Way too many pictures, interesting things to look at, lag, fun, and fascinating people to put both of this week's destinations in a single post, so this is the first half of our trip. The second part, on sim Dalaran, Kinky Haven, is in a separate post. The Art Factory is not just a repository of art, it's a thriving community based in OSGrid but with its arms open to artists and art lovers all over the hyperverse. Here's what happened. URL as always at the end of the post.
Ernest Moncrieff: Hi All and welcome to the Art Factory, before I start I'd just like to say that due to timezones Co-founder Ellen Tiratzo cannot join up this evening (3am in Japan!) But she has helped to put together tonight's Safari and I will be using the words that she prepared.
Ernest Moncrieff: (Speaking for Ellen) - Welcome Thank you all so much for coming out today to support the Art Factory and to learn about and enjoy some of what our artists have helped us create here. Thirza asked us to give you a brief history behind The Art Factory. I met Ernest in LBSA Plaza, when he was trying to fix his broken mouth in preparation for a musical performance! Long before we began TAF, I would get up at 4 am here in Japan to attend and support Ernest’s shows, before beginning my work day. We would often talk about art, and he would tell me about different art installations he had built in other worlds and regions. I could tell he longed to create again, so on his birthday, I bought a small plot of land, teleported him there, and said…”Let’s make art!”. And so began The Art Factory!
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| Ernest Moncreiff |
Thirza Ember: Can you remember what you and Ellen made first, Earnest?
Ernest Moncrieff: We began with a replica of Andy Warhol's ‘Silver Factory’ in a small skybox that reconstructed a 1960’s NYC Greenwich block. This housed work by Andy and then we decided to expand the NYC area with Galleries that house works by famous American Artists from Basquiat to Jasper Johns. This then grew to what you see today with recreations of locations in Paris, France, England, Japan and beyond. (catch a TP if you want to see it later) We built the institute with the plan to hold seminars and talks on various subjects from the history of art and artists to art theory and techniques. Over the years we have presented talks on Composition, Color Theory, Perspective and Symbolism. We have hosted Life Art drawing classes and Poetry Readings. There are a selection of teaching aids on optics and light in front of you.
Lucy Afarensis: Life art like figure drawing ?
Ernest Moncrieff: yes Lucy we all drew in RL based on inworld models :)
Lucy Afarensis: cool
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| Art Institute, The Art Factory |
Ernest Moncrieff: (Speaking for Ellen again) As you look out from the Institute, you can see a maze, the Eiffel Tower, and in the far distance, Monet’s house and gardens at Giverny. Over the bridge, we begin our Artists’ Lane area. One of the biggest goals of the Art Factory is to support and encourage art and artists in-world, and thus, we provide artists with galleries to showcase their work, free homes, and endless sandboxes for creating art. On the left, our in-world artists’ galleries begin. On the right, we have galleries of a more specialized flavor. Let’s walk down Artist’s Lane.
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| Artist's Lane |
Paris Ring Tram: whispers: Arrived at Pigalle, Next stop The Institute.
Ernest Moncrieff: You will find a real mix of art - watch out for the Tram! Toulouse-Lautrec spent much time in brothels, where he was accepted by the prostitutes and madams to such an extent that he often moved in, and lived in a brothel for weeks at a time. He shared the lives of the women who made him their confidant, painting and drawing them at work and at leisure. We felt his paintings would help create a gritty feeling of the underside of Paris life here in The Art Factory.
Unadecal Masala: I read that when he died, Paris brothels closed so all prostitutes could attend the funeral
Ernest Moncrieff: Follow me to the main square... This is the main landing point for the Art Factory, from here you will find Teleports to all the regions and a Landmark giver. From here you can also catch a Tram that will take you around Paris and also drop into the Abbesse Metro where you can catch transatlantic trains to the New York Subway.
Thirza Ember: it keeps you fit, the Safari, plenty of brisk walking
Arielle Popstar: and dodging trams
Beth.Ghostraven: lol Thirza I wish!
Wizardoz Chrome: :)
Thirza Ember: how many regions do you have Ernest?
