Welcome to the December 2020 issue of Kultivate Magazine! It is hard to believe that we have come to the end of 2020 almost! This year has been exciting for Kultivate as we expanded into live music and returned to publishing this magazine, as well as opening our galleries. All things we will do in 2021 and more! This issue features over 40 images by some of the most talented photographers and artists in Second Life, The Janus Art Gallery, the artist Tresore, 3 photo essays by Tempest Rosca Huntsman, Inara Pey, & Grace Sixpence; the new Linden Labs stilt homes, IMAGO Gallery, The Dickens Project Art Exhibition, Aterna 3D Exhibition, and the Snoweeta Sim! Christmas is a time to enjoy family and friends, which can be hard as the pandemic rages on, but thankfully we all have a multitude of virtual ways to contact each other: mobiles, instant messaging, video conferencing, and of course Second Life! I am thankful that I have a great group of family in real life to support me and of course my virtual friends. And lastly but not least I am thankful that I have my beautiful other half Tempest. Tempest and I would like to thank all of our readers, artists, supporters, and staff. 2020 would not have been such a great year for Kultivate without all of you! We also would like to wish all of you Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas! Sincerely, John, Owner & Publisher of Kultivate Magazine
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
KULTIVATE MAGAZINE—DECEMBER 2020 CREDITS
Johannes Huntsman, Owner & Founder
Tempest Rosca Huntsman, Photographer Liaison Veruca Tammas, Gallery & Sim Manager Jessii Warrhol, Marketing Manager CONTRIBUTORS: Inara Pey, Lead Contributor Johannes Huntsman Tempest Rosca Huntsman Grace Sixpence Various Second Life Photographers & Artists
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: Tempest Rosca Huntsman
FEATURED ARTICLE: WINTER IMAGERY PAGE 40
INSIDE LOOK: SINFUL RETREAT & JANUS GALLERIES PAGE 128
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: TRESORE PAGE 154
TRAVELS WITH TEMPEST PAGE 168
GALLERY SPOTLIGHT: PAGE 184
OLD WINTER TOWN PHOTO ESSAY PAGE 200
DECEMBER 2020 - TABLE OF CONTENTS
3D EXHIBITION SPOTLIGHT: ATERNA PAGE 216
DICKENS PROJECT EXHIBITION PAGE 232
LINDEN STILT HOMES
PAGE 252
SNOWEETA
PAGE 270
RIDDLE ME THIS PAGE 284
FEATURED ARTICLE:
ARTICLE: JOHANN
PHOTOGRAPHY: VARIOUS SECO ARTISTS (SEE EACH IM
It is a tradition at Kultivate that we ask photographers and artists to submit a winter image every De photographers and artists of Second Life!
WINTER IMAGARY
NES HUNTSMAN
OND LIFE PHOTOGRAPHERS & MAGE FOR CREDITS)
ecember. We hope that you enjoy this extensive photo essay , which features some of the best
IMAGE BY JAMEE SANDALWOOD
IMAGE BY NEVADA LAVAROCK
IMAGE BY FAWN VOUGHT
IMAGE BY CATALINA
IMAGE BY NOEL HEARTSONG
IMAGE BY ANOUK LEFAVRE
IMAGE BY SMILING HEARTS PHOTOGRAPHY
IMAGE BY CALEB BRYANT
IMAGE BY VERUCA TAMMAS
IMAGE BY LIZZIE AUSTEN
IMAGE BY LAUREL GLIMMER
IMAGE BY KALINA SANDS
IMAGE BY ROMAN GODDE
IMAGE BY BEUANNA BANANA
IMAGE BY DEE
IMAGE BY AMAYA MAVINELLI
IMAGE BY MICHAEL LYSIOS
IMAGE BY DEY ALYN
IMAGE BY SERENAELIA VILLIERS
IMAGE BY KELLY DARK
IMAGE BY KELLY DARK
IMAGE BY Q’S ANGEL
IMAGE BY NIRRAD P
IMAGE BY VAROSH SANTANAMIGUEL
IMAGE BY OCEANE
IMAGE BY DEVA WESTLAND
IMAGE BY STORMY SPIRES WESTERLOW
IMAGE BY ARA VOXEL
IMAGE BY CHERI @ PULP FICTION STUDIOS
IMAGE BY POPPY LEMONGRASS
IMAGE BY EVOLA COURTOIS
IMAGE BY LAM EIREN
IMAGE BY VALIUM LAVENDER
IMAGE BY Q
IMAGE BY TEMPEST ROSCA HUNTSMAN
IMAGE BY DONNAB
IMAGE BY KACEY MACBETH
IMAGE BY SUZEN JUEL
IMAGE BY JOHANNES HUNTSMAN
INSIDE LOOK: JA
ARTICLE : JOHAN
PHOTOGRAPHY: INARA PEY , CHUCK CLIP, &
ANUS GALLERY
NNES HUNTSMAN
& SINFUL RETREAT FLICKR GROUP ARTISTS
