ECLIPSE Magazine March 2022

M a r c h

2 0 2 2

Contents

26.

THROUGH THE LENS

74.

Mauro, Taylor and Trouble are in the search for the best food.

64.

THE KITCHEN CORNER Taylor Wassep shares his favorite tamagoyaki recipe.

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PROUST SPOTLIGHT

96.

Showcasing the talented blogger, Maria (Mrs Sassypants).

86.

ARTIST HIGHLIGHT “Finding A Musical Center” with live singer, Amberle.

THE WAYFAR

Join the Wayfarer as he expl Longing Meloy and Soft Mel

116.

FARMERS MARK

Learn more about the ne quarterly main store sales ev

40.

COVER STORY Love Made Visible

COVER PHOTOGRAPHER Ara Dethly

WRITER

128.

ACROSS THE GRID

Cajsa Lilliehook

Wicca introduces us to a tale of fiction of the Drows.

RER

lores lody.

146. VOICES FROM THE GRID Residents are asked the same question and share their view.

KET

156. THE ART PERSPECTIVE

ewest vent.

Featuring Hyperborea Gallery and Yuki Kitsune Art Gallery.

ECLIPSE Magazine is dedicated to not only offering an aesthetically pleasing publication, but to also be considered a platform that offers rich and relevant content. Each month, we showcase residents and groups that have taken the concept of “your world, your imagination” to such great heights that they have impacted the culture and lifestyle of the Second Life community.

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the contributo

TROUBLE DETHLY

CAJSA LILLIEHOOK

PUBLISHER

COPY EDITOR

TAYLOR W

CONTENT M

HAYDEN DETHLY

JUNE FALLON

LIFESTYLE EDITOR

ASSISTANT EDITOR

ors

WASSEP

MANAGER

PREVIOUS ISSUES

WRITERS Anne Daumig Cajsa Lilliehook Gidge Uriza Novaleigh Freng Taylor Wassep Wicca Merlin

PHOTOGRAPHERS Ara Dethly Hayden Dethly Mauro Rosenfeld Sylvia Olivier Taylor Wassep Wendz Tempest Wicca Merlin

STYLISTS Hayden Dethly Mauro Rosenfeld Sylvia Olivier Taylor Wassep Vivien De’Lancoure Wicca Merlin

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Welcome to the March 2022 issue of ECLIPSE Magazine! Back in December I auctioned off the cover story of ECLIPSE for Dash’s “From Her to Me” fundraiser, and JeVon Nova had the highest bid! He also happens to co-own with Exeter Paines, one of the most fantastic and premier dining venues on the grid, Fête: The Restaurant Experience.

This issue we had the opportunity to learn more about Fête and also share their story.

Full disclosure, I was supposed to publish this issue back in February. but things happen. The important thing is that I did eventually. I do have some big things planned for May, and I hope to publish the first week of that month. It will make sense eventually. One of the projects I am going to need a ton of help on, so I’ll likely be announcing it in the next week or so. In other news, Farmers Market opened February 26, and it’s a new quarterly main store sales event that June and I are doing. I may or may not have dropped advertising throughout this issue for it. Incidentally, I was all ready to publish until I realized I did not have any photographs for that article. I’ve come to the conclusion that decor photography is fun.

Wicca Merlin curates the “Across the Grid” article, and she has made a bit of a change. This is the first issue where in addition to her excellent photographs, there is also an accompanying story by Anne Daumig. I am very much excited to see what other stories they will tell.

We have a total of ten pieces this month. I only realized after updating the contents page that quite a few are food-centric; however, I am 100% happy with that. I do hope you enjoy this issue.

Happy Readings!

from the publisher

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through the lens

s

Each issue, ECLIPSE Magazine invites the many talented photographers from Second Life to collaborate. With this piece, they style, create and share a glimpse through their lens.

For this edition, Mauro Rosenfeld, Taylor Wassep and Trouble Dethly take it to the streets and chowdown on their favorite treats.

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Photographer: Mauro Rosenfeld ECLIPSE March 2022 | Page 29

Photographer: Taylor Wassep

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Photographer: Taylor Wassep ECLIPSE March 2022 | Page 33

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Photographer: Trouble Dethly ECLIPSE March 2022 | Page 35

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love made visible

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARA DETHLY & taylor wassep. writt

en by cajsa lilliehook.

JeVon Nova and Exeter Parnes are partners in love and in cooking, which, as the saying goes, is love made visible. Fête, a premier finedining restaurant in Second Life, is the visible manifestation of that idea. If you want a special night out with your sweetheart or are planning a family reunion or a wedding reception, Fête is the place you call to make a reservation and plan your evening. This is not a self-serve cafe, but a full restaurant experience with trained staff to ensure you have great food and good times.

JeVon and Exeter both came to Second Life back in the days before mesh and the Uncanny Valley.

JeVon joined Second Life after moving out of state. His old friends got married, had children, and moved as well. They wanted a way to get together virtually. “Playing virtual poker got old, one of my friends found SL. We all joined one night at the same time and there we were, in a dance club like old times. Just virtually.” Exeter migrated from The Sims to SL after hearing folks talking about it in The Sims Online. He liked SL immediately, seeing it as a heighten version of The Sims. “It allows you far more freedom to build and work differently with things like your outfit. Plus, I always liked to roleplay so being able to do that with other people kept me intrigued.”

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JeVon hung about with his RL friends who joined with him, none of them aware they were at a Safe Hub. “We were there for months thinking that was all of SL. Eventually we figured out you can actually TP to other places.” Exeter’s early days were spent on roleplay sims as a Dragon-Elf hybrid. Eventually he began exploring the rest of SL. He went to a lot of dance clubs, following favorite DJs and eventually making friends with the familiar faces he would see again and again. Unlike Exeter, JeVon is not shy and will say hello to everyone he sees. “Either in local or IM’s, I’ll chat up anyone. This is especially true during the earlier days when we were camped out for lindens with other strangers for hours.”

Their early days were spent learning and exploring as it is for so many residents. They had fairly typical mishaps. JeVon recounted a delightful shopping disaster. He got the modeling bug and dreamed of seeing his face on a vendor.

