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Showing posts with label Linden Endowment of the Arts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Linden Endowment of the Arts. Show all posts

Saturday, December 15, 2018

THE DICKENS PROJECT: A View From An Urchin



This year, THE DICKENS PROJECT invites residents to participate in a new way: become an urchin in Dickens' London!

Charles Dickens, ever a champion of children, wrote stories about those who were poor and unprotected, left in the hands of the manipulative and cruel.  His child characters are often triumphant, finding ways to build lives of purpose and sometimes even happiness in a difficult time. 

 Enjoy this story, created at Urchins in Dickens' London just this week.

***
Kit Becomes an Urchin

By Aoife Lorefield

Kit shivered in the fog. Another hungry morning. She’d slept, sort of, in the empty wagon after supping on a badly bruised apple and a bit of bread she’d grabbed before a dog could. Food all around her and she hadn’t a farthing for it, nor anything else.

Sad thing was, she’d always wanted to see London.

Her brother George, the one who’d gone to sea, came home once with stories about throngs of people, shops full of fancy goods, and ships with masts taller than trees. She’d dreamt of it all in the long nights and longed for that life.

Now Mum and Dad were gone. Her and Henry had been left to the parish and after six months of that, she’d thought she’d rather die. She’d run to London and maybe she would die, here. If she couldn’t find food or a place to stay or something, anyway.

Sounds of laughter made her shrink back against the wagon. It was far too early for market folk and she was certain she didn’t want thieves to find her. She crawled under the wagon and peered through the thick fog.


The laughter came again, closer this time. It sounded like kids. What could they be doing?

The small figures took shape in the fog. A tiny red-haired girl, her thin arms blue with cold, holding a basket with some green stuff in it. A boy, also a carrot top and almost as thin, in a green cap pulled low over his forehead. A blonde boy in a top hat. That looked ace, that did. Wonder where he got that one. A tiny little girl in a red hat.

Kit watched as the children strolled, skipped, and danced through the market stalls. This was not the fancy market where the toffs went, not this one. This was where the mums from Camden Town came for a bit of meat and greens, or the scriveners and clerks scrounged for the coins to pay for another used book, or cabbies might stop for a cup of hot soup.

One of the boys picked up three books and juggled them, making the youngest laugh.

“Put ‘em back, Jo,” an older girl said sternly. “We can’t sell them so there’s no point, eh?”

The boy Jo shrugged but did as she said.


Instead he started juggling apples from the basket right next to her wagon. The youngest gathered around him like they’d seen this before, and it seems they had. Every few passes, he’d toss an apple to one child, who’s catch and bite into it, smiling.

Kit was so entranced, she didn’t notice the other boy until it was too late. There he was, crouched down in front of her wagon, looking right at her.

“Coooo, mates,” he called out. “Lookee what I found.”

He reached in to grab her arm and she shrank back, afraid. The older girl, the one who’d told Jo to put the books back, grabbed Jo’s shoulder and pulled him back.

“You’re scaring her, Jo,” she said, her voice stern again. “Stop it or I’ll box your ears.”

She grabbed his ear and twisted it as she spoke and he howled.

“I wasn’t doin’ anyfing!” he said.

Jo ran off and the girl crouched down instead.

“Look here,” she said, “we’re safe, mostly, and you look all alone. Come out now, let me see you.”

There didn’t seem much choice. She couldn’t stay as she was much longer. Kit slid across the frozen ground, out from under the wagon, and stood up.

“Are you thieves, then?” she asked the girl, trying to sound casual about the question, like she knew all about thieves and London and everything.

The girl looked around the market at the children combing through the stalls and smiled.


“Maybe sometimes,” she said. “We’re the ones the fine ladies and gents call urchins, don’t you know. The kids no one cares about.”

Kit nodded, her eyes wide. In her life, right now, that’s what she was. A kid no one cared about.

The girl put a hand on her shoulder, this time kindly.

“You better come along with us,” she said. “We watch out for each other. We know places to find food and safe places to stay and a few ways to get by.”

The girl turned and started to walk away. The kids were at the far end of the market now, disappearing into the fog.

The girl turned back and waved. “Come along!” she said.

So Kit did. She guessed she was a urchin now. Time to find out how that worked, and whether she could get by too in the big dirty city that was London.

