Pioneering...or a Throwback to the Past?

Upon discovery of our local San Francisco artist communities, Million Fishes and The Red Poppy Art House, I have become enthralled with the concept. As many as 14 artists of various media reside together in a single space. This space not only provides for collaborative efforts, but also for the individual creation and development of almost any artistic whim. These emerging artists in residence can take full advantage of the writing(amongst various other) workshops to recording studio, dark room, and gallery spaces. Opportunities to perform and exhibit works to the public are made available to the artists through these communities.
photo credit: Misha Purcell www.millionfishes.com


Does this sound slightly familiar? One of many colonies (European and American), was a French commune, Auvers-sur-Oise, whose residence included a certain notable figure. Lets just call him Vincent van Gogh. This community concept of artists living and working together is applied in the early 19th century, but with conceivably less advanced studio conditions and PR work.
[John Rewald's 'The History of Impressionism']



Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890)
View of Auvers, 1890
oil on canvas, 50x52 cm
photo credit: Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam www.vangoghmuseum.com