A friend of his was a successful model and advised him where to shop. He browsed the Marketplace predecessor, X-Street. He didn’t have much money because his only income was camping, but he found a great outfit for only 1 Linden. He bought it and put it on before heading off to a fancy fashion event, feeling proud of his look. “My friend saw me and quickly IM’ed me and asked “What are you wearing!!!?” and I was defensive, “What’s wrong with what I am wearing?” my friend said “Zoom into it!” When I did I noticed the watermarks that said DEMO on it. Worst, there was this little white sticky note stuck to the back of the heel of the shoe that said DEMO as well! My friend and I laughed about it.

Funny I don’t recall leaving, but rather just rocking it.

What else did I have to wear?”

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Exeter chuckled when sharing his noob story.

He had not yet mastered camera control and camming around himself. Prim hair had just been introduced and he had bought his first prim hair. “I put it on and from the front, I thought I looked good. I was convinced I looked good. Until someone asked why I only had hair on my forehead and showed me how to cam around myself. When I cam’ed around I was completely bald in the back of my head, not even a hair base. True to their words, when I cam’ed from the side profile, my hair was sitting right up on my forehead.”

Things changed quite a bit when they met.

They were introduced by a mutual friend and hit it off, hanging out regularly as friends, Exeter added, “Eventually, we both decided that there was something special between us and we decided to leave the friend zone and explore the possibilities of us together.”

Their experience of dating early on in their relationship inspired them to open Fête. They explored different places. They went to a restaurant and had a lot of fun and wanted to visit others in SL. Exeter added, “What we found was that many of the restaurants were on resorts and required you to be a guest at the resort to dine there.

We figured there were others like us that wanted a nice place to go on date nights.”

JeVon continued, “After our dates we would chat about our night. What we liked. What we didn’t like.

We dreamt up Fête simply by talking about what we would improve and what we can do to make the experience mimic restaurants in the real world.” As they discussed how much better the restaurants would be if only they did this, that, or the other thing. “Our list of wishes soon became a list of goals.

Romance is something people crave and why not be the owners of an establishment that brings some romance by two people that are very romantic with each other.”

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Exeter added, “When we finally decided on what the atmosphere of Fête would be, we chose a fine dining establishment. Something that felt expensive, but not pretentious. Fête in the dictionary means to entertain lavishly. Which is basically what we do for anyone that eats here. It’s also pronounced Fate, like our destiny. Which seemed to fit nicely.”

They didn’t just want a table, chairs, and plates of food. They wanted the whole experience to be as immersive and complete as possible from requiring reservations to greeting guests with welcoming staff, beautiful decor, the gentle hum of a working restaurant, and music. JeVon added, “We have different dining rooms, different menus for each dining room option and different servers for each dining room. We want each visit to feel and be different for our guests. We brought elements from some of our favorite real world restaurants into this idea and then went further and elevated those ideas with the magic that is SL” They have defined their target customer as broadly as possible, Jevon explained, “Our target customer is anyone who’s hungry. Everyone eats, but they’re also hungry to do something different.

Hungry to indulge in good roleplay. Hungry to put some romance back into their relationship. Maybe just wanting to take a pause out of their SL lives and sit for an hour with their best friend and enjoy a moment with just each other. Our customers enjoy the finer things, but they never lose sight of the fun!! So yes to all of that… our customer is riding horseback, while singing opera at a rave that is happening inside an art gallery.”

Their menu is varied. While designing the menu they thought of different spices and the flavor profiles from different places. Exeter described it as picking the best food they ate during their

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world travels. He continued, “We have different dining rooms within Fête and each dining room has a completely different menu. Our signature dish is the Fête Tomahawk. It’s a 34 oz. long bone Ribeye, grilled to perfection.” JeVon confirmed the Tomahawk is the clear favorite followed by Broiled Lobster Tail. They were coy about the dessert menu, wanting to leave that as a surprise for their guests. They also have five signature cocktails and several fine wines.

About once a month, they have DJs or live singers come. They also host parties and events by the pool. “We’re always looking at different ways to entertain and bring people together,” JeVon said.

And get your reservations in early. They want to make sure they have all the staff they need to make your visit as lovely as possible. Exeter advised, “The earlier the better. We only take a limited number of reservations each night to make sure everyone has the best possible experience. We have a team of eight people on various shifts.”

They also have a very clear division of labor. When asked about it, Exeter said, “I do everything,” and JeVon added, “I boss him around.” Exeter explained they communicate clearly. They understand their respective skills and know who is the best to tackle a particular task. “JeVon has a very strong visual of the end point and I am definitely the person that technically maps out the road to the end point,” he added. JeVon agreed, adding “Exeter is very technical and strategically mathematical about what we are doing. Like I’ll have an idea of what I want something to do or what it might look like and he will come up with all of the options we have to make that happen.”

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Of course, they sometimes disagree. When asked how they resolve their differences, JeVon put it plainly, “We fight.” Exeter quickly quipped, “Then we have makeup sex. I’m kidding, but not really. We respect each other. We respect that sometimes we might have our differences and then we need to take a second and talk it out. It’s never who’s wrong or who’s right. It’s just understanding what each other’s point of view is and then respecting it.”

Ironically, while they strive to create a perfect date night for others at Fête, for them, a date night is getting away from work. They leave the restaurant in the hands of their staff, ignore IMs, and focus on each other. JeVon elaborated, “We plan activities to do on our date night. We may book a room at a resort for the night. We might go shopping or stay home and watch a movie. We definitely would visit other restaurants. Go dancing, see our friends who sing live. We at times try to plan dates and surprise each other and then try to top each other’s last dates. We just like to have fun and remove any distractions from that for the night and value the time we do spend alone with each other.”

