A Look At The Peale

By Gemma Cleanslate

I had a very eclectic weekend . Saturday I spent the morning over at the new installation of an exhibit  the oldest museum in the United States. The Peale.

It was very busy with numerous people coming to see the building and the exhibit . I was lucky enough to be able to view it all the other day with press  and take my time going through the exhibit . Following the introduction to the museum and some of its extensive history by story teller David London, there was a panel discussion about the melding of real life and second life exhibits.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m8fNDLc7kU0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

To learn about the history of the Peale I recommend you watch the Labgab 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8fNDLc7kU0&feature=youtu.be

About 40 avatars attended the Panel. Nancy Proctor , Director of the museum introduced the panel members, “First, if you can look all the way to my far right, seated there is Dr. Audra Buck-Coleman, a designer, educator, author, and facilitator.  She was the founding graphic design director at the University of Maryland College Park.  Next to Audra is Gentle Heron, also known as Alice Kreuger in the physical world.  She needs little introduction to many of you today, I expect.  She has been absolutely critical in guiding us to become possible in Second Life today. 

"Next to Gentle Heron you'll see George Ciscle, Curator-in-Residence Emeritus at Maryland Institute College of Art, and founder and first director/curator of the Contemporary Museum also known as The Contemporary.  George Ciscle is a volunteer with The ARC in Baltimore, helping artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities get access to resources and support for their practice in collaboration with local arts institutions.

"Seated next to me is Monica Rhodes, Director of Resource Management at the National Park Foundation.  In this role, Rhodes oversees preservation grant making to the National Park Service and efforts to develop a strategy for African American and Latinx engagement.  Prior to her role at NPF, Rhodes was the founding director of the National Trust’s HOPE (Hands - On Preservation Experience) Crew, which was created to expand the preservation movement to a younger, more diverse audience.

"And I'm excited to hear and share a bit more about HOPE with you today on this panel.

"Last but not least, to my far left and to your right is Dr. Jeremy Wells, Associate Professor in the Historic Preservation program in the School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation at the University of Maryland, College Park.“

The discussion of the collaboration of Linden Lab, The Museum and members of Virtual Ability was most interesting in exploring accessibility in real life and second life and virtual worlds. Members of the audience commented and asked questions at the end of the panel. I recommend you go visit the exterior, interior and the grounds . Make sure you enter the room on the second floor to the left of the mural to the present exhibit. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Peale%20Museum/128/95/22

Gemma Cleanslate

Virtual Museum of Architecture Closing It's Sim

 By Grey Lupindo

On October 31, 2012 the Virtual Museum of Architecture plans to close its sim, located at Purdue University (69, 55, 35).   The VMA will still remain in Second Life, however.  Djinn Dasmijn, Co-Director  of the Museum, said the group plans to focus on the educational aspects of architecture through lectures and Build-offs.   
 

     The VMA celebrated its achievements and allowed its friends and supporters a final party on Saturday, October 27.   Bluemonk Rau served as DJ.   The plaza area was decorated for Halloween, with ghosts, spider webs and a revolving pumpkin dance floor.   Most partiers came in costume, and many participated in the best costume contest.   A lot of residents attended, including my former neighbors and friends, Erin Fensen and Asana Trudeau.   Asana had initially worked with the Frank Lloyd Wright Virtual Museum.     

      Like many organizations in Second Life, the VMA has been struggling with the high cost of maintaining a sim.   The reorganization will allow it to continue with its prime objective of education.   Rosalie Oldrich, who is the other Co-Director, stated that Builder’s Brewery is providing space for the lecture series that will accompany future Build-Offs.   

      During the party, Djinn Dasmijn and Katsii Tennan invited supporters to take a final tour of the sim. The next day I decided to do that.  I went back to the Museum to take a closer look at the offices and snap a few photos.   The offices are in a three floor structure that is a model for what real-life offices should be.  There are skylights and large windows to let in light, fountains to provide soothing water sounds, and even a small urban garden.    The interiors were modern, yet warm and inviting.    

