Art in Second Life 2022 (103) Michiel Bechir Gallery December 2022

17 Dec 2022 Leave a comment

by diomitamaurer in Art in Second Life Tags: , , , , ,

 

I got an invitation from Michiel Bechir to see the latest exhibition at his “Michiel Bechir Gallery“, that had been opened yesterday, December 16th. It features the art of Maggie Runo, Tresore Prada Hawkins (tresore) and Michiel Bechir himself. Michiel, Tresore, Maggie and MsToya (Mstoya Bailey), who was the dj for the opening event, also build the team, that is running the gallery.


On the ground floor of the gallery are two exhibitions rooms, a third exhibition space is on the 2nd floor. Michiel, Maggie and Tresore Prada have a similiar approach in creating her art. All take pictures in Second Life and process them carefully. And all pictures shown in this December exhibtion have a touch of the current season, a touch of Winter and Christmas.

Impressions of Michiel Bechir Gallery December 2022 – Maggie Runo

The exhibition room on the left shows the pictures of Maggie Runo, an artist that I haven’t covered in this blog so far. Maggie is in Second Life since 2007.  You can find more of her art at her flickr account. 

The room on the right side features Michiel Bechir’s art. Michiel has started his long virtual journey into Second Life as a photographer in 2009. Michiel enjoys seeing new places, meeting new people from all over the world and expierencing the creativity in Second Life (just like I do!). Michiel discovered the possiblities of different tools to improve his pictures. By editing them he also tries to add a personal touch and feeling.

Impressions of Michiel Bechir Gallery December 2022 – Michiel Bechir

The 2nd floor shows the art of Tresore Prada Hawkins (tresore). Tresore is in SL since 2011. She writes about herself “I love SL because it allows me to explore, discover new parts of myself, be creative, connect and experience others. It enriches my life. I have found in photography and visual arts the perfect outlet for creativity.”  For the December exhibition Tresore presents a selection of her art, that clearly is related to the season. More of her art can be seen at her flickr account.

Impressions of Michiel Bechir Gallery December 2022 – Tresore Prada Hawkins (tresore)

The December exhibition is a real Christmas exhibition, full of the magic that Christmas develops also in Second Life. Thank you Michiel and the whole team (Maggie Runo, Tresore Prada (tresore) and MsToya (Mstoya Bailey) for providing the space for the arts and for your personal art. I enjoyed my visit.

Landmark to Michiel Bechir Gallery
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Embrace/26/226/2502
Maggie Runo’s flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/maggie_runo/
Tresore Prada Hawkins (tresore) flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/149003763@N08/

Art in Second Life 2022 (77) Michiel Bechir Gallery September 2022

06 Sep 2022 Leave a comment

by diomitamaurer in Art in Second Life Tags: , , , , , , , ,

I got an invitation from Michiel Bechir to see the latest exhibition at his “Michiel Bechir Gallery“, that had been opened on September 3rd, 2022. It features the art of Raisa Reimse (raisareimse), Vanessa Jane (vanessajane66) and Scylla Rhiadra. I hadn’t yet came across any of these three artists so far.

The gallery itself has been renewed. Michiel wrote: “The outside gallery, lobby and rooms have been redesigned by Maggie Runo, who has been recently added to our team (which consists of Tresore Prada (tresore), MsToya (Mstoya Bailey) and me)“

The main gallery building hasnt’ changed. On the ground floor are two exhibitions rooms, a third exhibition space is on the 2nd floor. I first visited Raisa Reimse’s exhibition.

Raisa takes her pictures in Second Life. I think that the pictures are a little bit processed to achieve perfectness. Raisa has an eye for the right view, for capturing the beauty of landscapes and nature in Second Life. She’s not restricted on landscape only though but also takes pictures of animals, art, portraits and even objects like a small plane in the skies.

Raisa is in Second Life since 2018. She has a flickr account, a store on the marketplace and she has her personal gallery “Raisa Reimse Photography“.

