My Journey Series on Nifty Gateway is dropping on Thursday, Jan.26th at 5pm EST. It features TWO 24h Open editions. It’s my first Open Edition that I am putting out and I em very excited about it. The two pieces are “Acceptance” and “Surrender To The Source”. 

https://www.niftygateway.com/collections/borispelcer

Where can collectors find your work? 

The post Artist Interview: Boris Pelcer appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

Daniel,
So lovely to spend time with you, I am such a huge fan of your work. Would you mind telling me a bit about your background as an artist?

Hi Ashley, an absolute pleasure to have met you and spend time with you.

 

Well, my journey as an artist started way back ago. I’ve always loved to draw, since I can remember I was drawing and painting. 

I believe I started actually doing portraits around the age of 9 in a drawing/painting workshop I attended. That’s when I fell in love with portraits actually and started to do portraits of everything that I was interested in (mostly comic characters in that time) in pencil. Then growing up I actually quit drawing until age 24, when I started Design School (my way to get close to art again) and never stopped since then. It was about 10 years ago that I found digital painting and fell in love immediately. 

Where are you from, and how has your upbringing and home influenced your work?

I’m from Uruguay, born and raised. 

I come from a place in which art has not a place of much privilege nor appreciation which made it a little tough. That is one of the reasons I’ve never considered art as a career path growing up. But despite that, I come from a family where emotions and sensitivity was always a value and that’s why I cherish and embrace it so much in my work.

What brought you into the web3 space?

As many of us, I found out about the space right after the famous Beeple sale. It was not the money what actually drawn me to this space but the fact that I found out that people were actually valuing digital art. The fact that some folks all over the world were giving value to art and artists was just amazing to me and felt like it was the opportunity I was waiting for. Definitely felt like the opportunity of a lifetime for me.

What artists, both traditional or digital, have inspired you in your work?

Definitely my work is shaped and influenced by the work of the old masters. 

My biggest influences are masters such as Caravaggio, Rafael, Michelangelo, Gentileschi, Rubens, Sargent, Zorn, Repin, Saez and a lot more. 

And of course, digital artists I admire a lot like Aaron Griffin, Raphael Lacoste, Billelis, Pascal Blanche and so many others. 

What hurdles have you faced as an emerging NFT artist?

 

I think like a lot of us the struggle for visibility is one of the biggest challenges an artist can face in this space. There’s a lot of talent in this space and it can feel a little overwhelming sometimes to deal with not getting seen or recognized. Of course, sometimes market conditions can be determinant in some way but for me the most important for most artists sometimes is to stay relevant and feel appreciated.

Do you have a muse? What inspires the people in your stunning works?My biggest influence is definitely human emotions and nature. I believe the human body can tell so much and make you feel such a wide variety of emotions that I feel almost impossible not to use it to tell a story.

What can we expect from you in the coming months?

I will keep growing, keep creating and pushing my own limits. I believe I’m just starting and there’s a lot of things I want to do and explore. 

One of my biggest goals is to actually become a full-time artist in the middle-term to be able to focus 100% in my art and I’m working really hard to achieve that.  

If you had one piece of advice for artists looking to follow in your footsteps, what would it be?

 

Definitely to take your time, do not rush it and always focus on your own journey and growth. 

Love what you do and do what you love, for me this is about actually doing what I love, and it definitely takes a lot of pressure (that of course exists) off.

 

 

Thank you so much for this amazing opportunity. I’m nothing but grateful to all the love and support. 

 

Much love

 

Daniel (AKA Foleee) 

Foleee | Twitter | Linktree

The post Artist Interview | Foleee appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

This last week has been dubbed the unofficial official #glitchweek by glitch artists, curators and fans of the genre. In celebration, here is the interview feature of Jarid Scott, a prolific and talented glitch artist and Community Development Lead at Makersplace, about Glitch Art, his inspirations and experiences. I met Jarid through Glitch Alpha Force – a community of Glitch artists founded by Dawnia Darkstone – in which we mutually lurked on each others artwork and development in the space. I appreciate Jarid for taking the time to answer my questions.

