ART & CHAT at Dark Moon~ IMPACT!

Almost a dozen showed up

Einy relaxing with Skye

 Yes folks, it was the Einy show! And you know, Einy is a show! He is always present for deep converstation, full of ideas, and a generally supportive guy! Last Sunday, the 27th, Einy led a discussion about his photographs here at the Dark Moon Cafe. As usual, Einy was surrounded by women! Why is that? Well, cause he's an honest, open guy! Einy Marksman not only has his following of women is SL, but is also a successful RL photographer.

Neph, Skye, Anna & Einy

Among the pieces we discusses on Sunday was "Free," a photo of a friend of Einy's on the beach leaping into the air. SkyeBunny Hawksby was very observant in stating that indeed, the subject did not seem free, but a bit stilted because he does not really look human. This generated some discussion. Einy talked about the story behind the photo, as well as the fact that the final piece was from a Polaroid! Here is what Einy says about it. "This is an image of un bridled kinetic energy and being ecstatic. There is an energy that is also confrontational:  the form is coming at the viewer of a masculine humanoid jumping on a beach at sunset.  It may be viewed as direct jubilant energy.  It is a freeing moment to me."

Free

"Hanging by a Thread" also reflected Einy's personal history. And what artist does not express their lives in their art? I love this photo in particular. It evoked memories of my own, from when I was a child playing with those little green worms in the grapevines my grandparents grew. Here is what Einy said about this photo: "On the surface it is a study of texture, lush garden greenery and worn an rugged hemp twine with a rusted nail hung in it.
It is also about hope. Hanging by a thread and still having an opportunity to be useful and strong. "

Hanging by a Thread

Note the Huichol influences of "Carlos Deer." And what a gift to have a deer walk up and pose! About Carlos Deey, Einy said, "This deer has offered me some of her wisdom.  It is a magical deer and a sacred soul. It is from a dream in the teachings of Don Juan. (I really dig the shapes that happen in the criss cross of twigs). The Carlos I refer to is Carlos Castaneda, the Anthropologist who brought us the Teachings of Don Juan. Is you listen close, the deer is whispering to you a message"

Carlos Deer

Einy certainly knows how to manipulate a straight ahead photo so that it reflects his inner lanscape. There are, however, two straight ahead photos hanging too. One is "Don't Fence Me In," and the other is "Magic and Wonder." You can still see these at the Dark Moon Cafe until next week! So pop on over and look! http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dark%20Moon/151/150/55

Zola pops in

Don't forget to get the "Notes from the Artist" and the free gift on the stone table! AND don't forget that next Sunday, March 3rd, a mythologist will show her work for us to discuss! That's Sunday at 10 AM SLT at Dark Moon Cafe.

VALENTINE'S DAY

It is hard to believe, but yesterday was the 4th SL Valentine Day for Luco and me! As tradition has dictated, we celebrated with a romantic dance, this time out at the point, on Dark Moon. I had bought Slow Dance 12 after we fell in love with it at Midsommer last year. So, it is fast becoming our favorite dance. And I must say, the view is spectacular from here.

When you consider a day in Second Life is two and half hours, me and Luco's four years add up to . . . hmm . . . I cannot do the math, can you? But relationships in SL are real: the emotions are real, the people behind the screens are real, and most of all the time spent is real. You can really get to know a person!

So what is it about romantic relationships here that make them so intriguing?  When you consider many involved in them never intend to meet, many keep their identities secret (or parts of them anyway) and that many people involved in relationships here are married to others in RL, you begin to wonder what IS the core of romantic involvement here in SL.  I mean some need is being met!

 For those who are not partnered in RL, is it merely satisfying to have a relationship here in SL?  Or perhaps relationships here are a testing ground where we can garner the confidence we lack in RL?  Are we just lazy?  Is the mystery or lack of ‘baggage’ attractive?  Well these are just things to think about.  And think we should because ultimately we are real people in real relationships and we must mean something by all this!

 I mean if love is a projection of our own ideals on to the beloved in RL, how much more so here? 
But I know Luco and I are in for the long haul. We count on each other, talk almost everyday, and plan to keep it that way with our traditional Valentine's Day dance!

ART & CHAT AT DARK MOON CAFE II

The international group that gathered

 This week's artist Michiel Bechir, who dazzled us with his inworld landscapes. This was the second of the Art & Chat series, and an international group assembled. Perhaps it was because Michiel is from the Netherlands. Some of his friends attended, as did Zola Zsun, Ludo Merit, Fenix Muhindra, and my old friend Mirella Dallagio, from Italy. Mirella, an inworld photographer, in her own right, had just told me how she takes a phenomenological stance to her experiences in SL. Mirella believes our perceptions are all we have access to in any reality, therefore our experiences in Second Life are as real as those in real life. . . or should I say First Life? I tend to agree.

Mirella & Neph

Perhaps the fact that English was not everyone's first language contributed to the meanderings of the conversation. Part of the groups seemed to want to talk about the more technical side of Michiel's photographs, whereas Einy Marksman, always the emotional fellow, wanted to know about motivation. He finally had his answer as to what motivated Michiel, in his photography, when Michiel admitted he was a traveler and explorer in First Life too. I was still thinking about perception and our experience, in relation to the landscapes.

Einy surrounded by women

 I am very tied to my home Dark Moon. There are several other places in Second Life that I have deep emotional ties to as well. Who can forget their first few months in Second Life when our mirror neurons were firing like crazy as we discovered Second Life's magic? I actually cried in First Life when I was first hatched as a dragon! Celtic music was playing in the background and I felt I had entered a dream, or childhood fantasy.

Michiel pointing out one of his photos

Michel describing his works

So perhaps that is what Michiel feels as he photographs the lovely landscapes of various role play sims in Second Life! If you want to check out more of Michiel's photography, look at his Flickr page at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/39613053@N03/

Dark Moon Gone to the Wolves!

Now that there is snow on the ground at Dark Moon, the wolves have returned! I spied a wolf in the thicket first, the thicket above the big cave. I approached warily, as I was not sure which wolf this was. I had not seen a white wolf on Dark Moon in quite a while. I mean it had not been winter here for a long time!

 

  As I got closer the wolf turned towards me, and from the glint in its eye I knew it was Peeyak! My old friend Peeyak donned his winter coat!

 He settled down as I approached, and we told me all about his adventures in other lands. I must say it was a good visit. All quadrupeds are welcome at Dark Moon. I mean, after all, it is a forest.