Vanessa Jane (vanessajane66) takes her raw pictures also in Second Life, yet she’s focused more on objects or strange buildings or fantasy places. Her artwork is broad and she also has beautiful landscapes as a motif. Vanessa also processes her pictures to give them the touch, the light and the expression she desires to see. Right along the window are 3 pictures in almost black and white, where colour is only used to hightlight an element.

Vanessa Jane (vanessajane66) is in Second Life since 2014, but she joined Sl with another avatar already in 2009. You can grab a biography in her exhibition room at the Michiel Bechir Gallery. Vanessa wrote about herself:
“2D and 3D Artist in SL. I have done various forms of Art and Crafts for many years in RL and have an Art degree.
In my SL 2D Art I strive for ‘painterly realism’ and have a passion for capturing the elusive light and life in a scene, which brings a unique atmosphere. I bring my real life training as an artist to my aesthetic sensibility in the images I create in SL. When I get the chance I also enjoy opportunities to do 3D art using tortured prims.
After a break from SL Art I am back mixing my SL photography with creating in a new medium, Digital Paintings using Rebelle 5 Pro. This is enabling me to paint as I would using real life media but also to play using the best that digital art packages can offer.“

Vanessa Jane (vanessajane66) has also a flickr acoout.
She has exhibited her artwork at many places and galleries already. A list of exhibitions can be found in the biography notecard as well as published reviews of them. In the Kultivate Magazine June 21 she gave an interview.

Scylla Rhiadra’s exhibition is on the second floor of Michiel Bechir Gallery. Her exhibition deals with shadows. Shadows can attract the eye of the spectator, it can lead the view to a certain detail or a shadow can hide a detail so that the spectator has to add it in mind according to imagination. The text at the entrance of the sxhibition expresses this perfectly: “No mystery so ompelling as that obscured by the dark”
All pictures are from 2022 and they are all titled. You find the title next to the pictures. The title gives you a hint about the artists thoughts.

Scylla Rhiadra is in Second Life since 2008. She’s from Canada and decribes ehrself in her profile as “Reborn oldster. Feminist activist, leftist, reasonably active forumite, retired SL bookseller, interested in literature, history, art, and people”
Scylla also has a flickr account.

Another great exhibition. Thank you Michiel and the whole team (Maggie Runo, Tresore Prada (tresore) and MsToya (Mstoya Bailey) for providing the space for the arts and many thanks to the artists of course. I enjoyed my visit.

Landmark to Michiel Bechir Gallery
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Embrace/30/228/2502
Raisa Reimse (raisareimse)’s flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/193534621@N03/
Raisa Reimse (raisareimse)’s store on the marketplace
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/241744
Raisa Reimse (raisareimse)’s gallery “Raisa Reimse Photography”
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Triumphal/126/132/3401
Vanessa Jane (vanessajane66)’s flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/188095651@N07/?
Vanessa Jane (vanessajane66) Interview about her work in Kultivate Magazine June 21
https://issuu.com/kultivatemagazine/docs/kultivate_magazine_-_june2021
Scylla Rhiadra’s flickr
https://www.flickr.com/gp/144085527@N07/939jJ1

Art in Second Life 2020 (50) Michiel’s Art café and gallery at Little Paris

12 Aug 2020 Leave a comment

by diomitamaurer in Art in Second Life Tags: , , , , ,

I got an invitation from Michiel Bechir to attend an opening party for a new exhibition at his Art café and gallery at a sim named “Little Paris”.

On July 29th, I had the opportunity to visit the Art café and gallery. The Art café and gallery fits perfectly into the environment. It is a 3 story city building, the ground floor is occupied by the café, a place to sit and talk that is nicely decortated.

The Art café and gallery at Little Paris

The pictures at the wall in the café are from Tresore Prada Hawkins (tresore). Tresore Prada (tresore) is in SL since 2011. She writes about herself “I love SL because it allows me to explore, discover new parts of myself, be creative, connect and experience others. It enriches my life. I have found in photography and visual arts the perfect outlet for creativity.”