Hey, I’m Jarid Scott (@jrdsctt). I am a digital artist currently living and working out of Salt Lake City, Utah, although I am originally from Minnesota. I have a bachelors of fine art in digital art & photography that I got from the University of Minnesota, Duluth in 2012. I have been working as a freelance digital artist/graphic designer since about 2016, I got into minting and selling NFTs in early 2019, and got a job working for a NFT platform, MakersPlace, in May of 2021. My main style would be considered “glitch art” or “photo manipulation”, though I also dabble in A.I. art as well as doodling in Procreate on my iPad.

How did you get started as an artist?

I became interested in art as a young lad. Salvador Dalí was my first introduction to fine art and I fell deeply in love with his dreamlike worlds and landscapes. At first I wanted to be a cartoonist (cos I was a kid and loved cartoons), but soon learned that I had zero ability to draw. Photography became my next passion in high school (mostly because it involved such little drawing). I was so into it in fact, that it’s what I ended up going to college for, tho, as I spent more and more time in photo classes, I found myself more and more drawn to the “post” and “editing” parts of photography, and less into actually taking pictures. This new found interest in photo editing paired with my love of Nine Inch Nails’ art direction (at the time my art hero Rob Sheridan was their art director and his glitch style was incredibly inspiring to me) led to me becoming a photo based glitch artist. In 2016 I decided to challenge myself to creating one piece of glitch art a day for an entire year, and this led to the birth of “jrdsctt”, my artistic identity. Between 2016 and 2019 I was a freelance artist, mostly making album art for smaller bands, and then MakersPlace and NFTs entered my life, and it’s been all consuming of my time and life ever since.

What does Glitch Art mean to you?

To me, glitch art is an escape from reality. It’s a break in our typical reception of the world and it forces us to look at it from a new perspective. I especially love when it takes recognizable forms and shapes and places, and breaks them down almost to the point of being completely unrecognizable, when it challenges our ability to make connections with things that should be easily accessible in our memories. Glitch art also rides that fine balance between embracing technology and destroying technology. Loving tech and fearing tech. Insert glitchy ying yang. One of my other favorite aspects of Glitch is how anti-elite it is. There are so many ways and methods and techniques involved in glitch that almost anyone can jump in (for a relatively low cost) and start making amazing art!

Why did you get into crypto/nfts?

I honestly thought I would never get into crypto. Back in 2018 I vaguely knew what bitcoin was, but I had zero interest in it. At the time I was posting a lot of my art on a website called “ello” which is an art sharing social network. One of the features of the site is that people can reach out to you and ask if you are interested in collaborating or doing commission work, and I kept getting emails from some company called “MakersPlace” asking if I wanted to check them out and sell “Rare Digital Art” through them. I honestly thought it was a scam, until I noticed a few of my friends post on Instagram that they were making sales on MakersPlace, so I decided to check it out. I joined their Discord, got an invite to mint and sell there, and instantly fell in deep. Overall, NFTs have been a life changing experience for me. I recently bought my first house, and 100% of the down payment came from NFTs sales of my own art. I know the NFT world isn’t perfect, but it’s hands down the best way for an artist to make a living off their art.

As boring and unfunny as this story is, I think my favorite NFT story is that I was able to buy a house because of NFTs. Since graduating college, my partner and I had been renting or living with parents. Renting is fine and all, but, it’s a bit disheartening to know that all of that rent money was just going into someone else’s pocket, and not be invested in us and our future in some capacity. And then NFTs came along. I’m not gonna lie, I am not sure I would have sold as many as I did had it not been for the big Beeple sale in March of 2020. The buzz surrounding it led to thousands of people flocking to MakersPlace to see what NFTs were all about, and, a lot of first time buyers trying to get in on this industry that just had this massive $69 million sale. I sold a lot of NFTs between 2020 and 2021. So many in fact, that we were able to afford a down payment on a house that we moved into February of 2022. It’s an amazing and surreal feeling, and to be honest, it still doesn’t feel real sometimes. But regardless, it’s incredibly inspiring and empowering knowing that this house is ours cos of some jpegs I sold on the internet.

Can you discuss your role at MakersPlace?