***

What was it like to be a child in Victoria's England? Become an urchin and find out!

The Urchins in Dickens' London is a game that combines elements of the SL hunt, free form (and optional) role play, and an invitation to create (and share) your story.

Begin by getting a copy of the Urchins hud, available at the Dickens Project landing point. Inside the package, you'll find instructions on how to get started.

You can also find more on the special Urchins Webpages on the Seanchai Library Website. THE DICKENS PROJECT, produced by Seanchai Library, is open on LEA Region 7 through December 30th. with plenty of events, stories, things to explore and engage. Information on all features are available at the landing point


##

Friday, November 30, 2018

THE DICKENS PROJECT 2018 Edition Returns to LEA 7


The Dickens Project celebrates its sixth year in Second Life with a return to Linden Endowment for the Arts Region 7, where the annual celebration of Charles Dickens' seminal work first was realized in full region form a year ago.  Offering four weeks of exploration, storytelling, music, dance, a new "Urchins in Dickens London" experience, this Second Life holiday tradition will be open to residents November 30th, through December 30th. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA7/129/127/22

"What's new this year? There is no short answer to that," said Caledonia Skytower, "In almost every conceivable way, the Project has flourished in the full region format. This year was a team effort - our first real foray into collaborative build creation.  We learned a lot, and we are confident people will enjoy the results."  Skytower, along with long time Dickens creator Aoife Lorefield, Gloriana Maertens, and Dagmar Kohime worked together to transform prims and textures in a regionscape that evokes the spirit of Dickens' beloved work.  

Saturday, December 30, 2017

The Dickens Project Wraps Up A Popular 2017 Edition

Image courtesy of Wildstar Beaumont
Seanchai Library is ready to celebrate.  The 2017 Edition of The Dickens Project has been an unprecedented success, and Closing Day Events on Saturday, December 30th will reflect that accomplishment.

To Date there have been 2900 visits to LEA 7 since the doors opened November 25th, and over 33% of them returned for multiple visits and events.  As the previous 10-14 days of Dickens expanded to 36 days, more people than ever were touched by The Dickens Project's vision of providing the opportunity to "walk in the steps of Ebenezer Scrooge."

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

The Dickens Project in SL Expands in 2017 Edition


The Dickens Project will celebrate its fifth year in Second Life on Linden Endowment for the Arts Region 7 in an expanded edition of the annual event that features "something for almost everyone." Staged on a full region this year for the very first time, the traditional 10 day event that began in 2012 as a celebration of the Dickens Centennial will be open to residents for five weeks, beginning November 25th and closing December 30th, on LEA 7 http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA7/114/149/21

Sunday, April 2, 2017

POETRY OF THE PLANETS Opens on LEA 4


A new project opens on Linden Endowment for the Arts Region 4 Sunday, April 2nd.  Poetry of the Planets is a community poetry project conceived and created by Caledonia Skytower, known best for her work with Seanchai Library.  Skytower combines her decades of real world professional experience in theatrical design, with a life long involvement in both vocal and instrumental music, to conjure an installation whose intent is to inspire the writing of poetry.

No stranger to writing Skytower, who has self-published nine titles published of of fiction, poetry and reflective essays, sees this as a re-arrangement of something she has been doing for years. "This goes back to the beginning of my career, before i designed my first musicals and operettas.  I would always come up with a play list of music to have running while I worked on a show. I was weened on Disney's Fantasia, and I have a keen appreciation for how music can heighten a creative journey."

Inspired by Gustav Holst's symphonic suite The Planets, Skytower has created seven "planets"  in the air above LEA 4, each themed to a different movement:  Venus; the Bringer of Peace, Mercury: the Winged Messenger, etc. Residents can teleport from the terrain level to each location, use a URL link station to play that particular movement of Holst's symphony in their internet browser, explore the environment that has been inspired by the music, and are then invited to be inspired themselves to write poetry.

Poems can be submitted  to be the featured poem of the day on the  Poetry of the Planets project blog, which will also be shared on facebook and Google +. Writers retaining full rights to their compositions.   In May, Skytower will select poems to be featured at a live reading event.  Additionally, a poetry resource center is available at LEA 4 for those interested in cultivating their muse.

