Lor'rys Ardi Tor Jhoutai
Beauty flows organically through the world, at scales that escape the eye and dwarf the sun.
Capturing the beauty that we have, creating new beauty from what we experience. That's my Akjhe, bringing beauty to the universe.
Now, let me indulge your senses with my latest addition.
Lor'rys is a reknown Helyk artist, famed for his works of art. He has crossed countless mediums and created works small enough to need a microscope to appreciate, and large enough to have to be crafted in low orbit.
The newer work of Lor'rys is never owned by collectors, nor traded. He does not sell his art, he only make it available to display. The few pieces that are in private collections are pieces he has given to friends and family.
A Life Thought Destined
Lor'rys Ardi was born Lor'ysa Talinart'ti Tor Jhoutai. The family, Tal'lihnart'ti, consisted of a long line of Silkvine artisan weavers. He was raised into the life of the Hubworld, holding an estate in Valuser'rh. Lor'rys was the youngest of two, and could weave fabric before they could see over the counter.
Both Lor'rys and his sister were expected and groomed to take up the mantle of the family tradition. Though Lor'rys found himself yearning for something more fulfilling.
To Weave a Tale
Throughout Lor'rys' upbringing, he was instilled with the knowledge passed down by generations of weavers. He crafted works of art on his own— wearable packs, designer bags, tapestries, and more. Each piece he crafted was sold under the family brand.
It was always sold as a Talinart'ti piece, and so would sell for exorbitant Talinart'ti prices. The Talinart'ti's are among the most famed weavers of Jhoutai, and so the prices matched the reputation .
Lor'rys noticed a pattern in his mood. He would always love to start a project, but when the last bit of vine was weaved, it left him feeling empty, hollow.
I was never "unhappy" about where I was with my family and his business.
Yet, I never found myself always happy either. I was either creating, or walking the fields. Watching the growth of Ruddy Spire, or something.
Only in those moments did I feel just at peace. I guess that's how it all came to be.
Snapping the Line
It was not until Lor'rys entered his early forties that he decided to make the biggest change the family had faced in decades. He left. Lor'rys left the company with nothing but some savings and his personal art kit.
The move made headlines locally and in the cloth industry. The Talinart'ti family had lost a member. Lor'rys changed his last name to Ardi, seeking something shorter and all his own. He had no desire to be only known through his lineage, he wanted to be known through his art. That he had made with his two hands.
Rebirth and Growth
Lor'rys had gained an independence he had not known before— no orders to fill, no customers, no contracts. It was only himself and what he wanted to do. The first years were a struggle, even in the Hub he still had to make a name for himself on his own merit in a world brimming with artists both new and experienced.
Every day, every plant on the wall grows. Every fungi expands into greater heights or dizzying offshoots.
It's a simulation as much as it is a work of art!
Now that's super crazy!
He had to get by on savings, even when he would find prospective customers for his art, he would charge low prices that confused his clients.
The First Piece
It took several years for Lor'rys to have his first widely known piece. It was a project of passion that gained the attention of the universe.
The owner of a eatery that Lor'rys frequented offered Lorsynth an entire wall and a fresh supply of equipment.
Looking to paint a mural, Lor'rys took the opportunity and began working day after day.
Intricate details that mirrored the growth of fungi and flora brought conversation first, then it was new customers, and then it was LifeStreamers. Lor'rys' evolving piece became a viral timelapse that appeared more like a movie.
Lor'rys had made his first reknown piece, the "Fungal Wall."
Cultural Boon
As Lor'rys work spread across the Æthernet, it garnered the attention of the ValuSelu Pact itself. Lor'rys found offers for Cultural Grants, the Pact would pay him a salary just to pursue whatever artistic ideas he wanted.
Unlike the commissions before Lor'rys was eager to take the money to pursue his own exploration.
With the grants behind him, and a steady audience waiting to hear of his next work, he set off around the world of Jhoutai. He never announced where he would create next, he never made a big show. He just showed up to a location alone, with art kit in hand and a wide smile upon his lips.
Helyk's Touch
As a Helyk, Lor'rys has the innate ability to place messages within his work.
Many cultural interpeters spend hours observing and meditating over his work, attempting to find the meaning.
Most of the messages are well agreed upon and clear, but some of Lor'rys' later works are a bit more cryptic in its messaging.
I get... "There is nothing more calming than the flow of nature," from his latest artwork. Always relaxing.
It's a calm, you can see it as people watch. Breaths are let out, shoulders soften.
Reknown Works
Lor'rys' first well-known work. This piece was crafted using the entire wall of an eatery as a canvas.
It gained popularity not just for its beauty, but for how it was painted. Each Fungi was painted a small bit each day, making it look like a growing ecosystem if viewed in a timelapse.
One of many miniscule pieces that pop up in seemingly random places.
These pieces are made of varying materials and depict natural subjects such as ecosystems or landmarks.
The size and detail are what make them special. Some details require magnification to see, and entire works can fit in the palm of a viewers hand.
One of the few pieces owned. Lor'rys weaved a massive tapestry for his lover, Dorian. The tapestry hung as the centerpiece for their marriage.
It features snapshots of their discoveries, both independent and together. It is currently owned and cherised by Dorian and Lor'rys.
Lor'rys' latest work. This massive asteroid in space has been intricatly carved with facades of Jhoutai-native flora and fungi.
It currently circles low orbit around Jhoutai. It can be seen gleaming against the sun as ships enter atmosphere to dock.
I like the sound of Lor'rys. He seems to be a connoisseur of fungi just like me from the description of his artworks. :D Beautifully written article too. <3
Explore Etrea
Thank you very much! It was a special one to write so I'm glad his love for all things that grow (especially fungi which is very common and alien on Jhoutai) was sold!