ECLIPSE Magazine January 2017

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Contents

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Trending Now: Men

86.

Trending Now: Women

116. MINIMAL

74.

The Proust Spotlight

106.

Artist Highlight

132.

The newest men of ECLIPSE make their debut and show us their fashion take on “Copper Tones” and “Graphic/Ornate.”

For this edition, the light shines brightly on talented and renowned photographer Kiana Jarman!

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The ladies of ECLIPSE showcase their styling perspective with “Pleats” and “Embroidery & Lace.”

From the Whispering Sands Live Promotions group, we interview Liam Wakeman.

ECLIPSE Magazine features the excellent work of Ors Quan and his high quality jewelry inspired by minimalism and bohemian styles.

Through the Lens

Talented blogger, photographer and top model Leah McCullough, brings along some friends for winter sport and leisure!

ECLIPSE Magazine is dedicated to not only offering an aesthetically pleasing publication, but to also be considered a platform that offers rich and relevant content. Each month, we showcase residents and groups that have taken the concept of “your world, your imagination� to such great heights that they have impacted the culture and lifestyle of the Second Life community.

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Cover Story Mischief Managed Cover Photographer Lessthen Zero

146.

The Art Perspective

166.

Voices from the Grid

198.

The Adventures of...

Writer: Cajsa Lilliehook

Oema investigates the world of art, this time featuring Giovanna Cerise!

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l,

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ECLIPSE asks residents to share what they are most optimistic about.

Miele Tarantal takes us on a photographic journey, exploring One Caress.

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Whenever anyone asks what the purpose of this publication is, I quickly reci the note that is found on the top right corner of the contents page. “ECLIPS Magazine is dedicated to not only offering an aesthetically pleasing publicati but to also be considered a platform that offers rich and relevant content. Ea month, we showcase residents and groups that have taken the concept of “your world, your imagination” to such great heights that they have impacte the culture and lifestyle of the Second Life community.” While the concept h evolved over the past almost two years, some things have remained the sam Specifically, our commitment to excellence in both the quality of what we produce and feature, and our continued desire to highlight how multi-facet our virtual world truly is.

Whether a persons interest in Second Life revolves around fashion (as a shop blogger or model), various communities (role-play, music, art, etc), discoveri new and exciting places and people and everything in between, ECLIPSE endeavors to exhibit and capture their excitement.

The cover of this issue features Mischief Managed. For anyone who knows m I am a huge Harry Potter fan. I have said time and time again that if I could fi the time, this is the Second Life role-play community I would join in a heartbe After reading Cajsa’s article, it is safe to say my enthusiasm has only increased exponentially.

While I do hope you enjoy this issue, I sincerely hope you look over our Voic from the Grid piece. Each month, we ask various residents in-world a questio and this month we asked, “What makes you feel optimistic about the future Perhaps, it is a testament to how much the world needs optimism, but this o biggest VFTG piece to date.

Be kind, and happy readings!

letter from the publi

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isher

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executive team

trouble dethly Publisher

Taylor Wassep

Zzoie Zee Dethly

Tempest rosca

Cajsa Lilliehook

Creative Director

Fashion Editor

Creative Director

Copy Editor

the c

writers

photographers

models

Cajsa Lilliehook Gabriella King Miele Tarantal Isadora Fiddlesticks Novaleigh Freng Oema

Anderian Sugarplum Daffodil Crimson Leah McCullough Lessthen Zero Miele Tarantal Novaleigh Freng Taylor Wassep Tempest Rosca Wicca Merlin ZzoieZee Dethly

Leah McCullough Micah Nadezda Misoindite Romano Mr. Lambert Ombrebleue Winsmore Scarl Darkmatter Portal Shena Neox Winter Jefferson

guest stylist & photographer Leah McCullough

interested in advertising with eclipse? have an idea for a great story? looking to start a new career in second life? email trouble@penumbra-eclipse.com

contributors

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Trending now

The gentlemen show us their fashion take on copper tones & graphic/ornate. photography by LEAH M

MCCULLOUGH.

Mr. Lambert in Copper Tones Head: The Mesh Project - Anime Hair: Truth - Cinnamon by Truth Blazer: Hoorenbeek - Suede Pants: Villena - Chinos Watch: Kunst - Alexis Boots: Deadwool - Strider Tattoo: Absence - Bitter End

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Micah Nadezda in Copper Tones Hat/Hair: Modulus - Ryley Hat & Hair Necklace: Mandala - Haramita Top: Ascend - Hideo Trench Coat Rings: Mandala - Sinra Trousers: Ascend - Hideo Formal Trouser Shoes: Ascend - Triple Monk Shoes Page 22 | ECLIPSE January 2017

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Scarl Darkmatter Portal in Copper Tones Coat: ::K:: - Chesterfield Coat Turtle Sweater: ::K:: - Inner Turtle Neck Globes: Adjunct - Luxury Winter Gloves Pant: Apple May Designs - Shades of Khaki Glasses: KITJA - Sunglasses GIFT Boots: hoorenbeek - Mesh Chelsea Leather Boots ECLIPSE January 2017 | Page 25

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Winter Jefferson in Copper Tones Head: HXNOR - Royalty Headphones Hair: Inkubator - Alex Jacket: Cold Ash - Survivor Jeans/Shoes: Ison - Jumper Set Phone: Muschi - MyPhone ECLIPSE January 2017 | Page 27

Mr. Lambert in Graphic/Ornate Head: The Mesh Project - Anime Hair: Fabia - Tomas Head Accessory: LODE - Desert Flower Top: Bare Rose - Saizo Necklace: Bare Rose - Lady Necklace Pants: BakaBoo - Cray Cray Shoes: David Heather - Gongini Oxfords

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Micah Nadezda in Graphic/Ornate Hair: Dura - Boy 70 Ears: Mandala - Steking Suit: Faster Pussycat/Bender/Velvet Elvis - Zoot Suit Socks: Illi - Adapter Socks for Slink Shoes: Illi - Vincent Dress Shoes

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Scarl Darkmatter Portal in Graphic/Ornate Turtle Sweater: Egoisme - Damask Pant: Dot-be - Graziano Chino Coat: Egoisme - White Sheep Boots: Gild - WingT High Cut Page 32 | ECLIPSE January 2017

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Winter Jefferson in Graphic/Ornate Hair: Argrace - Hayate Glasses: Zoom - Delevigne Skin: Tableau Vivant - Marcus Fur: Titzuki - Secession Shoulder Fur Top: ChicZafari - Jewel Couture Blazer Ear: Mandala - Taper Pierce Pants: Tomoto - Flare Black Shoes: Messiah - Tabi Boots

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managing mischie

written by cajsa lilliehook. photography by lessthen zero & tayl

ef

lor wassep.

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Managing mischief can be a challenge.

It can be especially daunting if the mischief you’re managing is one of Second Life®’s most celebrated roleplay sims, Mischief Managed.