My current role at MakersPlace is “Community Development Lead”, but I started out as a “Customer Success Specialist”. I joined MakersPlace as an artist/user in early 2019. At the time I was working at a small print shop in SLC as a graphic designer for my day job, and doing a side hustle as a freelance artist in my free time. I was hungry for any opportunity to sell my art, and MakersPlace/NFTs seemed like something I should try out. In 2019, only a year after the formation of the company, they had an extremely small staff (I think only about 4-6 employees), and since I was working this desk job and sitting around on Discord all day already, I got in super deep with their community there. So much so that I was asked to become their first official Ambassador, essentially helping the community out, doing mod/admin duties in their Discord, and answering questions where I could. After the infamous Beeple/MakersPlace/Christies sale in March of 2020, the platform was flooding with new users trying to get in and learn more about this new NFT craze, and MakersPlace did not have a dedicated support person at the time. So, since I was already spending most of my days answering questions on MakersPlace, they offered to pay me to do it, and I said yes! After a year with the company, my strengths and interests moved away from support and more towards community building, and that’s how I landed where I am now, as their Community Development Lead.

Where do you see the future of crypto art going?

It’s really difficult for me to imagine a future (at least before climate change or antibiotic resistant disease wipes out most of the life on earth ) that doesn’t have crypto art/NFT. This technology and the entire web3 movement has been a monumental game changer for creatives and their ability to make a living off their creations. Going to art school, we were taught that the days of “being an artist and nothing more” were over. We were told that we would have to get graphic design jobs, photo assistant positions, and rely on gig/commission work if we wanted to “be creative” for a living. NFTs changed that. They made it possible for artists to pay the bills simply by making the art they would have already been making in their free time. I no longer have to make album art for bands, I can just make the art that I wanna make. NFTs are here to stay. And where will they go from here? I feel like the days of this just being an art thing will be over soon. I don’t think fine art NFTs are going anywhere, but the tech has so much potential beyond just art. Mainstream media, movies, shows, video games, etc., I think that’s the next big step. How will it all work? I have no clue, but NFTs and crypto tech have so much untapped potential, it’s hard for me to imagine it not creeping into more and more things as time goes on.

Advice to newcomers to nfts/art from what you have learned.

The best advice I can give, and this applies to both new artists and new NFT artists, and it’s a line I stole from sgt_slaughtermelon (which is a line he stole from the show “Oz” which is a show I have never seen so I am sure I am messing it up): “Find a gang”. The NFT art space, and even just the social media art space is an endless sea of noise. There are thousands upon thousands of artists constantly posting, Instagraming, Tweeting, sharing, uploading, shilling, and screaming about their art. It can be super difficult to stand out and be seen. This is where the gang comes in handy. Find a crew, find a group of like minded friends/acquaintances/strangers who art you dig, get to know them, and just befriend them. I can’t begin to tell you how much good can come from this. You need people to support you, share your stuff, help you through the hard times, celebrate your wins, and just in general be there for you. And, you will be doing the same thing for them. Everyone wins. WAGMI.

3 Artists I Love In Crypto

3 Artists I Derive Inspiration From:

LINKS TO EXPLORE JARID’S WORK FURTHER:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrdsctt

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jrdsctt

Collab with the band HEALTH: https://zora.co/collections/zora/1487

Collab with sgt_slaughtermelon: https://foundation.app/@sgt_slaughtermelon/foundation/77794

Collab with Kate the Cused: https://makersplace.com/jrdsctt/cursed-smn-4-of-10-77080/

Collab with KNNY: https://makersplace.com/ninjaboffin/v-a-p-o-r-d-r-a-b-1-of-1-185487/

Collab with NoNoNoNoNo: https://makersplace.com/jrdsctt/_m_n____nv_f_____03-1-of-1-185054/

The post Artist Feature: Jarid Scott appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

Lovely to connect; What shall we call you?

Ian Anderson / The Designers Republic / Divine Rights / TDR Bingo.

Can you tell us about your background and what lead you down the path to experimenting
with NFTs?

