Raglan Shire Art Walk 2016 registrations are open!

Artists in Second Life are welcome to showcase their works at the Raglan Shire Art Walk 2016 between May 15th and June 19th. The application process is now open, and lasts until Sun, May 8th at 9 pm SLT.

This is the 11th year of this event and they always have had over 100 artists of all walks of life and experience levels participating. Some of the art will be located on the newly designed Raglan Shire sim, some around the sim cluster.

While the Art Walk is located at a sim cluster frequented by tinies and dinkies, any avatar types are welcome. Just remember this location is rated general, so no nudity will be permitted in your art or on the premises.

You can showcase 2D or 3D art and your works can be reproductions of your original real life art, or works of art you made inworld. Check the website for further details and for the registration form.

Art Walk 2016 poster by Kage Stratten

Special treat: images by Minie Rainbow from Holly Kai Art Park

(click image for a closer look)

Special treat: images by Minie Rainbow, the Blog Intern, from Holly Kai Art Park and it's surroundings. This is an Epilogue for the blog post about Shorelines and Solitudes, as said above.

Derry McMahon and Bear Silvershade exhibit at Holly Kai Art Garden: Shorelines and Solitudes

As a gallery owner I get asked sometimes about how taking snapshots in Second Life is supposed to be same as "real photography". Well yes you can just go and take a picture of something someone else made and not do anything to it, not have any new angle to the subject matter, not have anything to say about it, and then call it yours, and that can feel a bit hollow to the viewer. But you can also produce images such as those by Derry McMahon and Bear Silvershade, who tell a story with every shot, every piece. So if you get asked this question, I recommend you send the person their way.

Derry McMahon and Bear Silvershade have a shared exhibit called "Shorelines and Solitudes" at Holly Kai Art Garden, curated by Inara Pey, until 5th of April, 2016. Side by side, their artworks are set up in two terraces of the garden, complimenting and contradicting each other, as was so well said in the gallery's blog post.

Derry McMahon took this exhibit as a chance to enjoy her favorite views by the water, in Second Life, while her real life surroundings were made uninviting by a series of bad weather events. "Down the Shore Everything’s All Right" she quotes the song Jersey Girl by Bruce Springsteen. And her images transport you with her to a world of fresh air, open skies and the wonderful feeling of freedom.

Bear Silvershade shares with us his imaginations of the difference between solitude and loneliness. Being alone does not necessarily mean you feel lonely. Sometimes some time alone is needed. You can step outside of your daily routine and let your mind work on the intricacies of the universe, and depths of your own being. While Bear quotes Jean-Paul Sartre: ‘If you’re lonely when you’re alone, you’re in bad company’, and Derry thinks of the song by Springsteen, I feel like they are both talking about a very similar need for some air. Fresh thoughts, fresh viewpoint. Clear you mind and your schedule. Enjoy the beauty of the world around you.

You can see their work also at their own galleries in Heron Shire, and in their Galleria Kakku booths.

Valaskala, a sound installation

Here is a Linden Endowment for the Arts exhibit I recommend you see and hear. Valaskala, a sound installation by Instincta & Stem van Helsinki, March 13th - June 30th, 2016, takes you to a distorted space and time in a unique way.

While star traveling across the constellation of Cetus and it's aquatic neighbors, you get to enjoy the symphony.

Our blog intern Minie sent in this picture

Fly, run, walk, teleport.

Make sure you have sounds and visuals on the righ way

Instincta and Stem are a Finnish artist couple you might know for their installations over the years. They own and run VALO gallery, which they started in 2013. And for Galleria Kakku visitors wishing to see their work, I have the Jatulinkivi sculpture by Instincta in the courtyard.

Thanks for the pictures to Instincta and Minie!

Artist Profile: Johannes1977

Johannes1977 is a well known artist, publisher and curator in Second Life. Combining black and white photography with sepia and a few other choice colors he has created a trademark vintage look for his artwork. See his Flickr photostream here.

Having showcased his own art in several galleries and other locations over the years, Johannes 1977 runs the Creations Art Gallery as well. Housing some big names of the virtual art world, this gallery is definitely an important one.

Creations Art Gallery

Johannes1977 at Creations Art Gallery

Past exhibits include a LEA show called Seasons of Life, which can still be found on the LEA blog. There was "The German Collection" at Holly Kai Art Park in 2015 - curated by Inara Pey, "Scenes from a War" at The Rose Art Gallery in 2015 - curated by Shakti Adored, and many others.

Johannes1977 has also had exhibits during big events, for example "Kandis' Dance" special exhibition at One Billion Rising 2016, SL12B "Life is a Dream" Exhibition, 2015 Burn 2 Primordial and Santalarity events, 2015 Raglanshire Artwalk and various photos at Art in the Park.

Johannes1977 at Virtual Chelsea

The current exhibit at Virtual Chelsea features a few pieces from the Fallscapes series and one of my (Pieni's) favorites: "The Marshes Roanoke Lighthouse".

Johannes1977 at Galleria Kakku

Make sure to check out Johannes1977's booth at Galleria Kakku.

Maymay Matova and Miss Longtail have an exhibit opening at Gallery 24

Two of our own artists Maymay Matova and Miss Longtail have an exhibit opening at Gallery 24 (curated by Kayly Iali) on 12th of March, 2-4 pm SLT. Live singer Miss Longtail and DJ Story provide the entertainment! The exhibit featuring real life drawings and paintings by both artists will run through March and April.

At the risk of getting tickles for going too early, I went to see if there was anything there I could show a picture of without giving too much of a spoiler. So I got a peek at the party spot for you.

And because tinies never wait for permission, of course I found Brandi Whittenton already there, browsing! Hehe. She promised to allow a picture, soon as she touched up her make up. She was plenty gorgeous before as well. ;)

Artist Profile: Kayly Iali

Kayly Iali, real name Marlene Lee, is an alla prima painter, who paints still lifes and abstracts as well as her first love: portraits. She graduated as a studio artist in 2009 from California State University at Sacramento. That same year she joined Second Life and has been exhibiting virtually since 2010. In real life she participates in art competitions and has been jurored into a couple major regional ones. She sells original paintings through Etsy.com and prints through Pixels.com. She is also a skilled calligrapher.

You should check out the real life blog, as there are amazing works there that Kayly has done. I especially loved the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge, during which she produced for example these abstracts, and a bunch of portraits, including a self portrait. I do enjoy the paintings of fruit, as well, they look ready to eat.

I took some pictures of Kayly's exhibits in Second Life. Check out her information notecard inworld for more. You can get one through the signs at the galleries.


East West Galleries by Kayly Iali


Gallery 24 curated by Kayly Iali


Creations Park Art Gallery


Kayly Iali's Exhibit, Galleria Kakku


Kayly Iali's Gallery, The Raglan Shire Wharf & Coastal Fort


Kelly Yap's Art Gallery, The Boutique on the Art Walk


Kayly Iali at StarZ Art Corner


Kayly Iali at Windlight Art Gallery

Looking for a small piece of art in real life? Here is some information about Kayly's Tiny Paintings Exhibit.

"Tiny Paintings Exhibit by Kayly Iali
These paintings are only 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches.
Tiny oil paintings on paper.
They are known as ACEO, Artist Cards, Editions and Originals.
They are different from Artists Tradings Cards in that they can be sold.
They are done up quickly - in an hour. I can experiment, and not really worry about making this a perfect painting. They serve as warm up exercises for the bigger paintings.
In RL they are available for purchase in my Etsy Shop".