Memorial Tower to Lumiere Noir

Avi Arrow recently told me about a new structure south of the Ivory Tower of Prims. In the adjacent Zoe sim is a memorial to Lumiere Noir, the man who created the Ivory Tower and it's library of instructions for those learning how to build things inworld. But on August 10, 2015, he passed away. His memorial service later that month was well attended by his friends and admirers. While the Ivory Tower could be considered a memorial to Lumiere, Avi felt there should be something else.

"That is something Lumiere created for Planet Mongo," Avi spoke of the tower, "few things of his have survived as he rarely took stuff into inventory. So, I took the tower and created the base for it and pavilion around it." The base had a few models at the outer edge of what looked like "Flash Gordon" style spaceships. The tower itself had a base with a thin section of glowing blue rings. Higher up were a few larger blue rings rising and lowering around the top part.

To the west a short distance is another structure. This one is brick, and resembles a more conventional memorial building. "The upper area is the actual memorial itself," Avi told me. In the front is a metallic statue of Lumiere's "Spy vs Spy" inspired avatar, with prims between it's hands, "Had one member create his statue which Kennylex also had a hand in making." Inside the building are a number of objects placed together, the memorial "houses the objects people gave to me to place in remembrance of him, at the actual memorial service itself."

And the name of the memorial for Lumiere? Avi told me, "Celebrity Ant Farmer was the last group title he gave to himself. So, his memorial park will be called the Celebrity Ant Farm."

Avi Arrow is working on another project. But details are mum until it's closer to being finished.

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Zoe/180/252/27

Bixyl Shuftan

Journey Across the SL14B on Day One

Gemma Cleanslate has been busy touring the grounds of the Second Life Fourteenth Birthday celebration. Among the places  she visited were three memorial exhibits to two notable residents who passed away.   Two were for Ladyslipper Constantine, noted for her activities with volunteering and the arts. One was for Lumiere Noir, the creator of the Ivory Tower of Prims which instructs residents old and new about creating things in Second Life.

Read Gemma's article in Places.

Memorial Service for Lumiere Noir

Last weekend, Second Life bade farewell to a noted resident, Lumiere Noir. For many who learned how to build things, they got their lessons at the Ivory Tower of Prims which allowed residents to learn at their own pace. As it's creator, Lumiere's death was particularly sad to many. On Sunday August 16, residents old and new gathered to remember the departed teacher and share a few stories.

Read more in Events.

The Weekend at a Glance

There were quite a few events that took place this weekend. Saturday saw Tuna Oddfellow's tenth rezzday celebration, with two of his Odd Balls that day. It was also the grand opening of a new club, Coeur D'Ame. Sunday had the Relay for Life season Wrap-Up at the Rose Theater, and at the Ivory Tower of Prims residents gave their respects to it's builder, Lumiere Noir. On both days at Raglan Shire, their "Wootstock" 60's tribute took place.

We'll have more for you later. For now, the newx crew is tired and needs some rest before writing up on these events, and more.

In Memory of Lumiere Noir

A *Remembrance and Celebration* gathering for Lumiere Noir will be held at 1:00pm (13:00) SLT on Sunday 16th of August at the Ivory Tower Library of Primitives http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Natoma/210/164/28 (G-rated) .  Bring fondest of memories and dancing shoes.

Natoma (210/164/28)

Lumiere Noir, Creator of the Ivory Tower of Primitives, Dies

Most longtime residents, especially builders and scripters, know about the "Ivory Tower of Primitives." For those residents wanting to learn how to build and script at their own pace, this library if infor mation in the Natoma sim is the most well known and one of the best places to go to. The one behind this library of instructions and tutorials was Lumiere Noir, whom created the Tower very early in Second Life's history, possibly shortly after it's begining in 2003, and has since helped maintain it, with the help of Avi Arrow and Kennylex Luckless.

It has been recently revealed that the person behind the avatar Lumiere Noir has died, passing away on Monday August 10, 2015.

I chatted briefly with Kennylex, " I do not know so much about him personal, but he was the Founder of the Ivory Tower. ... He was the one and only that did build the tower I think." He explained the Tower wasn't originally built in Natoma, but "The first Tower was located in Noyo, It was a huge party here when the tower was moving here, it was a big event for the whole of Second Life."

Kennylex went on to say, "Natoma and The Ivory Tower was one of the first places I did come to in SL and the reason that I did stay so long."

Kennlylex pointed to an article in the "Not Possible in Real Life" blog. There in an interview with Bettina Tizzy, Lumiere identified himself as Vince Frost of Plano Texas, a teacher of English as a second Language. "I love to make things and I love to teach," Lumiere spoke when asked where the idea for the tower came from, "Making the tower was a natural thing for me as a teacher." He didn't like teaching inworld, so he created the tutorials.

Lennylex told me that Lumiere's avatar was active, but being used by a friend to make some adjustments to the tower. 



Torley Linden did a video about the Ivory Tower of Prims in May 2008 (link), "Its kind of like visiting a candy factory to see how your favorite sweets are made," came one of the comments. He also took a number of pictures in his Flickr (link).

Lumiere was known for appearing in a "Black Spy" avatar, of "Mad Magazine's" "Spy vs Spy" comics.

Hat Tip: Daniel Voyager

Bixyl Shuftan

The First Sims – Natoma

DrFran Babcock continues her "First Sims" series with a visit to Natoma. This place is distinguished by two feaures: the landmarks and old builds, one a remnant of Second Life's alpha grid days, and that unlike many places there was someone always here on the sim when someone stopped by. So what else did the intrepid writer find?

Read DrFran's story in Places.