Okay, as I mentioned in my previous post, I like to encourage and offer help and sometimes store space to new designers that need a hand up and some morale boosting. Most of them are new to Second Life when I meet them, but usually they are not new to art in general. Gabee Story of Paperdoll Designs is one of those amazing exceptions that I can't help being amzed at...a true natural with no previous background.
Before someone says it, as they did with Sumire Mochi when Tweet first opened, Gabee is absolutely not an alt of an older player or another designer. Gabee is the real life girlfriend of my friend QuietlyCharmes Vega of Playful Kitten. Gabee and Quietly live in an area hit bad by hurricane Katrina last year, and Gabee had to take her son and leave for most of the past year until things got better. But recently she came home and joined Quietly in SL when she did.
Gabee is no stranger to online worlds. She has years of time in Everquest and Star Wars Galaxies and the like. But, she had no previous background in art or running the type of virtual-based business she decided to start when she came into SL and started hanging around Quietly and myself just two short months ago.
Within days of being here, Gabee was trying to learn to use Quietly's copy of photoshop and had uploaded her first outfit. Since then she has made a mind-boggling amount of offerings, and with each new one I see her skill growing exponetially. I am truly and totally amazed.
She has gone in a few short months from total novice in art and prim work to making prim clothing that is totally astounding. She has mostly gone in a tribal direction with her prim outfits...but wow...you have to see em to understand how far this lady has come.
Moving from a small corner space downstairs I have since given her the 4th floor store space in the temple at Temenos because her volume of work was growing so rapidly. I can't keep up with all she is making anymore. And I know for a fact she has a lot of unreleased work sitting up in her skycave too.
Gabee is one of those rare stories that inspires me. A struggling mother who has weathered so many trials and problems, disasters, and heart-break...but can still have the drive and energy to start her life again in a totally new direction and not only do well with it...but excel. She is friendly, positive and helpful, and I have never seen anyone more happy to talk with customers. I am so proud to call her a friend and to have her at Temenos Island.
With how far Gabee has come in these few months she has been home and in SL, I can't wait to see where she will be in 6 months, or this time next year.
No comments:
Post a Comment