Vickie Greenwood: Winner of SL Resident Choice Awards: Favourite Builder, Sculpty Artist and Prim Food Maker
Since winning three awards in the Second Life Resident’s Choice, Vickie Greenwood’s found herself thrust into the spotlight and has been subject to applause, critiques as well as a lot of “Who?”.
There have been calls that the whole thing has been gamed or fixed, and that it’s a joke that a relative unknown can come out on top of such a contest.
Vickie offered to chat and show me some of her creations, which I took her up on and invited her to my sim. Being a builder/architect, I was more than interested to see what it was that had thrusted her to the title of SL’s favourite builder, sculpty artist and prim food creator, and giving her the platform to tell her own story.
Vickie rezzed into Second Life in August 2007 and has been building since Day One. She’s from an MMO and games development background, having been a part of Ultima Online, before entering Second Life. She left Ultima after becoming disillusioned with the industry, and joined SL after hearing about it from a friend.
A Sake bottle pouring into glasses
The notable thing about Vickie is that she has no static in world builds, or a store, which I found intriguing for someone who obviously got a lot of votes. She claimed that she “sucks at marketing” but has people who she works with who handle that for her now.
Vickie responded by stating that she teaches SL residents on how to sculpt, and has displayed her work at New Citizens Inc. on occasion. Additionally, in the past, she has run a Tavern and made it the base for her prim food. She acknowledges that she may be breeding her own competition, but states that money is not a major motivation to her.
So why no store, or in world builds? Vickie has no land of her own, and refused to get any (although that may change with the new accolades). She has a personal protest against “the VAT injustice” and doesn’t agree with paying 20% more just because she happens to be European. On top of that, she finds Linden Lab’s tier rates to be “outrageous for basic server hosting” and claims to know “how much is going into LL’s pocket”.
Vickie shows examples of her prim food
So why not sell off a marketplace like XStreetSL? Vickie has considered it, but she’s unsure on what to charge for her products. She’s says she’s a perfectionist who will keep tweaking a product and hence doesn’t get things finished to a state where she’s happy to sell them.
So how did Vickie feel when she found out she’d won three awards? Initially, she was “baffled” and “sat there for about 5 minutes, trying to realise how it had happened at all”. She says she never expected to win any awards at all.
I asked her if she asked anyone to vote for her in the contest. She is adamant that she never flashmobbed, but admits to alerting people (less than 10) of the contest and suggesting possible candidates for other categories. She doesn’t totally agree with the way the SL awards were handled – she feels the “resulting outrage shows the process needs to be revised” and that some of the categories were “silly”.
I asked her if she thought she deserved the accolades, and she replied that she never considered herself to be the best. She knows she’s good at what she does, but will leave judgement on whether she deserves her awards to others. Although she doesn’t mind criticism, she finds personal attacks to be an unwarranted step too far.
Front view of Vickie's One Prim House
Vickie showed me some examples of her work, starting with prim food. Firstly she presented a tray of sake, which can be rescaled. The bottle of sake moves around and fills up the glasses with the drink and then, upon clicking the tray, it gives you a glass. Vickie doesn’t agree with inventory spam from such drink trays, so she made the script remember the last 10 people who took the glass so as not to send them another again. The design is still a work in progress, as she wants the option for the glasses to be raised in a toast for all avatars holding one.
She next showed a few examples from her Tavern – a German beer stein mug with froth effect, a plate of shrimp kebab with cucumbers and a gift box of rum. The kebabs are set on a timer which makes the plate of food gradually disappear over 5 minutes.. she realises that the plate may not be pretty, but insists it’s acceptable for the uncivilised island society it was created for.
Vickie prides herself on low prim design, and showed her bench and table (under 5 prims) as well as showing a house composed from a single half megaprim. The house, although with basic textures, has 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen, lounge, porch and a hallway. It is a concept design, but she is working on a project with NCI to create “the ultimate Noob Home” - A free, well built, low prim housing solution for under 30 prims.
Rear view of the One Prim House by Vickie Greenwood
Vickie has a few projects in the pipelines – she’s currently working on “Second Life’s Ultimate Piano” – a piano which will sync the avatar to play full length music on the piano, as well as synchronised movement of the keys and hammers. On seeing an example of the piano keys, I was impressed at the animations, particularly as it was just 4 prims.