insane work; contacting people and over Clip in 2020 and had the honor to exhibit in his hauling the sim to prepare it for artists and the public. By the end of that two weeks we had a Janus Gallery III. I was recently able to sit down with Chuck to discuss his galleries, sims, large portion of Sinful Retreat claimed by 3D artists and the Janus Gallery was booked and more! through January. So... I added two more JOHN: So tell our readers about yourself. How galleries. long have you been in Second Life? Why did JOHN: What is are the goals of your galleries? you decide to take the plunge and remain? CHUCK: I fervently believe we need fresh blood CHUCK: I've been in SL for 12 years, 13 in February. I came to Second Life at a very dark in the SL art world, not just artists, but patrons as well. I've tried to tailor everything to appeal time in my real life. My world had just been upended in a number of ways, and pretty much to a broad spectrum of people, and advertise all I had was my old mac from college. I needed across multiple platforms.
I met Janus Gallery owner and curator Chuck
an escape, so I looked for things I could play on a mac. At the time, Second Life was one of the first things that popped up and I was intrigued. What really got me to stay was learning to build and stumbling into the SL art world. Aside from uploading my RL art, I was a prim sculptor for several years before taking a five year break when my RL wife and I got together. JOHN: I am honored to have been selected to exhibit at Janus Gallery III in October. I have seen some interesting 3D projects at your sim and galleries. Tells us about the Janus Galleries. Why did you decide to open up the galleries? CHUCK: During a break from work over Christmas 2019, I came back into SL and started DJing for something to do. Just as the pandemic was starting to hit, my wife and I bought a sim for us and our poly partner to live on. It ended up being so nice, we felt obligated to share it, so we opened it up to the public. Then we entered into a lock down and I had more time to get back out and explore SL a bit more. I was dismayed to find that a lot of the old standbys of SL art were gone or ghost towns; UWA, NMC, Studio 33, Galleria Mexico, Crescent Moon Museum, Timmamoon, Blackwater Sculpture Garden, Pirats and many others. So I decided to run a test. I grabbed an artist friend and had them do a show in what ultimately became the Janus Gallery. We had 45 people there for two hours and another 20 stayed for a third. It was at that point I decided there was a hunger for this sort of thing in SL. I then went on a two week, caffeine fueled, almost no sleep, spree of
JOHN: How can an artist exhibit at any of your galleries? CHUCK: Most of our artists are people we approach. I've collected a database of many, many artists names, and am always looking for more. Artists, writers, DJs, and performers are of course free to approach me or my wife FallenAurora Jewell and we'll consider their work. JOHN: Apart from 2D and 3D art, do you accept performing artist or groups? CHUCK: Yes. We integrate live performers into every gallery opening, hold music events, concerts and poetry readings, and we just opened a second sim, Angels Rest Performance and Art Collective with a larger space dedicated to performances. We're always looking for new talent! JOHN: Tell our readers about Sinful Retreat. Is it part of your galleries or is it a separate area? CHUCK: Sinful Retreat is a land where worlds and times collide. A virtual playground where artists are welcomed with open arms to show their works. We strive to make a cohesive environment out of the many styles of the artists who display their work here. Sinful Retreat is best described as an evolving sculpture garden on which the galleries sit. They are part of the environment.
