In high gear

Tesla revs up opening of massive new Austin factory with 15,000-person party

An April 7 grand opening party will celebrate the new $1.1 billion plant.

Courtesy of Tesla

Get ready for a big shindig at Tesla’s new Gigafactory Texas vehicle manufacturing plant in eastern Travis County.

To celebrate the grand opening of the factory, Austin-based Tesla is throwing an enormous party there on April 7 from 4-11:30 pm. The invitation-only gathering is expected to draw 15,000 visitors who’ll partake of tours, speeches, food, and entertainment. A fireworks show might be part of the festivities.

Multibillionaire Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has vowed the event will be the largest barbecue in the history of Texas.

On March 22, Travis County commissioners approved a permit for the April 7 party at the factory, which remains under construction. The $1.1 billion plant, at 12733 Tesla Rd., will produce several electric vehicles; it also houses Tesla’s corporate headquarters, which until last year had been in Northern California.

Although the factory initially was billed as encompassing 4.3 million square feet, a presentation made to the county commissioners indicates the plant will measure 8 million square feet. Musk has said the factory will eventually employ more than 10,000 people.

While none of the commissioners voted against Telsa’s mass-gathering permit, one community activist did express opposition.

Paul DiFiore, an environmental advocate with the local Colorado River Conservancy and East Austin’s People Organized in Defense of Earth and Her Resources (PODER), complained that Tesla hadn’t done enough to be a good neighbor in eastern Travis County.

“This grand opening is not a substitute for real community engagement," DiFiore told the commissioners. "So I urge you to consider rejecting this permit and forcing Tesla to delay their celebration until they start treating the community of eastern Travis County as more than a workforce for Elon Musk but, rather, as neighbors and partners.”

Brigid Shea, a Travis County commissioner whose territory includes the Tesla factory, sympathized with DiFiore.

“I do think that there is a need for more community outreach and communication," Shea said. "I think that you [Tesla] have lots of opportunities to meet more with the community and really form a powerful relationship."

Despite that comment, Shea said she wasn’t willing to turn down Tesla’s request to host a long-planned gathering.

The same day as the commissioners’ vote, Tesla staged a grand opening of its new $5.5 billion factory near Berlin. The plant is expected to produce 500,000 vehicles a year.

“Musk was seen dancing as he presided over the delivery of Tesla’s first German-made cars to 30 clients and their families at the carmaker’s … plant,” CNBC reported.

openings east-austin cars

SKIN IN THE GAME

Renowned Hill Country tattoo artist inks new sacred geometry app

Photo courtesy of Dillon Forte

Dillion Forte at his "tattoo ranch" in the Texas Hill Country.

In the world of tattooing, there may seem to be few better rat traps left to build, but Dillon Forte aims to change that. In October, the renowned Wimberley-based tattoo artist and entrepreneur introduced a new iPadOS app to bring ancient symbology into the digital age.

Forte has made a worldwide name for his black dot work (a contemporary take on stick-and-poke techniques) and ambitious undertakings like tattooing underwater and opening a “tattoo ranch.” His ink appears on Usher, Chris Hemsworth, and Kehlani.

Still, he is most recognized for his sacred geometry designs, using patterns to convey various meanings. His interest led him to create the Sacred Geometry Drawing App, a convenient way for novices and experts to develop and export their creations.

The app grew out of his own practice. Over the past decade, he has used tablets and freehand techniques to achieve his highly symmetrical artwork but grew to realize existing tools were not always easy to use.

“The app is an attempt and fulfillment of my desire to make sacred geometry accessible and bring the ability to create into the fingertips of as many people as possible,” Forte tells CultureMap via email, adding a tagline: “symmetry made simply.”

He says he wished the app was available when developing his signature style as a tattoo artist, but it was designed with a broad range of users in mind. He hopes that designers, educators, and artists will find a use for it.

A short intro to the app's capabilities is available on YouTube. It looks like a standard drawing app, starting with a blank canvas and some tools like pens, pencils, colors, and of course, straight line and dot makers.

A "symmetry index" anchors the functionality and expands it to something between 2D art and 3D modeling. In addition to generating shapes like repeating patterns and spirals, the app also creates 3D shapes with grids, so that the artist can map their design in real space or even create sculptures. There is also an index for explaining the spiritual meaning of some standard designs.

“Geometry often prompts an intimidating feeling when it comes to making art,” Forte continues. “The fundamentally complex and often academic nature of math-based art can induce a sense of fear in the potential user instead of creating a sense of awe. The purpose of the sacred geometry app is to cultivate the latter."

Creatives interested in constructing their own geometric masterpieces can download the app at the App Store for free, and in-app purchases are available.

technology apps tattoos arts