Information can be found on the project blog, and at the installation itself.  Poetry of the Planets will be open through the end of May on LEA 4.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA4/130/119/30

Friday, May 6, 2016

Seanchai Library Enters Final Month on LEA 9


LEA 9, Second Life – "The Kraken has arrived at Crazy Eights on LEA Region 9, so it must be near the end."  Seanchai Library will be wrapping up its residency among the core regions in the Linden Endowment for the Arts Estate this month. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA9/128/94/31

Crazy Eights opened on LEA 9 January 31st, billed as a celebration of the art of stories and spoken word in Second Life.  To date, there have been 31 individual events, presenting over 40 hours of live voice presentations, featuring over 30 storytellers, authors, poets and voice performers.  Over one thousand individual residents have visited LEA 9 for events, or to wander and explore. Many returned and Crazy Eights is proud to report a 2:1 ratio of unique to return visits.

Friday, April 1, 2016

The Celebration Continues: Spoken Word on LEA 9

"The Valley Forge" docks in the featured Book Area on LEA 9

It is April at Crazy Eights on LEA Region 9, and even though the birthday party itself is a not-so-dim memory, the party is not over yet.  There's plenty more yet to come at Seanchai Library's celebration of stories and spoken word, including an observance of National Poetry Month (in the U.S.) and the arrival of the spaceship "Valley Forge" for Featured Book Series #3's presentation of "Silent Running."

Friday, February 19, 2016

THE CRAZINESS CONTINUES on LEA 9

The Craziness has only just begun on LEA 9, as the first month of Seanchai Library's celebration of stories and spoken word continues.

Special Events still to come in February include:

* Sunday, February 21st at 3pm slt in the Crazy Eights Arena:
The very first ever STORYTELLERS' SANDBOX session; providing a forum for new stories, new storytellers, and new ways to present them.  The first Sandbox will feature Artist and Storyteller Hana Hoo, self-published author Dulcie Mills with her newest work, and the ever creative Trolley Trollop with "The TAO of Martha."  Crazy Eights Arena

Thursday, February 11, 2016

FUNKY JUNK : LEA 22 An in-depth interview with Carmsie Melodie - Dean Lawson Reporting



Carmsie Melody is a Second Life artist who is currently creating a sim called “Funky Junk” as part of the Linden Endowment for the Arts land grant program. I had the good fortune to speak with Carmsie. 

Dean : Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions about the Funky Junk LEA sim. Could you tell me what first attracted you to Second Life?
Carmsie : Before Second Life, I was in an alternative virtual world called There.com. It was fun and I had great friends but I became a bit bored and restless because I wanted to create content. The ability to build was limited in that world.  I had heard that people could create in SL so I checked it out. As soon as I arrived I discovered it was all I was hoping for and more. The rest is history! 
Dean : Could you tell me about the concept of Funky Junk?
Carmsie : Funky Junk is a large, 3D immersive virtual artwork (aka destination) that's currently in development. Thanks to LEA's Land Grant program, and the wonderful volunteers who keep it all ticking over, I’m having tons of fun creating its strange landscape and unique inhabitants. It’s hard to describe but Funky Junk is sort of a whimsical, post-apocalyptic, mini-world where trash, waste, bent and broken stuff is truly treasured. Most things in Funky Junk are made of, or contain, remnant artifacts of the species that once lived there, namely Avatars. The strange beings that now reside at Funky Junk have come up with some ingenious methods of farming and manufacturing goods, not to mention a seemingly haphazard approach to building and construction. Be sure to explore under the water too!

Dean : What was the process of building the sim?
Carmsie : To begin with there was a LEA Land Grant submission process that required me to tender a proposal. I came up with the idea of using Junk and gave LEA a rough outline of what the sim would ultimately look like. After I submitted my proposal there was a period of time where I waited for LEA’s decision. On the strength of wishful thinking I started making bits and pieces for the sim. I built some furniture, some weird looking inhabitants and also a few large, complex components. The challenge was, due to lack of prims, I wasn’t able to see them all together to determine whether they were visually cohesive. It wasn’t until I got the sim (yay by the way!) that I was able check. Ultimately some elements survived others … well … delete! The proposed build is very different from what I am actually creating now, although junk is still at the heart of it. Error and rework, much maligned in the world of business, seem to underpin most of my artistic endeavours. I try something and if it works it stays, if not I hit delete. The proposed concept didn’t gel so the idea has morphed. I’m still building – and loving it!  I should also add that my building skills are limited. For example I can’t make mesh. So my art always contains items I make myself along with others I either have in inventory, are freebies or I purchase. For large builds like this one I also work with a very skilled scripter, Struthious and you’ll find some of Dusty Canning’s creative madness dotted here and there. 