JOHN: How many galleries and areas do you currently curate?
JOHN: Tell our readers who your favorite real life artists are.
CHUCK: We operate three 2D galleries, a coffee CHUCK: Kazuki Takamatsu, Yong Ho Ji, H.R. house for poetry readings called Janus Java, 3D Giger, Salvador Dalí, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, and art on the bulk of Sinful Retreat and Angels Rest, Leonardo da Vinci. KM and the performance area on Angels Rest. JOHN: Curation can be a hard job in either world, any tips for new and established curators? CHUCK: Have a plan and contingencies for if the plan fails. I started with a six month plan with failure built in just in case I was totally wrong and this didn't work. Surround yourself with good people. I do a lot of work for this, but I had good friends who were curators and artists that I could ask questions and use as a sounding board for weird ideas. Over time, we started taking on others, we hired on dαrα² ČøςαĨηε™ (daralish) to help book performers, my wife Jewell is starting to co-curate with me, our poly partner Dev proofs almost everything I write and finds problems in new builds. My biggest tip of all would be this though. Build your framework. Social media accounts, SL groups, website, a discord server, whatever you think you may be able to use to reach current and new patrons and make them look good. JOHN: Any new and exciting exhibitions in 2021?
Very special thank you to Chuck for sitting down and agreeing to being interviewed! He left a few additional words about the upcoming events at Sinful Retreat: We're super proud to have three resident artists on Sinful Retreat now. London Junkers has permanently taken over a section of the sim and will periodically rebuild his area. Merranda Ginssberg has a gallery on the main street between the main gallery and Gallery II. And Jennifer Steele (Steele Wilder) has taken up permanent residence in the space next to the pub. We're proud of every artist we show, but to invite one to stay and have them agree is a real honor. Visit Sinful Retreat and the Janus Galleries on the web and in Second Life: https://www.sinfulretreat.com/ http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ Sinful%20Retreat/137/142/52
CHUCK: I'm actually super excited for January. We have LashV, Asperix Asp, and Deyanira Yalin http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ coming! Phenix Rexen recently installed on Sinful Retreat, and I believe that installation will Angels%20Rest/201/192/26 grow and change. He's an amazing and prolific artist. We actually commissioned him to build pieces for Angels Rest when we started working on it. There's a few 3D artists we're working on getting onto the sims as well, but no confirmed dates yet.
ARTIST SPOTLIG
ARTICLE & PHOTOG
GHT: TRESORE
GRAPHY: INARA PEY
Now open as the end-of-year exhibit at Raging Graphix Gallery, curated by Raging Bellls, is Impressions, a selection of pieces by Tresore Prada Hawkins (Tresore). I first became familiar with Tresore’s images through her involvement in the Phoenix Artists Collaboration, and admit to being attracted to her work, which mixes both landscape pieces and avatar studies – the latter in particular always framing a narrative or message. Presenting some seventeen images, Impressions follows through on its title in a number of ways, all of which combine to capture and hold the observer’s attention. First, they are obviously statements of the impression Second Life has on Tresore as both an observer of the virtual world and as an artist; they allow us to see the things that have attracted her eye and caused her to create a memory of them. Secondly, they allow her to offer a story for any of the given scenes she has captured, either directly through the image itself or through the suggestive nudge of the title to a piece; so they might be said to offer us an impression of both setting and the artist as a storyteller . On a third level, they offer us an impression of how Tresore views the changing seasons of the year, with the selection of pieces, whether through their depth of color or through other hints, offering us glimpses of summer, autumn (and harvest) and – most notably – winter (and the holiday season). Finally, and most importantly, there is within each an every piece, an impression of mood / emotion / feeling that reaches out to make each of us not just a witness to Tresore’s art, but also a part of the story waiting to be found within each image. I say “most importantly”, because while
