Talented Creators of SL (Part 5): Autumn Beaver -custom builder and architect-

By Lord Lisle

You may remember that Yolanda Hirvi took me to the Virtuality Ride in the Music Academy Online-SL (MAO) sim? Eventually I happen to meet the creator of this wonderful piece of SL building, Autumn Beaver, the resident builder of the MAO sim.

Autumn Beaver, her portrait taken on the 16th September 2008

Autumn Beaver has been building in Second Life, the online learning platform, for well over a year and a half. Studying hard, with trial and error, she has become one of the most experienced in-world builders. Because I was very curious about her motivations and background I asked what had driven her to become a builder and architect:

When did you start building and were you inspired by other SL buildings or builders?
When I started SL, creating content was a goal for sure, it gradually graduated to building, and I started out learning to create clothing, learning alpha texturing. The building came when I realized that I could go to a sandbox, and build anything I could imagine. I went to the sandboxes everyday for about 6 months. I just kept building things I wanted, or imagined. I didn’t think enough to explore SL when I came here. I was asked to come here, and no one thought enough to tell me about the TP system, or that there was this huge world to explore. A friend gave me a LM to the sandbox. I was however, inspired at the sandbox; there were some "regulars" who built amazing things. I would sit and watch them for hours.

What do you think are the most essential requirements for a successful and creative builder?
I think you have to keep your mind wide open, first and foremost. I’m self taught, so reading a lot on the forums was helpful to answer a lot of my questions. A very close second is time, I know that dedication of my time and making building here my priority is important for my business. As for Creativity, your mind is the limit; you can create anything you can imagine here, I am influenced by real life all the time. Travel I guess and exploring in SL, generate a lot of my creativity.

Autumn standing before the 'Present Age' building which took her some extra effort to get it into shape as she really had meant to.

I assume you have created your own textures for the buildings you have built? May I ask if you made these from pictures of photographs? Are you a PhotoShop user?
Actually, I do use many that I buy here in SL, I am a huge supporter of our texture artists here in SL. They work hard at their trade, and put a lot into their textures, I’m a builder, not an artist. We all have a part here. Like the real world, a mason would not paint a mural on your wall. That is not to say he couldn’t, I am talented, and creative. But I know the time it takes to make textures, my time is focused on building. I am a PSP9 user, and yes I can create textures. I do create textures for some things that I want but cannot find, and don’t have time to wait for. I will use pictures or Google for images to manipulate. Sometimes I draw them out, but I am left handed. In RL, you try drawing with your right hand with a mouse... not a pretty sight.

Do you feel that good landscaping or creative building is completely different?
Hmm, that question was difficult to understand, I apologise if I’m a little slow today. I do believe that landscaping and building can walk hand and hand beautifully. I however, can build into any landscape, so for me, personally, landscaping is an after thought.

What do you consider yourself as the best you have created so far? (Personally I fancy your Virtuality Ride in Music Academy Online-SL, every time I went back to show it to a friend I see another new detail)
Well thank you so much, The Virtuality Ride is definitely my favourite as of yet, I have new favourites daily... The ride challenged me to think about what someone else was "Creatively" thinking, when he composed a piece of music. It was a challenge, but a welcome one. I love that I got to listen to Benton's ideas on what he saw, but really that I got to run with it, and interpret it to be my own art, a visuality of Amin's Virtuality. This is my favourite one at this time. There are many on the Music Academy Online-SL, that I hold dear, The Rosslyn Chapel.

Rosslyn Chapel in the Music Academy Online-SL

Have you been working on other projects than the Music Academy Online SL?
Yes, in fact I am working on another sim, whose grand opening is coming up soon; it is a classical music sim as well. I am the main architect there. There are many awesome builds on this sim, a tower for one, with a rotating cafe on top. A ski lift and ski lodge. I also have a few other clients I am working with, some are educational sims, and some are not. I also have my own furniture store in Searobin, it was a main focus, when I started building, it is more my hobby now. I make things for it when I can. I focus all of my time on my clients. I live, breath, strive for building by the seat of my pants, so to speak.. I love the challenges.

I would really like to thank you all for taking interest in my builds and the Virtualty Ride especially. I love hearing from everyone how much they enjoy my work. This being my real life job, of course, making a living is wonderful. But the real payment is the knowledge that other people enjoy my work as much as I enjoyed making it. I love building and I hope to be at it for the next 50 years..

