRAPHY: SAFFIA WIDDERSHINS

129


WM: Tell us about your charity: why did you bring the charity to Second Life and how long as the charity operated in Second Life? SAFFIA: I work with two non-profits (in addition to different aspects of Relay for Life in Second Life such as Fantasy Faire and the Home and Garden Expo). Both started, co-incidentally in 2013, although I have worked with other charities and non-profits before.

The idea was inspired by Alchemy Immortalis, who, some of you may remember, used to do just that in her beautiful patisserie. You bought the bread or a cake and it came with a recipe inside. I started in 2013, and this was the third year. I hold music events to go with it – I am hoping to persuade other people to start their own coffee mornings too!

The first is an event called Cake against Cancer, which is an online event for the Macmillan Cancer Support UK’s Biggest Coffee Morning in the World.

So people come along to our Virtual Coffee Morning and can buy cakes for 50 Lindens. Sometimes, you will get a slice of virtual cake – but you will always get a recipe so that you can bake these delicious cakes in the real world Like many people, I have been too. And your money goes to support affected by cancer. Not myself – but I Macmillan’s vital work to support have lost friends to cancer, and I have cancer patients and their carers. supported the Coffee Morning. I We make about £120 each y wanted to find a way in which I could ear – that’s around $160 US. It’s a bring the event in world. small event, but great fun. Obviously, selling virtual cakes would find a fairly limited audience, I thought. But what if I encouraged people to buy cake recipes? 130

The second is One Billion Rising, again a Second Life version of a real world event – this time an international event..


This takes place on 14th February are divided between research (Cancer every year – although this year we will Research UK) and support (Macmillan also be running a special art event for Cancer Support). the UM International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Cancer Research UK’s big event is Run Women on November 25th. for Life – our version of Relay for Life. And for Macmillan Cancer Support, We don’t set out to make money here among many other events, it’s the – this is all about raising awareness. If Biggest Coffee Morning in the World. people want to donate, we suggest Their motto is: No one should face they give locally, and have a number cancer alone. They want to reach and of organisations doing amazing work improve the lives of every one of worldwide that are recommended by those people. One Billion Rising. WM: What real life charity is connected to your charity? How involved are the real life counterparts? SAFFIA: Macmillan Cancer Support UK actually had an early presence in Second Life and I believe held a Coffee Morning here back in 2007. But they moved on, and the people now at the organisation have no recollection of this – institutional memory does lose sight of things. They are, I think, a little bemused by the event, but very happy for me to run it!

In the UK, our major cancer charities

They are a source of support, helping with all the things that people affected by cancer want and need. It's not only patients who live with cancer, they also help carers, families and communities. They fund nurses and other specialist health care professionals and build cancer care centres. But they give much more than medical help. People need practical support at home, so they provide anything from time off for a carer, to a lift to hospital. People need emotional support, so they listen, advise and 131


132


133


134


135


and share information through cancer support specialists, the website and trained professionals. People need financial help to cope with the extra costs cancer can bring, so they give benefits advice, and grants for anything from heating bills to travel costs. Together they listen, they learn, they act to help people live with cancer.

from the founder last year – Eve Ensler, writer of the Vagina Monologues:

This is Eve Ensler and I am filled with joy and awe at the stunning One Billion Rising in Second Life. Wow. It is simply stunning, mystical, political, gorgeous and inspired. My deepest gratitude, admiration solidarity and love, They are a force for change, listening Eve” to people affected by cancer and working together to improve cancer That made a lot of hard-working care. People who live with cancer are people very happy! experts by experience . Together they use this knowledge to make a positive One Billion Rising is the biggest mass difference to the lives of people action to end violence against women affected by cancer. This could be in human history. anything from getting a coffee machine installed in a waiting room, The campaign, launched on to bringing about changes in the law. Valentine’s Day 2012, began as a call They fight discrimination – from to action based on the staggering challenging unfair travel costs and statistic that 1 in 3 women on the insurance policies to improving the planet will be beaten or raped during national benefits system. her lifetime. With the world ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ population at 7 billion, this adds up The response from the team behind to more than ONE BILLION WOMEN One Billion Rising is much more AND GIRLS. enthusiastic – we had a lovely letter 136


On (or around) 14 February 2015, millions of activists in over 200 countries gathered to Rise for REVOLUTION, to change the paradigm, demanded accountability, justice and systematic CHANGE. We rise to show we are determined to create a new kind of consciousness – one where violence will be resisted until it is unthinkable. The campaign was covered widely by media in all corners of world. WM: Why is this particular cause important to you? SAFFIA: Both causes have been important to me for a long time. I’ve always been something of a “cause” person; I would probably be involved with more, but there’s not enough hours in the day!