many photographers are taken by a scene, finding its evocative nature as a door to them framing a narrative or to presenting a mood or feeling within a stated pose / presentation, Tresore is one who starts with the idea of what she’d like to say, and work from there, as she explains: I HAVE FOUND IN SL PHOTOGRAPHY A PERFECT OUTLET, AS IT ALLOWS TO CREATE FROM SCRATCH WHAT I WANT TO SAY. I CAN TAKE UP TO ONE WEEK TO CREATE ONE OF MY PICTURES. I CAREFULLY RESEARCH THE CLOTHING, COLOURS I WANT TO USE, OBJECTS, SCENARIO, POSE. I SEARCH FOR THE REGION THAT SUITS IT BEST AND THE LIGHT THAT WILL CREATE THE FEELING I AM LOOKING FOR. THERE IS QUITE A GREAT DEAL OF LOVE, WORK AND TIME BEHIND EACH OF MY IMAGES. Tresore Prada on her art This again gives her images an added depth, further attracting our eye and mind to each piece, and adding an additional attraction to any visit to Impressions. KM You can visit Tresore’s work at the following slurl in Second Life: http:// maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ Heatherwood/198/152/39
TRAVELS WITH TEMPEST
PHOTOGRAPHY: TEMPE
T : HOLIDAY LOCATIONS
EST ROSCA HUNTSMAN
GALLERY SPOTLIGH
ARTICLE & PHOTOG
HT: IMAGO GALLERY
GRAPHY: INARA PEY
Currently available at Mareea Farrasco’s IMAGO Gallery for visitors to appreciate is an exhibition of avatar studies by Liz Winterstorm (TinLiz) that is – in four words – beautifully and emotionally expressive. Presenting 28 avatar studies, all of which are either black-and-white or soft monochrome, every one of the presented works is powerfully evocative in its narrative and emotional content, each one perfectly framed and presented, making the entire selection an extraordinary must-see exhibition. Taken without external post-processing enhancement – Liz notes she simply does not have the patience to learn Photoshop, these are images show that Liz has an innate grasp of lighting, and the use of light and shadow through her selection of Windlight environments in order to express her pieces. While the selection is untitled (other than Liz Winterstorm at IAMGO), there appears to be a twist of thematic threads running through the images. The first might be seen as purely reflective of emotional states arising from a relationship – particularly those images that involve two figures. There are emotional responses anyone has likely experienced through the ups and downs and turmoil that are a part of many (all?) relationships. The second thread, equally as evocative, might be seen as a considered reflection of the way many of us have felt at one point or another through the past year: loneliness, emptiness, of wanting things to be over, separation, of being unable to escape (the world’s woes?), anger. It is this layering of ideas – or at least, suggestions of ideas – that gives this exhibition its depth. But it is not the only thing; as noted Liz has a magnificent approach to using the natural environment through Windlight settings and framing to create pieces that are genuinely visually impressive. Just take a look at Shunned as an example, the use of a pure white lighting and background, coupled with the pose and row of seats gives the piece a quite remarkable depth and emotional focus that can be felt within whichever narrative thread you choose to follow. As a second example of this narrative and visual