Inspired by J. K. Rowling’s inimitable (though many try) Harry Potter fantasy series, Mischief Managed features the glorious Hogwarts Castle, Hogsmeade and the Hogwarts Express. There are classes, quidditch tournies, and lots of Potterish fun. Saffron Foxclaw, one of its volunteer staff, describes it as “a stunning roleplay sim where you can relive the magic of Hogwarts.”

Mischief Managed is not alone in being organized around existing lore. Tolkien, John Norman, Thomas Malory, and George Lucas have inspired role-playing communities. So has history. Mischief Managed, though, has the good fortune to have a living author, J. K. Rowling, who not only appreciates fandom, but who openly encourages it. This gives them more freedom and allows them to avoid the silliness of creating a Classification Chapeau instead of a Sorting Hat. Since many of Mischief Managed’s members are like Saffron, connecting first to Harry Potter and then the sim. “I started reading the series when I was 10 years old and have loved it since, J.K. Rowling allowed the reader to lose themselves inside a universe that was what we knew but very different. She made millions of people want to receive their letter,” explained Saffron who as an Acceptance Letter Owl, gets to make some of those people happy.

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Roleplay sims are complex creations.

To get the right mix of ingredients, one needs the skills of a Potions Master. The build must be complete enough to feel immersive while limited textures and scripts to reduce lag. There must be enough people for good roleplay, but not so many that no one can move. There must be room for individual imagination, creativity and serendipity with a narrative framework that guides everyone into a coherent story. There must be freedom for students to be themselves while ensuring that when people who bump against each other do not bruise. That Mischief Managed has succeeded for so many years is evidence that the Potions Masters are doing well.

The Mischief is managed by a staff of volunteers. There are five admins who oversee the entire sim, dividing the responsibility for building, roleplay, admissions, quidditch and quests and maintaining the Mischief Managed web site between them.

There are also three departments.

The Acceptance Letters Owls (ALOS) are a sort of admissions department though their remit goes far beyond the normal screening and approval process of non-magical academies.

They work with applicants to prepare them for entering and succeeding in the Hogwarts environment, more like mentors than screeners. Then there is the Marketing Department, those who promote Mischief Managed and its activities to the Muggles. Finally, there is the Role Play Developments, the department responsible for the narrative framework on which the roleplay at Mischief Managed hangs.

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ECLIPSE Magazine interviewed Saffron Foxclaw who works for both the ALOS and the Marketing departments and Kleptoheart Resident to learn more about how they manage the mischief and gain a deeper understanding of the magical world in SL®.

Saffron believes the essential elements of role-play sim success are being inclusive and welcoming to new members, having great role-play with plots that “everyone can catch onto quickly,” and good rules.

SL that houses that sort of RP, so it’s not really something we want. That doesn’t mean to say that MM is claiming to be “above” such, it just means that we set out with a theme, and plan to stick with it.”

Saffron is following family tradition. Her first life father roleplays in Second Life on another sim and watching him inspired her to join SL While she has, in her words, “flitted in and out” of RP sims and SL, Mischief Managed has kept her in world and she’s But what are good rules? For Klepto, rules been roleplaying there since March 2015. that protect the lore and role-play etiquette In less than two years, she has gone from are indispensable. Since Mischief Managed is new student to playing a pivotal role in about living one’s life at Hogwarts, the rules managing the mischief demonstrating are designed to maintain immersion. “People that Mischief Managed is not hostage to often take rules as a limitation, but that’s Founder’s Syndrome, making way for new really not the case at all. We also aim to be leadership. Many organizations become different from a lot of RP sims by not allowing mired in the past with founders who hold explicit adult themed RP, whether it be sexual disproportionate power, who do not step or otherwise. There are a lot of RP sims around back to allow new leadership to flourish.

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People often take rules as a limitation, but that’s really not the case at all.

-Kleptoheart

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Openness is part of the ethos of Mischief Managed, so that may be why it has evaded the Founder’s Syndrome trap. If you carefully read the rules and guidelines, there is a heavy emphasis on kindness, leniency, and openness.

Perhaps because it is so successful and high profile, Mischief Managed has come in for more than its share of criticism. It is the tall poppies that get trimmed back. There have been SLSecrets, angry blog posts, and public criticism.

Mischief Managed staff have stepped up to defend the sim well, keeping calm and avoiding taking these conflicts into personal drama.

Saffron was asked to address the most common misconceptions and criticisms that people express.

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MYTH

REALITY

You can’t come to Mischief Managed if you can’t roleplay

Roleplayers and OOC staff work with new members to help them improve their roleplay, we accept anything from ‘one line RP’ to ‘multi paragraph RP’. We’re accepting of new and experienced roleplayers

MM are elitist bullies

We have zero tolerance for OOC drama and bullying. We aim to be entirely inclusive of new and old roleplayers

Mischief Managed staff control people’s characters

We don’t control characters, everyone is allowed their own backstory no matter how short or long but what we do ask is that every roleplay adheres to canon and our sim rules

MM is exclusive and won’t RP with ‘one line RPers’

Some of the best roleplayers can create a scene with one line.

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Criticism from outside Mischief Managed is one thing and is much easier to manage than mischief within. That is where the rules matter and good management is essential. Klepto says that she relies on “Forbidden Curses and impossible to complete trials of tribulations.” In real terms, that means clear rules, progressive discipline, and a focus on kindness, tolerance, and respect.

Developing a good role-play story requires the relatively rare combination of wild creativity and self-effacing discipline. The developers have to come up with an original and exciting story structure to guide the role-players while resisting the temptation to drive their role-play. As Klepto describes it, “The story, for the most part, at least on the individual level, is mainly about the individual RPer themselves. Which can vary based largely on character interactions with each other.” The RPD team writes the story arc that now spans several year. They write a new story into the narrative by creating a series of plot points for the students and teachers to discover and roleplay their actions and reactions. “Staying true to the nature of the Harry Potter novels, much of the plot happens on a very small scale, surrounding those RPers that have managed to piece together clues and hints, finding themselves caught up in events, much like how Harry and his friends did. It was their meddling that, at least from an IC perspective, that placed them as the central characters to the plot.”

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What this means is that outcomes may vary. It depends on how people react, the choices they make. “One such example was the character of Dorchester and her goons. The entirety of the plot was a result of how students and professors acted within RP. Of course myself and the RPD took a few liberties here and there to drive story elements forward, but for the most part, that plot never would’ve happened had RPers not enacted a course of event that lead to it.”

Klepto and three additional people do most of the story planning.

They allow story submissions, but they being complications if they contradict the Harry Potter lore and Mischief Managed Canon. New stories must be true to the books and the past story developments of Mischief Managed.

One of the recurring struggles for staff at Mischief Managed is sparking interest in the plot and involving them in the story. Not all stories benefit individual players. If, for example, your character needs to do something that does not burnish your character’s reputation at the school, you might balk at a plot point important to advancing the story. Klepto recognizes it is human nature that many roleplayers think first of how the plot will benefit their characters and resist participating if their character’s villainy might damage their character’s standing. “The largest lesson I learned though was to simply not give up. Even if there ECLIPSE January 2017 | Page 55

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are people out there who are unwilling and might complain constantly, there are also those out there that do in fact appreciate and enjoy the things we do. Those people I think make it worth struggling through.”