WM: How can a person volunteer with your charity? SAFFIA: In the first place, contact me. I can send you information. I would ADORE more people to start holding their own coffee mornings. For One Billion Rising, we are always

happy to add more people to the team. Men and women are all welcome. You contact me or Samantha Ohrberg. WM: Is your charity in any other virtual worlds? Do you have plans to take your charity to the new Linden Lab platform, Sansar? SAFFIA: No and no, not yet. Later on – we’ll see. WM hhttps://www.facebook.com/ macmillancoffee?fref=ts http://primperfect.net/events/ macmillan-coffee-morning-cakeagainst-cancer/ http://primperfect.net/category/ macmillan-coffee-morning/ https:// onebillionrisingsl2015.wordpress.com/ https://www.facebook.com/OneBillion-Rising-in-Second-Life493344827375934/timeline/ 137


138


139


140


141


142


143


CHARITY IN SL: BRIQUE TOPAZ WRITER: JOHN PHOTOGRAPHY: BRIQUE TOPAZ

144


145


WM: Tell us about your charity: why did you bring the charity to Second Life and how long as the charity operated in Second Life?

charity organization is Live and Learn in Kenya Int’l. (LLK) I founded the organization in October 2001 here in Selb, Germany. The organization caters to extremely needy children living in the slums of Nakuru, Kenya – which is the 4th largest city in Kenya. After visiting Nakuru in 2002 I realized that I had „found my calling“. I have seen slums before in many places – but these were some of the worst slums I’d ever experienced and I knew it was time to really make a difference and not just talk about what could be or should be done anymore. Children are starving all over the world right this very moment. Knowing that we are being a part of changing that is an amazing feeling. If children are able to go to school, their life paths are changed completely. The LLK motto is „Education is the Key to the Future“. We’re handing out keys and giving the children the chance to be all that they can be.

BRIQUE: Feed a Smile in Second Life is a life-saving - life–changing charity. Not only do the events at the Lavender Field for Feed a Smile mean a warm meal for over 430 children nearly every day, Feed a Smile is also focusing on funding the further school construction on our own land in Nakuru, Kenya. The children will be able to attend school in an atmosphere that is quite unlike other schools in Nakuru. At the school opening this past January, the Director of Education commented that this was already one of the best-built schools in Nakuru. Second Life is an international platform for a small organization that is doing big things. People have come to know it and trust it for what it is – RL in SL! I came into SL because of the Nonprofit Commons community nearly 6 years ago – so Feed a Smile has WM: Why is this particular cause always been my main objective in SL.. important to you? WM: What real life charity is connected to your charity? How involved are the real life counterparts?

BRIQUE: The actual name of the RL 146

BRIQUE: Well, I founded the organization – so it is of course my passion. I’ve seen sickly, thin and constantly hungry kindergarten children whose parents literally had nothing – happy to have a shack to live in and a bag of


old clothes to throw on the dirt floor as a bed at night – bloom into university students! HIV/AIDS has touched the lives of every one of these people in some way. We have many AIDS orphans on our program for whom we have found foster parents for. If changes aren’t made – if people aren’t made more aware of the dangers – there will be more and more children living in the streets and dying in the streets. It’s impossible to have been there – seen that – and then do nothing to change it. My annual visits motivate me even more. Every child has the right to shelter, food, clean water, medical care and education – and that is exactly what we are giving them …. and much more. I’m always hearing that same old phrase: Very nice – but it’s just a drop in the bucket. Well – I always answer with “If it were your child, you wouldn’t see it that way would you?”

– to say the least the Australian and Asian time zones. What we really need are more and more venues in all time zones that would organize events for Feed a Smile – either for meals for the children or for the construction of the next classroom. Residents who are interested in helping in any way can go to the Lavender Field at any time and click onto the information board to the left of the main stage. That board has a huge array of possibilities – one of them being the possibility to have donation boards for Feed a Smile on their own sims or at their own venues, stores, etc. Once the donation boards are rezzed, the donations can be seen on the donation websites:

WM: How can a person volunteer with your charity?

We also need hosts who will organize and host events at the Lavender Field.