impressive. Just take a look at Shunned as an example, the use of a pure white lighting and background, coupled with the pose and row of seats gives the piece a quite remarkable depth and emotional focus that can be felt within whichever narrative thread you choose to follow. As a second example of this narrative and visual richness, take Apocalyptica; it’s title alone is powerful and the imagery fully reflective of either theme. But there is perhaps more here; within the picture is what seems to be a direct reference to the Finnish band itself and the lyrics from their single Life Burns. And this abundance of narrative and imagery flows across all 28 pieces in the exhibition. Very definitely not an exhibition to be missed by those who appreciate Second Life art and photography. KM You can visit this gallery at the following slurl in Second Life: http://maps.secondlife.com/ secondlife/Artemisia%20Island/91/35/1303
OLD TOWN WINTERL
PHOTOGRAPH
LAND PHOTO ESSAY
HY: INARA PEY
3D ART EXHIBITION SPOTLIGHT: CONTEMPLAT
ARTICLE & PHOTOG
TIONS ON AN ETERNAL LIGHT IN SECOND LIFE
GRAPHY: INARA PEY
Milena Carbone (Mylena1992) has opened a new exhibition at Noir’Wen City. Entitled Lux Æterna, it encompasses themes in consideration of religion, humanity and personal belief; elements that are not new to Milena’s work, but are here presented somewhat differently, being projected largely through the work of others, notably Second Life artist Norton Lykin. THROUGH THE EXHIBITION LUX ÆTERNA, I WANT TO EXPRESS THIS PARADOX WHICH IS AT THE HEART OF MY DEVIANT FAITH IN AN IMPERFECT GOD. OUR PERCEPTION OF LIGHT COVERS A RIDICULOUSLY NARROW SPECTRUM, AND YET THIS HANDICAP ALLOWS US TO CONTEMPLATE INCREDIBLE BEAUTY. THE HUMAN SPECIES REPRESENTS A MISERABLE, IGNORANT, FATEFUL, DEVASTATING VERMIN, TRAPPED IN A THIN LAYER OF GAS ON A TINY PLANET, AND YET WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE PRIVILEGE TO SEE, TO FEEL WHAT IS. IF THERE IS AN INTENTION IN THE UNIVERSE, THIS INTENTION IS TOTALLY INDIFFERENT TO OUR FATE, AND HAS GIVEN US THIS GIFT WITH INFINITE GENEROSITY. Milena Carbone Lux Æterna, “eternal light”, in terms of its religious use, is perhaps most familiar for being a part of the Catholic Requiem Mass, although – and as Milena notes, it most likely dates to Gregorian times. It is a call to God to let his eternal light shine upon the departed as they rest with his saints. Here, the idea of eternal light is used both physically and metaphorically. As Milena notes, the light humans can see is limited to an incredibly narrow spectrum; one that, long before we discovered the non-visible (to our own eyes) wavelengths on either side of it, nevertheless allowed humanity to contemplate so much, achieve so much through creativity on both an individual and collective basis, and to perceive the richness and beauty of not only our own planet, but the incredible cosmos around us. Yet, at the same time – and even with our going
even with our going understanding of the nonvisible spectrum this promises to reveal even more to us – humankind so often opted (and still opts) to walk the path of ignorance, even whilst espousing enlightenment. Metaphorically, this narrow spectrum light through which we perceive everything could be said to reflect our narrowness of understanding of any supreme being that might exist. For so long, we constrained “god” in terms of our own viewpoint – one that, far from putting the almighty at the center of things, has actually placed mankind so that everything – even the idea of a supreme being – literally and figuratively revolved around us, in what can only be viewed as a arrogant outlook on the cosmos.
purples, oranges, blues and yellows – we are reminded of the spectrum of light that extends beyond either end of the visible, and thus of the unseen grandeur this sits within the cosmos, and which may yet be found within the emptiness that sits between the lights of the stars and the galaxies.