While they enjoy the success of Fête, they are not resting on their laurels. They want to keep it constantly revitalized, They are opening a second pop-up location. Over the winter, they had a popup on a Switzerland vacation sim. Exeter adds, “We closed that for the season and we are now opening Fête: Ishtar. It will be located in the lobby of The Ishtar Hotel. It’s an exotic, adults only boutique hotel. We can’t wait for everyone to see it! We are also expanding our dining options here at our main location to include outdoor dining and brunch, again with different menus and food options. We will continue to have parties, Dj’s and live singers as often as we can. We will continue to partner with creators and bring new and innovative dishes and items to our guests.”

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With all their years in Second Life, they have seen a lot of changes and they, too, have changed.

For both of them, mesh is a significant change agent. Exeter exclaimed, “Honestly, SL is not even recognizable to me from what it looked like on day one. From the building, clothing, our appearance.

It’s completely different.” But they have no regrets, looking back at their old avatars pre-mesh, they wonder why anyone would want to go back to the old way. JeVon also points out that there is nothing stopping people from reverting to their old pre-mesh ways.

Their wish list for Second Life is short. Exeter would love to be able to apply the region windy to a full and accurate day cycle. JeVon speaks for so many people in his wish for more groups.

Like all shoppers, there are never enough group spaces.

They believe their first and second lives are congruent. As Exeter put it, “My values are the same in both lives. Being sincere and exercising kindness towards others. I am a shy extrovert! I always wait for you to speak first and then I will talk your ear off.” JeVon claims to be a fullbore extrovert who loves to go out and is very social, he loves to get to know people and thinks everyone is intriguing in their own way. “Love and happiness matter to me. Love comes in all forms between you and your lover or your family and your friends. That is so important to me. We’ve seen filthy rich people pass away with hardly anyone shedding a tear. That’s not success. I want to be missed.”

For Exeter, Second Life began as a game where he roleplayed and relaxed after work. Then it became a social outlet and an avenue to new experiences.

He still finds new and exciting things in SL after fourteen years. With the pandemic, it became a lifeline, his only social activity in a locked down world. “Now, on this new adventure with JeVon,

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I have found a renewed interest in and love for Second Life. I am eager for what’s to come, and love this experience that he and I have created together.

I honestly look forward to what the next fourteen years have in store for all of us that have found a home in SL.” For Jevon, Second Life has been a source of fun and good times. It has introduced him to creative and talented people from around the world, forming important friendships with people who encouraged him to take the chance on Fête. Some of them are friends from before SL and some he met in SL and subsequently met in RL. For him, his relationships are what matters in Second Life.

“I am an artist. While I can not build in SL I can take elements and create an experience. I am on a daily basis, after all these years, still mind blown on what we can create here. It’s so unique and so special.”

They are off to a great start and as they focus on looking forward, they also want to look around and thank the people and businesses that have supported their journey. They named the folks at Silver Spoon, Synnergy, Cat-Noodle and The Ishtar Hotel in particular. “They saw our vision and joined this journey with us. We want to thank our guests for allowing us to be part of their special moments.

If you’ve only visited once or have returned multiple times, thank you. Thank you to those that have come to Fête to celebrate their birthday days and their anniversaries. We’ve had people propose at our tables. We’ve had weddings and rehearsal dinners.

We’ve served couples on their first date and couples on their 100th date. Allowing us to be a part of that moment and making that memory is such an honor to us and our team.”

In that spirit, they truly embody the idea that making food is love made visible.

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The Kitchen corn

photography by taylo

If there is one thing that brings people together, it is food. The Second Life culture is as rich as its residents, and “The Kitchen Corner” celebrates and showcases the talents of content creators that will appeal to all “foodies.”

Collaborating with different residents ECLIPSE Magazine presents an innovative approach on all things food related with fantastic imagery and an equally tried and true accompanying recipe.

Taylor Wassep shares his favorite and go to Tamagoyaki recipe.

ner

or wassep..

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Tamagoyaki 3-5 large eggs Salt Black Pepper

Honey (optional) Vegetable Oil / Sesame Oil

To make Tamagoyaki, or rolled omelet, you will need a few ingredients along with a one specific pan to make shaping and rolling the omelet a breeze. Equipment needed: Makiyakinabe (Japanese Square Pan), kitchen brush and strainer.

1. Crack your eggs into a bowl and break up the yolk and mix into the whites to create a homogenous egg mixture. You can add salt and pepper, to taste, into the egg mixture and set aside to rest for a few moments. If you would like the Tamagoyaki to be a little sweeter, you can add a 1/2 Tbsp of Honey (or maple syrup) into the egg mixture along with a drizzle of your choice of oil.

2. You will then need to place your makiyakinabe over a medium-low heat source. If you cannot find a Makiyakinabe, a simple pan will do. Allow for several minutes to heat your pan. To check if it’s ready, hold your hand about 2-3 inches away from the bottom of the pan. If you can feel intense heat, it is ready to go.

3. When the pan is ready brush a bit of oil, then make sure you put just enough of the egg mixture into the pan to cover the surface completely. But pour just enough to create a thin layer of egg. After a few moments of cooking, check your Tamagoyaki to see if it is cooked enough to attempt the roll. Once ready, you will take a spatula or other utensils of choice, and simply start to roll the egg mixture onto itself. If you do not have a Makiyakinabe, you will need to first fold in the sides of the omelet to make it more rectangular in shape. And then begin your roll; and repeat this step each time you make a new roll.

4. Once completed your first Tamagoyaki. You will need to leave it in the pan, and re-oil the pan.

This will ensure your Tamagoyaki will not stick and rip while rolling. Leave that rolled omelet in the pan with the addition of oil and pour some more of the egg mixture into the pan. Making sure to get the egg mixture under the rolled omelet too.

5. You will repeat steps 3 and 4, using the previously rolled omelet as the starting point for the next roll. And continue this until you achieve your desired size of Tamagoyaki.

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the proust spotli

photography

The Proust Spotlight is our monthly feature where we highlight one of the many creative residents of Second Life®.

Utilizing the Proust Questionnaire, whose namesake comes from the late 19th century French writer, we will offer a glimpse into what makes them tick.