She has also worked on more artistic builds in Second Life – a build constructed in the style of a traditional Japanese painting/comic feeling. Although not unique to SL, Vickie would like to expand this to a sim wide design some day.
Vickie also claims to have been instrumental in the development of the Sculpt tools Openloft and Sculpt Studio, and is currently working on a way to be able to sculpt with your mind, using a Neural Impulse Actuator. She wants to provide solutions for the disabled to enjoy and create in SL and other platforms with methods such as these, but acknowledges that progress in this field is slow and she is limited to extremely rough modifications.
Vickie's "Second Life's Ultimate Piano"
Vickie is enjoying meeting new, creative people since winning the awards, and is proud of her achievement. She feels that even if a “Big Name” had won, people would have complained regardless, as such is the nature of people to have sour grapes.
There are no static in world examples of Vickie’s builds at the moment, due to ties with landowners being severed and sims being abandoned. She has “parts” in builds such as Darien Caldwell’s Cathedral, but she is currently working on a sim build for an Educational establishment.
Vickie plans to find some land and set up demos of her work for residents to see and represent her skills in world soon.
Fact of the matter is that she is the winner of three awards from the SL Resident’s Choice Awards, and this will certainly be a boost for her reputation as a builder in world, and will open new doors for her. As a relative unknown, she will find that some will resent her for the achievement, and feel she is undeserving of it. While accusations of gaming and fixes may fly, Vickie plans to buckle down and carry on with her projects and eventually get used to the spotlight.
Mike Burleigh on April 19, 2009
I have never seen a more talented yet humble person in Second Life. Vickie deserves all the accolades she gets.Hands down
Yoofaloof Pacer on April 19, 2009
Looking forward to seeing some of the demos and items.
Skinkie Winkler on April 19, 2009
I’ve just spent a very pleasant few hours with Vickie, looking at her work, discussing building techniques, prim types and so on, and I must say it’s rare to meet such a humble, enthusiastic, helpful and generous person in SL. In front of me, within the space of our conversation, she demonstrated Sculpt Studio and built a bar stool sculpt together with footrest, out of one prim. Just talking to her, it is clear she knows her stuff sculpt-wise, but until now has preferred to teach and build for herself (or commisioned works) rather than join the self-promoting ranks that those of us reading SL blogs are familiar with.
Is she the “best sculptie maker” in SL? I don’t know. The field is such a broad one that to pick just one person is extremely difficult and I suspect any single winner would recieve criticism from their detractors.
For me, this whole debacle reminds me that those people who are well known, in the public eye and oft talked about are not necessarily the best in their field. The best at promoting themselves perhaps, but that’s not what these awards were looking for. Just because someone isn’t milking the system for L$’s, telling everyone about what they do or friends with the “right people” doesn’t automatically mean they are less skilled. It’s not Vickie that needs to change, it’s our perception that the best and the most well known are the same, that needs to alter.
As for Prokofy’s treatment of her, in IM and on her blog…. quite frankly, if someone had approached me in such an agressive manner, then refused to listen to what I had to say, they’d have recieved a lot less patient tolerance than Vickie showed. I’m reminded why I don’t bother to read Prok’s blog.
Talia Tokugawa on April 19, 2009
*waves* you had the pleasure of meeting with Vickie too Prad ^.^
Just finished writing up a blog post of my own, sent it through to Vickie to have a look at and she pointed me here
Besides yours being blatantly a better written blog with *gasps* pictures..they read pretty similar
But then I ain’t the residents choice awards winner *winks* Congratulations btw
Darien Caldwell on April 19, 2009
Congrats to all. I know it’s always an upset when somoene comes out of seemingly nowhere and scores the prize, but it usually means there’s a big reason. And I think Vickie’s work speaks for itself.
The part in my cathedral mentioned was the vaulted arch ceiling piece. Without it, I probably would have never finished the build. She did very much as Skinkie described, while I was describing to her what I needed, she was simultaneously creating it, right before my eyes.
By her own admission, a simple sculpt, but crafted so well it has no noticible LOD effects, stretches beautifully, and takes a texture very well. It simply couldn’t be done better. And all she asked for was the 10L upload fee. I paid her 1k as I recall.