And this is only scratching the surface of what is an incredibly simple installation in terms of design and presentation which folds within itself so much food for thought by way of metaphor and suggestion. Within the design, for example, is a subtle blending of eastern philosophy and Christian religion: the installation stands as three arms, intentionally representative of the Christian trinity, whiles the empty space at its center representing the And herein lies the first paradox: for just as the eastern ideal of centering, chakras, inner cosmos is vast – and made more so as we peace and the natural flow of energy. finally drew back the curtain on those parts of Elsewhere the rising stairs might be seen as the spectrum we cannot visibly see -and with metaphors for ascendency, an ideal common wonders yet to be understood, so to must any to both eastern philosophy and “western” supernatural consciousness behind it be vast. religions, if interpreted somewhat differently Thus, could it even be aware of humanity, as by both. we sit huddled under the protection of our backwater planet’s thin envelope of Through all of this, Lux Æterna also serves to atmosphere? And so we enter into Milena’s touch on two subjects that can never be far realm of pondering the nature of God; whom from thinking when contemplating life, the she sees as not no so much capricious for universe and everything (notably religious allowing all the woes that can befall us, as themes and similar): those of death and some might argue – but simply immortality. These are concepts that can be indifferent and / or imperfect, simply because said to be uniquely human, as Milena they have far too much to do in just keeping underlines through her use of extracts from the rest of the cosmos going to pay us that Jorge Lui Borges’s The Immortals. Unique much attention. because – as Borge himself notes, we are the only creature on Earth with an awareness of These ideas are bound together through death and by extension, contemplate Milena’s exhibition in a number of ways. As immortality. So animals might be said to be she notes herself, Norton’s art, in its “immortal”, simply because they do not share abstracted beauty, informs us about the two this awareness or live in that ever-present greatest elements within the cosmos: terrible shadow, and as such, they might be emptiness and light. Both are enduring and said to be “closer to god” than we can ever unalterable; we can see the light of the stars aspire (and thus the hare-headed figure and nebulae, of novae and supernovae, and of standing God-like over the scene). galaxies beyond our own, visual cues to the vastness of the universe in which we sit, whilst And yet still, there is that eternal light of the the distances separating them appear largely cosmos surrounding us and reminding us of devoid of anything we can perceive, forming the richness and of everything; a light we an huge and everlasting void around us. To this cannot help – and indeed always should – I would add that through the choice of colors contemplate in humility and reverence, simply found in the majority of the pieces – the reds, because of the beauty it enfolds, and the
our thinking beyond the petty. KM
You can visit this exhibition at the following slurl in second Life: http://maps.secondlife.com/ secondlife/Noir%20Wen/232/219/1587
ART EXHIBITIONSPOTLIGHT: A DICKEN
ARTICLE & PHOTOG
NS OF AN ART DISPLAY IN SECOND LIFE
GRAPHY: INARA PEY
The Dickens Project 2020 Edition enters Christmas week with two art exhibitions for visitors to appreciate. Each is located in a different part of the Project’s Victorian townscape, offering those who visit the opportunity to explore the streets and discover more of what the Project has to offer this year. Located in the church sitting to one side of Dickens Square, the Project’s main landing point, is the Open Art Exhibition, featuring artists who accepted the Project’s invitation to display one or two pieces of art that have created on a Victorian Christmas / Dickensian theme. In all, seven artists responded to the invitation, and between them they offer an engaging series of images on the themes. The artists are: Jessamine2108, VanessaJane66, Stevie Morane Basevi, Dawn Greymyst, Banshee Heartsong, Evelyn Held and Vita Theas. Together their images capture the spirit of The Dickens Project Past (e.g. Evelyn Held: A View From Dickens Harbor Lighthouse, Jessamine2108: Dickens Harbor), images with a decidedly Victorian feel (VanessaJane68 with Christmas Hall and Tower Lane; Dawn Greymyst: Holiday Preparation), and others with a clear Dickens influence (e.g. Vita Theas: Kids, Evelyn Held, Magic of Christmas Past). All of the pieces are evocative of the period they represent and the Dickens Project theme. Off to the east side of the town, and between the clock tower and the harbor, sits a warehouse that is home to the Invitational Art Show. Open since the event started (the Open Art exhibition having opened its doors on Friday, December 18th), the participating artists for this exhibition comprise CyebelMoon, Iris Okiddo, Silas Merlin and … Yours Truly. Again, the overarching theme is of reflecting, Dickens, Victorian England and the Dickens project. Both Cybele and Iris offer evocative (as always!) pieces, that richly reflect these themes. Within Cybele’s pieces, entitled Winter Solitudes are a set of marvelous captures of past Dickens Project scenes, beautifully processed such that each
encompasses its own story that captures both the romance of Victorian Christmases, and the settings found through The Dickens Project. Iris, meanwhile, presents her own take on A Christmas Carol, presenting eight images in which she takes on the role of Ebeniris Scrooge and offers her interpretation of some of the famous scenes from the story. Thus we see her sitting miserly in her cold house, walking with the Ghost of Christmas Present, revisiting her lonely past, glimpsing a possible future, embracing a happier, brighter future (with, I think I’m correct in saying, Skippy Beresford getting a co-starring role), and more; all of the images again richly presented for our enjoyment. Silas offers sculptures both indirectly and directly connected to the Victorian / Dickensian era, including barefooted street urchins, Oliver Twist, and a bust of Charles Babbage. For my part, I’ve offered a series looking back over The Dickens Project builds between 2015 and 2020. Two engaging exhibitions in a setting that offers much to see and do – see my preview of this year’s Edition of the Project for more on the event. KM You can visit this special art show at the following slurl in Second Life: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The% 20Dickens%20Project/217/13/26
SECOND LIFE: LINDEN STILT HOM
ARTICLE: & PHOTOG
MES RELEASED IN SECOND LIFE
GRAPHY: INARA PEY
Update, December 22nd: it appears that a significant issue with experience keys that affects grid-wide experience is impacting the deployment of the Stilt Homes – see: BUG229892 “[Upilft] Experiences Failures”. The issue is currently being investigated by Linden Lab.
