What is the thread that runs through the very first pieces of art you created and the work you’ve created for the Diamond Exhibition?
The ever changing seasons, the ebb and flow of the tides, the rolling clouds; these elements are just some of the roots of my work. Each piece I make tells the story of places past, lands filled with lush forests and roaring rivers. The thread that runs through all my art could be encapsulated in one word, “reminiscence”--reminiscing on a time and place from the past.
What do you enjoy the most about your art and, specifically, the work you’ve put out in the Diamond Exhibition?
I love the sense of nostalgia I get. Each piece reminds me of somewhere I may have visited in a dream. They take me back to my youth, when my mind was more flexible, able to imagine distant and forgotten lands. When I look at each of the pieces in my Diamond Exhibition work, Memory Loss, I see landscapes; a rocky outcrop; a field of wheat; a rough sea. It is meant to appear fantastical, with bright colors, flowers, vines, stars, and living creatures splayed across the canvas in implausible ways.
I am also pleased with how Memory Loss has so many parallels with Sky Meadow. Both collections deal with reminiscence.
What impact, if any, has the NFT community had on your artistic approach? Is there anything you are able to do now that you weren’t able to do before?
The community has done wonders for my motivation. Thanks to the NFT community, artists are able to create and publish art individually as the inspiration comes to them.
Being in the NFT community is a bit like cycling–you are constantly moving in the slipstream of other artists and collectors. When they speed up, so do you. We are all taking our turns on the front of the group, pushing each other to go faster and faster.
I have to be thankful to the collectors and supporters I have for collections like Primera and Sky Meadow. Both collections I did entirely independently–using a custom contract for Primera, and a custom contract extension for Manifold for Sky Meadow. Without the support of the community, it would have been impossible to market and share these collections. The act of creating a contract and website to sell your art feels a lot like putting up a stand at a farmers market. Just like you can talk to an artist at a fair, I can make legitimate connections with artists and collectors through Twitter DM.
What’s next for you and your art? What are you excited about for the rest of the year?
I have a release on Nifty scheduled for late April along with the Diamond Exhibition. I also have a script on my computer that I have been working on for a while now that I would love to get over the finish line–not sure about its completion date but it’s in progress. I am trying to slow down and take my time because generative art is a constant battle against oversupply. I have a lot of art on my computer stored in files titled “untitled.js” and “idk.js” that I am looking forward to someday having the chance to work on and perfect. I am also excited about summertime and the longer days–sitting out on the porch with a coffee and my laptop, working on art while the sun sets, is one of my favorite things. Last but not least–if Arsenal comes through and wins the league next month, I think I could probably say “job done” to 2023.