With many participants interacting with plot points and working extemporaneously from cues and clues, Klepto loves “watching characters grow and change. In a lot of ways, these characters and RPers become like a family, and I get excited watching their characters, as well as my own, grow and change.

I also get a twisted kick of watching RPers be stuck on puzzles I create.”

For Klepto, the magic is the characters, the role play that runs with the plot. “The best part about any of the storylines are the characters anyway, and that’s typically what I write on. Plots and stories can be mediocre, but a set of good characters can make a vast difference.”

Her true soft spot is for the small, simple quests, the mini plots, but she does have a favorite story. It is The Curse of the Golden Frog, an imaginative potion combining real life

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fauna, Nahuatl etymology, Panamanian folklore, and Potter lore. Taking the real life endangered Panamanian Golden Frog (Atelopus zeteki) whose toxins were used for poison arrows, they named it the Nahuatl word for gold which means excrement of the gods, and came up with a golden frog that excretes a toxin that inhibits magic.

They are all quite proud of their RP HUD. It allows lots of personalization, tracking not only their name, house assignment, and abilities, but progressing with them through their education at Hogwarts. Describing the HUD, Klepto said, “We, the Admin team, really put a lot of time and work into it, and I’m confident in saying that there isn’t a HUD like it anywhere in SL, at least as far as I know. And the best part of it is that we designed it with future updates and additions in mind. Of course getting those incorporated and launched is easier said than done.”

To get an idea of character development, Saffron described her character as distinct from herself. Asked her superpower and kryptonite to borrow from another story, she answered, “Saffie’s superpower is her special

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ability, she’s veela. Either that or she very easily assaults the ears of the Headmistress with her thick Scottish accent.

My superpower is organisation, I keep spreadsheets for everything and a very neat Google® drive! Saff’s kryptonite is her friends. She may be Head Girl but when it comes to her friends she’s very willing to bend the rules and turn a blind eye. For me, this one’s a real toughie, so much so that I had to ask one of my friends and she just replied with “rum”. She’s not wrong! My other friend said “vodka”. In reality it’s having to repeat myself, I don’t have ridiculously high standards but I dislike having to repeatedly ask for something to be done, both in RL and SL.” Going further, Saffron explained that Out of Character (OOC) she’s the admin for the ALO team. “We process the applications for students, creatures, and professors, ensuring that our roleplayers know about Harry Potter and understand the rules and canon lore of our sim. I’m also admin of Marketing which involves promoting the sim, events and plots, and also managing our new YouTube® channel, and our Flickr®.” However, when she’s free to play…”In character (IC) I play Saffron Foxclaw, a seventh year, part Veela, Ravenclaw, she’s currently Head Girl, ECLIPSE January 2017 | Page 59

and Editor of the Owl Post.” For her roleplay is a big part of her Second Life. She also writes as a first life hobby, but “roleplay is more of an outlet, in real life my job can be very stressful and roleplaying is a good outlet for that. When I’m on sim I’m there to roleplay, it’s always my priority.”

Looking to the future, Saffron hopes that Mischief Managed will continue to grow, not just the people but that castle, too.

“We have a large amount of students graduating who love their characters and want to carry on, Hogsmeade was completely revamped over the summer with the hope that this will allow people to carry on whilst creating new characters.”

She hopes Mischief Managed continues to expand with a growing roleplayer base. Their build team is extraordinary, so the sim is always being updated and improved. Her character is graduating and she plans to carry on as Saffron, finding a role in the village. “I have yet to consider creating a new character so I’m very hopeful that with the graduation of more seventh years there’s more of a chance we can carry on our lives within Mischief Managed.”

A successful organization depends on dedicated volunteers, engaged members, and a shared understanding of the mission and rules. Considering that, it seems it will be a long time before some IT wizard closes the map on them with the final words of the spell, “Mischief Managed.”

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Mischief Managed Web Site Mischief Managed Facebook Mischief Managed Wiki Mischief Managed Video Mischief Managed Flickr Mischief Managed Twitter September 2015 ECLIPSE article about Mischief Managed Second Life Destination Guide: Mischief Managed

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the proust spotli

photography by kia

The Proust Spotlight is our monthly feature where we highlight one of the many creative residents of Second LifeÂŽ. Utilizing the Proust Questionnaire, whose namesake comes from the late 19th century French writer, we will offer a glimpse into what makes them tick.

The talented Kiana Jarman is one of the most renowned photographers on Second Life. When she is not busy capturing moments and beauty in time, she also creates poses for her store KlubWerk and is the COO of the Fashion Teller House.

Check out her Flickr for more samples of her amazing work.

ght

ana jarman

What is your ideal of perfect happiness?

The unity of body and soul and of course my family .. I know that sound standard but that’s all i need to feel happy.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

Being cosmopolitain... to think to be elitist and to be more educated and worth than others ... I don’t want to offend in that point but there is a beauty in the simplicity of real life that is unmatched by the beauty of mind-stuff. No piece of Schopenhauer, Da Vinci, or Mozart can compare to the experiential beauty of watching a father caress his small daughter, or a street-corner pauper looking up to the kind woman who offers him lunch, or the feeling of the soft, ripe blueberries popping easily off into your hand.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

Hahahaha .. no i can’t tell them here *Blushing* What do you consider your greatest achievement?

To know myself and be myself.

If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?

A flower or dolphin pls don’t ask me why ... I really don’t know.

What do you most value in your friends?

Their honesty and loyalty.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?

I don’t have any historical figure can i say Elf .. I would say I identify myself with and elf.

What is your greatest regret?

Hmmm .. if I would regret something I wouldn’t be where I am now.

How would you like to die?

In peace.

What is your motto? everyday is a good day with new chances and new stories to be written.

What is your most marked characteristic?

Naive .. sometimes I way to naive.

What is your favorite journey?

Travel the World (work and travel) Who is your favorite hero of fiction?

Thor If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

My feet. I have ugly feet.

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Trending now

the talented women of eclipse show us PLEATS AND embroidery & lace. photography by wic

cca merlin.