•
Santiago: a two-story house with open-plan ground floor and two bedrooms, one with a rear-facing balcony. Features a ½-porch with verandah over to the front, and deck to the rear. A front facing balcony is accessible from the upper floor.
Just as we saw with the preview region seen in June, the Stilt Homes are broadly split into two Updated: The release is on hold due to categories: those built on low-lying sandy land “unforeseen circumstances” – see Patch’s and sandbars, and those either partially or fully update for more. over water, with some of the later connected to the land via board walks. Those on land are Monday, December 21st, 2020 saw the long adjacent to the local roads, and have wooden anticipated release of the new Stilt Homes stairways leading up to them. All four designs theme for the Premium-only Linden Homes. have decks / docks associated with them, with The new homes were first unveiled in June 2020 the entire release occupying a new expansion to (see: Second Life: looking at the new Linden the east of Bellesseria that also have some Homes Stilt theme), but their roll-out was Houseboats included in the mix, for a total of delayed as a result of the work involved in 3,875 Stilt Homes and 552 houseboats. transitioning Second Life to running on Amazon AWS servers, coupled in the last few days by This expansion takes the form of a series of some back-end issues the Lab needed to get sandy islands made up of multiple regions, with under control. none of the islands connected directly to another, except via the water channels between The Stilt Homes are inspired by coastal home them. This perhaps makes these Stilt Homes an common to the south-eastern United States, ideal place to live for those who enjoy puttering notably Florida, where such house styles can be about in an amphibious car – although found along low-lying (and often hurricane admittedly, transitioning from water to land (or prone) areas. As with previous Linden Homes vice versa) can be a little tricky given the need releases, the house come in four styles, any of to avoid intruding on someone’s privacy / land. which can be selected by the controller Perhaps LL should consider providing ramps into cunningly disguised as a lamp that sits adjacent and out of the water at various public reaches to each 1024 sq meter parcel. of sand in the future. The four style in the theme are: • Havana: single-story 3-roomed, cross-shaped house with central front-to-back room providing access to front covered porch and rear covered deck, also accessible from one side room. • Tortuga: single-story with largely open-plan design providing two room, with a smaller third room to the front. A small porch area to the front aspect, and large deck / dock to the rear. • Lauderdale: a two-story unit with two rooms downstairs and two upstairs, one with a balcony. Features a full length front porch with roof over, and sliding doors to the rear opening to a rear deck-come-dock.
Given the problems being encountered with various SL web properties, the release was cautious – the first region to be offered up being A lagoon, with around 22 units built over water and three more either fully or partially on land. It was presented as a test region to see how things went in terms of hiccups, etc. However, availability soon increased to other regions. Back in June, I commented that of all the Linden Home designs, the Stilt could be the first to tempt me away from my Houseboat. Six months on and that still holds true; if I could guarantee getting an over-the-water Stilt (or at least one partially over water), I would be sorely tempted.
