Sunday, May 13, 2012

V. Lenoirre's May LEA FULL SIM Exploration of Fae Varirale's Wonderland's

Greetings all you UWA/LEA followers and supporters! It's me, Victoria Lenoirre and I wanted to give you a look into Fae Varriale's brilliant, colorful masterpiece for this month, Wonderlands.

Fae's dragon at the first Wonderland


There is so much to see. This body of work just has so much dimension to it. There are many rooms and different textures and color schemes. Some of it is reminiscent of the Lewis Carroll classic, but other parts are very modern and tech-like.

And the landing area, you should find a sign on the wall that says "INFO". Just click that to receive a folder with 3 notecards explaining Fae's exhibition. One of the  3 notecards has all the TP points in case you crash due to the "lag monster", isn't that wonderful? I love that Fae was thoughtful enough to include that. The notecard entitled "Ellie's Story" is the introduction or if you will, overture to this grand work of Fae's. Ellie finds a note  from her father in his study in a house that she hasn't set foot in in 5 years. He is explaining that he has left to journey to other worlds.

Letter to Ellie

To get to the next room, you will need to find the Anywhere doors, click to open and then sit to get through them. It's that easy! Look for rectangular doors to exit and enter the next Wonderland.

After the study you go through an open doorway to find the next Anywhere door. When you reach the Anywhere and beyond, that is where your journey starts! Have fun, I shall not explain more. My questions and interview of Fae are below. I do have somewhat of a description of the sim within the interview. Read on!


In the first Wonderlands area there are seeds that bounce up and down. What kind of seeds are they? This is a palace courtyard?

Wonderlands started with the story of Ellie, and in the time I spent creating the work her story grew and deepened and shifted, only becoming clear to me by the time her journey ended (or she could be followed no further). The installation is a journey in her footsteps, and although everybody has the same start and ending to that story I have offered no information on the different areas, so each person's experience and understanding of the worlds traveled through will be unique to them, enabling them to create their own individual story.

 So....what kind of seeds are they........ they could be from  a magical tree, there again they may be treasure dropped by overladen dragons, there again they might be hail falling in a frozen landscape, there again........

I love the scene outside the arched windows, is that the galaxy?

It could certainly be one way of seeing it

What do satyrs symbolize to you?

Beautiful creatures that inhabit ancient woodlands undisturbed by the modern world



The dog satyr, is that a pet of the satyr that is petting it?

You know I never thought to ask them !

What is that room that is all in black? What does it all mean? So there are building boxes? Is it a warehouse?

This is my favourite room, I find it very restful, it has the same effect on some people while others have a totally different reaction to it . Like all of the areas I created it to be an experience that people become immersed in,a place that evokes feelings, raises questions, fires their imaginations to provide their own interpretation or story.

Did you create the dance with butterfly animations? They look good.

No, unfortunately animating is not a skill I have, they are actuall part of an ao from Creative Insanity, they have a lot of unusual and interesting animations there. I just created the pose balls from them.

After the Buttefly Garden, what is that room called? It looks like a Steampunk shrine.

I didn't name the world as such, but the large statue is an older piece of work I called 'Steam Angel' , so yes it is a steampunk inspired area.


After the Caterpillar hookah grove, there's the checker board maze? what happened here?

I was feeling a bit dizzy from building that room when a fight broke out between the red and white queens, I didnt stop to ask what happened I just hid with the 2 kings and let them get on with it. I suspect it may have been something to do with the pawn.

The neon maze, why is it all pink? all the objects there, is it like a review of the earlier lands?

Because I like neon pink better than other neon colors.
 I wouldn't call it a review, it is part of the story & there are hints of lands there that haven't been visited but should be recognisable to a lot of people. Hopefully that will raise questions that influence the twists and turns in their interpretation of the journey.

There's a girl in pink at the final land, is that Alice? do the 2 sisters meet  again?

The pink girl was definately somebody who had been lost for a while, she may have been Alice, or a shade of Alice. Did they meet again? I would hope they would , their father definately wanted to bring them all together again according to the letter Ellie had found at the end. That is another chapter.


Great exhibit, Fae. Thank you!

Thank you :)


I visited this sim again and again and each time I'd notice different things. Her full sim looks and feels like a maze....a place that fills you with wonder. I could ask FAe many more questions, but I think it's sometimes better not to have all of one's questions answered. Being in a state of wonderment....is a beautiful thing.

Please visit the Wonderlands: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA6/201/135/604

Have fun and enjoy the art!