Tresore Prada Hawkins (tresore) at The Art café and gallery at Little Paris

As far as I understood, the 2nd floor exhibtion changes. Right now the art of Star (gossamerstar) is showcased there. Her pictures have one common theme – fantasy. Star (gossamerstar) is Canadian and in Second Life since 2013. Star had a few exhibtions before. The art presented at th Art café and gallery show young fairy-like women surrounded by flowers painted in pale colours.

Star (gossamerstar) at The Art café and gallery at Little Paris

And on the third floor under the roof, Michiel has exhibited a few of his own pictures. Michiel Bechir is quite a while in Second Life already (since 2007).
Michiel likes traveling in Secnd Life and takes his pictures within Second Life. With the options offered by several photo tools he improves the pictures, makes them more colourful, highlights the beauty of the original picture and adds a personal touch and feeling.

Michiel Bechir at The Art café and gallery at Little Paris

And that’s it about my visit to Michiel’s Art café and gallery at “Little Paris”, a nice small gallery, a place to enjoy a conversation and a place to look at artful pictures. Thank you Michiel.

Landmark to Art café and gallery
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Vanilla%20Sky/16/112/1057
Tresore Prada Hawkins (tresore) flickr

Mediterraneo

Star (gossamerstar) flickr

Fish Tales

Art in Second Life 2020 (19B) Michiel Bechir Galleries current exhibtions

16 Apr 2020 Leave a comment

by diomitamaurer in Uncategorized Tags: , , , , ,

At Michiel Bechir Galleries a new exhibtion was opened on Friday, April 10th. I went there on Saturday, April 11th. The exhibition features the work of Tresore Prada (tresore), Mélodie Heart (mariemadeleine38), Star (gossamerstar) on the 2nd floor and Michiel Bechir’s own art on the 1st floor. Unfortunately I didn’t find a notecard with more information about the artists, hence I have only some basic information.

Tresore Prada (tresore) is in SL since 2011. She writes about herself “I love SL because it allows me to explore, discover new parts of myself, be creative, connect and experience others. It enriches my life. I have found in photography and visual arts the perfect outlet for creativity.” At Michiel Bechir’s Galleries we see her pictures, that are related to peaceful fairy fantasy worlds. The floor of the room at the gallery is covered with grass and wildflowers, there’s a fountain and the opportunity to sit. This way you see the pictures in a fitting environment.

Tresore Prada (Tresore) at Michiel Bechir’s Galleries

Mélodie Heart (mariemadeleine38) is in SL since 2016. She has had several exhibtions also together with other artists in Second Life and her art work has messages – mostly realated to nature and evironmental issues: “This paper cut world will replace the world we live in once it will be worn out.” I haven’t seen this kind of art in Second Life yet but only in RL and I like it! The world map made up with pieces of paper, almost breaking apart dominates the room with her art. But look also at all the other paper cut work.

Mélodie Heart (mariemadeleine38) at Michiel Bechir’s Galleries

Star (gossamerstar) is Canadian and in Second Life since 2013. Star had a few exhibtions before. The art presented at Michiel Bechir Galleries fits a bit to the art of Mélodie Heart (mariemadeleine38), the floor of the room is also covered with green gras and there’s an Angel statue made of stone in the center of the room. The pictures itself are are also related to fantasy worlds yet a tiny bit less romantic (I wonder is there something like more or less romantic?)

20200411 Gossamerstar_005

Star (gossamerstar) at Michiel Bechir’s Galleries

Michiel Bechir is quite a while in Second Life already (since 2007). Michiel art deals also with pictures taken within Second Life. He says about himself:
“I have started my long virtual journey as a photographer in Second Life in 2009. First my main motivation was to share the richness of creations of all those different sims, with all their aspects. I discovered the options offered by several photo tools, which helped me to improve the shots I captured. By editing them I try to add a personal touch and feeling.”
Michiel’s pictures are impressive as the processing makes them more colourful and highlights the beauty or the original picture.

Michiel Bechir’s own art at Michiel Bechir Galleries

Landmark to Michiel Bechir Galleries
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Amarantha%20Island/80/70/3006