In this I admit that an added attraction would in part due to some of the region names that have been selected, given my liking for a good (or bad!) pun. Take for example MARLIN Munroe, Rocky Bal Boata, Otter Limits, Getmah Drift, Shore Thing, Lone Shark, Knot Atoll, Mussel Beach, To name but a few. Then there is Tuna Turner (which adjoins the water region of Immoral Porpoises, both of which are just one region over from Salmon and Gillfunkel, and more besides, include my personal favorite: Jamaica Me Crazy. It’s clear that tongues were firmly in cheeky was putting these regions together! As always, all of the Linden Homes can be obtained by Premium Members (subject to individual theme availability) through the Premium Member’s Linden Home page at secondlife.com, whilst the regions in Bellisseria are open to general access. KM
SCENIC LOCATIONS: A LITTLE SWED
ARTICLE & PHOTOGR
DISH INSPIRATION IN SECOND LIFE
RAPHY: INARA PEY
Sitting within a homestead region deep in snow, lays Snoweeta, a charming winter build that is engaging in its simplicity of presentation. Designed by Kaja Ashland, it offers people a little hint of Sweden, specifically taking as its inspiration the southern most county (or län) of Skåne; a place that is a relatively new county within Sweden, having been formed in 1997 – although it is named for the much older historical province of Skåne, from which it takes its coat of arms. Whether or not Kaja has based the setting on an actual location within Skåne is open to her to tell. However, while it appears to sit on the road linking the small Baltic townships of Ystad and Simrishamn, it is perhaps not where this snowbound setting might actually be that is important, but rather the stories waiting to be found beneath the pale evening sky. Central to these tales is the farm house sitting at the end of the long drive leading away from the road, the lane forming the region’s landing point. Lit from within, the house offers a sense of warmth and welcome, with the dining table set for dinner – but is it a family dinner, or are visitors anticipated for a gathering of friends? And who uses the garage alongside the main house, converted as it is into a cozy snug, warmed by a log stove? Is it a little work space for readying plants for the garden when spring arrives, or a teenager’s place to get away from Mum and Dad for a while? Beyond the house are more vignettes around which stories might be woven: just how did the tractor, a vehicle designed for operating over rough ground and muddy fields come to be bogged down whilst returning to the farm? And who is responsible for the boars gathered under the false shelter of the bare tree caught in its own little snowstorm? Are they a part of the farm or wild residents of the area?
Those who prefer not to contemplate such question can instead snuggle up on the benches in the farm’s garden or inside the house or the cozy garage. Or, if preferred, a
a walk can be taken over the snowy field to where a low hill offers a retreat for trees within the farmlands, its top crowned by a little camp site. Here, a boiling kettle suspended over the flames of a fire, invites people to stop awhile and sup, while down the far slope of the hill is a frozen pond, prompting questions of skating and outdoor fun – although I wouldn’t recommend trying; the pond is beyond the edge of the region. How far this place might be from either Ystad or Simrishamn is unclear, but the presence of a police car parked on the road’s shoulder (again, beyond the region’s edge) leaves one wondering what has happened to attract the attention of law enforcement – and whether the occupants of the patrol car are sitting in its relative warmth awaiting the arrival of Henning Mankell’s dour-faced Inspector Kurt Wallander, who might yet be driving his Volvo down the road from Ystad, where he both lives and works. Simple and attractive in its design, Snoweeta offers an attractively different winter-themed visit. KM You can visit Snoweeta at the following slurl in Second Life: Snoweeta (Noweeta, rated general)
RIDDLE ME THIS PHOTOGRAPHY BY: GRACE SIXPENCE
RIDDLE ME THIS PHOTOGRAPHY BY: GRACE SIXPENCE
Ristorante Kandela is the free and self serve restaurant on the Kultivate Sim! This v couples intan so you can enjoy a romantic date out with your loved one! The restau Huntsman a notecard in world with the booking date and time and any other specia 20Haven/95/221/28
venue is decorated in an Italian rustic style and features crooner music and a urant is also available for private events, free of charge. Simply drop Johannes al requests. SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Water%
KULTIVATE MAGAZINE
VOLUME 5, ISSUE 12 DECEMBER 2020 WWW.KULTIVATEMAGAZINE.COM