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Leah McCullough in Embrodiery & Lace Dress: Nylon Outfitters - Flower Princess Lace Skirt: Azul - Roshan Heels: Glamistry - Malva Jacket: Tetra - Open Back Hair: Tram - F1124 ECLIPSE January 2017 | Page 89

Misoindite Romano in Embroidery & Lace HAIR: Argrace - ENJU Jacket: COCO - SlimBikerJ Skirt: UFO - Shasha Lace Skirt Boots: COCO - Knee Fur: Edmure - Fur Shawl Stockings: Izzie’s - Applier Overknee

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Ombrebleue Winsmore in Embroidery & Lace Hair: Tram - F728 hair Bottom: ISON - lace pencil skirt Top: COCO - FurBolero Top: Emery - Lana Turtleneck Sweater Shoes: Pure Poison - Nicole Pumps Skin: Lara Hurley-Mesh Moles Skin: Essences - Poppy Make-up: Deesses Boutique Natural Lipstick Page 92 | ECLIPSE January 2017

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Shena Neox in Embroidery & Lace Dress: Gizza - Cara Boots: EMPIRE- Aster Hair: Magika - Lessons Ornament Hair: Truth- Ornament Polilla Hair Ring: Kunglers - Nina rings Nails: French Manicure Pastel - Nailed It

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Leah McCullough in Pleats Top: G Field - Sleeveless Hair: Entwined - Laurel Skirt: GizzA - Celeste Page 96 | ECLIPSE January 2017

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Misoindite Romano in Pleats Hair: Lelutka - HF4 Top: Asteria - Lady Faith Gloves: Asteria - Lady Faith Skirt: Emery - Pleated Long Mykonos Boots: Mutresse - Nikki Boots Necklace: Mandala - Rushana/Sumiiro COCO - FurBolero ECLIPSE January 2017 | Page 99

Omblebleue Winsmore in Pleats Hair: Tram - D208 hair Top: Rowne.Paul - Structured Blouse Bottom: ISON - pleated midi skirt Shoes: Pure Poison - Jara Sandals Skin: Lara Hurley-Mesh Moles Skin: Glam Affair - Triss 14 Make-up: Oceane - Fairytale Lipstick Make-up: Frosting - Shimmer Shadows Accessories: Bens Boutique - Venus Clutch Bag Page 100 | ECLIPSE January 2017

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Shena Neox in Pleats Dress: United Colors - Riley Gloves: Dead Dollz - Mischief Boots: EMPIRE - Ipomoea Bag: MY BAGS - My Clock Hair: Lamb - Lust

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artist highlight

photography by wic

ca merlin.

Liam Wakeman is one of the many talented live artists with Whispering Sands Live Promotions and has been represented by them since the beginning of his career in Second Life. When he and his Personal Manager and partner, Anashara Dubois, decided to explore performing in SL, he shares, “WSL has been a wealth of knowledge and support, I couldn’t speak highly enough about Jorr and his team there.”

While he may be a fairly new to the music scene on the grid, he tells ECLIPSE that he has, “a few decades under my belt in RL, performing across North America. Having spent years in SL enjoying all the talent here, I finally decided to join in the fun.”

When asked what his top five favorite songs to sing are, “It really would be tough to name my favorites to sing because the thing is, I’m a guitarist first and foremost.” However, based on audience reactions in his shows, a crowd favorite would be any that requires him to, “turn the amp up to 10” with his guitar playing.

ECLIPSE Magazine often asks the artists we have the privilege of interviewing to tell us something our readers would find interesting. Reflective of his personality, he responds, “I’ve always found it interesting that the only guy in ZZ Top who doesn’t have a beard is... Frank Beard.”

Listen to his music.

Check out his calendar.

Check him out on Whispering Sands Live.

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minimal jewelry

written by trouble dethly. Photography by tayl

lor wassep.

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Taylor Wassep | MINIMAL - Flaker Necklace (Ice)

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In a world where hyperbolic language and behavior has become mainstream for garnering the most attention, this phenomenon has trickled into other facets of everyday life. They say fame is fickle, yet the advent of the internet and social media often rewards those ostentatious and ridiculous to metamorphosize and catapult into the pale glow of fleeting celebrity status. Many aspects of Second Life® are reflective of real life desires, and this holds true in the realm of fashion. The clothes and accessories in-world are often more fancy, sexier and/ or fantastical than one would ever endeavor to wear in their real life.

Many designers recognize this market and create within these frames. Others, like Ors Quan the creative force behind MINIMAL Jewelry, prefer a different approach - the subtle beauty of “less is more.”

Minimalistic is just a style and MINIMAL as brand is more than one style its a concept.

-Ors Quan

Quan began his journey close to ten years ago, introduced to Second Life by his real life best friend. He has had previous experiences on other gaming platforms, where he used to create levels and other textures within the games. Initially in Second Life, he was a blogger and photographer. Sharing his experience as both, he tells ECLIPSE Magazine, “Believe me, it was the most beautiful hobby I found in this game.”

Ors Quan | MINIMAL Owner

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As a blogger, he developed a unique styling perspective and realized that there was a market gap for a certain type of jewelry and accessories. It was this need that propelled him into the world of designing, “There were not many jewelries that fit with my style, and I decided to make my own.” And he did with his first ever creation called, “Sparrow Earrings,” a bohemian inspired piece of jewelry.

Glancing at the MINIMAL website and various social media pages, it describes the brand as, “MINIMAL is a minimal (not minimalistic) SL accessories brand.

BECAUSE LESS IS MORE.” Quan clarifies why he made a distinction between the words minimal and minimalistic.

He explains, “Minimalistic is just a style.

MINIMAL as a brand is more than one style. It’s a concept.” This concept is a recurring theme and characterized throughout every facet of his store.

From MINIMAL’s online presence, to the custom build from Mike Denneny, to each item he creates and even the logo, Quan’s appreciation and vision for his brand is strongly evident.

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MINIMAL in-world store.

MINIMAL on Marketplace.

MINIMAL website.

MINIMAL on Facebook.

MINIMAL on Flickr.

MINIMAL on Twitter.

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Further illustrating how Quan’s creativity is the truest reflection of his own styling preferences, the jewelry offered at MINIMAL blends minimalism and bohemian influences. When asked how he would define such a fusion, he laughs and tells us, “I love both styles in jewelry… Minibohors? I would say stylish and trending.” While designing, he finds that music helps him create, but the works of Alex Trochut (a real life artist and graphic designer) is a powerful creative inspiration.

The future of MINIMAL shines brightly - the only limitation is how far Quan chooses to take it.

Currently, he has moved into the market of clothing and decorations with MINIMAL Clothes and MINIMAL Deco. When asked what the future holds for his brand, “I really have an open mind [...] This world you never really know what is going to be next.”

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Taylor Wassep | MINIMAL - Christmas Watch

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Taylor Wassep | MINIMAL - Tiger Watch (Black)

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Taylor Wassep | MINIMAL - Elsa Set (Gold)

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Through the lens

leah mccullough shows us her winter sport and leisure. Photography by leah mc

s

ccullough.

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Leah McCullough Boots: FLite - A-Solo Outfit: TRB - Women’s Arctic Assault

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Desireme Fallen Pant: GizzA Creations - Ashley Jacket and Scarf: GizzA Creations - Ashley’s Faux Fur Hat: Zorena - Winter Mink Attila Fur Shoes: GizzA Creations - Dagger Gloves: GizzA Creations - Shimmery Jumpsuit Leah McCullough Boots: Zenith - Winter Leather Fur Coat: GizzA - Cozy Layered Coat

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Leezah Kaddour Outfit: LaVian - Red Label Royals Boots: Ricielli - Lasercut Earrings: Soedara - Gold Hoop Deluxe Leah McCullough Coat: Asteria - Bella Top: Aluid - Basic tanktop Jeans: Blueberry - Mia Boots: Vale Koer - Anka

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Leah McCullough Sweater: Erratic - Emilia Scarf: Legendaire - Thascya Boots: Maitreya - Stagioni Page 140 | ECLIPSE January 2017

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Cubito Smit Top: Sys - Viktor Coat Pants: Deadwool - Corduroy Pants Boots: Gabriel - Rise Boots Leah McCullough Pants: Legendaire - Kiiara Coat & top: Deadwool - Corto

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the art perspective oema sheds insight on “The art of Giovanna Cerise, the free manipulation.� written by

oema. photography by miele tarantal.