The blogger we feature this month is the talented Maria (Mrs Sassypants). She shares, ”In Second Life, I’m 14 years young. In RL I’m teetering on the 40 side of 50. I like to think that Maria is just a pixelated expression of myself and whilst we don’t really look alike - I do like to keep myself ‘real’ here. What you see is what you get. I enjoy spending my time in SL with my small circle of loved ones and in RL i love spending time with my family. I have a lifelong passion for creativity in most forms hence why i love being a blogger in SL. ”

ght

y by maria.

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How would you like to die?

In my sleep, unaware. It’s not that I’m scared of dying because I’m not. It’s an eventuality but it’s also something that I’d rather not ‘experience’; ie pain, torment. It might be a little selfish of me in the respect it wouldn’t give my family or friends time to say goodbye but is there ever any good time for that ?

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Giving birth to my children, watching them grow up into amazing adults who now have children of their own and watching them do as I did. My children are the best thing that ever happened to me, EVER and they make me feel incredibly proud of them and myself.

What do you most value in your friends?

Honesty and the ability to trust implicitly. It’s something, along with clarity, that I value greatly not only in my friends but in all of my relationships. I have friends who know much about my RL in SL and vice versa though the RL friends think I’m just an old nerdy woman (and they’d probably be right, too) I’d value a friend more who could tell me if I was wrong or out of order than one who agreed with everything that i did regardless. I would also respect more a friend who could be honest to my face than one who talked behind my back.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

Online ? ‘LOL’ - I am a self-confessed lolaholic and I use it in most sentences that I type. If I’m ‘lol-ing’ the chances are that I’m not actually laughing but I AM probably smiling, unless it’s a sarcastic LOL then trust me, I’m neither laughing or smiling (lol)(ok, i lol’d there) Offline then it’s probably ‘Honestly’ or ‘absolutely’ What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

Prudence (care and moderation with money) because if you practice Temperance (the moderation of needed things and abstinence of things that are not needed) then it should cancel out the need to be prudent ergo, it being an overrated virtue.

What is your most marked characteristic?

Optimistic and positive. Even when things are totally on the floor or up in the air, I will always try and look for a positive to come from a negative. Having been in a place where I’ve been ‘rock bottom’ and in a sink or swim situation, I know from my own experience that there is only one way and that is onwards and upwards.

For someone reading this who might disagree or feel that hard to believe right now - until you’ve been there, you don’t know. Nowadays the glass is always half full. I’m very grateful for the life i have and I know there is always someone who will be worse off than I am.

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artist highlight

written by an

Artistry and creativity are at the foundation of everything we see and do in Second Life. The same is true for all we hear in Second Life. In showcasing residents and groups who embody the concept of “your world, your imagination,” Eclipse Magazine is honored to showcase Second Life’s amazing musical talent.

In this month’s “Artist Highlight,” Anne Daumig shines the spotlight on Amberle with her article “Finding A Musical Center.”

ne daumig.

We have all entered the virtual world of Second Life for one reason or another. Some out of curiosity.

Some to create. Some just to have fun. And then we leave, for one reason or another. Real life is too hectic. We get bored and move on to a new hobby or pastime. Or maybe a bad experience drove us away.

It is our good fortune that friends of AmberleJanniah Resident did not allow her to stay away for long.

While talking on Paltalk, a video chat app, Amberle was encouraged to return to Second Life to perform her music.

Understandably, Amberle was a bit tentative, but overcame her qualms and returned to the virtual world once again. A humble beginning at a venue called Lyrics, with a few songs over an open microphone, was the start of a new inworld path for Amberle.

When Mace Paul asked if a friend could hear her perform a song, Amberle happily accommodated the request. Brindimere Laroway arrived and, as Amberle explained, “the rest was history.”

Now, with the help of Amaya Mavinelli, Rhia Janick and Luis Lockjaw, who Amberle touts as “a team that makes sure I am able to perform and also take care of myself in the process,” her return to Second Life and performing has been an

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exciting and phenomenal success.

“I appreciated different genres of music early on,” Amberle explains, “with my family’s deep ties to structured church music, to my mom’s pop/power ballad techniques and my dad’s more playful rock/jazz approach to performances.” Only an exceptionally talented artist can use her life’s experiences and influences to create a unique and haunting sound all her own.

However, the acoustic sets tend to be Amberle’s favorites. “I relate well to singing raw, stripped down versions of songs that probably change meaning depending on who is listening.”

As with all things in life, performing has its challenges and troubles, but music has always been a part of Amberle’s life. “Music is something that I will pursue, because it is one of the few things in life that makes sense to me and it makes me happy.”

Add to that, a love of ice cream and an infamous ‘Capo Thief’ puppy named Colby, are what Julie Andrews refers to as just a few of Amberle’s favorite things. Like many artists, Amberle found another outlet for her creative writing skills through Second Life roleplay.

Character histories, planned storylines and impromptu roleplay help stretch the imagination and are, well, just plain fun!

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Along with mainstream songs from a variety of musical genres like pop, top 40 and inspirational, just to name a few, Amberle is also a talented writer of original pieces.

Similar to all dedicated artists, much of her self and experiences is poured into her music. When a performer opens their heart and soul for the world to see, either through writing or performing, it is an emotional experience. And that experience is felt by the audience.

the euphoria of performing in a LIVE venue,” as Amberle commented.

Second Life offers her a larger audience, in all time zones and countries, far more than a local venue could provide.

While the world struggled with a global health crisis, Second Life provided Amberle a stage to perform on when our homes were the borders of a new, restricted world. Nothing can “take away from

If Amberle had not returned to Second Life, we would be deprived of a truly amazing entertainer. A voice and an experience you do not want to miss.

Not only has Amberle shared with us fortunate enough to hear her sing, but she also offered sage advice to those looking to start a career in Second Life music. “I’ve learned a lot of things through the course of performing in SL, but the Amberle related a recent experience main realization I’d like to share as where she performed ‘Hope Ur Ok’ advice would be to do YOU. Perform

by Olivia Rodrigo, specifically for songs and genres that make you an event. Once the song finish, the happy, and persevere, because that audience was stunned into silence. love and passion that you feel while “What made it so meaningful were you’re on stream? It shines through, the gratitude filled messages that I and apart from the music, I believe received for learning and performing that’s what hooks people into that song, of how a few minutes listening to a performer.” made an impact in their lives. It honestly made me cry.”