Link to the Feed a Smile donation site: http://goo.gl/ceuy4 Link to the Build a School donation site: http://g0-2.de/sk0j

WM: Is your charity in any other BRIQUE: We need all the help that virtual worlds? Do you have plans to we can get. We have a huge take your charity to the new Linden responsibility to these children and the challenge is humungous. Because Lab platform, SansarR? I’m in the European time zone it is nearly impossible to have prime time BRIQUE:The only virtual world for us is Second Life. It is also a matter of events for the USA/Canada time zones time. Besides Feed a Smile in SL, I 147


run the organization in RL — and I also work for a living. By the way, everyone at LLK, except for the Kenyan teachers and staff in Kenya, are volunteers. That means that every cent (linden) goes directly to Kenya for the children. All expenses, whether it be postal charges, printing, etc. are either donated to LLK or the membership fees are used.

IT’S UP TO YOU: https:// www.youtube.com/watch? v=qiqZhuCRQSg PETER’S DAY: http:// vimeo.com/118266465 SCHOOL OPENING: https:// www.youtube.com/watch? v=Pc9HBP0TAoo&feature=youtu.b e

I still have to inform myself more about Sansar. I am sadly so computer challenged that it takes me at least an hour to change into a new outfit in SL SPIEGEL TV: http:// www.spiegel.tv/filme/virtualize-it-v (which means you will nearly always irtuelle-welten/ find me in my jeans and Feed a Smile t -shirt on a very old avi ;) ) But when the time come for a change, I’m sure the many friends that make Feed a Smile possible in SL will face those changes.. WM Live and Learn in Kenya Website: www.llk-selb.de

Global Giving: https:// goto.gg/21277 DRAX FILE: http:// www.youtube.com/watch? v=ha6gxbTw6iQ&feature=youtu.be

148


149


150


151


152


153


154


155


156


157


158


CHARITY IN SL: JAMEE SANDALWOOD WRITER: JOHN PHOTOGRAPHY: JAMEE SANDALWOOD

159


WM: Tell us about Models Giving Back. Why and when was the group founded?

JAMEE: We add models to the MGB team once or twice a year as needed via Casting that is announced in groups such at 1. The Best of Second JAMEE: MGB is a team of Life Magazine Readers and 2. Professional SL Models that feel it is Starwalkers 2010, along with important to give back to their SL and announcements on our Facebook RL community by using their talents Page. to raise funds for reputable and verified charitable causes. We part- WM: Which charities are you ner with designers and other fundrais- currently supporting or have in the ing events around the grid to provide past? modeling services and donate our fees to the cause. We also organize JAMEE: Our main charity is the Naand run events such as the annual tional Breast Cancer Foundation. The Rock Your Rack event as well. annual Rock Your Rack event is MGB was founded in October of 2012 dedicated to this charity. Most of our by Jamee Sandalwood who wanted to individual fashion shows are also continue the work of a former charity dedicated to this charity unless the modeling agency that had disbanded designer designates otherwise. We due to it's owner leaving SL. . have also worked with events raising funds for the Now I Lay Me Down To WM: How many models are Sleep organization, American Heart currently in Models Giving Back? Association, the Canadian, American and International Red Cross, and Relay JAMEE: Currently there are 29 for Life. models that are part of the MGB Team. We keep this team limited to a Jamee Sandalwood began her Second small number of elite models that are Life in May of 2009 after a friend inactive. We are not about having a troduced her to the social large number, but instead we want a aspect of the virtual world and she consistent, cohesive team that works jumped in with both feet well together. experiencing everything SL had to offer. Over her 6 years in SL she has WM: How does a model become a explored, role played, held several part of Models Giving Back? jobs, met so many fascinating people

160


offer. Over her 6 years in SL she has explored, role played, held several jobs, met so many fascinating people she would never have met otherwise, and landed in her identity of fashion model and advocate for charitable causes through SL modeling. It wasn't long after joining SL that Jamee discovered her two passions in SL - Fashion and Music and her path was then created to lead to where she is today.

also one of the Finesmith Muses for 2014. Full Resume: http:// jameesjewels.wordpress.com/about/ But the one thing that keeps bringing her back to SL on a daily basis is the friendships she has developed with people all over the world that would never have been formed without Second Life. It is those that she treasures the most. WM

Jamee has an extensive professional modeling resume over the span of 5 years in SL that includes graduating from 4 modeling academies, appearing in over 100 runway shows/ events, 60 print/vendor model ads including 4 covers of magazines, 10 fashion videos, and working with some of the top models/designers in the SL fashion scene. She is the acting COO for Lybra and Lybra Beauty. She is also the CEO of Models Giving Back, a group of professional SL models raising funds for charitable causes in RL such as the National Breast Cancer Foundation, is an instructor at Miss Virtual World Modeling Academy, and is on staff of several top modeling agencies. Her most impressive accomplishments in SL modeling include being Miss Virtual World SWEDEN 2015 and the MVW 1st Runner-Up for 2015. She is 161