It is written in the scriptures…
“Ian was born in Croydon (London’s erstwhile City of the Future) before England won the World Cup. He fought in the Punk Wars 1976 — 78 with the Infra Red Helicopters in Bracknell New Town and studied Philosophy at The University of Sheffield 1979 — 82. As a designer he is self-taught. The Designers Republic was declared on Bastille Day 1986 in the northern Steel City of Sheffield he dubbed SoYo North of Nowhere (Where everyday is Wednesday)” TDR is ‘an internationally renowned pop-cultural hyper-creative design studio’ focusing on graphic design and brand communication across all media, fueled by strategic thinking, problem solving (thinking and doing) and strong narrative. In the 90’a / 00’s TDR was regularly dubbed ‘the most copied design studio in the world’ following work with Sony on Playstation flagship game Wipeout / Wipeout2097 / Wip3out, Warp Records, Aphex Twin, R&S Records, Pop Will Eat Itself, Autechre, the Orb, an issue of iconic design magazine Emigre and exhibitions in NYC etc NFTs… We have just launched our first ever NFT collection, TDR Bingo — a ‘numbers game’ being a collection of 253 X 001/001 artworks. Each piece is unique with embedded collectable traits & rarity and is exclusive to TDR Bingo. The works are remade / remodeled (and maybe re-usable) bespoke number-based designs referencing iconic TDR output — from commercially unattainable TDR fonts to hi-profile hijacked digits — from the future right up to Right Now. When did you mint your first NFT? What platform did you choose and why? I haven’t minted any NFTs personally; I’m not sure I really understand the whole thing, which is why I’m doing it… and why I’m working with the people at Divine Rights, who have minted NFTs and have more idea what they’re doing. We’re taking a DIY approach minting via our own website, using a bespoke smart contract – on our own terms, to learn/inform/understand, to keep control. To lead, not to follow. It’s an experiment where we can learn from our community. Each of the 253 pieces in the collection is unique, we’re not dealing in multiples. We’re learning the pros and cons of this approach as we go. We’re realizing we need the support of the community to grow the community which is why I’m really excited by the events and physical consumables we’re hoping to roll out as the project evolves

Can you tell us one thing you cannot live without? (and why)
An audience.

Who is your favourite NFT artist? What makes this artist unique?

How do you define ‘favourite’? Based on what criteria? I don’t have favourites — there’s too much criteria and too may tick boxes I don’t have the urge to tick. I don’t understand why people choose to impose hierarchies on personal taste and creativity. I’m more interested in options, in everything multiplied by everything else, and the potential to like or unlike anything and everything whenever / wherever depending on changing mood and / or shifting context. I prefer contradictions. The twilight zone between yes and no, between perspectives, between falling in love with and being totally fucked off by the same thing at the same time… I don’t feel the need to resolve that scenario, but I do have the desire to celebrate and explore it. I’m more interested in art than artists, digital or otherwise, and in ideas more than idealists.

What made you pursue NFT art?

The TDR mantra has always been “communication by any means necessary”, and NFTs provide another route to connect with / provoke a response from an audience. In the past we’ve taken every opportunity to explore different avenues, different ways of working with  different people / different clients. As such, this is somewhere between an experiment (to see what happens), and an experience (to learn stuff we don’t know). What interests me the most is the potential of the community that will hopefully grow from the NFTs themselves… who knows where that will take us, and ideally, for me, some of the directions will be determined by the community’s response / desire etc… Ironically the digital work may manifest itself in physical form… TDR Bingo merch, a TDR Bingo book (we have an idea to involve collectors and what they do with their NFTs as a part of the story if that’s the way the wind blows.) The NFT thing is an adventure. Who knows what will happen… I genuinely hope we can create a community that can work that out together.

What is the one piece of NFT art you wish you had purchased but missed out on?

I’m a producer not a consumer but… I wish I’d bought ‘Dormitory Town Is Full Of Twats’ from TDRBingo. Most of the Art I have I treasure because it was originally a gift and has personal gravity. Everybody has their own connection with art — what they like, and for some, what they own, and why… which is exactly as it should be — just as every artist has their own motivation for doing what they do, and why.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why this location?

It depends why I would be going to wherever it might be that I’d be travelling to. I’m lucky The Designers Republic has taken me all over the world over the last 35 years consulting and designing for clients, liaising with galleries for TDR exhibitions, opening TDR stores, talking at conferences and on lecture tours, and running workshops at art schools, conferences and festivals. The grand gestures of destination are less important than how you spend your time wherever you are and who you spend it with. It’s somewhere between the stories you make and the inspiration you take. It’s about making time as much as taking time. It’s about the people not the place.  Ultimately, it’s about coming home, whatever that means.

What are your other passions besides art? Why?

