Feed a Smile Art Gallery, Part of the Feed a Smile Charity for Live and Learn in Kenya
Feed a Smile is a charity begun by Brique Topaz as part of Live & Learn in Kenya Int’l, which provides educational possibilities to profoundly poor children who are mainly living in the slums of Nakuru, Kenya.
This wonderful charity was brilliantly conceived in Second Life as a way for people in the virtual world to contribute to a warm meal for these children, and often their families as well. 100 lindens purchases one nutritious meal. It’s an incredibly easy way to know that we are directly making a difference in a child’s life.
Feed a Smile on the Lavender Fields sim is a place where live singers give back by performing for free and forego their usual tips. Feed a Smile also hosts art exhibits for virtual photographers. The art is put for sale and the proceeds go directly to benefits the Kenyan children.
As a matter of fact, FOCUS has recently begun to volunteer organizing these exhibits. For the month of October, we have three incredible artists exhibiting!
Lam Erin, who has always been so generous in donating his art, has a few fall and winter shots on display. After that, Sorcha Tyles, who was recently featured in FOCUS Magazine also has photography for sale. Equally, as well as being our FAIR Gallery curator, Jude Elowyn is exhibiting additionally.
Please stop by Feed a Smile at Lavender Fields, to see these artists altogether and purchase some art and know that your lindens are directly making the world a better place!
– Angela Thespian
The Michiel Bechier Gallery at Embrace is currently showing four exhibitions of photographs taken within Second Life. The exhibitions are by Daikota Wind, Acacia Merlin, Kat Verde-Dillingham and Michiel’s own pictures, The current exhibitions provide a insight into a broad spectrum of Second Life Art. From Michiel’s landscapes to Kat’s more abstract works.
The Gallery is light and airy, arranged over two floors with a chill out area for relaxation and dance areas for events that are held here. The exhibitions change regularly and Its a relaxing place to visit either to tour the latest works on display or just to dance the night away at one of the events here. The current exhibitions will be on display until the end of October.
Michiel’s pictures are a selection of his landscapes from all around the grid which as well as being an illustration of just what can be achieved on a sim in Second Life. Daikota’s pictures mostly feature her and showcase a quirky and interesting outlook on Second Life.
On the second floor there are two more exhibitions, Acacia Merlin with a collection of landscapes. Finally there is an exhibition by Kat Verde-Dillingham or much more abstract works. There really is something for everyone here.
– Joanna Kitten
Noir‘Wen City Gallery
The Noir‘Wen City Gallery currently holds an eclectic collection of works by Dante DeVulgaris that surprises in its graphic quality. Dante’s real-world background is in advertising photography, but currently works as a culinary-arts trained chef—both very creative endeavors which seem to have influenced his visually artistic work.
You’ll find lots of primary color use, but also B&W photography, some collage work, and poster-style pieces. Dante told me that, “months ago, I started to modify images with AI, and then post produce them with PhotoShop, My friend Albane Claray, insisted on making a gallery at her sim with the images I had produced so far. The owner of Noir’Wen visited Rocheblanche (Albane’s sim) and insisted on giving me a space at his sim and I accepted but asked for time to do new material and those are the ones you see in the gallery now.” He also said that his work is so diverse is because he’s “not monothematic.”
The gallery is in a small four-story building with several pieces of Dante’s work on each. You can buy a cope of any of the artwork there for $300L. The collection will by up until the end of October, so get over there and see it.
– Fynnyus
The Shui Mo Gallery is the creation of Chinese American Fiona Fei. Shui Mo is the Chinese word for ink and ink is very much the theme here.
Fiona has created an art installation in the style of Chinese ink painting and which depicts a traditional landscape as seen in Chinese paintings. Taking advantage fully of the medium of Second Life here you are able to stroll between the brush strokes and enter the painting. It is a truly magical experience. You can even sit and play traditional instruments.
The main entrance hall depicts a lily pond with fish swimming beneath your feet. The sense of depth under your feet and the overall feeling of space is very well done. Off this hall a wooden walkway gives access to four more halls although one was under construction at the time of your reporters visit. I particularly liked the room where two battling Chinese dragons fly, the ink seeming to swirl. Another room allows you to roam through an ink drawn landscape.
Fiona is a classically trained artist in oil painting and electronic media with much oi her early years spent doing landscapes and portraits in oil paint. She though developed a love for non-photorealism and now produces Chinese ink brush art in second life and exhibits around the grid.
– Joanna Kitten
Better Together Forever Art Gallery
The Better Together Forever Gallery, owned by Michael Romani, is a budding art center. While some of Michael’s own visual photography is on display, it’s primarily a place meant to celebrate and share all the arts that are available to us in Second Life.
For instance, every Friday at 1pm SLT, the gallery hosts open mic poetry readings. Michael, a prolific poet himself, creates a safe and positive space open to anyone who loves the written and spoken word.
Attendees can share their own poetry, read a poem that inspires them, or just listen and enjoy.
This October, the gallery will begin a series of Latin music seminars hosted by the well-admired RL and SL guitarist, Joaquin Gustav. Additionally, movie nights will begin every other Saturday at 3pm SLT with a discussion of the movie afterwards.
A book club, based on books such as Your Brain On Art: How the Arts Transform Us, is also planned. Please let Michael know if you’re interested.
The gallery houses many pleasant seating areas designed for group discussion. There’s also a quaint, outdoor area for reading or photography with benches overlooking a peaceful water garden replete with koi fish and water lilies.
Everyone is invited to come bring our open minds.
– Angela Thespian
For a few years now, 2 Saturdays a month at 12pm SLT, many of your photography friends from SL and Flickr get together at one of the most popular photo discussions in SL. The Photo Café, begun by Kika Yongho, hosts these meetings for artists old and new to talk about all aspects of artistic photography such as education, photo sharing and critique.
It’s not exactly a café, but more of an open air Stonehenge-like setting with comfy, worn-looking chairs and benches surrounded by grass, flowers and a few cats reclining here and there. The area is most definitely warm and welcoming, a perfect spot to inspire artistic ideas and discussion.
As art discussions can often get carried into different directions or dominated by the more gregarious among us, one of the best aspects of these meetings is that the text chat is moderated. It’s a terrific way to give everyone their equal chance to add to the conversation.
Everyone types in local “Q” for a question or “C” for a comment, then wait their turn. Kika recommends these people type their question or comment and then hit enter when called. This keeps the conversation moving efficiently.
The next meetings will take place on Saturday October 14th and 28th.
– Angela Thespian