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There are many reasons to visit the art installation by Giovanna Cerise at “Last Harbor.”

The first of these is the expressive power of this 3D artist.

Giovanna Cerise, who teaches Italian literature and music in real life, expresses her considerable creative skills through Second Life®. She does this by manipulating forms, a dissection of the material with which she expresses her thoughts, and the range of her feelings and emotions.

The art of Cerise is an effective metaphor of actual “liquid society” and mingling of cultures that are very different from each other.

The artist uses 3D modeling programs such as Blender to achieve forms in many different sizes. . She also uses Photoshop for texturing her work. Her emotional capacity, as well as her imagination, is remarkable, in the development of created forms.

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careful observation.

She encourages the visitor to sit down in front of her work and observe, preferably in mouselook, her creations. In fact, the understanding of an artwork is never immediate and quick but is the result of careful preparation, an internalization of the image that we see, of “doing our part” to understand other people’s artwork.

The creative phase is also similar: the development of an idea, the realization and its completion take hours of work while Cerise must maintain the calm deliberation artists need to connect to their creativity.

I think the art of Cerise is “abstract 3D art”: the artistic forms, in fact, do not have a realistic “footprint.” Through the use of NURBS, Splines, and Boolean, the artist creates objects with contours that are not defined nor outlined clearly. In traditional art such as painting, for example, the viewer sees what the artist has depicted. In a painting of a vase of flowers, the observer sees what the ECLIPSE January 2017 | Page 151

painter has painted. The experience of each viewer is always subjective, because what we see through the filter of our experience affects how we perceive , however, there is an objective fact: the vase of flowers.

Abstract art, both 2D and 3D, is very different. The shapes and colors help to give meaning to artistic representation, but do not provide interpretative objectivity. The observer has nearly unlimited scope for interpretation and each viewer’s experience can be very different. In fact,abstract art has a narrower niche of aficionados than traditional art precisely because of the vast scope for interpretation that it “gives” to the visitor. Many people do not trust themselves enough to love abstract art.

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It is also not moving art, such as fractals are. The stillness and lack of sharp edges combine the somewhat complex visual experience with calmness.. Cerise’s art is best appreciated without haste, savoring the differences between forms and colors and the peculiarity of textures, enjoying the view from a perspective mouselook or, better yet, from the inside by exploiting the potential of Virtual Reality (VR).

As I said, the art of Cerise is the expression of our present society as “liquid,” that is, without borders, without boundaries or “fences.” In the era of social networks, everything is shared instantly and smoothly, without censorship and, sometimes, without shame. It is the time of celebrity at all costs, but also a time of empathy for the

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sorrows of the world, no longer “censored” by the media, exposed to all by the internet.. Everything comes in a large “information” flood within reach of anyone, our daily events shared on Facebook in the dashboard of all our contacts.

From videos of kittens to the atrocities of the war, from domestic violence to bullying, everything becomes “usable” and uncensored.

Beyond assessments regarding the advisability of this type of information, it is undeniable that the “information fences” have fallen.

This aspect, in particular, gives rise to a “liquid society,” that is a community of people where everything is mixed, good with evil, cultural diversity, opinions on political events and so on.This society’s aspect changes the way we think, our perception of the surrounding reality, our political choices and our way of life (more open, surely, to diversity).

This aspect of our society is clearly visible in the art of Cerise, in my opinion. Different shapes and colors that coexist in the same space are the signatures of the current social fluidity.

I encourage you to appreciate the essence of Giovanna Cerise by visiting with her art installation “Last Harbor” in a meditative, unhurried frame of mind. You can join her group to keep up with her current and future events, some of which are presented in cooperation with the UWA (University of Western Australia). In the sky, you will also be able to admire a new open art space

by Giovanna Cerise.

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Voices from the g

Voices From the Grid is a monthly survey of opinions and ideas of Second Life® residents on the salient issues of the day.

For this month, we asked various people in Second Life, “What makes you feel optimistic about the future?” This is what they had to say.

grid

Giselle Chauveau Giselle Chauveau says modeling is her love. She believes that to be a model, it takes more than just a beautiful face. Modeling to her is an expressive art form and makes a statement without words. She’s a bohemian goddess at heart who exhibits fashion and style to the core. She came to Second Life in 2009, because she became intrigued by the cutting edge concept of virtual worlds and wanted to immerse herself in it. She starts by saying that she loves her second life family and friends immensely. She’s a very approachable and down to earth person.

She’s a model, stylist, creator, blogger, mother, and Capricorn. In addition, she’s the owner of Body By Chauveau and Saturnine Visage Blog. She adores fashion and all of the elements involved within the industry. She feels that women of color have a unique stamp in the modeling world of Second Life. This really inspires her to make her own personal contribution.

I’m optimistic about the future simply because I wake up each day alive and well. In the midst of the United States elections and the turmoil it’s brought with it I still hold my head up. When it comes to meeting the needs of humanity, I’m optimistic.

Because necessity gives birth to invention. So technology will continue to advance, that translates to a higher quality of life. But when it comes to the nature of human society, I’m not as optimistic. As humans can be corrupt and cruel. When I look at history, humanity has experienced many terrible experiences from war, slavery, famine, and has been able in each time-frame to emerge from the darkness to development and freedom. During 2016, hardship was evident in the largest way. As 2017 has arrived, I attempt to hold on to hope that conditions will improve and people we can come together instead of drifting apart as they have surpassed many other struggles in the past.

Check out her Flickr, Store and Blog.

Photograph by Giselle Chauvea.

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Angels Milena Angels Milena is the Fashion Director for Versus Magazine and one of the CEOs of Versus Modelling Institute. Her career in the modeling industry began more than eight years ago. Since she joined Second Life® in October 2007, she was focused on the fashion world and more specifically on the modeling industry, attending classes to achieve her goal.

The catwalk wasn’t the only true love of her modeling career, she also started her own Spanish and Italian classes inside the Evane Institute and began her blog in 2010 where she also discovered her love for the photography world.

After a few years she decided to participate to the Miss Virtual World 2011 competition, representing her country as MISS V ITALY, rising to one of the top twelve and winning the title of Miss Photogenic 2011. After so many years inside Second Life, she never lost the love and the passion for her work. She’s still teaching and taking part of Versus Magazine and Versus Academy projects with her best friend Shena Neox.

To feel optimistic nowadays seems abstract, a goal that is hard to achieve.