V. Lenoirre

MachinimUWA V: Chic Aeon's 'Running With Scissors'



Chic Aeon's 'Running With Scissors', completes a remarkable trinity of offerings for machinimUWA V.  In describing this work, Chich explains that this is "A tale of mothers and daughters, lessons learned, paths taken. We pass our beliefs to the next generation. Sometimes the greatest gift we can give is the acknowledgement that wisdom changes over time. Sometimes the greatest lesson we can learn is to abandon judgement."

This machinima is now part of the L$725,000, MachinimUWA V: Seek Wisdom. MachinimUWA V's theme is a tribute to the Centenary of the University of Western Australia and UWA's New Courses 2012.

Entries to MachinimUWA V: Seek Wisdom close on the 30th of June 2012 and seeks for the creation of machinima with any storyline that fits to the theme of 'Seek Wisdom' so long as at least ONE of the 100 Treasures from UWA form part of the story. Click HERE for full details and landmarks to the locations of the treasures in Second Life.

ALSO, calling for entries to the UWA 3D Centenary Art Challenge (100 prim limit, open theme) through 30th June as well.

OTHER ENTRIES TO MACHINIMUWA V
THE FOUR GODS OF FOLLY by Hypatia Pickens
SEEKING WISDOM IN THE STARS by Spiral Silverstar
IN DREAMS by Chic Aeon
SEEK WISDOM by Dave Searby Mason
SEEKER OF WISDOM by Sophia Yates
COLOURS by pallina60 Loon
SOPHIA'S GAZE by Carl Velde
THE SEARCH by Chic Aeon
PHILOSOPHY & WISDOM by Sophia Yates

Saturday, May 12, 2012

MachinimUWA V: Hypatia Pickens' 'The Four Gods of Folly'

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'The Four Gods of Folly', marks the return of champion machinimatographer, Hypatia Pickens to the UWA challenges. She describes this as 'my most disturbing, or most melancholy, film yet. The UWA challenge was set for an examination of Wisdom, but I came at it from the underbelly of the world, so to speak'. This machinima is now part of the L$725,000, MachinimUWA V: Seek Wisdom. MachinimUWA V's theme is a tribute to the Centenary of the University of Western Australia and UWA's New Courses 2012.

Entries to MachinimUWA V: Seek Wisdom close on the 30th of June 2012 and seeks for the creation of machinima with any storyline that fits to the theme of 'Seek Wisdom' so long as at least ONE of the 100 Treasures from UWA form part of the story. Click HERE for full details and landmarks to the locations of the treasures in Second Life.
ALSO, calling for entries to the UWA 3D Centenary Art Challenge (100 prim limit, open theme) through 30th June as well.

OTHER ENTRIES TO MACHINIMUWA V
SEEKING WISDOM IN THE STARS by Spiral Silverstar
PENGUINS DIALOGUE ON WISDOM by Soda Lemondrop
THE LAST SYLLABLE OF RECORDED TIME by Tutsy Navarathna
IN DREAMS by Chic Aeon
SEEK WISDOM by Dave Searby Mason
SEEKER OF WISDOM by Sophia Yates
COLOURS by pallina60 Loon
SOPHIA'S GAZE by Carl Velde
THE SEARCH by Chic Aeon
PHILOSOPHY & WISDOM by Sophia Yates
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Wednesday, May 9, 2012

LEA FULL SIM ART SERIES (MAY): Fae Varriale's 'Wonderlands'

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Far Varriale takes the helm for the MAY round of the LEA FULL SIM ART SERIES (here for full year schedule).

Addendum - Articles, Etc Before and After the Launch
Honour McMillan Blog

Quan's Travelogues
Apmel Goosson's Blog
Echtvirtuell Blog
Wu Wai Chun's Flickr Photo Video
Wu Wai In Wonderland Flickr Page
Lizzie Gudkov Blog & More Lizzie
LNL Blog
Kara's Korner, SEcond Life Adventures
PIU Blog (Italian)
Temi Sirbu Blog
Virtual Outworlding Blog
Hypatia Pickens Machinima Featuring Wonderlands
The World of Yana (Japanese Blog)
Victoria Lennoire interviews Fae
Associated SL Press
German Info Magazine
Prim Perfect Blog
I Derryth Blog
Tura Blog
Long Dash Studio

This FULL SIM installation will be launched at 3pmSLT Friday the 4th of May 2012.

GRAND OPENING: Wonderlands by Fae Varriale
DATE AND TIME: 3pmSLT Friday the 4th of May 2012.
LOCATION: HERE AT LEA 6

http://slurl.com/secondlife/LEA6/201/135/602


Fae describes this creation as follows:

Wonderlands is born of a life long fascination of mine with stories about places that are entrances to other worlds. Whether it be rabbit holes, mirrors, Fairy mounds, wardrobes, secret doors, mystical forests, the interfaces to virtual reality; such stories have been born out of the human psyche for hundreds of years.

