Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Second Life's Viv Trafalgar: A Portrait

closeupviv
Location: Any Place Steampunk

When I told Viv that New World Notes had listed her among SL's up-and-coming creative minds, she was pleased. When I told her that I now know a "SLebrity" who hangs with the likes of Filthy Fluno, she essentially said "oh, pfffffffft, Iggy."

That describes Viv's personae well. As both "stuffy Viv" (her term) in human form or "unstuffy Viv" in the form of a sea-dwelling Dark Mer, she's not pretentious. I encountered her first in the Steampunk region of Armada Breakaway, where she was one builder of its original incarnation. That work impressed me enough to beg Viv to provide pro-bono support for Richmond's House of Usher project, and since then I've introduced her to Rezzable's CEO, for whom she does paid builds and consulting.

I'm fond of Viv's sense of humor, patience when I or my avatar get flustered doing some prim-work and start fuming, and her sense of how utterly alien and beautiful SL can be. Here is "unstuffy Viv" with a strange creature on HP Lovecraft Day 2008:

Viv and Critter

When I asked Viv for a curriculum vitae, she sent these facts, and they don't capture the sparkle of a brilliant mind at work or play.

Viv notes that she's the founder and co-host of the Aether Salon, which is celebrating its first year anniversary in October, and has featured brilliant steamland experts on topics ranging from weapons and corsets to 18th century submersibles, engines, and Victorian Exhibitions. In addition to contributing to this blog, Viv is:
  • a hardworking writer in the Primgraph and Prim Perfect offices
  • a print commentary maven (see Team Tut)
  • a just-getting-her-feet-wet student of machinima.
  • a builder and scripter. favorite recent builds include - Vernian Deep (with Ianthe Farshore); Curious Seamstress in Port Babbage (with Jasper Kiergarten); The Heliodrome in Wheatstone Waterways (with Jasper Kiergarten); and the Caledon Library Teleport HUD
  • a creator of various victorian, steampunk, and western fashions: "I like the new wollstonecraft gown in particular, The safari outfits for men and women are a hoot; the clocktoppers are amusing" with a main Viv Trafalgar Outfitters store in Port Babbage, in between Brassworks - a shop of detailed devices she co-owns with Jasper Kiergarten, and Brass Needle - Storm Thunders' shop
  • a teacher and student; a storyteller.
And always a good friend in both worlds.

4 comments:

Ceejay Writer said...

Bravo. You've captured the essence of Viv well. I'm lucky enough to have experienced her humor, her patience, her listening ear, her assistance with building, and have batted off her 'pffts' while laughing uncontrollably. If SL had more Vivs, can you imagine the heights we'd reach?

Back in June I couldn't resist yelling from the rooftops about the Wonderful World of Viv, either!

Iggy O said...

"Wonderful World of Viv??"

Hmmm...time to start on "The Pitiful Plight of Pappy" (Enoch). I have thousands of topics!

Viv Trafalgar said...

oh dear. pitiful plight of pappy. that sounds like a barnburner. Thank you guys. from the bottom of my heart. and the top. and all the squishy bits in between.

V.

Unknown said...

Congrats Viv!

What a wonderful portrait of you Iggy has painted with these words. It's great to hear news of your work and to see it praised publicly here and in NWN too :-)

Cheers!
Chimera Cosmos