Words that not only apply to the Second Life music business, but Music can provoke powerful life as a whole. Find your passion. feelings and memories in all of Find what makes you whole. us. When Amberle’s fans request When you discover that, you will a specific song, especially if it’s have discovered your center. For a dedication, she invites the AmberleJanniah Resident, that audience to share the emotions the center is her music. And one she music summons. In those special generously shares with the Second moments, time can stand still.

Life community.

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THE wayfarer...

“The Wayfarer” is a monthly feature showcasing some of the most aesthetic places in Second Life®.

His eyes blinked once, and the Wayfarer stumbled upon a train station.

His feet tread softly, though the corners of his lips curved into a smile.

There was something about this place that reminded him of summers past spent fishing with his grandfather listening to his “old favorite tunes.” In another instance, though on the same land, he came upon an island hidden in the sky. Taking a deep breath, as the subtle and delicate scent of the sakura blossom mingled in the air, he found solace and peace (under the watchful gaze of the cats, of course).

Immerse yourself in Longing Melody and Soft Melody.

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to the farmers market

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TROUBLE DETHLY. written by tayl

t

lor wassep.

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“Farm to table” has been a colloquialism for some time now, to invoke the sense of communal resources. It has you think and consider where your food is coming from; however, this idea far outreaches just food.

An amazing source for people who are conscientious of their ecological footprint and wish to lessen it, would be Farmers Markets.

A collective of local business and farmers coming together to share in their goods with their own community. Not having to guess if your onion came from thousands of miles away, or who made this jewelry set. These markets cultivate that idea of “farm to table” as it brings fresh ideas and new opportunities to those we call our neighbor.

Translating that into Second Life™ has been quite a breeze with the likes of Trouble Dethly of Eclipse Magazine and June Fallon of Dahlia.

These two have brought to the grid an event like few have seen before, Farmers Market, which is currently open.

“Taking inspiration from real life farmers markets and street fairs, Farmers Market is a place where artisans excel and showcase their wares.”

-Trouble Dethly

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The idea behind creating this quarterly mainstore-style event came when June and Trouble were reminiscing about the passing of their dear, sweet Great-Aunt Gertrude. They came to find out that they had both inherited her Farmers Market. Having just talked about how both of them missed walking through Street Fairs and Farmers Markets in real life, everything just seemed to click into place for them.

Trouble enjoys sharing and exchanging recipes with friends in both his real life and Second Life. Like that overall concept of a farmers market, Trouble too shares this sentiment that food can also bring people together. What better place to find quality food while supporting local vendors than traveling to a street fair or farmers market.

Just like those real life experiences, you will be able to find fresh food and produce, various crafted items, clothing, furniture and botanical plants. As an even that takes place at the content creators main store, you can also teleport around with friends for the latest deals. Farmers Market offers exclusive releases and sale items that cost 80L or less.

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With the recent popularity of sales events in Second Life, June and Trouble really wanted to incorporate this idea for The Farmers Market. So while traveling amongst the 30 designers in this event, make sure to look for a stylish vendor booth displayed inside each of their mainstores.

“I hope that residents who visit Farmers Market can reminisce about their own visits to real life farmers markets and street fairs, and also [grow] an appreciation for the craftsmanship and talent of our content creators.”

-Trouble Dethly That is exactly that vibe Trouble and June wanted to achieve when it came to this mainstore sales event. To create this feeling of community when we live all across this world. To give that feeling of togetherness when many of us have been without it for a couple of years now. To bring something fun and exciting to Second Life that can also highlight the importance of respecting the craftsmanship and time put into these exclusive releases. So please, check out the Seraphim Gallery for the list of amazing designers participating in this round of The Farmers Market before March 11 and be sure to join their in-world group Panache Events SL: Customer Group.

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Featuring Acorn, Cat-Noodle, D KraftWork, MADRAS and Simply

Featuring Amias, Dahlia and MICHAN. Page 124 | ECLIPSE March 2022

Featuring Lagom, Serenity Style

Duvet Day, Kalopsia, Kotte, y Shelby.

e, Tarte and YOKAI.

Featuring Broken Arrows, DISORDERLY, Duvet Day and Kalopsia.

Featuring Bubble, Fourth Wall, Kalopsia and Lagom.

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Voices from the g

Voices From the Grid is a monthly survey of opinions and ideas of Second Life® residents on the salient issues of the day.

For this issue, ECLIPSE Magazine we asked residents to share “What can SL do to increase diversity in Second Life?”

grid

Photograph provided by Dash Huntsman.

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dash huntsman

D

ash Huntsman is a transgender man. He is an LQBTQIA+ advocate. He’s usually a very upbeat positive person. He loves to laugh and make others laugh aswell. He’s been in SL since Jan 2010 and credits Second Life for helping him find himself and come out as transgender.

He found SL facebook in 2017. In 2019, He started sharing that he was a gender-fluid and a transgender ally. At first he didn’t know he was transgender.

He knew something was different since he was a child. He knew he wasn’t in the right body. He didn’t know how to explain that he was a boy when the world adamantly said that he wasn’t. Late 2019 after intense soul-searching and talking with other transgender individuals. He realized he was a transgender-male. Life is a journey and it’s ok to not have all the answers. Growth isn’t always linear.

In 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, he started medically transitioning and openly documented it on SL facebook. At the end of 2021 soon after he came out in real life, and has been living as a man ever since. Today he started a new skin brand named Sovereign. Dash’s goal is to create diverse skins and push the needle of representation.

Beyond skin deep. Made for you in mind.

Diversity is something a lot of companies strive for. It’s greatly appreciated even though it’s something that should be considered minimum. I believe Second Life actually does a great job in marketing diversity.

However this question is being asked in February, and in the United States it’s Black History. During this month companies like to showcase their diversity, this is similar during Pride month in June where everything is covered in rainbow colors.

