Exploring LEA

The Linden Endowment for the Arts Sims may be the most underrated sims, in my opinion.  Most of LEA sims are Linden Labs endowed sims residents create art builds and perform in.  Most are land granted for a period of time following an application and proposal process.  The majority of SL's most well known artists and performers have either created or performed in a LEA sim at some point.  The sims usually are super creative, very well done and always enjoyable. I especially enjoy the large immersive 6 month full sim AIR/artist in residence builds. Unfortunately, other than openings, closings, and special events, they are usually not very crowded. This may be an ok, thing as one can explore without lag and most the spaces are open long enough for everyone to visit and not miss out. As great as many of them are though I always expect them to be fuller.  Anyway.. I"m going to take one pic in a few and post them here with direct links. But first if you want info. about LEA in general or info. on how to apply for a land grant, check out these LEA links:
LEA official page: http://lea-sl.org/
Here is their official blog: http://lindenarts.blogspot.com/
They are also in Facebook, Flickr, and all over.

Visit LEA2 here: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA2/128/128/18
The first LEA sim I visited tonight was LEA 2 Ethereal Shapes by Noke Yuitza. This sim opened August 5th and has a full line up of great events.  The sim itself, as shown in the image, is dark with a lot of glowey, sparkly, things made for dreamers.  The landing info. states: "ETHEREAL SHAPES (Art installations by Noke Yuitza) Within the forms of faces, animals, flowers… in groups of stars, ink, glitter… There are 4 scenes: Dreamer, Galaxy, Ballet, and Eyes. The concept that brings them together is the dreamer that looks at how stars dances in a galaxy ballet." This is a good immersive experience. Be sure to take the sim windlights and surreal music that match the sim experience.  Here is my one photo...


Visit LEA24 here: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA24/128/128/23
The next LEA sim I visited tonight was LEA 24 Echoes,, Metaphysics of Frequencies by LIvio Korobase.  The sim info. here states: "Some "invisible" elements seem have a strong effect on matter. They are all the unseen, intangible, but we hear them, we feel them.. Every phenomenon is a material trace of the invisible forces that generated it, an indissoluble fusion of content and form".
I have to say I had a really hard time trying to take just one image in this sim, as there is so much to see and do with lots of photogenic spaces and objects, so I gave up and took more pics as I played, viewed, listened and enjoyed and posted the rest on my Flickr which you can see if you click one of my pics that will take you to Flickr. I left myself in pics of this sim for perspective as it has a huge feel to it, well things are larger than life.  I also used the sim windlight for the pics but other lighting is good too. Fun explore!

  Part of the landing note sums up the basis of the experience though and I quote in part here: "How much do the "invisible" sounds influence our perception of the so called "reality" -are real or virtual  the same?  So, i created some ambients where sounds drives my vision, each sound resonating within me, a sensation that i have tried to translate into a 3D visual representation.
It Is important during your visit to turn on your viewer's sounds and your volume up, and  use camera controls to change the "point of view" of each audio sequence.
Wear headphones, put your best possible graphic card setting and good exploration. Good luck with horses and asteroids."


Visit LEA 15 here: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA15/128/128/24
This is another super cool sim.  The landing info. states: "Welcome to Zun Design LEA slim design. Winter crystal Elven magic is the theme. Please touch the crystal dragons to use teleports. You can also explore by foot." This sim looked amazing upon landing but then had so many hidden gems upon further explore. I decided to call this my last explore for the night so I could take my time and enjoy it all.  I'm leaving this one with two images and a message to say if you visit this sim be sure to actually explore it all vs just thinking you might have cammed most of it after a bit.   This one has a lot of relaxing beautiful hang out or pose spots. I'll get back to more of the LEA sims another time but going to call it a night after this one is explored out.