Do these worlds really exist? If they do, do they exist because we dreamed them, or do they reach out to our unconcious minds?

The installation follows in the footsteps of Ellie through worlds discovered by her missing father in his attempt to find out the truth behind his younger daughter's 'insanity' - was she crazy or did the places she talked about really exist somewhere.

Some of the installation is beautiful, some is crazy & surreal, the line between beauty and madness moving dependant on the observer. Some of it took its own direction regardless of what had been planned, whilst in the background Ellie's story shifted subtly.

Do these worlds exist because I dreamed them or did they reach out to my unconcious as, already having stepped through into a virtual world, I created doorways to wonderlands? 

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Monday, May 7, 2012

MachinimUWA V: Spiral Silverstar's 'Seeking Wisdom in the Stars'



'Seeking Wisdom in the Stars', by Spiral Silverstar takes up across the universe in the pursuit of wisdom. This machinima is now part of the L$725,000, MachinimUWA V: Seek Wisdom. MachinimUWA V's theme is a tribute to the Centenary of the University of Western Australia and UWA's New Courses 2012.


Entries to MachinimUWA V: Seek Wisdom close on the 30th of June 2012 and seeks for the creation of machinima with any storyline that fits to the theme of 'Seek Wisdom' so long as at least ONE of the 100 Treasures from UWA form part of the story. Click HERE for full details and landmarks to the locations of the treasures in Second Life.

ALSO, calling for entries to the UWA 3D Centenary Art Challenge (100 prim limit, open theme) through 30th June as well.

OTHER ENTRIES TO MACHINIMUWA V
PENGUINS DIALOGUE ON WISDOM by Soda Lemondrop
THE LAST SYLLABLE OF RECORDED TIME by Tutsy Navarathna
IN DREAMS by Chic Aeon
SEEK WISDOM by Dave Searby Mason
SEEKER OF WISDOM by Sophia Yates
COLOURS by pallina60 Loon
SOPHIA'S GAZE by Carl Velde
THE SEARCH by Chic Aeon
PHILOSOPHY & WISDOM by Sophia Yates

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

MachinimUWA V: Soda Lemondrop's 'Penguins Dialogue on Wisdom'

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'Penguins Dialogue on Wisdom', by Soda Lemondrop expertly blends humour and philosophy to b ring us a profound message.  This machinima is now part of the L$725,000, MachinimUWA V: Seek Wisdom. MachinimUWA V's theme is a tribute to the Centenary of the University of Western Australia and UWA's New Courses 2012.


Entries to MachinimUWA V: Seek Wisdom close on the 30th of June 2012 and seeks for the creation of machinima with any storyline that fits to the theme of 'Seek Wisdom' so long as at least ONE of the 100 Treasures from UWA form part of the story. Click HERE for full details and landmarks to the locations of the treasures in Second Life.

OTHER ENTRIES TO MACHINIMUWA V
THE LAST SYLLABLE OF RECORDED TIME by Tutsy Navarathna
IN DREAMS by Chic Aeon
SEEK WISDOM by Dave Searby Mason
SEEKER OF WISDOM by Sophia Yates
COLOURS by pallina60 Loon
SOPHIA'S GAZE by Carl Velde
THE SEARCH by Chic Aeon
PHILOSOPHY & WISDOM by Sophia Yates
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Monday, April 30, 2012

Video of UWA & UAS, Switzerland Collaboration via SL

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 The above Video/Machinima was produced by the University of Applied Sciences, Western Switzerland (Geneva Business School) as to its ongoing collaboration with the University of Western Australia where students from both universities get to work and report on the same project.

This collaboration is due to the eforts of UWA's Professor Wade Halvorson and Professor Sabine Emad of the University of Applied Sciences (UAS) in attempting to simulate the real world process of data collection and team work.

A report on the project can be found by clicking here.

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Wednesday, April 25, 2012

UTSA UWA Collaboration: Circles Within Circles

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The University of Texas at San Antonio and The University of Western Australia have a 5 year memorandum of understanding  (Jun 2010 - Jun 2015) for collaboration and cooperation with 3D Virtual Technologies and Second Life (described here).

This collaboration continues with 'Circles Within Circles', a soon to be launched SKY SIM display at UWA by Rebeca Bashly & Constructivist Solo.