I believe that we all have the power in our hands to make it possible, to feel it again and change the global view of everyone. We have a special key in our hands, and that key is creativity. We all have the opportunity to bring it out and change the world, shape it and make it even better.

Even the smallest innovation can make a big difference. Over the years the greatest revolutions have been designed by brilliant minds who have not obscured their creativity and their talent but rather they have shared it with all of us. I am optimistic because I see the rapid evolution of the world in which we live, the knowledge that everything can mutate and become even better than we could possibly think.

Don’t be afraid of changes, don’t hide your deepest desire nor your creativity. Take it out, be confident and take a part in the big evolution of our world. The future is bright because we shine.

Check out her Blog.

Check out her Flickr.

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Lucia Brune

Lucia Brune dedicates herself exclusively to fashion in S photography, blogging and modeling. She started in fa and over time she has come to love it even more. SL has opportunity to learn and encouraged her creativity. She express her feelings of her day to day life through a pho to create a conceptual photograph makes her feel fulfil worked as a support group manager and on SL radio.

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SL® through ashion 7 years ago, s given her the e loves being able to otograph. Being able lled. She has also

I am a fairly realistic person in general, and my inclination is not so much to be optimistic, but positive and “posibilista” I believe in the various possibilities before the facts.

The process is to get a spirit of motivation in the group, to be involved, to be a referent figure in the group, to take criteria, accept criticism, be empathetic and responsible. And all this is applicable to RL as SL. I believe that dialogue is the fundamental tool. And how do we interpolate in SL all these issues?

Everyone lives their own world but we also share spaces, we get to work together, I refer to the environment in which I move, fashion, ok?

With regard to the future within fashion in SL it is necessary to speak of an “advance” with material Mesh and the program Blender. I consider it a great effort on the part of the designers to be innovative, creative that try to fit in the fashion RL. I want to highlight the work carried out by the Model Agencies and the models themselves, as well as monthly events that from my criteria are evidence of great involvement and effort for their implementation that entail a high degree of organization, planning, decision making, a lot of time Of dedication, an important chain that can not fail any link and where communication is the basis of success.

All this makes me feel super optimist within SL. Check out her Blog and Flickr.

Photograph by Panteleimon.

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Paolo Trizomu Paola Trizomu loves fashion. While her present-day interest on the SL grid is photography, former model and blogger Trizomu got her start in the SL fashion industry several years ago. After completing the Miss Virtual World Modeling Academy in April 2010, Paola served as a runway, advertisement and store model for various names, including shows with Maritima.

Her work transitioned to blogging in 2011 with the inception of “The Regina Blog”, which covered familiar brands such as ICONIC Couture, Vanity Hair, Meghindo’s, !Soul, and 22769, as well as special events like The 24 and Hipster Fair. Paola retired her blog in 2014, taking an extended RL hiatus away from the SL grid. With her recent return to SL, Paola currently focuses on photography exclusively, while acclimating to what she calls “fascinating progresses in SL content creation”.

This might sound a bit altruistic, but what makes me optimistic about the future are examples of kindness, humanity, fairness and empathy. With everything going on in the world at the moment, it is easy to feel anything but optimistic about the years to come.

However, we have many reasons to feel hopeful.

I have not seen a shortage of kindness, especially in recent days. It seems that when kindness is threatened, people respond in a big way, perhaps to reassure themselves that kindness is still very much available.

Our humanity makes that possible. While some might be consumed with gain and volume, there are still others who are more concerned about being fair and doing what is right. And why is it so important? What do we get in return? When we make ourselves available to help someone else, when we show empathy for another’s suffering, through their gratitude we can create a cycle of these virtues.

Witnessing others be more conscious of how they are treating each other, each day…that is what makes me optimistic about the future, it gives me hope.”

Check out her Flickr and Blog.

Photograph by Paolo Trizomu.

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Chelle Hawker Chelle Hawker is a runway, print, store model and blogger. Chelle began modeling about 6 years ago and also was a teacher at AIM (Avcon Institute of Modeling).

As we enter 2017, it seems as if there are already so many horrible headlines to read. Yet, despite it all there is a lot to look forward too. A few of my favorite’s are space exploration and technology.

Twenty years ago there was no commercial web, mobile phones were expensive and so big we mostly kept them in our cars. There was very little personal technology. Our future technology will be so much more powerful than today that things that seem futuristic today will be old hat.

With our government balking with space exploration and the expense, private sectors have kicked in millions.

We continue to explore further and further.

Check out her Flickr.

Photograph by Chelle Hawker.

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Hanna Luna Naimarc Hanna Luna Naimarc is a Professional runway and print model, stylist and fashion blogger.

She’s been modeling since 2009. These days she’s part of L’Amour Productions Model Agency, Siren Productions, Mahasiah Model Agency and BLVD Fashion House and models for amazing brands like Ghee, White Room Couture, Glam Dreams and Virtual Diva. She’s been in numerous fashion magazines like ModelS Magazine, Virtual Diva Magazine, BOSL Magazine and SecondU Magazine. But so far, her biggest achievements are being Miss Virtual World Chile 2016 , getting crowned Miss Virtual Diva 2016 and becoming an official Fantasy Angel. This is only the beginning for for Miss Hanna Luna.

What makes me feel optimistic about the future? People. Good people.

So often we hear stories of hate, pain and disgrace, it’s easy to fall in that negativity abyss that it’s so hard to climb out of. But we need to remember there is still good in this world.

People who work towards a greater good, those who say hello to random people on the street, those who take care of animals, and those who look for the best in everyone. And we can be like that, all we need is to wish for it and act on it. These people are what makes me optimistic about my future and the future of this world. Go outside and wander around, experience the beauty of this world, breathe in hope and never stop believing there is still good out there and there’s still reasons to feel optimistic about the future!

Check out her Flickr, Facebook and Blog.

Photograph by Wicca Merlin.

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Oola Neruda Oola Neruda entered SL in 2005, taking the last name of one of her favorite poets, Pablo Neruda. She needed to “get it together” following the death of a child. She had always turned to immersion in her RL art projects to find catharsis, expressing her emotions in strong imagery. At that time, however, her studio was not available due to moving to a new home. She needed her ART. She says, “The Arts give us a means to communicate and express. The act of concentration and pouring out, in itself, can be enough. Camaraderie and positive feedback are just the frosting on the cake”. Then she quotes Sylvia Plath who said, “It gives me such a sense of peace to draw; more than prayer, walks, anything.”

Olla’s alt, Laila Schuman, was the first Miss Second Life in 2006 wearing her newbie shape and skin. That was followed by a stint of modeling and some blogging, cut short by serious RL events. Eventually, some kind person taught her how to build in SL which led to her opening Le Monde Fine Furniture. Not being computer savvy, innovations in 3-D rendering eventually put her out of business due to the differences in prim counts.

More recently, she has photographed her avatars in SL to create advertising for a friend’s RL novel (available on Amazon). This is a link to blog by the author of A MOTHER’S SONG and a couple of those images. Check out Oola’s Flickr.

