DevaStatingSL

Oh I just HAD to write something to go with this picture.

I am now in my thirteenth year of being in Second Life, and I have to say that its charm and attraction never lessens for me.

The main thing which draws and keeps me there is… creativity. Back in the old old ollllllden days, when everything in SL was made from single prims… I couldn’t quite get my head around the fact that everything there had been made by people in SL.

I often muse now that if the people we were then could instantly see the meshy feast-for-the-eyes which our shared pixelated world has become, we would be truly mind-blown.

SL has always been like a double espresso shot to my own personal creativity. It’s given me space to dream and let themes for writing percolate in my head before forming on any page or screen.

It’s a place which draws together those who love to dream, imagine… and then produce art, be it written, painted, or built. It’s my experience that if I spend my time with the right people, my artistic gifts are encouraged due to almost a magical push from either the creation of others, or the spirit they create in me.

This picture is very much evidence of that aspect.

This morning, when I checked on my FB, I found a truly amazing picture from the lovely, and talented Leo Beverly. I am sharing a link to it here so you can go and see for yourself…. and smile too. She has such an ability to take an SL photograph and make it look like a true painting… and she’s been doing this for years! I saw this with my morning cuppa… and simply had to stop for a few minutes to enjoy it.

Isn’t it beautiful!

Then I noticed it was an entry for a competition… so I looked up the details:

Now, I can tell you that the Lost Unicorn SIM… and the gallery, are two of the most visually gorgeous places there are. Natalie has created such wonderful spaces that if you haven’t yet visited them… you really should!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Lost%20Unicorn/229/221/24

My creative sparkles were well and truly agitated by all this, so I headed off to try and find a place that I could come up with a picture.

One of my resolutions this year is to spend time enjoying creating my own art, be it SL-based, or RL works. Too much time last year was given over to me trying to encourage others with theirs, that I found I didn’t have time for mine.

The thing is, I can wonderfully lose myself in a painting, or drawing. SL-based work is quicker to achieve, but allows me to try and develop very different skills. For me, this is an important thing, and it helps me clear and soothe my mind.

I was glad of the inspiration for photographic direction this morning, put on my headphones and headed to the Lost Unicorn SIM. It took me two visits, and numerous raw shots to finally settle on this one. As you can see, it BEGGED me to put on my faerie character and simply soak up the feeling of the place. Yes, I did say “soak up the feeling”, because for me, the truly lovely places in SL do indeed have a ‘feel’. I sat on the SIM surrounded by the forest birdsong that there is there, bathed in sunbeams, and I simply couldn’t help but beam with smiles.

Seeing Leo’s picture, then finding Natalie’s competition details gave me a wonderful and productive way to spend some time.

Why not go and take your own image? What’s stopping you?? You have till tomorrow to upload a picture… read the link to the competition details and have a go! 🙂 Good luck!! ♥

At the very least, take a look at all the other wonderful entries so far… https://www.flickr.com/groups/the_lost_unicorn_gallery_and_forest_sanctuary

SL is such a place of beauty where imagination and dreams can really flourish!