CIRCLES WITHIN CIRCLES
LOCATION : UWA UTSA COLLABORATIVE SPACE
LAUNCH DATE & TIME: 1PM SLT TUESDAY 24th APRIL

In their words, "This exhibit is a collaborative project that began with a conversation about circles as they are part of the human experience in distinct contexts: mathematics, mechanics, and as metaphor in various cultural settings.

By no means is this exhibit intended to be comprehensive; it can't be. However, we hope that the visitor will come to the recognition that there is an overarching interconnectedness not only between science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, but that this interconnectedness, this fabric of that which is and that which makes up the human experience, very much also includes the social and behavioral domains."


We hope you enjoy your visit,
Rebeca Bashly & Constructivist Solo



Rebeca provided a clue as to how to navigate the path ...  'One has to understand the circle so he can break it' 
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Tuesday, April 24, 2012

UWA Challenges in RL Machinima Book: Jay Jay Writes

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An RL copy of the book 'Machinima: The Art & Practice of Virtual Filmmaking' by Sonicity Fitzroy (Dr Phylis Johnson) and Lowe Runo (Donald Petit) was flown in to UWA from the United States this week.

Brilliantly put together, this book, by McFarland Publishing features a veritable who's who in the world of machinima. Sonicity described the contributors in her recent blog post as follows:

"A special section of interviews featured Al Peretz, “Decorgal” Judy Lee, Iono Allen, Kate Fosk, Michael Gray, Rysan Fall and Wiz Nordberg. End of chapter comments were provided by Chantal Harvey, Pooky Amsterdam, Larkworthy Antfarm, 1angelzares Writer, Toxic Menges, Jonathan Pluskota, and Jay Jay Jegathesan. Two invited chapters were presented by copyright expert Todd Herreman and Dr. Bryan Carter, owner of Virtual Harlem in Second Life. Phaylen Fairchild gave some closing thoughts. Skylar Smythe’s The White Pigeon was featured as a storyboard example."

UWA's Jay Jay Jegathesan was invited to contribute on how machinima cemented partnerships and collaboration. A small section below. Click on the McFarland link above to get a copy of the book itself:



UWA Support for Operation Smile Benefit Performance

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On Sunday the 22nd of April, an Operation Smile Benefit Performance was held at the UWA-BOSL Grand Amphitheatre featuring the ChangHigh Sisters Fireshow with UWA & Aview TV providing support. L$15,699 was raised for Operation Smile, and a wonderful machinima of the performance was filmed by Mary Wickentower.The Fireshow featured the talents of Yman Juran, Melvin Starbrook and Jennylynn Capalini.
 
On the day, Yman Juran shared the following with the audience:
 
This is an Operation SMILE fundraising show to help and support the Operation SMILE's vision of a world without  clefts lips and palates. So let us be generous those of us who share a life without pain and facial deformities, lets help those, those life for unforeseen reason and circumstances has made smiling to you  so hard to do.
 
We are gathered here tonight in order to help children in their need of a fair life..... so they can enjoy life as  we all have and live it without pain and suffering.So let us give Hope and Support to those touched by facial deformities so that they know they never  will be forgotten, that those who face such  decease will be helped to live a life,, just as good as you do. .....
 
We who participate in this event today let us stand by the side of those  which life circumstances has made there life hard to bear and impossible to SMILE to. So we, The ChangHigh Sisters, like to encourage each of You to give from your heart, mind, soul, spirit and  personality...so give life,  by  financial support  ..to those in need. Because Life is the ultimate gift of Love. and a Smile is truly a universal Right.
 
A good life is not the smile of heaven, neither is affliction the frown of God. - We ask all of you here today to give from your heart, spirit and soul to those in need. Giving life is the ultimate gift of love and a smile is truly a universal right. For this and other reasons are we all gathered here on this day and night to share, support and  help those afflicted by facial deformities. So please give generously. Lets help our fellow brethren.
 
In communication with Jay Jay Jegathesan of UWA, Yman added:
 
Thank You for  everything UWA & Lap[iscean Liberty.. All worked fine and the contact people with whom I spoke and communicated all function to my full satisfaction. ..those who came  was inspired to the best show  ever done in SL...

So I am contented as of how it all went and hope you and UWA and LL and whoever is involved in virtual art promotion feel  that we and especially me lived up to whatever rules, demands or regulation required .
The ChangHigh Sisters : Melvin Starbrook, JennyLynn Capalini, and me Yman Juran and our musician Cypress Rosewood are contented, please with everything and  we hope we are welcome back another day  for another cause.
 
With Light, Life and Love  Yman Juran
 
It is people like Yman Juran and the ChangHigh Sisters (and Lapiscean Liberty) who make Second Life transcend the ordinary!