So in February I’ve definitely seen an increase in broadcasting how Second Life promotes black second life avatars. However they’ve already had a faux pas this year. On the Second Life official Facebook they posted a photo titled “The many faces of Second Life”. The photo did not show diversity at all and no representation for any people of color. They swiftly corrected this once they were called out. It turned out the post was just poorly written and only meant to promote a single blogger and one specific blog post and not the “many faces” to represent the Second Life community.

[Cont’d]

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Photograph provided by Ethan Lane.

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ethan lane

than Lane is an artistic soul who loves to create stories and scenarios through his images and photography. He has exhibited works in several magazines, photography contests and gallery exhibitions all across the grid. Currently, he is a blogger, a blogger manager, and artistic director for several brands in Second Life and is also the owner and builder of Tulum Reserve and Tulum Town sim. He believes that his photography represents his dreams, quirky side and playful sense of humour and always loves to explore different themes and methods for photography.

Always believing that the best is yet to be, he constantly strives to improve his art and creations.

Second Life in itself is a place where anyone can be anything one chooses.

The choice of being able to be yourself (or any version of yourself ) is the most diverse thing one could achieve. For myself as a gay interracial person, I feel that the choices for me are sufficient and varied enough for self-expression.

However, as any new user would experience, what SL really lacks here is a tutorial on getting one’s AV up to date, or understanding the multitude of choices that one has. It is only after months of use we get familiar.

Many residents end up with a default aesthetic, which in general, is a very conventional good looking Caucasian-centric avatar. Another example here is that even using a Translator HUD in SL can be a nightmare. Perhaps this should be integrated into our viewers as a default - breaking down barriers that don’t need to exist.

I think what Second Life could do is to have our residents also be more aware of diversity issues and other cultural celebrations in the world. As an example, Black History Month, or even celebrations such as Chinese New Year aren’t a thing in SL, instead, there’s almost a western-centric overview - from Sims that exist to Creators/Designers to photographers and other creative outlets.

It is understandable that much of Second Life is still revenue and marketdriven hence the slightly skewed western bias, but in my years, I have noticed the change, with more creators and events including diversity within their range.

Promoting diversity should be a continuous process. We need more leaders within the SL community to drive this forward - I think it is definitely growing, but needs much more legwork.

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Photograph provided by Belladonna Wexhome.

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belladonna wexhome

B

elladonna Wexhome (Bella to those who know here) has been an active resident of SL since August of 2009. In that time she has been a Bloodlines Liaison, Print and Runway High fashion model, Fashion Blogger and Manager of PurpleMoon Creations for almost 10 years.

The community as a whole would need to decide to promote it. Just like in RL there is a belief in SL that things have to be monetized - and what happens then - what is popular sells. So more so than the stores - the big shopping events would need to take the lead to promote diversity - and i don’t just mean diversity of stores (common complaint you see the same stores in all events and when some cultural event or theme is given - a lot - not all - but a lot of designers don’t even bother following it).

But there is also a catch in promoting diversity in sl - in sl people are what they WANT you to see, not what they actually are. So promoting diversity can also lead down a tricky path. I remember years ago - when the first Black Avatar won Miss Virtual World magazine. It was huge news - until bigger news came forward that the person behind the avi was NOT black. People were up in arms because the avi was black but the person who styled it wasn’t. I still don’t know how I feel about that. But I am a white CIS Gendered woman - i am talking from a place of privilege and maybe I don’t get to have an opinion on it except to support diversity the only way i know how - supporting black owned and gay owned businesses in SL, Talking and learning about people from other backgrounds than my own.

I want to say this is an easy question but it’s really not - and I don’t think it will happen in sl until someone finds a way to make diversity profitable. Sad but in my opinion true.

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Photograph provided by Mildread Gloom.

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mildread gloom

M

ildread Gloom, or Millie as her friends call her came into SL in 2010 to meet new people. She has made some wonderful friends over the years. She loves the diverse fashion in SL and loves shopping, so she has a blog where she features goth and alternative fashion. It has been relaunched recently under its new title Beautifully Deceased. What a great name!

The only really notable thing I can think of for SL to help promote diversity in SL is really to bring back the old carousel system where you could choose from a variety of basic avatars when you signed up, and for those to include TRULY diverse avatars, including gender neutral options. For example, my eldest RL kid is now 19, I have been in SL since they were around 4yrs old. Now they are old enough to ‘play’ SL I encouraged them to sign up. My kid is actually gender fluid, so they selected the ‘gender neutral’ avatar on signing up. Imagine their disappointment when they logged in and saw that the default avatar they had been given had breasts and feminine clothing! Needless to say they haven’t logged back in again!

Sticking with this theme, perhaps LL could once again align themselves with current content creators inworld to create a free initial gender neutral avatar which also has compatible clothing, because although there are some creators in0world who have made more gender neutral bodies/ body options, clothing for them is few and far between. This means that although someone could buy a mesh body that is more gender neutral in appearance, they are unable to dress the way they would prefer to dress. For example. The maitreya flat addon is a popular choice for fembois, however not many stores offer the flat option, which means it’s hard to find pieces which look good and match the rest of the outfit and body.

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Photograph provided by Roy Mildor.

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roy mildor

oy Mildor is an experienced photographer in Second Life since 2010. He has been taking pictures in real life since he was young. He likes to explore new ways to create new art, therefore his work is varied and has many different styles. He feels his art work is illustrative, emotional, and deep. He has done several exhibitions and interviews in Second Life already. People and clients say his photos are alive and often tell a story and evoke emotional responses to his work. You can hire and book Roy for your unique photo. Also he is the creator of RM ~ Art Of Poses ~ and Top Striker Tattoos.

Second Life is the pioneering virtual world that millions of people have enjoyed and seen billions of dollars transacted among users in its economy. It’s still extremely popular, boasting 1 million active users despite having been around since 2003. I love being here and being creative in many ways.

I can’t say much about how to make SL even more attractive. In my opinion it’s the users themselves who make Second Life better and more attractive. But Linden Lab should NOT raise the fee for exchanging money. The hardware requirements for SL is still too heavy and scares potential users from trying this virtual world.

