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Artist Spotlight
What does art mean to you?
Art rescued me when I was in a really dark place some years ago. It might sound cheesy, but I believe that every person was born an artist. Just look at how creative kids are. We stop being creative and for some, it comes back and for others not. Art embraces emotions, rationality, community, and much more than we imagine. It was always there and it will always be. For me, it's one of the most important things in life. It can impact a person on so many levels.
How do you see yourself as an artist? How did you develop your style?
It took me years to even accept that I am an artist. Society tends to impose that creating art is just a hobby. It’s a very small bubble that actually accepts it for what it is. I am glad I find myself in this bubble. For me, it started as a disguise through architecture, design, music, and later on paintings. Around 6 years ago I discovered how important it was for me physically paint. It allows me to fully express what is inside me through gestural movements.
One thing I love about abstract art is how much is left for the viewer to interpret. Walk me through a painting from idea to creation.
This is one of my favourite things too! How boring is it when you always get told what something means or what it describes? We get that in our everyday lives already. It feels good to have this escape through abstract art. I like to say that my paintings are a story. I give you a title, a beginning, but what the story really is will be up to every viewer to interpret.
Why did you decide to put your work on the blockchain?
I am always looking for methods to share my art and reach the whole world. I won’t lie, I want to be known. I want to show my creations because that is my way of communicating, and I will work so damn hard to do that. When I discovered NFTs, it was a no-brainer that I needed to look more into it. After countless hours of research, I decided to utilize it and grow with it too, since, to be honest, the traditional world wasn’t so acceptive. I always felt stuck showing my art to galleries in the city or to professors. With web3 you have the whole world for it.
Since you've started putting your work on the blockchain how has your process changed?
My process has changed A LOT! The most incredible thing about this space is how fast it moves and this gets reflected in the development of your art. I've seen so many possibilities for my art through the exchange of techniques with other artists, from always kind of trying to push forward. The pressure too, if you can handle it in a positive way, can bring you to so many places. Before I never thought about creating abstract pieces digitally. I thought this was more of an architecture and design category. Now, I see the sea of possibilities and how a physical oil painting influences my digital creations and vice versa.
What's one thing web3 provides you as an artist that you can't get off-chain?
The control over your creations. They are always linked to you. And, even if it’s a controversial topic right now, the royalties! I think that is one of the most attractive things as an artist in the space. And of course, the connection to people all around the world; collectors, artists, and friends.
What are you working on now?
My intention in this space is to bridge the traditional and digital worlds. I’ve created oil paintings, I’ve created 3D work, I’ve created digital paintings and I’ve created digital paintings based on physical ones. Now it’s time to merge all of the ideas that came before. I am currently working on pieces that are built upon scans from my oil paintings or sketches. It is a very personal process and it feels good doing it. I think traditional artists are starting to get recognition for mixing mediums and collectors are opening their minds to the value of a physical piece along with an NFT. We will see a huge merge from galleries in the space and it will change how they work in real life too. I'm hopeful for it and I am so ready for it!
Are there any artists I should talk to that I may not be aware of?
One of the abstract pillars in this space and you probably know is Jack Kaido, alongside are also many friends like @0DDxJ0BS, @bckwrdsgeometry, @lucianaguerraok, @SymbolicArtist, @adhd143, @archmorley, @AlishaAnglinArt, I could go on and on!