The irony is that as a creative (an artist or a designer, or both — you decide) there are no passions other than those that ultimately feed into what I do. I’m a music obsessive, I love architecture porn, I can spend days watching sci-fi and crime dramas, I read books about psychology (why we do what we do), I like to hear what my kids are doing (they’re growing up too fast to want me to be a part of it now), I support Sheffield Wednesday FC. I’m a people watcher, and I like to travel to watch / meet people in different situations / cultures etc. I really like the idea of switching off and doing nothing… I could be passionate about that, but I don’t imagine that will ever happen until I’m too old to enjoy the space it would create!

Do you make other forms of art?

Yes (but it depends how you define art). TDR has sold prints / books / fashion / homeware / merch etc since the 90s, sometimes via our online store (temporarily closed), sometimes via our physical shop The Peoples Bureau off Cat Street, Harajaku (Tokyo) (closed), sometimes via FB / Insta. TDR has had over 50 ‘solo’ ‘physical’ exhibitions around the globe as well as contributing to 100s of group shows (see Ginza Graphic Gallery 2011). Key series include Atoms Vectors Pixels Ghosts / Hello, Is It Me UR Looking 4 / AZTDR / New & Used / Customised Terror / Synaesthesia / Ooh Aah TDR / Work Buy Consume Die (Pho-Ku Corporation) etc.  The Designers Republic has never been just a design studio, more a state of mind, doing whatever fascinates us whenever the mood takes us… which is what brought us here, to be with you.

How did you come up with your specific style?
That’s an odd question.

How has your style evolved over the years?

I hope so. For a designer it’s a slightly different question. How we communicate the problems we solve has other factors beyond self expression to consider. This means it’s more a question of attitude / approach / application, and how that evolves and navigates the territory between client and audience. I think of TDR as a filter. The filter has certain properties — the way we think, the way we solve problems, the aesthetics which flavor how we communicate our solutions to problems, how we balance subjective and objective etc. These remain relatively constant shifting only based on the personalities of the people involved at any one time (we are who we are). The variables are the people we work with, and our relationship with / to them, and whatever they bring to the table, and what they want from it… the tension between what the client wants to say and how their audience wants to hear it.

What is coming in the near future?

There will be a new shop coming soon run-in conjunction with my friends at Shop Will Eat Itself… so it should be more organized, easier to order from, and there will be more re-issues and special editions along with new releases / new old releases / new designs / tees / sweats / books / prints plus the final pieces exhumed from the archive… there’ll also be a separate TDR Bingo “outlet” AND we’re working on some interesting collabs with the good people at Ghostly…

TDR Bingo will be showcased at the NFT Liverpool show in August, thanks to @hushart and @mondoir. ‘The Future Isn’t What It Used To Be Isn’t What It Used To Be’ is the title of the piece at the exhibition. There’s always plans for TDR shows… any idea where we could have one? or more? always up for talks and workshops…

If you could collaborate with one artist who would it be?
Everyone. No-one.

Do you have any upcoming drops?

TDRBingo®. Eyes Down!
TDRBingo® is a project powered by its audience. #ReclaimTheEther and help TDR Battle the Blahs! Be a part of the community,
connect to TDR and gain Divine Rights’ superpowers — priority access? exclusive merch? physical limited editions? collabs? in-
person events? Consumer Information?
The future isn’t either / or…
For now, a Divine Rights NFT ‘allows you to be the sole owner of a digital TDR product, with demonstrable provenance’ for the first
time and forever more.
Permanently yours until you decide otherwise.
Buy / trade / collect / swap / sell… Try it — you might like it.

Is minting already live?

We opened minting to the people already inside our Discord community – we wanted to make sure those people who joined early have the first opportunity to buy. Minting is currently open exclusively for everyone TDRBingo’s NFTs are made available in batches, you can mint at our website http://www.tdrbingo.com. Each NFT has a unique title and you can select the one you want to mint from those shown in pink. They turn black once they have sold, and you can then trade on the secondary market.
They each come with their own coded identity, like ‘Ankle Deep in Jibber Jabber’ or ‘I Want Whatever Gets Me What I Want’. One of my
favourite titles is ‘Candy Pants Lives in a Skip’. The artwork isn’t visible at the point of sale – we are building this project for people curious enough to explore with us. It’s a leap of faith to join. Once all pieces have been minted, individual designs will be revealed – remember, these hand-crafted, exclusive designs use original TDR fonts referencing iconic TDR output. Each artwork represents a number from 1 to 22. What number and style will you mint – How’s your luck? Eyes Down!