I have been asked “what makes me optimistic about the future”.

Creating is like meditating, in ways. It’s sort of a “do-it-yourself art therapy”. All of the Arts count: Architects, historians, people in role play sims, theater, live music, photographers, writers, teachers, even politicians and dreamers. SL is a venue for thinking and Page 180 | ECLIPSE January 2017

learning. Artists are the “prophets” for society.

They are sensitive to what is happening but they are also the mirror to reflect us. Bob Dylan is an example.

You do not need to be a “great artist” to benefit from thinking and creating. Second Life is a playground for creative people in all media. It also offers a safe place to explore life styles. I’ve lived through many things in my life, even have PTSD to show for it, but am optimistic because experience has taught me that we manage to live through things. Art has helped me do so.

Second Life has a creative outlet available for a full range of our needs, talents and interests.

I met interesting people in SL, such as Herman Bergson. To date, he has offered over 500 SL classes in philosophy (his RL expertise) He is also one of many who have built excellent replicas of historical architecture, thus speaking to the art historian in me.

I remember, in the early days of SL, a group of environmentally aware people created windmills and solar panels and gave them free to people who wanted them. Also, The Science Circle hosts talks and lectures on a professional scientific level. To me, research science is like art in creativity and the pushing of boundaries.

One of my favorite places is a shop with manuscripts and incunabula.

There are poetry and storytelling groups, often with open mic. There used to be an amazing group for autistic people and currently, there is a group and sim where people with physical challenges can create and share.

There also are quite a few incredible libraries in Second Life. A beautiful Ancient Egyptian Pharoh’s Library, is set among other ancient buildings.

Need ideas? The Arcadia Asylum Library & Freebie Center is a good place to go for stimulation and cool freebies.

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Raven Raven [ravenwings] has been in Second life for six years, and for the past two she has spent her time as a photographer/blogger, and a sim owner. serein, her sim, is open to the public, a pretty space that is enjoyed by photographers, friends and couples. Additionally, she is Assistant Manager of Mesh Body Addicts (MBA), which includes a sim, website, bi monthly event and a yearly fair.

Also, managing the bloggers for those events. Raven is also CSR/Manager for AviCandy and Maddict.

I am lucky enough to be blessed in both lives with a handful of close friends. I don’t have a lot, but friends that I love, who love and support me in whatever I take on. As well as this group of people, I have discovered recently that I have a large network of people (especially in SL) who support, and are there if I need something. This is important to me, and makes me feel optimistic about the future, knowing I have people around me who love and support me, and vice versa.

I am also very lucky in second life to see, firsthand, designers grow and develop their skills. I love that I get to share those creations through taking pictures and my blogging. The growth of our second life world is amazing. Linden Lab having developed our world and investing in the growth, while the creators take that as far as they can go.

Being part of the Mesh Body Addicts team, makes me optimistic also. I see, not only our team, but other members helping out the new, and even some of the more long term, members of SL with their needs.

The kindness and giving always makes me smile.

Sometimes I just sit back and watch how wonderful people can be. I know the opposite exists, as it does in all lives, but our group for the most part shows how supportive we can be as a whole in this ever changing (second) life we are a part of.

Check out her Blog, Flickr and sim.

Photograph by Anderian Sugarplum.

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Anouk A. Anouk A. is a photographer. She started to blog about fashion in 2009 under the name Kyrie Source and after a pause in 2013 she gave herself a “second life” coming back as Anouk A. She’s also a RL writer and artist.

I know there’s madness all around us, and so many challenges ahead. On a daily basis, with bad news coming in bunches, with terrorism and climatic changes, with social issues and way too many other problems we need to address around the world, it can be overwhelming and easily depressing to look to the future. But still. We, human, have this incredible gift that is creativity. I believe creativity can help us find a solution to any problem. And, most important, creativity is the main key to build our future. We can imagine our future. We have to imagine what we want. How we want our specie to evolve. How we can protect our planet. How we can create new virtual dimensions (like Second Life!) where to further deploy our creativity. Talking about Second Life, my own personal creativity is very much inspired by that new world we are all building together. I love to create images in-world because it feels for me as a collective art form.

I’m always curious to discover new designers and artists, always excited to try to build an image with different items coming from around the world and from creators from so many different cultural and professional backgrounds. And I know it’s only the beginning of a new creative journey for all of us, and this makes me feel optimistic about the future.

Check out her Flickr, Facebook and Blog.

Learn more about her RL work here and her artist website.

Photograph by Anouk A..

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What drew you to becoming another of many designers on SecondLife, an already decently saturated market?

“I feel that, above all else, I just dream of telling my story... Dream of course, because when it is told, through whatever it is I create... You know, be it something cute, something gory, or even something weird, I always embed it with many different chapters of my life. Different memories, really... I feel as though each piece I make comes from a part of me... and... whenever I finish another piece and add it to my collection, I find out more about myself. It’s kind of like, my designs forge the keys to doors locked deep within my spirit, through art... through Evermore.”

So given that, how would you describe your presence here. How would you, looking from the outside in, reflect on your contributions?

“Wonderfully!” (Etenaru laughs) “I think most of all, I’m on a path of learning about myself as I go. Sure there’s competition, but it all serves to teach me about what can be accomplished. It pushes me to think outside of the box and gets me to really tap into what I can truly bring to the table. At the end of the day I’m thankful that I’ve accomplished what I have so far. I’ve come a long way from the piles of notes and crumpled papers of frustration at hundreds of attempts to a single idea, to now where Evermore currently is. The pile will always be there, but the life left in the wake of my efforts, on the faces of my products, is truly a dream come true. A portrait of the despair I try to bottle up within myself... eventually bleeding onto my canvas. Life leaves scars, and I feel they’re best dealt with via art. It’s therapeutic. This just happens to be mine. My collection of creations my work, and Evermore my brush.”

Excellent. Then as a voice of those who already know of you, as well as those that are just coming across this, what can we expect in the weeks, months, even years to come? “(brief pause)... I think it’s the same fallacy that no one will ever truly understand your story but yourself, as to why it fascinates me to continue creating excerpts of my mind, heart and soul...

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Eten

Note: Etenaru chose to re

naru

espond in a self-interview.

It isn’t only a release for me, it’s something I deeply care about. I think of my fans, I think of people as I judge myself. Everyone in mind when I make that very something I love. Hope and faith that others will love it too, and simply keep pushing on. Mastering my craft as yet another star with a unique way to shine her light and show her dreams.”

“Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.”

- Edgar Allan Poe Fates cast many a young designer into the squalls of expression. Through time, circumstances come where mediums arise to harness that very expression. SecondLife, like a thousand mediums before it, and a million in the splendors to come, is a glint in the history of art. Of the yearning thirst to connect with those around us. To tell our tale; to dream our dreams.

To relish in a world evoked upon through someone else’s eyes. Heard with someone else’s heart, and held sacred through someone else’s soul.