Some artists prefer to create for the sake of creation, not to become rich or fameous. Vickie is definetly one of those. And in many ways I envy that. Opening your work to the world often means exposing your soul, and unless you are ready for the resultant slings and arrows which can at time rain down, it can be harsh. Pandora’s box has opened Vickie, I hope you’re ready.
Charlotte Bartlett on April 19, 2009
I have to also admit I was not familiar with Vickie’s work nor name in-world. So perhaps the awards are good in the sense they highlight the work and creation people make day in and day out that contribute to our world in SL.
I wasn’t quite clear on why there are different winners under different languages, but found the information the differences showed quite interesting. Well done Prad too
AWM Mars on April 19, 2009
Vickie is a very talented person… very unassuming about her talent, and so willing to help others… I have been in conversation with her, talking about some complicated object I was looking for, and before finishing the sentence, had it dropped into my inventory lol..
It goes beyond talent/skill.. a natural is perhaps better way to describe who she is.
Melissa Yeuxdoux on April 20, 2009
Thank you for the article. It’s difficult for any one person to be familiar with very much of SL, and it’s good to learn of someone doing fine work.
Sirix Finesmith on April 20, 2009
I just posted this on Talia’s blog, but I’ll put it here as well.
I’m actually a long time friend of Vickie.
She got her votes for three reasons;
1.) She pushes the limit of sculpties.
2.) She has geniune interest and talent.
3.) She gets tools made when there are none.
Even all of that said, you can be a jerk and knock yourself out of a popularity contest, which these awards tend to be. If someone is an amazing artist, but egotistical, and unwilling to share your secrets and skills, then you’re not going to have enough friends to win even if you “deserved” it.
Vickie has potential and has given me confidence in my own work. I’m glad she won.
Monk Zymurgy on April 20, 2009
Thank you for this blog post Prad. Vickie was unknown to me before this contest, and sadly my first impression came from another (horrible) blog posting. After reading Prokofy’s angry spewing, this report has balanced things perfectly. Vickie seems a most lovely person, who definitely deserved the award. This blog was also new to me (before the awards), so congrats to you also Prad. Beautiful reporting.
Prokofy Neva on April 20, 2009
I’m frankly surprised that Prad, especially after discussing this with me inworld, would misportray the critique here of her as being “about unknowns getting to the top”.
It was never about that, duh. Demonstrably good unknowns deserve to get to the top when we can see that the process is fair. This process is not only unfair; it deliveries absurdities. The unknowns getting to the top isn’t the problem. What’s the problem is a) a skewed nominations process and b) long tails in a nominations that mean only 17 people could have the plurality to “win” while hundreds fan out with singleton nominations; c) taking three places. BTW, you can’t have it both ways, claiming on the one hand Vickie Greenwood is sanitized by being “an unknown,” and then turning around and saying “oh, but she has all these fans and boosters”.
Seriously, Prad, that was stupid, you know that, and writing that was wrong — wrong, and calculated, and manipulative.
It’s also disgusting, frankly, to play the “what about the children” card and try to justify Vickie Greenwood by saying she teaches in Sunday School class — er, I mean, at NCI to newbies. Fake. Like that proves you are talented lol?
I’m going to de-friend you for this sheer outrageous manipulation in protest (you friended me only to push your own builds on me anyway). Why? Because I view this interview of Vickie as being a blatant suck-up to popularity, and a very shrewd, politically-motivated bid to be “popular” yourself and be seen as a “peacemaker” and come out looking good yourself. I find that revolting, frankly. It’s not critical journalism, it’s suck-up to mob psychology of the worst order and ultimately is about self-promotion. If the tide had turned the other way, I realize now you’d have done a different kind of blog, but you merely cunningly decided what was of interest to yourself, and worked it.
That one-prim house is a horror. You know it, and I know it, and anyone looking at it knows it. In a world of pianos like Sue Stonebender makes, the sculpty piano is a horror, too. I’m blinking in amazement that anyone thinks there is something even socially redeeming about that blob of a house and that trickster illusion of a piano.
Whatever the case you can make here for your friend and now ego-booster Vickie Greenwood for, say, “talented sculptie maker” or “food maker” (and the jury is out, and certainly isn’t evidenced for two places) these pictures make a very obvious case: she has absolutely no business being in the building category.