162


163


164


165


166


167


168


169


CHARITY IN SL: STILL BRAVEHEART WRITER: JOHN PHOTOGRAPHY: STILL BRAVEHEART

170


171


WM: Tell us about your charity: why is the second year we g=have done to did you bring the charity to Second benefit Stand Up To Cancer.. Life and how long as the charity operated in Second Life? WM: What real life charity is STILL: We do this to benefit Stand Up connected to your charity? How To Cancer. Stand Up To Cancer is non- involved are the real life profit organization founded in 2008 counterparts? under the Entertainment Industry Foundation with a very unique STILL: The real life charity is Stand approach.. Stand Up To Cancer is a Up to Cancer. For now we receive the groundbreaking initiative created to rl approval and I hope as we grow that accelerate innovative cancer research the eventually become more that will get new therapies to patients interactive. quickly and save lives now. SU2C’s unique funding model, developed with the help of prominent cancer WM: Why is this particular cause researchers, encourages collaboration important to you? and innovation through two new types of scientific grants. STILL: I do not know one person that cancer has not touched in some way, Dream Team grants are awarded to shape or form. multi-institutional groups of scientists who work collaboratively, rather than WM: How can a person volunteer competitively, to develop new with your charity? treatments quickly in order to save lives now. To learn more about SU2C’s STILL: Just tell me that they want to Dream Teams, please click here. volunteer, there are never too many people that want to give with their Innovative Research Grants support heart and we will always find for a groundbreaking cancer research place for them. projects that are high-risk but could also be high-impact, and have the p WM: Is your charity in any other potential to significantly affect patient virtual worlds? Do you have plans to care I brought Stand Up To Cancer in take your charity to the new Linden SL because I believe that as a whole, Lab platform, Sansar? we can make a small difference. This 172


STILL: No I am a second Life Resident and plan on staying that way. If someone else does I wish them the best. WM You can read about the fundraising season for Stand Up 2 Cancer in Second Life, by visiting the following links:

http://stillbraveheart.blogspot.com/

http://do.eifoundation.org/site/TR?team_id=26785&fr_id=1221&pg=team

173


174


175


176


177


178


179


180


CHARITY SPOTLIGHT: CREATIONS FOR PARKINSONS WRITER: BARBIE ALCHEMI PHOTOGRAPHY: BARBIE ALCHEMI

181


Twelve years ago my Dad died with the lowest overheads of only 11%. We Parkinson's and a year later my Mom believe it is very important for people was diagnosed with it. My RL brother in SL to know where their donation introduce Mom (Fran Serandade) dollars are going. Our family covers all and me (Barbie Alchemi) to Second tier and expenses so 100% of all SL Life. We noticed the more time Mom donations go directly to the spent in SL, the better she seemed to Foundation. We have raised close to become. At 88 "years young", she is $7.5 Million Linden Dollars, $30,000 still active in Second Life and is thrilled US. On October 16th we will have our to see herself running and dancing yearly 12 hour benefit at Sweethearts again. To quote her "I may have Jazz Club. “Parkinson's, but it does not have me." We are working very hard for our upcoming 10 day "FUND FEST 4 TEAM Our family felt a desire to give FOX" November 6-15th. We have the meaning and purpose to the hours we full support of Linden Labs who has spent in-world. We realized how donated 2 sims for this fun event. One valuable SL could be for people with sim will have SL's finest carnival rides all types of disabilities and also for run by D.A.R.E Dutch Amusement caregivers who often have to give Rides and Entertainment. On the 2nd up much of their life to take care of sim will have a fun shopping area their loved one. In April 2012 we with unique Fashions, Gatcha's and started Creations for Parkinson's on Hunts. Our center stage will hold daily our sim Creations Park http:// events including a Fashion Show, Art maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ Auction and Live Music and Theme Creations%20Park/90/162/39 .Our Parties. Mankind Tracer will be our project is an expression of the love we Headliner to open the event. feel for our amazing mom. We welcome live performers, DJs, We are very proud to raised donations fashion designers, content creators, for Team Fox to benefit the Michael J. artist and bloggers to join with us to Fox Foundation for Parkinson's help make this a fabulous success for Research. helping to find a cure for Parkinson's. http://www2.michaeljfox.org/site/TR/ Those of us in Second Life can have TeamFox/TeamFox? fun while knowing we are making a pg=team&fr_id=1720&team_id=1241 difference in the real world. To quote 0 This highly rated charity has one of Michael J Fox "It is not our challenges 182