      While I was there I ran into Sandi Glas, who has been a long-time supporter and builder.   She had also been associated with the Frank Lloyd Wright Virtual Museum.   Sandi has participated with the VMA since its beginning.  She told me she competed in their first Build-off and has continued to compete in all of them except the “green” build-off.   But she jokingly said that everything she builds has a 0 carbon footprint.

        The next Build-off is scheduled for March 1, 2013.   Djinn Dasmijn will be announcing the theme soon.

Grey Lupindo

Pets Sanctuary

I recently was contacted by Restless Roizman. For those who remember SL Newser's predecessor paper SL Newspaper, Restless had worked with them very early on (link). More recently, he's been running a place called Pets Sanctuary.

The Pets Sanctuary is at the southeast corner of the Atlantis World sim, a storefront shopping mall of pet shops, with many of the critters you can get in the stores free and moving about. "More like a menagerie here than a pet shop," Restless joked. Looking around, there were rabbits, prairie dogs, even pet rocks that were rolling around. "They talk to you to," Restless told me, then directed my attention to one prairie dog, "I am a Prairie Dog, not a Prairie Cat."

When asked how he got started, Restless answered, "Originally it was just Precious dragons. Then we expanded with other pets. The dragons decreased to one small shop, and the running bunnies and rocks and other things expanded." Restless says new pets come in frequently, "There are new pets all the time. We try to keep a stock of older ones too. People search everywhere for turtle food or bat food." He showed me a store which had vendors for both breakable bats and spiders, as well as food and related items, "all the supplies. We try to stock most (of the items for the pets we sell). if we don't have it, we will try to find vendors."

He then rezzed a dragon, "That's a Bregon. We have loads of eggs.  If it isn't out, it's in my inventory." He mentioned the creator of the Precious dragons had been keeping track of sales, and told him he had over 1500 eggs of his dragons alone. Restless had most of the dragons in his own inventory while his partner Sudidi Surya had others, "she owns the rabbits, and has several other pets." She had about 27, "not including ducks and Poneexz." He then drew my attention to one shop with greenery, "And then there's the plantpets." Being plants, they don't move, But they do grow, "and produce seeds. They do need to be watered. If the water level is kept above 20% and below 90% they will produce a seed every 51 days"

Restless' favorite pets were those from Ranio Tenk, "They're the funniest we have seen, so we leave them out. Most say 'I'm hungry' or 'I want a cuddle' or 'I'm starving.'  These say stuff like …" He directed my attention to one of the prairie dogs, "A french fry walks into the bar and says to the bartender 'Hey, could I get a beer please?' The bartener looks at him shaking his head and says 'No, we don't serve food here'." After a few chuckles, Restless added they only needed food if you wanted to breed them.

Another pet Restless liked were the Zwickies, "They're apparently aliens. They fly, and have a great light show when they breed. … We seem to have the most niche pets here." They had a few horses in their inventory, but none running about. Some shops he and his partner own. Others are rented out to others. If a renter is selling a pet Restless or Sudidi have, it's their policy to remove it from their own stores.

As for what's selling the best right now? Restless told me on this one particular day, plantpets sold more than anything else. But over the past week the big sellers were breedable spiders and vampire bats. He reasoned people were getting them because of Halloween. "One thing I never had was meeroos," he told me, though explained one could get them in a friend's sim.


The remaining three quarters of the sim is a mix of private homes and public spots, "The rest of the sim is rented out to all sorts. (It) is a mixed commercial (and) residential." A little space is for some garden pergolas  and trees he makes. A group has meetings there, the "Respect Yourself" group. There's also a club, SpiritValley Studios owned by Timber Wolfenhaut. The club at one time resided in the Sunweaver Estates before it temporarily closed it's doors. The club is a couple thousand meters in the air, but it has a smaller building on a ground with a teleport that takes you up to the club.  There's also a number of private residencies on the sim. Most are considered private property.

Restless Roizman manages a number of other sims. But Pet Sanctuary is his own.

