INTERVIEW WITH OUR SPONSOR: SkyeRyder Varriale of Varriale Designs
Q: Hello! Thank you so much for sponsoring the Home & Garden Expo and for your support of Relay For Life! Is there a particular reason you chose to sponsor this year?
A: I had so much fun last year with a smaller plot and running around pestering the Admins for more space, :P. I decided to go all out this year. Plus, it’s one of the best charities!
Q: Have you been involved in other events with Relay For Life of Second Life? Have you been to a real world Relay?
A: Only this one in SL but I am interested in other SL Relay for Life events, time willing. In real life I own a business which keeps me busy but I do donate to the cause.
Q: Tell us what you’re bringing to The Expo this year. Especially about the items you created for Relay. Any other exclusive items you’re planning to release at the Expo?
A: I am donating a brand new home for the Expo. it’s an eclectic villa much as you would find in South America or the Caribbean. Intentionally bohemian in style. I am not sure what my second item will be yet.
Q: When did you first arrive in Second Life and what brought you to Second Life?
A: I did some freelance work for for Electronic Arts when I heard about Second Life’s economy. I came to explore and never left. That was more than 10 years ago.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about how you’ve spent your Second Life, besides building and creating awesome products? Hobbies, interests.. things you’ve learned along the way?
A: The work takes up a lot of time but Sl does make it easy to make friends internationally which I enjoy. SL also has given me the ability to create homes and gardens with virtually, pun intended, no limits to creativity which is important to me.
Q: Tell us about more about your SL business?
A: Well, Varriale Designs has been around for over ten years. As with anyone, my first houses were pretty basic but they sold which encouraged me to continue. I have always loved architecture and landscaping and I build homes I would personally like to live in in real life. A major part of my style is to bring nature inside with stone, wood and huge windows to enjoy the scenery although I build period homes also. Up until recently I did whole region designs and I may do that again, time willing.
Q: Are you looking forward to Second Life’s new generation platform and will you also set up shop there? Do you have long-term goals for your business in Second Life, too?
A: I definitely plan to stay in Second Life. If you are talking about Sansar, I’m not sure. I have been there but I will have to see how it goes. It may not fit my needs.
Q: Do you want to share a look at your life outside of SL with us? What do you or did you do for a living? Does your family support your SL aspirations?
A: I am an Artistic Director/ Owner of a dance studio. The studio has been in business for almost 30 years.
Q: Anything else you’d like us to know about you, or a special mentor, friends or someone who has really inspired your business?
A: I originally came here with some friends from EA, TatianaDokuchic Varriale and Harleywan Haggwood. Tatiana and I own a region together and separately own several conjoined regions known as the Coeur Duchy set in the late 1800’s France. We rent homes there. Harley rents one of my regions for his very successful store Never You Mind. Tatiana owns a store called Tatiana’s Tea Room. Together we have 9 regions.