Dean : How did you get involved in building? Do you have any words of advice for people that are new to Second Life who might be interested in creating content in the virtual world?
Carmsie : As I mentioned earlier, I came to SL specifically because I wanted to build. When I arrived I knew zero but, as so many have, I began by visiting Ivory Tower in SL. From then on you could not stop me rezzing prims and trying things out. Along the way I taught myself Photoshop and some basic scripting – rather how to edit scripts. I also started making sounds using Audacity to incorporate into my builds. A few very strange ones can be downloaded for free from my Carmsie account at Freesound.org.
It has taken me years to develop my skills and I still feel like a novice in many, many respects. But that’s the beauty of SL and what keeps me interested – there’s always more to learn. 
In terms of advice for new builders I suggest they start with easy things. Don’t try to make anything too complex to begin with or you could become discouraged. Lots of small wins is better than one giant flop.  Also, use the resources that are readily available – in world places like Builders Brewery, websites and YouTube videos contain a wealth of info and freebies you can draw on. And keep in mind that every single thing you make in SL, even if you botch it, expands your knowledge and competence in some way. So keep at it. Practice makes perfect … or at the very least really big improvements. 

Dean : Is there anything else you would like people to know about Funky Junk?
Carmsie : There is one thing I have not mentioned. I am trying a little multi-media experiment with this build. One of Funky Junk’s inhabitants is called Rusty Steele (Rustysteeleblogger Resident) and he’s our official blogger. He has set up a Blog and posts semi-regularly (http://funkyjunksl.weebly.com/). 
My aim is use Rusty as a vehicle to help make the development of the sim - the building process itself - part of the overall art experience. Rusty’s posts inform people of new places on the sim that are ready to be seen, even if not 100% complete. He gives them SLurls and they can drop by if they’d like to, or they can just stay informed about the progress via the blog. That way people can feel part of the evolution of the crazy world of Funky Junk as well as seeing it when complete. 
An unexpected bonus for me has been some of the feedback visitors offer. There have been lots of comment made along the lines of, “It would be great/funny/interesting if…”  Some of these ideas are just a bit too out-there but others have been total gems and I’ve added a version of them to the sim. 
Rusty will kill me if I close without mentioning that all visitors can get a full Rusty Steele avatar for free, including shape and AO, from Funky Junk’s Blog Office in world. So if an uber-hot, corroded look (his own words) is what you’re after, you can become Rusty’s virtual twin!   
Funky Junk - 3D immersive sim, LEA22 (237, 34, 22) - Moderate


DEAN LAWSON 

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Seanchai Library Opens "Crazy Eights" Celebration on LEA 9 January 31st at 1:30pm SLT





LEA 9, Second Life – Seanchai Library is kicking off its 2016 celebration of stories and spoken word on Linden Endowment for the Arts region 9, which has been granted to the Library for the winter and spring months.  The grand opening of "Crazy Eights" on LEA 9 has been announced for Sunday, January 31st at 1:30pm featuring Miguel de Cervantes "Don Quixote" and the work of Seanchai founder Derry McMahon: Don Quixote in Words and Images.

The event is open to the public and will include English-translation selections from the classic story presented by Ms. McMahon and Bear Silvershade in the Crazy Eights Eastern Meadow.  Guests will be free to sit near a tempting windmill, or wander among McMahon's photo series inspired by the great quest of Cervantes' hero.  The collection of Second Life photography was first seen as part of the Fine Arts Tour (FIAT) in 2014.  The Crazy Eights installation includes some of the original show, and additional images which were not part of the FIAT exhibition.



"Living at the intersection of reality and illusion, Don Quixote is one of the most beloved literary characters. On his eternal quest to make the world a better place, he sees the world as it should be: peasants become gentlefolk, windmills transform into evil giants and in a barmaid he sees the soul of the lady of his dream.

