Blogs - Second Travels
I feel the works of an artist’s hands are a mirrored reflection of their soul and spirit. I write poetry and know that every single word I write reveals some tiny fragment of my being. I feel it is the same with those artists who work with other mediums; such as photography, paintings, and sculpture work. I fully respect them and their gift of creativity from a higher source. I know that if you are able to tap into the spirit of creativity, it somehow mixes with your life experiences and your interpretation of life, then art is born. I only came to realize this when I began to write poems.
As a Second Life explorer, I stumbled upon a planetarium that is one of the best I have seen or the very first in the game. While my eyes beheld the beautiful stars and planets that seem to orbit around me, I was greeted in an IM by the owner, Tommy Parrot. He was pleasant and very helpful. He explained to me that he not only owned the planetarium, but he had other spots that were just as enjoyable to view including an Art gallery. I didn't set out to find his gallery, but it seemed to find me. I took his hospitality and note card, told him that I would take the tour of his place and he agreed to do an interview.
Well, despite our attempts to schedule it differently, I took the tour alone. I think it was better that I did my own exploring. I think it was better because I was allowed to soak up the gorgeous scenery he created. My first stop was Wave World a place that is so close to a realistic Caribbean beach scene it is breathtaking. That place lead me to a boating area that made it seem as if you were at a summer lake with fireworks ready for the night sky.
My next stop was the gallery that is very well put together. It has painting and sculptures that are like none you have seen because they are originals. Mr. Parrot allows artist not only to display their works of art, but they can sell them from his gallery. The last few stops were in what he calls spheres. These spheres are complete virtual settings with everything you would see in the real world. They are so realistic; you don’t realize that you are in an enclosed area in the game. There was one that was the depiction of a wooded forest, one that had the feel of a beach, and one that looked like you were in the city, complete with a nightclub.
Mr. Parrot created these areas for those who love to explore Second Life and in my interview with him, I asked:
What is it that drives you to create such a lovely Art Gallery and why are you an Art collector?
Being an artisan myself, I simply wanted a place of serenity to display my & others works. I collect art because it is something I enjoy; I am a very "visual" person, so the two go hand in hand.
When you said that you wanted to give back to the community, what does that really mean when it comes from Tommy Parrott?
I have had many people help me out along my travels in Second Life, and this is my way of returning the favor by allowing artisans to sell for free.
Of all the types of Artwork out there, what is your favorite medium and why?
I like digital artwork; it has many facets, unlike other mediums that are linear.
What are your plans in the future for The Grand Gallery?
The Grand Gallery is now full with over 1000 pieces of art and a space was created for expansion next door to permit even more artworks to be exhibited. The Ginsberg ARTS Center was established in 2006, and is still one of the premiere places in Second Life to view original artworks, and will be for quite some time to come. By the time The G.A.C. is completed and full, it will house about 2000 pieces of art from our fellow Second Life residents.
There you have it, beautiful words from a great artist and collector. I hope you find this to be an enlightening article on one of the best Art galleries in Second Life and I hope you stay tuned as I find more from my SL travels.