What’s even more illegitimate about all this, Prad, is your frank surprise and wonderment about this person winning best builder when your yourself felt a claim to the category, and yet cunningly turning around and boosting his street cred by “offering her a platform” like you’re Jay Leno and not ever answering the question of whether she is a good builder, and accepting the completely lunatic idea that her not having land is an excuse not to display her works (um, out of her “many” fans and admirers, surely one can be found with a parcel that can hold, um, the one prim lol.)
For you suddenly to declare that her winning is “a fact of the matter” when it is an aberration of a flawed process lets me know how far you will go to boost your own popularity the minute you see an advantage for yourself. I had never before probed the mystery of the no. one blogger of SL. Now I get it lol. Thanks for the insight. I personally am happy to occupy the rank of 48,210th blogger or whatever it is the silly system gives me for the reward of knowing I have spoken the truth, and especially spoken the truth to power.
Heidi on April 20, 2009
All hail The Neva, he of the enlightened knowledge and wisdom, the holder of the golden only-opinion-that-counts!
This is the first I heard/read of Prokofy and it will be the last if I can possibly help it. Really, de-friending Prad? Awwwwwww, whatever will the poor dear do?
Prad, I consider this a pretty neutral post stating the facts, and as such I appreciate it.
/me walks away laughing, snickering at certain overinflated egos
Guen on April 20, 2009
Wow. I’d vaguely heard of Prokofy before this, and after both scanning his response and his blog I think I’ll remain ‘in the dark’ from now on.
Now… getting back to the subject matter of the actual post…
I will agree with ONE thing that Pro said. That house may save prims but it also lacks any sort of style. Maybe the photos don’t do it justice but I’m personally not very impressed by how it looks.
The table and stools are much more impressive along with Vickie’s ideas for scripting. Those are certainly worth looking into.
Considering Vickie’s ideals for overcharging, then she’ll hate XStreet too in the long run since they take out a percentage each time you sell an item. I understand where she’s coming from, but also sometimes you just have to suck it up and ‘deal with it’. It’s a part of RL, and it’s becoming a part of SL. Does she also not drive a car if the gas prices get too high? Will she survive on water and bread if the food prices keep going up?
Landsend Korobase on April 21, 2009
This is feeling a little bit like “The Emperor’s New Clothes” to me.
I’ve seen some amazing builds in my time, I’ve seen architects with the sort of flare and talent that as good as takes your breath away. (And no I’m not one of them, so I’m not coming from any sour grapes point-of-view here.) I’m sure Vickie is amazing at what she does, but is she a better builder or architect than some people I know who do it for a living and have well deserved grid-wide reputations..? No. Sure it’s subjective, but I have trouble believing that her name is the first that comes to mind for the great builders of Second Life.
Sure she seems like a nice person, sure I wouldn’t want her to feel bad for winning (how shit would that be of me), but if we’re analysing the results and trying to see if they genuinely reflect the best in each category, I think it’s about a bit more than polite back-patting isn’t it?
Or am I the only one who’s noticing the emperor has no clothes on? Well, besides Prokofy. And btw, to the people attacking Prok, is it really necessary to get bitchy about it? Why not just address his points and avoid the name-calling stuff. He at least argues his points and is willing to stick his neck out to say what a very large number of people were already thinking.
Heidi on April 21, 2009
I had a post all written out in answer to you, Landsend, but I decided not to spam this comment section about it any longer. I’d be more than happy to discuss it in private conversations/mailings with you, though, if you wish.
Mari on April 21, 2009
Honestly, folks. That is a butt ugly house. Waste a few prims and put in a pretty and functional one.
Who the Hell is Vickie Greenwood? | Talia Tokugawa’s Blog on April 21, 2009
[...] sent the link of this through to Vickie after it was posted and she pointed me to prad’s blog and the post he wrote. Note the similarities between posts, note the comment from Skinkie. Seems I [...]
SM on April 28, 2009
What I would like to know is, how did Vickie get voted the best under the three categories by residents, when no actual work is available in-world/owned land for review? Please don’t get me wrong, I appreciated reading several informative blongs in regards to meeting and greeting the winner, and it sounds as if she deserved the title. Looking forward to comments,
Kind regards
SM