Ernest Moncrieff: 9 in all, we have a virtual Tate Modern, Battersea and a Big Easy New Orleans
Ernest Moncrieff: Speaking for Ellen: Café Degas is a New Orleans landmark, transplanted here in the Paris District. Named after the 19th-century French Impressionist Edgar Degas, who once lived on the oak-lined avenue of Fauburg St. John, Café Degas is known as one of the most intimately romantic places in New Orleans. Our cafe is a meeting place, decorated with Degas’ ballerinas.
Beth Ghostraven: I love this "Art is pointless" sculpture
Ernest Moncrieff: Speaking for Ellen: Further down the street you will find more galleries, including: John Paradigm loves making beautiful art using math formulas to create fractal art. John is a Research scientist working in sports and virtual reality to improve player performance. He Loves creating new and interesting imagery. John also does video and photography in RL.
Thirza Ember: it will take days to see everything on this region. I love Antonia's Gallery
Ernest Moncrieff: Moora McMillan has had the privilege of a Gallery in the Claude Cahun sim where she had a permanent structure. Unfortunately this group doesn't exist anymore. She participated in the OS Grid Anniversary Shows and in the Sim wide exhibition in collaboration with Asmita Durenjaya and finally opened a gallery at the Factory. Moora uploads photos on a regular basis thus she invites you to drop by often to see them! Do check out the resident galleries... Aphra Hendrix is the owner of Cozy Comforts, and an amazing artist in Opensim and in real life. Aphra is inspired by creative potential. For Aphra, life is a divine source of endless ideas. “I can not let go of my dreams and wishes. I owe them my life. Imagination is an elementary instrument of consciousness that significantly enriches your life. If you want to rediscover your creativity, you are in the right place! Do you remember your childhood and youth? You can still feel the same freshness and inner freedom if you visualize it here”
Aphra Hendrix: oh thank you !
Marlu Nic: I visited this extraordinary area in 2021 and I made some small videos (it was my task for a training course)
Ernest Moncrieff: I know Symphony hoped to get there too, so do check her gallery too. "Symphony Vive is a Digital Arts Student & Mixed media inventor, Environment Artist. "Nature is my inspiration. Nature has always been my first inspiration, I believe and artist that can capture the beauty of nature in their work can reflect the face of god. When I see things created I know I can do it too and maybe better.. I truly believe that.. except for nature... Nature really nailed it, I can only hope to mimic the perfection in that design."
Thirza Ember: you should all have the notecard that Symphony made, listing the artists here at The Art Factory
Ernest Moncrieff: Follow me up the step to one of the larger galleries and great views of Paris. Any questions?
Veritas McMaster: Where is Aphra's gallery?
Ernest Moncrieff: Aphra has a gallery on the main street
Beth Ghostraven: Is there a text alternative to the audio guides here?
Ernest Moncrieff: good point on the texts for the audios, I will add them!
Wizardoz Chrome: bel pavimento ( bella illusione ottica .) ) [it/en: Beautiful floor (great optical illusion)
Thirza Ember: How much does making virtual art affect your real world art
Ernest Moncrieff: The art here inspires me in RL, its a way to learn more about great artists
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| Ellen Tiratzo |
Ellen Tiratzo: Hi Everyone!!! Thank you all for coming!!
Ernest Moncrieff: yay Ellen! you made it!!!
Fitheach Eun: Hi Ellen
Susannah Avonside: Hei Ellen
Wizardoz Chrome: ciao Ellen
Thirza Ember: omg I hope you have coffee
Ellen Tiratzo: haha yes, it is only 4 am in Japan! We really appreciate you coming today!
Ernest Moncrieff: do let me know what you liked and what you'd like to see more of. we'd love to really make this a place people want to return to.
Thirza Ember: it's a great mix of the familiar and the innovative - that makes it very appealing
Veritas McMaster: That so many real museums and contained works are recreated was meaningful to me, too, places I've not been
Ernest Moncrieff: we have the Millennium bridge and the Tate Modern
Fitheach.Eun: Which way is the Tate Modern part?
Ernest Moncrieff: you can see it over here walk this way, from these doors if you have a long distance draw
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| The Art Factory's Grand-place |
Beth.Ghostraven: Ernest, is there a text alternative to the audio guides here?