Anything else you’d like to share?
Sharing sounds like caring.

Where can collectors find your work?
Link to Website:
http://www.tdrbingo.com
Social links:
Discord: https://discord.gg/SzeHH3cfXE
TDR Bingo Twitter: https://twitter.com/TDR_Bingo
The Designers Republic Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedesignersrepublic
Ian Anderson Twitter: @iantdr

The post Interview: Ian Anderson | The Designers Republic appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

Where are you from?
I am from Cuba, although I always like to say that I am a citizen of the world. I studied painting at the National Academy of Havana, graduating in the specialty of painting. I worked for some years as an easel restorer at the National Museum of Fine Arts of Cuba. But I have always dedicated myself to art and to develop my own artistic style, because for me creating is a vital necessity, a refuge, a way to express myself.

Can you tell us about your background and what lead you down the path to becoming
an artist and ultimately experimenting with NFTs?
Since I was a little girl I had a strong inclination towards drawing and painting. My family loves the arts and has always been a total support for me. I was able to study from a very young age in art schools and learn a lot from other artists and teachers. Art is always in constant evolution and my mind is always searching for new ways to reinterpret my work in different media. That’s why I moved from drawing on cardboard, to painting on canvas and wood and other materials. But always, parallel to this, I have felt very attracted to technology and its infinite possibilities to create. So in recent times I invested to get the necessary equipment to make digital art, learning programs like Krita to take my physical style to the digital without losing its essence, or even 3D modeling and sculpture programs like Blender and Zbrush, where I take my work to the three-dimensional plane. So, one thing has led to the other. I needed to find a way to market the digital art I had been producing and the NFTs opened that door wide for me. Today I am completely focused on this new medium.

When did you mint your first NFT? What platform did you choose and why?
My first work was minted in Opensea with the help of a great human being named Ernesto Cisneros, who has been in this medium for a long time and has been an advisor, guide and friend for me and many other artists in their start in the world of web 3. At that time, Opensea seemed to be the best place to start in the NFTs because of its facilities to create collections and the cost.

You were selected by Trevor Jones’ Art Angels, and seemed to be a huge success! Would you tell us a bit about this experience? What has it changed for you?
Since I started this journey in December 2021 it has been a road where I have walked slowly, learning from each step … So when I was invited by Trevor Jones to his space -I didn’t know him at all- I felt surprised, first because there are many good artists on the web 3, like a giant sea where I am just a drop. So it was an honor that he saw me and invited me for that important space. It was in fact a huge change for me everything that happened after that invitation. Shortly before, I was already dreaming of one day coming to Superrare, but for me
it was a dream for the future. To know that it would also be my genesis with an auction in this exclusive market was a surprise that filled me with excitement!

Since then I have gained a lot of followers and sales, which is an impulse to continue creating and to improve my work even more.

Can you tell us one thing you cannot live without? (and why)
Well… For me there are two fundamental things in my life: My family and my work. My family is my spiritual support. My husband and daughter, who are also dedicated to art. We support each other, we are a team. We share the work, the ideas, the housework. On the other hand, work, the creative process, is a necessity not only because it is our economic support, but also because it feeds the spirit. My mind is always creating images that I must concretize in a visual support. It is the easiest way for me to express myself to the world.

Who is your favorite artist(s) (Non NFT)? What about their style resonates with you?
In the world of art I am first an admirer of gothic and pre-renaissance art, artists such as the Van Eyck brothers or G. Boch inspired me a lot in my early stages. But fundamentally I love surrealist and symbolic art. From there I could highlight two artists that fascinate me: Leonora Carrington and Remedios Varo. I feel a great connection with both of them, especially with Remedios’; work and her dreamlike world of stylized fantastic entities, coming from her personal imaginary. A work full of details, poetry, scenes that tell a kind of story stopped in an instant.

Who is your favourite NFT artist? What makes this artist unique?
There are many artists on the web 3 that I admire. But it’s different when you are close enough to see their work and thought process. This is the case of the artist @jassbarbier who has been my life partner for more than 20 years. I don’t choose him for that, but I admire him as the great artist he is. His work has always been in a constant evolution towards the search for self and aesthetic perfection. I have seen him go from drawing, sculpture, painting, collage to digital photography and then transform it into something unique, beautiful, surreal. His pieces transport me to another world. One that somehow reminds me of the Steam Punk style, but in a personal and highly refined way. The way he can take pictures of objects, fragments of doors, scenes, and then turn them into something totally new, into machines, into clothes, into fantastic ornaments that wrap his portraits, fascinates me.

