Meet Kelsey Karper | Factory Obscura Co-Founder & Director of Logistical Creativity

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kelsey Karper and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelsey, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When we founded Factory Obscura in 2017, it came as a result of a conversation among a group of friends. This conversation (hypothetical at the time) was first about imagining what it would look like to build a playground for adults. As the conversation continued, and engaged more people, the idea became more real and got much bigger! Ultimately, a group of five of us came together as founders to build Factory Obscura as a business together. Our goals for the company are many, but they include: building a new economic engine that can evolve how art and artists are valued and sustained; providing a platform for artists to create on a larger, more ambitious scale than is possible on their own; and awakening wonder and joy in our community through meaningful art experiences.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Factory Obscura is a collaborative company working with a wide range of artists and makers to create fully immersive art experiences. This includes painters, sculptors, fiber artists, musicians, poets, tech specialists, carpenters, and so much more! Our highly collaborative process – from design to installation – is something that sets us apart, resulting in intricately detailed, handmade environments that are rich in meaning and emotion. This collaborative process is designed to bring out each team members strengths, while also stretching them to expand their skills and learn from each other.

Our growth so far has not been easy, but the work is incredibly rewarding and we are constantly learning and adapting along the way. One of the biggest challenges for us has been the lack of existing models for exactly what we are doing, and often having to find our own way. But that’s also part of the joy of the work, knowing that we can build a path that is right for us and our team.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There has never been a better time to visit Oklahoma City! There is so much to do in OKC, and our food scene is absolutely top notch. With a long weekend in OKC, you could spend each day in a different district of the city and never run out of things to do. Here are some of our faves.

AUTOMOBILE ALLEY
This pocket of downtown Oklahoma City is where Factory Obscura calls home. When you come to visit us, park on our block (free parking!) and spend the day strolling through our district. Just on our block of 9th Street, you’ll find shopping and gifts at Common Dear, Johnny & June, and Precious Cargo. We’ve also got LOTS of local food and drink, including Katiebug’s Sips & Sweets, S&B’s Burger Joint, Iguana Mexican Grill, and Nashbird Chicken.

Also in the Auto Alley neighborhood, don’t miss all the local coffee and beer brewers, PLUS more local retail at Shop Good and Plenty. And not far away is the absolute-do-not-miss Myriad Gardens and Scissortail Park, truly a gem of OKC. The streetcar has several stops in our district, so you can hop on and off to explore all of downtown!

PLAZA DISTRICT
If you love all things local, you have to make a stop in the Plaza District! This very pedestrian-friendly section of 16th Street is overflowing with galleries, shops, restaurants, bars, and art. The Plaza District is home to Lyric Theater, where you can catch high quality musical theater productions year-round. Also don’t miss the Plaza Walls alley, lined with dozens of murals that change at least annually.

PASEO ARTS DISTRICT
Oklahoma City’s oldest arts district is iconic, with a street lined in colorful, Spanish revival stucco buildings. This neighborhood has dozens of galleries and artist studios, alongside outstanding local restaurants, bars, and other local flavor. Their First Friday Art Walk is a favorite for locals and visitors alike, and if you happen to be in OKC over Memorial Day weekend, you can enjoy the annual Paseo Arts Festival.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
When we first begin to build Factory Obscura in 2017, we did a lot of research into who else was doing anything remotely similar to what we had in mind. We reached out to a few of them to ask for some advice, and two groups in particular responded with real generosity and friendship – Meow Wolf in Santa Fe, NM and City Museum in St. Louis, MO. Their willingness to answer our questions and share some of the lessons they’ve learned along the way helped us immensely while getting started. One of the great things about the immersive design field is the true sense of community, and desire to see each other succeed.

Beyond those two, there are countless individuals who gave us advice, encouragement, and investment when we were in our early days, and we are so grateful to all of them for seeing the potential in our vision.

Website: https://www.factoryobscura.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/factoryobscura

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/factoryobscura/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/factory-obscura-oklahoma-city

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@FactoryObscura

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@factoryobscura
https://www.instagram.com/bonustrackokc

Image Credits
Dylan Johnson
Al Phillips-Shinn