For me it´s also an issue- the graphics should be better and easier for everyone.

I once tested Sansar and the graphics were fantastic and it was not necessary to activate advanced lights and ultra high settings.

Another point is that LL stopped the Gacha. I still do not understand why! I mean at the end they also earn money from the sales. They allow users to start a business to sell stuff or services but at same time they hinder the work. Sometimes you can say LL makes everything harder instead of more attractive. Anyway I take my hat off to all builders , creators, and scripters for what they do for the residents to make a second life worth living and worth loving.

We will see what time will bring…

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Photograph provided by Madi Amore.

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madi amore

adi Amore dove into the SL experience head first in August 2007. Originally named Tiffany Parkin, Madi spent her first 9 years on the grid just soaking in all that was SL. In 2016, everything changed for her and she dove into SL with a new found passion to be a more active member of the community. Since then, she has worked as a host at several venues and hosted for some of the best DJs and live performers in SL. In 2018, Madi accepted a dare from a friend and tried her hand at blogging.

For close to three years, she was one of SL’s most active bloggers, posting multiple times per week and featuring creations from many of the grid’s prominent creators.

While truly enjoying the experience of blogging and unleashing her creativity in her pictures, Madi also used her blog, Blended Beauty, as a platform to raise awareness for the LGBTQ community. Her posts not only included photos depicting her journey, but also contained many deeply personal writings about her journey in RL and SL as a transgender woman.

Madi made the difficult decision to retire from blogging in the fall of 2020 but has remained a part of the blogging community as blogger manager for both Just Because Clothing and Diversion.

This is an interesting question for someone like myself. During my time in SL, I have always seen broad acceptance of the lesbian, gay and bisexual community.

The bigger struggles, I feel, have been in acceptance and inclusion of the gender variant and ethnic minority communities. I believe to help tackle these issues, it is going to require a concerted effort of Linden Labs, the community influencers such as performers, venue owners and creators and those residents who are advocates for these groups.

Let me say first that I do see these things happening. I remember when I first disclosed my transition in my blog. I was scared to death and worried I would be ostracized. What happened was the exact opposite and I was embraced and supported. Since then, I have watched as the community has become more accepting of the trans community. I see more people being open about their gender variant identities. But there are still many areas of the grid where we can be ostracized. However, events like Pride Month and such have really helped to normalize people like myself. I still get choked up when I get reminders on my Facebook timeline of SL featuring one of my more emotional blog posts and when they shared the Eclipse article I was a part of for transgender awareness. A lot of progress has been made here, but advocacy and education…by everyone is key.

[Cont’d]

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[Dash Cont’d] However in many of Second Life’s marketing and adverts they do show representation of both male and female avatars, in addition to avatars of different skin tones. So in the marketing department I definitely commend them for consistently trying.

Celebrating Diversity is a learning opportunity in general for companies today. In. Second Life diversity can mean so many things. Is it skin color, sexuality?

Gender? Avatar looks, mesh versus pre-mesh avatars? Fantasy versus realistic? Furries and animal avatars? For a virtual world Second Life consists of so many walks of life and specifying what diverse community to showcase is quite a task.

What can Second Life do to promote diversity? They must remain consistent in showcasing different avatars especially on their public posts on social media and community posts. I believe since Strawberry Linden took her position in Second Life’s social media, she’s greatly contributed to highlighting diversity specifically amongst bloggers. Also Patch Linden, a Linden who identifies I believe as gay, has made himself easily accessible to communicate with and actively participates in events that show diversity.

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Consistency is key to keep promoting diversity. Second Life needs to continually do this to improve and promote diversity.

{Madi Con’td] I do feel much more can be done to help increase diversity and awareness for our ethnic minority members. I mean, if you think about it, we have community members from all around the world here but I feel like we put an enormous amount of focus on just certain regions of the world. Additionally, I remember so many people coming together in SL following George Floyds’ death. It was really heartwarming to see. But since then, I don’t see Linden Labs driving things there in the same way they have for the LGBTQ community. I love seeing the diversity of avatars, styles and lifestyles here on the grid. Yes, as I said before, influencers and advocates need to push this diversity more but I also think Linden Labs can help with events, education and other tools to make sure our ethnic minority residents feel more welcome and free to be themselves.

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across the grid

photography by wicca merlin. written by an

Second Life is vast, where in every part of the grid pieces and themes of fiction can be found. Wicca Merlin curates “Across the Grid” introducing ECLIPSE Magazine readers to fashion and places less known.

For this piece, Wicca delves into the world of drows with fashion, places to visit and a story of fiction.

ne daumig.

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The night was not good for hunting, but the Beast now had a taste of Drow blood – a child’s blood. The youngling had wandered away from the safety of her home when she came to a bloody and violent end.

Just as Vi’Cah reached the third plateau, her foot slipped and she lost her grip. She would have plunged to her death had a hand not grabbed her wrist and pulled her to safety.

When Vi’Cah reached the ledge, she looked up to see a strange Drow wearing a costly cape with a deep hood covering her face.

It was bad enough the Beast took the feed animals for itself; now it would come after the villagers, too. Each day its tracks grew closer Nodding her thanks for the rescue, for even a and now that it boldly attacked a child, there whisper might alert the Beast of her presence, would be no safety until the Beast was killed. Vi’Cah rose to her feet beside the stranger.

Even in the darkness, Vi’Cah sensed the The village Elders had called forth the three stranger was a powerful warrior. A great owl most experienced and fiercest hunters to slay sat perched upon the warrior’s shoulder; its the Beast. They were to begin their quest in eyes glowing with an eerie and unnatural the deep, lush forests south of the village after light. daybreak. This is where the hunting was the richest and where the child was found.

Vi’Cah knew the warrior was here to hunt the Beast and she was about to protest when a The Elders were wrong. The hunters would voice stopped her. not find the Beast there. It was clever. It was cunning. Yes, tracks were found in the forest. “The kill is yours, young Vi’Cah.” They were easy to follow and led into the dense growth where no Drow had traveled.