The Pets Sanctuary is at Atlantis World (215, 28, 22)

Bixyl Shuftan

Cape Able Gallery

Feathers Boa sent an invitation to her opening at the Cape Able Gallery and I arrived a little late but made it. To my surprise there was my friend Gentle Heron of Virtual Ability. Little did I know that this is a sim related to promoting the disabled in SL.

I found out that the Cape Able sim is owned by Virtual Ability. The Gallery is lovely and the exhibit hosting four SL artists is definitely worth a visit. On the lower floor, you will find vibrant fractals by Piaget Hax in one hall. His note card explains it all! In the next hall is an exhibit of John Brewster’s 19th century portraits of the early American citizens, brought into SL. There are note cards about the gentlemen and ladies in the portraits and numerous children’s portraits with some history of the child.

Moving in to the next hall you will find the haunting SL photos of Kirk Smythe, photojournalist. Each of these artists is disabled in RL, but oh so able. You can pick up a note card in each hall about the artist and their SL and RL. Above on the second floor you will be able to view and interact with the enchanting works of Feathers Boa. They are very intricate and in some cases as I have learned, have deep, intense personal meaning.

After touring all the exhibits I was introduced to Treasure Ballinger, the estate manager. She told me she is always seeking disabled SL artists to display their works in the Art Gallery and if you know of a deaf or disabled artist they are asked to contact her. The present exhibit will be there until the end of February so you have time to get there.

If you would like to learn more about Virtual ability you an visit the website http://virtualability.org/default.aspx. Before you enter the Gallery pick up a note card that gives a wonderful explanation of what Cape Able is all about and a thought provoking statement about who is the disabled.

To visit the gallery you can use this entry point: Cape Able (103, 147, 23).

Gemma Cleanslate

The Rotterdam Virtual Market

I love finding new things in SL, and today I found a virtual flea market at Rotterdam Virtual (43, 130, 21). Every Thursday vendors show up early to claim a stall for the day. At Rotterdam Virtual Market there is a smorgasbord of items, and you never know what you will find. I saw vintage clothes, flowers, make-up for nails and eyes—a little bit of everything. Like the markets we have here, there are bargains to be found. The vendors get their stalls for free on Thursday, and most have passed the savings on to us.

The first stall I came to sold stereo speakers and chairs. An odd combo perhaps, but this is flea marketing at its best. In another stall, Jos Joszpe offered "Tree of Life Readings” and Personality Analysis. Readings are done by appointment, and also for donations rather than a set price. It looked interesting so I tucked his notecard away to check out later.

At the far end of a row I met resident Sirena Penucca, who makes and sells lovely “Earth Inspired Jewelry”. On this Thursday she had come to the market at 3 AM SL time in order to get a stall—and she got the last one! She explained that the sim is Dutch, and that 3 AM SL time translates into noon RL time in Holland. She also told me that the Market had music earlier, but it had ended by the time I arrived.

Sirena started making jewelry in SL in January of this year. This summer she was able to increase her work when she found more time to spend in-world. She also makes jewelry in RL, too. In SL, however, she is able to make more complex designs because she is not limited by working with silver. Here her imagination rules. One of her specialties involves messages enclosed in a bottle, heart, diamond, or other shape and worn as a necklace. The person who buys the necklace can personalize it by writing a note, inserting the note into the shape, and giving it to their loved one or special friend. Only the person who receives the gift can open it. Messages can also be passed back and forth between these two special people. The necklace comes in versions for either men or women.

If you can’t make it to the market on Thursdays, or if Sirena missed out on a stall that day, you can visit her shop, Elemental Earth Designs. She has two locations: Elemental Earth Designs @ Australia Rocks and Elemental Earth Designs @ Galleria Of Glam.

The Rotterdam sim is owned by Sas Offcourse, and has a large mall as well as other things to see and do. When I visited in the mid-afternoon SL time, there weren’t many residents around. But if you find yourself up in the middle of the US night, Virtual Rotterdam could be hopping. I saw a dance floor and lots of clubs and restaurants for residents to enjoy.

Grey Lupindo