In the grotto (Utwig/156/208/704/) of another fascinating tour in Music Academy Online-SL created by Autumn

Thank you very much Autumn, we do hope to hear (and view in awe) more of you and your work in the future, in particular the new sim you are working in right now. If anyone out there have a "dream", an in-world aspiration and need an in-world architect/builder, you may want to contact her or just a have a look at her website www.myspace.com/autumnsdesigns

Music Academy Online-SL A follow up (2) or ..... 'A Night In The Opera'

By Lord Lisle

Yesterday I spend much of my precious SL time in Music Academy Online-SL. I did not regret this as you shall read in the following lines and in the snapshots I took. Later in the evening (just before closing down) I happen to meet Maar Auer. I showed her some of the attactions in the MAO sim I had visited earlier and she was absolutely fascinated, in particular the Virtuality Ride!

Anyhow, a careful reader of my previous Blog may remember that I was sitting in a leather couch in the Bachhaus..

Sitting in a comfy couch in the JS Bachhaus listening to parts of the Brandenburg Concerto

The JS Bachhaus, Baroque period, a detailed creation of MAO residential builder Autumn Beaver. In this Blog you find more samples of her work.

Starting exactly at the scheduled time (!) and for us living in the Old World at a very decent time of 11.00 PM, I attended “THE MUSIC OF TANKU KALIGAWA (ANTHONY JOSEPH LANMAN)”

During the actual (recorded) music of this composer, (each piece being explained by Tanku via the music stream) the audience could ask questions about his work via chat, really another fascinating possibility of Second Life. Tanku also hosts a live show at the Music Academy every other Thursday called "Guitar Heroes" featuring the greatest guitarists from every genre of guitar music.

Although I had visited this attraction very briefly earlier this week, I took the opportunity to explore BOLERO ELECTRONICA more closely. Ravel’s Bolero performed on 75 years of synthesizers in chronological order.

Amin Bhatia has done a great job in providing an overview of the history of development in synthesizers.

Surprise! One of the oldest electronic music instruments: the Theramin.

Classical Music in Independence Hall, also a creation by Autumn Beaver.

Listening to contemporary music inside the Independence Hall. Note the RL picture of the hall.

Rosslyn, Medieval period

The Borden Home, Romantic period. Music of Mahler can be heard a this place.. I had a little hope to be able to listen to a piece of Richard Wagner (hint, hint… but NO, not the complete Ring please ..lol).

During the day I had the honour to meet the CEO of Music Academy Online-SL Benton Wunderlich and took the opportunity to ask him a few questions:

Can you tell me briefly how the idea of creating the MAO-SL started?

Music Academy Online-SL started in January 2007 as an extension of our RL business, http://www.musicacademyonline.com/. Music Academy Online is dedicated to generating interest in classical music.

I firmly believe that the kind of immersive, interactive, 3D environment that this type of virtual world provides has dramatic implications for those of us dedicated to generating interest in classical music at all levels, including music education, music appreciation, and especially for the promotion of new music and living composers. Imagine being able to talk with a composer, or author, or music educator in real time from the comfort of your own computer. This environment has the potential to reach out to the four corners of the planet and to make the world a better place one friendship at a time.

Did the building of this place take long?

The building is an ongoing process as we are always developing new exhibits and attractions. Basically, the main building went pretty fast, we started in February and were up and running by March. Autumn Beaver is fantastic. She is our builder.

Are you satisfied with the number of people visiting the place and the concerts?

It is always nice to see larger and larger crowds but, we have had a blast with the crowds we have been having. The show is usually less full than we would like it particularly because we have such incredibly accomplished and unique guests.

Do you plan to give more live concerts in the future?

We will be doing a series of 5 live concerts with the ANALOG ARTS ENSEMBLE beginning the 4th of September and culminating on September 12 with a performance of Stockhausen's music in honour of his birthday. These events will be live performances broadcast from the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

Are there ideas to expand the place or changing the place?

Someday we hope to have many sims.

Thank you very much for giving this extra information, Benton! I am particularly pleased to see that you manage to have so many unique guests performing at your podium. Living in The Netherlands I find it hard to stay up very late most of the times, so I am glad you organise performances at an earlier time!

Apart from the very interesting and fascinating concerts and the already covered attractions I leave it to you to explore the Music Academy Online-SL, you will not regret doing so!