The words were not spoken from the warrior’s The hunters would never find the Beast there. lips, but came from inside Vi’Cah’s very being.

She opened her mouth to ask the many Though only a novice of two seasons, Vi’Cah questions that filled her soul when Vi’Cah had proven herself as a good hunter; almost heard and felt a rumble so deep it could only as though she could feel and understand come from one source – the Beast. her prey and anticipate their actions. But the Elders refused to listen. The hunters told her With a steady and practiced hand, Vi’Cah she was too inexperienced for this hunt and loaded an arrow on her bow and pulled back she must remain behind. the taut string. She was strong, so Vi’Cah could hold the arrow in positionfor hours if needed, So in the cloak of darkness and rain, Vi’Cah waiting for the perfect shot. defied the Elder’s decree and slipped unseen from the village. She did not head south, but It was the smell that hit Vi’Cah first; the west toward the desolate and treacherous putrid odor of rot and decay. Then she saw mountains where no life could survive. That is movement from a large cavern on the side of where she will find the Beast. the mountain. The Beast moved with infinite indifference; it knew a lesser prey was close The climb up the mountain was difficult in the at hand. The razor-toothed maw shifted darkness. There was no trail since no Drow into what Vi’Cah could only describe as a ever traveled here and the rain-slicked rocks malevolent smile as it stared at her. Predator made footing hazardous. Yet Vi’Cah endured. and prey, but which was which?

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A childhood memory of a drawing in an ancient scroll flashed through Vi’Cah’s mind. A Beast older than time and so powerful it had no name. And no known way to kill it. Many had died in the attempt.

Beside her, though well armed, the warrior had not drawn a weapon. The strange Drow appeared unaffected by the Beast’s presence. She did not flee either, but remained motionless beside Vi’Cah. “You must clear your mind and heart of vengeance, Vi’Cah. It is the only way to kill the Beast.”

Once again the warrior’s voice filled her being and Vi’Cah felt serene tranquility consume her body. Vi’Cah knew she would only have one shot; for even though she was fast, there would be no time to load a second arrow. A blade would be useless in close combat. Vi’Cah would be dead if the Beast was allowed that near.

Vi’Cah filled her lungs with air and held it there. She was ready. The arrow was released and found its target – the center of the Beast’s snout. For what seemed an eternity, the Beast just stood motionless; red, angry eyes still locked on Vi’Cah. Then the light faded from the orbs and the Beast dropped to the ground. Dead.

“Well done, Vi’Cah.” When Vi’Cah turned to speak to the stranger, her eyes widened with awe before she dropped to her knees and bowed her head in respect. The warrior had pulled the hood from her head; the Goddess Eilistraee stood before her.

Vi’Cah heard stories of the Goddess of hunting walking among her people, but they were only stories told to children at bedtime. Never had Vi’Cah imagined them true.

“Rise, young Vi’Cah. Your village awaits their Warrior.”

When Vi’Cah rose and opened her eyes, she was no longer on the plateau high above, but at the base of the mountain with the Beast at her feet.

Eilistraee had disappeared as mysteriously as she had appeared. Was it a dream or a waking vision? It did not matter. Vi’Cah had killed the Beast.

She did not feel victorious. She did not feel elated. She felt … empty. The death of the Beast could not bring back the child.

It could not bring back her daughter.

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the art perspect

PHOTOGRAPHY BY gidge uriza. written by gi

Each piece, ECLIPSE Magazine discovers, reviews and highlights the work of some of the most creative and talented artists on the grid, offering a fresh perspective in the vibrant and vast world of the arts.

For this month’s feature, Gidge Uriza visits Hyperborea Gallery and Yuki Kitsune Art Gallery.

tive

idge uriza.

This month I decided to dabble around with some smaller galleries to see what undiscovered gems I might run into. I am easily entertained by what will come up in search and this month I stumbled onto two very different galleries built with love and passion that I felt compelled to share.

Hyperborea Gallery immediately intrigued me with it’s self description. Creator Dani (fenrizwolf ) says it is : Nordic art gallery, oil paintings inspired in the Nordic way of life.

Poetically expressing the melancholic lyricism of existence...

The worship of nature, the struggles of everyday life. *Self-Taught Artist* I felt that this romantic description of a harsh, Nordic life had to be checked out. Imagine my surprise when I landed in a snowstorm and immediately was faced with a rustic shack with a neon sign saying “Hyperborea”. Perhaps a refuge from the storm as well as an art gallery was being provided? I found my way inside and found a tiny but inspired gallery of nature scenes, drawn with heavy brush strokes and thick paint to depict the power of northern nature.

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Scenes of the ocean, the forests and the weather dominated the room - reminding the traveler of what was outside should they choose to leave the comfort of the fireplace nearby. The gallery is small but the works are strong and created with an intensity of brush stroke teetering between impressionism and expressionism.

The gallery is a must see if this theme is of interest to you.

My next stop was the Yuki Kitsune Art Gallery which is located in Yuki Kitsune Park. It is located in a large, Japanese-style public park complete with Onsen (hot spring), cafe and botanical gardens. I am going to explore the rest later without fail.

The art gallery consists of three floors and an outbuilding. On the first floor I found some rather traditional pieces representing winter in Second Life which were by creator Specist Demina. I always love activity on the grid, however, and was thrilled to find a group live painting vignette set up. It is free for the public to come and have a live painting event at their leisure and * was charmed by that idea. What a fun night for friends, you could paint in both lives!

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On the second floor were works of a more whimsical nature by Cas Kamachi. Their profile says that they are a genetically created monster, sometimes an opossum which just reminded me about what I love about the grid, truly. Their artwork was fun, the sort of work you stop and grin at because it makes you smile even when the themes might be dark it still engages you.

I love the pastel series of girls of various forms but truly the jackalope express has my heart. I was engaged in every piece on the second floor and may have to go back and go shopping, I can always use new art in my life.

Both of these galleries are worth a wander to enlarge your soul with some lovely and original art today. They also both offer a free gift, and we grid wanderers always love a free gift.

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