Ernest Moncrieff: good point on the texts for the audios, I will add them!
Star.Ravenhurst : I will definitely be back when I can take my time to look. Over all, beautiful build and Creative endeavor
Ellen Tiratzo: And you have only seen about a fourth of what is here. There are more galleries on this level, Monet's gardens of Giverny, A Chagall Gallery, Van Gogh's yellow house
Ernest Moncrieff: smiles, that's a Ellen Masterpiece do visit the Monet Garden and house
Fitheach Eun: This is really amazing Ernest; I will have to come back and see more of it
Thirza Ember: the attention to detail is lovely - Wizzina is right, just looking at the reflection in the floor here - someone really polished the marble!
Beth Ghostraven: Thirza yes, I was just noticing that
Ellen Tiratzo: Yes I polish it daily, by hand!
Marlu Nic: I love Van Gogh's house, Degas's café, Picasso's house. we have to come back several times, because there are many things to see, appreciate, know
Ernest Moncrieff: thank you Marlu, please do! Let's walk down to the main square where you can look around the artists area
Thirza Ember: what are the qualifications to join your group, Ellen and Ernest?
Ellen Tiratzo: none! just join!!! the group joiner is over here
Ernest Moncrieff: there are no qualifications for our group just a passion for art - this is the true test of a grid, if people can walk with precision - 25 of us here pretty amazing
Ernest Moncrieff: we have 5 minutes let walk to Van Goghs? here we have the Arles Night Cafe and Yellow House
Ellen Tiratzo: Please come inside Van Gogh's yellow house and see his famous chairs! Van gogh painted portraits of Gaugin's chair and his own
Arielle Popstar: /me looks for any ears
Jupiter Rowland: Stay away from that pipe on that chair, you never know what's in it.
Arielle Popstar: opium?
Ellen Tiratzo: note how humble his own chair is, and upstairs is his bedroom, which he painted dozens of times, and of course his field of sunflowers to the right. This yellow house is no longer there in RL but thank goodness for mesh and VR so that we can all visit the place so dear to Vincent
Thirza Ember: I love the way you have been able to fit so many different things in, without sacrificing to style or harmony
Ernest Moncrieff: in the distance you can see Monet's house in Giverny
Ellen Tiratzo: Though The Yellow House was nowhere near Giverny, we wanted Vincent to enjoy the beauty of the gardens
Jupiter Rowland: You can even get your groceries while you're here already.
Susannah Avonside: Brings back childhood memories
Ernest Moncrieff: you lived in Arles, Susannah?
Susannah Avonside: no, but I did spend my early childhood in Grez sur Loing in northern France, that's a small town has a lot of artistic connections too
Ellen Tiratzo: Down this path is Monet's house at Giverny and through the back is his famous gardens and lily pond. Downstairs, we replicated the rooms of his home and upstairs are galleries of Monet's works. You will see information boards which depict the rooms and compare to our recreated rooms. The Yellow Dining room, blue kitchen, but for me the most spectacular thing in Giverny is the garden. I especially love the rose trellis
Ernest Moncrieff: Monet was a collector too, mainly Japanese block prints
Ellen Tiratzo: Ernest accidently deleted ALL of this one day haha, the pond, roses all gone!
Thirza Ember: ok sadly time to go
Ernest Moncrieff: thank you all so much for coming - do visit again!
Fitheach Eun: Thanks so much Ernest and Ellen, really enjoyed it
Marlu Nic: thanks for all this beauty!
Ellen Tiratzo: oh thank you for coming to see it
Beth Ghostraven: Thank you, Ernest and Ellen!
Star Ravenhurst: This is all absolutely stunning! Well done! Thank you for the tour and Info!
Ellen Tiratzo: Thank you Beth!!!, thank you Star!!!
Susannah Avonside: Thank you Ellen And Ernest
Ernest Moncrieff: you are all very welcome, enjoy the rest of your Safari!!
HG Address:
The Art Factory (main hub - there are 9 regions) is at hg.osgrid.org:80:The Art Factory
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