"Where we see darkness and despair, he sees light, hope, and always, adventure. What better character to explore Second Life, probing a world created entirely from the stuff of our imagination? Truly a stranger in a strange land, these images take Quixote on a journey from the comical through the heartrending.  Travel alongside the Don as he tangles with The Great Enchanter (windmills), and discovers SL sights that are familiar, and yet...not.”  

February will commence weekly live programming by Seanchai Library at Crazy Eights, while continuing programming at their home parcel on the Bradley University region.  All times SLT and all events in voice.  Events include: 

  • The Featured Book Area will begin its first book series at 7pm on Thursday, February 4th with Chief Storyteller Shandon Loring and Tracey Garvis Graves' NYT Best-Selling "On The Island." Loring has created a 360 degree environment inspired by Graves' work, filled with links and scripted surprises.
  • The popular "Tea Time at Baker Street" Sunday series will begin "The Return of Sherlock Holmes" with it's first adventure "The Empty House" on February 7th at 1:30pm. The Baker Street area of Crazy Eights will include the "Holmes & Watson Gallery", a book shop with links to Conan Doyle's canon, and references to other Holmesian locations around the grid.



Connecting the six different venue areas on Crazy Eights is the Story Forest. "It is the connective tissue that brings all of this together," said lead Seanchai staffer Caledonia Skytower." We were looking for a means to draw all the different story venues together with a visual reflection of our journey of the last eight years."  The staff created that environmental representation inspired by artworks created for books, especially the chromatic richness of N.C. Wyeth's illustrations.

A winding path of books leads explorers through a wood and meadow populated with "Story Stations." At each station are visual story elements and a link post. By clicking on the image at the top of the post, guests can be connected with either the text of the story, or information about the story online.  Skytower relates, " Some of the stories may be familiar, some may not, and some may be stories that people have forgotten that they knew. Some are folktales, and some are beloved works of literature. Its a mix of tales from around the world, and we will trade different stations in and out even after opening. So the journey will always be a little different."

Information on Seanchai Library schedules and programs, as well as links to Seanchai's social media presence can be found online at http://irelandslstory.blogspot.com/

Seanchai Library (Shanna-key, which means "Storyteller" in Irish.) was founded in March of 2008 in Second Life. Thousands of stories, and hundreds of authors later, the program remains dedicated to promoting the power of stories to transform and inspire through live voice presentations: "We bring stories of all kinds to life, in Second Life." "Crazy Eights" refers to the Library celebrating its eighth anniversary this year.



Location:

Saturday, January 2, 2016

SEANCHAI LIBRARY Announces New Literary Adventures in 2016

Seanchai Library's home in The Community Virtual Library
on  Bradley University 
Bradley University, Second Life – Among the longest active literary programs on the Second Life grid, Seanchai Library will be celebrating its 8th anniversary in 2016 with several projects in addition to its regular weekly schedule of literature and stories.  Seanchai Library (Shanna-key, which means "Storyteller" in Irish.) was founded in March of 2008 in Second Life. Thousands of stories, and hundreds of authors later, the program remains dedicated to promoting the power of stories to transform and inspire through live voice presentations: "We bring stories of all kinds to life, in Second Life."

Monday, October 7, 2013

SL TOS a storm in a teacup? - Lacy Muircastle reporting ....

Is it all just a storm in a tea cup, or is it far more ominous than that .... Recently much has been written in various blogs and in various forums about the latest changes to the Second Life TOS by Linden Labs and in some cases the reaction to these changes have been to the detriment of the Second Life community at large, most notably is the recent resignation of Bryn Oh from the Linden Endowment for the Arts committee. Bryn, who is a brilliant artist and content creator in her own right, but who also has been an advocate for other budding artists and content creators in SL is quoted as saying  "After the new TOS came out I had to decide if I still felt comfortable being associated with the LEA, not the members but rather the concept.  One thing I do in both first life and Second Life is try to convince artists that they and their art are worth something.  You see, artists are quite often taken advantage of.  Anyway, long story short I have decided to resign from the Linden Endowment for the Arts due to the current TOS."

Monday, September 17, 2012

Linden Endowment Of The Arts Features Mary Wickentower’s, ‘Cinema!’ – Jaded Exonar Reporting...




The new art installation supported by ‘Linden Endowment Of The Arts’, is a sim wide piece by Mary Wickentower. Using her extensive background in design, she has created an elegant and nostalgic window into the past....

 



 
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