Blinks in these deep moments allow us to come together. If nothing else, to bear witness to the stories told in our artistry. Ambitions that wish to create, and innovation that births it all. In the maelstrom of competition and expression however, shine many bright lights across a sea of stars. Each pressing their own footprint in the realm of our communities. Enveloping envy, doubt, sorrow, joy and even love. Yet we are bound to the simplicity of impression and a lack of perspective. So in light of this, one store seeks to convey their message. Their contribution.

Evermore.

Spearheaded by the courageous Etenaru, Evermore sets out to wield the elements of irony and tragedy, transforming the paradigms of what we’ve become accustomed to, by offering a dynamic insight into a path walked by many but finished by few. The path of inspiration.

Photograph by Etenaru

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Moon Ed

Moon Edenbaum is in SL for quite a while now and one might his love for shooting SL pictures, and he is doing exactly th

A very dear, important and scarily intelligent friend handsome quote “optimism is lack of information” psychological term “optimism” and s

i see a lot of my friends smiling, but as a child of 1961 I run things will become better. The reason why i still do and perhaps even naive: I have raised two children an This alone is what makes me optimistic abou Page 188 | ECLIPSE January 2017

denbaum

even say that he has grown up inworld. In 2014, he discovered his since then. His pictures can be seen on his Flickr stream.

d of mine resumes her SL profile with the seductively n”. I still don’t agree with that and i tend to evade the stick to the more metaphysical “hope”.

I indeed have been raised with the hope that in the long o believe in this principle might be considered not cool nd I cannot imagine to send them into a hopeless world. ut the future. I hope we can change ourselves.

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Josef Balbozar Josef Balbozar joined SL way back in 2007 in order to attend a job interview at the virtual headquarters of a well known bank. The bank has long since left SL; but Josef is still exploring and enjoying this world where our imaginations define our reality.

Check out his stunning landscape photography.

In a world with neither goals nor defined outcomes and frequented by the talented; it is always easy to enjoy what others are doing to modify and improve our virtual surroundings.

We make our own surroundings and atmosphere here and can always change as well as re-invent everything, every twenty minutes if necessary and on into the future.

Of course it helps to see SL as an important part of real life.

Photograph by Anouk A..

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Photographer and blogger Serena Snowfield became a Second Life resident nearly 7 years ago at the request of a colleague who was organizing a real-life business group in-world.

She eventually began logging in for non-business reasons, and soon amassed a large collection of clothes, hair, homes, and décor items. An amateur photographer in real-life, Serena developed a fascination with Second Life photography, and began sharing her photos on her blog and Flickr. After a 2-year hiatus, Serena has returned to blogging, and is back on staff with Fabulously Free in SL, where she began her blogging career in late 2012. When she isn’t doing any of the aforementioned activities, Serena enjoys exploring the beautiful sims of Second Life with a cup of coffee and her dog.

I’ll admit that I’m a bit of a “tech nerd,” and I’m both fascinated and encouraged by advances in technology. What got me excited enough to return to blogging – and what makes me optimistic for Second Life’s future – is, in a word, Bento.

For years, I kept thinking how great it would be if my avatar’s hands could move this way or that, and I always wished that her face could express something more than a blank, mannequin-like stare. System bodies required so much postprocessing to look decent in photographs. And while mesh bodies have been wonderful, Page 192 | ECLIPSE January 2017

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and have given us so many options, somehow the lack of ability to customize a mesh head seemed to take away a bit of our physical individuality.

Honestly, I never really felt “like myself” while wearing one.

Until now.

With Bento, we can develop custom shapes for our mesh heads and move our hands in ways that we never could before. And while I’m still figuring out how it all works, I’m really enjoying the new poses and facial expressions for Bento heads and hands, and I can’t wait to see what the content creators will come up with next. Bento feet or hair, maybe? I have no idea if that’s even possible, but… yes, please!

I’m also curious to see how things will pan out with Project Sansar. Although I’m not a builder or creator myself, I’m interested to see how this form of VR will be used, not just as a virtual world, but possibly to benefit education, community outreach, and maybe even medical research.

As for real life, what keeps me optimistic is my daughter.

Seeing the world through her eyes keeps things new and fresh, and gives me hope that everything really will be okay.

Check out Fabulously Free, her Twitter, her Flickr and her Blog.

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Trinetty Skytower ventured into the metaverse of Second Life nearly 9 years ago with an open and creative mind and it didn’t take long for her interests to lead her to an “SL career” in photography. Opening her very own Skytower Studios within her first year in-world, she quickly set out to learn the ins and outs of Photoshop in order to advance her skills and compete with the ever growing digital art community.

After years of working with fashion models, magazines, store owners, weddings and various residents just looking for that special portrait, she began to take interest in the blogging community. Seeing it as a slight tangent from her already steady photography business, blogging started out as more of a hobby. It was the perfect creative outlet to be able to fashion her own photo sets, bringing her visions to life, and to tell her own stories. Reveling in the freedom to slip into different characters, she often modified her photography style and challenged herself to try new things sometimes out of her comfort zone with determination not to be too predictable. She was amazed by the positive response from the fashion and blogging community as well as the generosity from and partnerships with so many wonderful content creators.

Trinetty continues to do client work as time permits, blogging for a number of popular shopping events and stores, as well as providing vendor art for oOo Studio and Poses. With a very busy real life, it’s been a challenge at times to keep up with her work in SL, but it’s also where her heart and enthusiasm remains.

Check out her Flickr.

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I could look at the future merely in the context of Second Life, but with all that is occurring in the real world today it’s hard not to ruminate on the topic with a much broader scope. Optimism for the future, or to me “hope” is something that seems to dwindle a bit as you age. Life experiences, personal hardships, a keener awareness of the world we live in, the daily inundation of news in all its despair can do all but make you want to crawl under the covers for good most days.

I am fortunate to be a part of a very active sub-community of SLers on the social media site Plurk and for me, it’s provided a much deeper connection to the people on the other side of this computer. Many of whom I may never meet. It’s where I hear their day to day struggles and see their victories in both worlds. I also see the amazing support and love and hearts that open up when times get tough.

Seeing strangers offer words of care to someone dealing with depression, watching a community rally together for a friend who’s lost her home to a fire, raising money for medical expenses for a fellow creator that is sick with cancer, or maybe something as simple as sending flowers to someone who just lost their dear pet.

Life is hard. Yet in all the mess and muck of this world, I see glimmers of hope in the smallest of places and the tiniest of acts. Random acts of love and kindness still exist. People are hope. WE are the hope of the future.

“Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the entire ocean does not become dirty.” ~Mahatma Gandhi Photograph by Trinetty Skytower ECLIPSE January 2017 | Page 195

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THE adventures o

written & photographed by miele

“The Adventures of...” is a monthly feature by Miele Tarantal showcasing some of the most aesthetic places in Second Life®.

One Caress is a partially flooded landscape inspired by the eponymous Depeche Mode song. The rainy, dark and cloudy.sim is designed especially for atmospheric and moody photography. A minor section (located on a platform up in the air) is dedicated to an equally rainy Japanese city landscape.

of...

e tarantal.

Visit One Caress in-world.

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