that define us, our actions do." Please be sure to watch our award winning video about the benefits of SL for our adorable 88 "years young" RL Mom who has Parkinson's. This will touch your heart! Ebbe Linden (CEO of Linden Labs) has called this the most important video ever made about Second Life! The Drax File: World Makers- Episode 13 Creations for Parkinson's http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyiiWxNguGo&feature=youtu.be Loving Hugs from our Creations Family Barbie Alchemi - Founder of Creations for Parkinson's AlmostThere Inventor - RL brother Fran Seranade - Our loving RL Mom WM

183


184


185


SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2015

Sparkie Cyberstar, Canary Beck, Trav Sola Theadreem Resident, Eeraftr Resident Kayly Iali, Theda Tamma 186


5 WINDLIGHT ART FELLOWS:

ar, Saoiriseheart Resident, Serenitee Bliss, t, Lala Lightfoot, Wintergeist Resident, as, and Bamboo Barness 187


RISTORANTE IVAN CONTACT EMMA PORTILO

188


NNA窶年OW OPEN! O FOR BOOKING INQUIRIES

189


PHOTOGRAPH BY DRAAKJE DAILEY

190


MODEL: DRAAKJE DAILEY

Dress and Hat: Zibska ~ Solanum Fawn Skin: -Glam Affair – Marta Pose: Le Poppycock *All Angles* Location: Gates to Nowhere

191


B

192


PHOTO BY CHLOEELECTRA

MODEL: CHLOEELECTRA

Outfit | Gabriel - Olive* Hat | Tracei - Jarvis Sunglasses | Glamistry - PU2003 Handbag | Tracei - Petit Malle Croc Bracelet & Watch | Mandala - Billionaire Fashionista Heels | Glamistry - Dianthus Hair | Tableau Vivant - Dreamy Lipstick | Madrid Solo - Candid Skin | Elysium- Amalie Pose | {MUA} - Mexico 193


MODEL: ELESEREN BRIANNA

The styling is based on a Romance Couture dress ' The Abstracts#3', part of a set o six designs which interpret Abstract Art into gown designs. I added arm pieces fro Origami ME by Bare@Rose (colour edited), and Fitmesh Gloves from Meli Imako (also colour edited). My hat and ring were made by me just for this styling. Hair is YIU by sYs, and makeup is by League, +Nuuna+ and Nox.

Taxi to Romance Couture (check top for for the Avant Section) http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bailywick/153/63/2512

194


PHOTOGRAPH BY : ELESEREN BRIANNA

of om

s

195


196


MODEL: WICCA MERLIN Look 1: Outfit: SoliDea FoliEs – “Becca” – NEW Hair (incl earrings & headpiece): EMO-tions – “Agneta” Makeup: Zibska – “Ltd Noir 18” Look 2: Outfit: SoliDea FoliEs – “Alexis” – NEW Hat: SoliDea FoliEs – “Alexis Hat” – NEW Shoes: Pixelfashion – “Sandy” Hair: EMO-tions – “Frida” Makeup: Zibska – “Ltd Noir 18” Poses: Corpus PHOTO BY WICCA MERLIN 197


MODEL: ISSY FLATLEY Avicularia [Cocoa] is a strapless original mesh dress with an asymmetric style skirt which is longer at the back that trails behind also included in the outfit is a large web back piece and a web isn’t complete without its spiders that attach separately three spiders keeping guard and ready to attack along with the spider sitting quietly on your chest ,also long gloves which have a slink applicator for slink hands, and a spider web eye make up lips and eyeliner are included in the pack, Also from Wicca’s Wardrobe is Grammostola Necklace (Cocoa) a wire frames necklace with its own little spider and to finish is a Myostola Headpiece [Cocoa] that comes in two versions both included, the headpiece covers the head from nape to forehead, and has horns with hold a small web with its own little spider available at F.A.D now Thanks For Looking Style Eternal F.A.D Event FAD Location: http://maps.secondlife.com/ secondlife/Desperatos/162/162/3502 Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/groups/ fadfashionevent/ Wiccas Wardrobe http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ New/43/150/22 https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/156512

198


PHOTOGRAPH BY ISSY FLATLEY

199


200


201


202


203


204


205


WINDLIGHT MAGAZINE VOLUME 1: ISSUE 4 October 2015 WWW.WINDLIGHTMAGAZINE.COM

206


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.