What made you pursue NFT art?
As I said in a previous question… I was already doing some digital work when I started hearing about NFTs. At the beginning I was very suspicious because I didn’t know anything about it. I joined Cuban and Latin community groups and started to listen and learn how this new universe worked. Everything has been learning little by little because there is too much information and there is still a lot to learn. I was lucky to have the support of the community which is wonderful and where everyone helps each other and I repeat, the musician and artist NFT Ernesto Cisneros. Who helped me with the necessary resources to start my first collection in Opensea.

What is the one piece of NFT art you wish you had purchased but missed out on?
I don’t think I have yet reached the point of considering becoming a large-scale art collector. I have seen great artists and works, but I have not yet been inclined to buy. I am still at a stage where I need to focus more and invest in better resources to improve and optimize the tools of the trade.

If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go? Why this location?
I can only say that I love the mild climate and the landscapes. Watching wildlife and wild birds. I have always dreamed of places a bit far away from the big cities. There are many places I could go that meet these requirements. In Spain, in British Columbia…. in Germany…. well, I haven’t decided…maybe all of them!

What are your other passions besides art? Why?
Well, it has something to do with the previous question a little bit. I am an admirer of nature and animals, I love studying birds, I like rescuing animals and finding homes for them. I also love music and singing, although I only dare to sing with friends! I love video games, yes, even though I’m 44 years old my inner child is still there!

Do you make other forms of art?
I am always looking for new ways to create. I’ve done a little of everything. In my beginnings I drew on paper or cardboard, then I began to color on canvas and wood. I was fascinated by using pieces of wood that were once parts of doors, windows, furniture…. also painting on
metal or stone supports. I also had my ephemeral stage of conceptual art and performance. I have done sculpture in clay above all and in wood. In digital art I have tried drawing, painting, 3D modeling and sculpture, animations and so I have been experimenting with different ways of creating. There are still many things to learn and do!

How did you come up with your specific style?
Ever since I was little, fantasy has always accompanied me. Imagining characters and animals and situations between them that I see as stories in my mind. I was externalizing that and as I was learning drawing and painting techniques I was adopting my own style. At first full of influences from medieval art, erotic art, but little by little I found my way, my figuration, my symbols that are recognizable today although the evolution continues.

How has your style evolved over the years?
As I told you before. It has been a gradual evolution. I always liked the human figure and at first the proportions were very difficult for me until I found my way of doing them. The rest has been letting myself be carried away by my thoughts, feelings and fantasy and improving my way of interpreting all this in a better way.

What is coming in the near future?
I am full of ideas and projects. My mind doesn’t stop and I’m still very inspired. I am working on several projects at the same time, something that has arisen from entering the great nft community where new things always come up. For a new market to which I was invited, for a collective exhibition in Paris under the wings of Ernesto Cisneros’ Impulses. art project… I am also working on several collaborations with Web 3 artists, which is one of the best ways to get to know each other better.

If you could collaborate with one artist who would it be?
The first artist I want to collaborate with and in fact I’m already doing it is with my dear @jassbarbier. But I am open to any artist who wishes to collaborate, be it a painter, a musician, a 3D artist, a writer…and beyond.

Do you have any upcoming drops?
I am waiting for the right moment. I have finished work, but I want to wait a bit before putting it on the market. I don’t want to saturate right now.

Where can collectors find your work?
I currently have works available on Foundation and KnownOrigin. But in the near future there will be a new work available in super rare. I have not yet defined the moment for it. I also have a facet of my work closer to drawing and experimentation with 2D animation at
Objkt.com
Link to Website:
https://linktr.ee/nurediem

Social links:
https://www.facebook.com/Nur.Art.Pure
https://www.instagram.com/nurart_10/
https://twitter.com/NurArt_

NFT marketplace links:
https://foundation.app/@nurart
https://knownorigin.io/nurart
https://superrare.com/nurart
https://objkt.com/profile/tz1NjRn5DNE8D4qT8irc7YLGgBcLw9yMbLkR/created

Biggest piece sold?
So far it has been my genesis in SupeRrare, which was up for auction and sold for 1.777 eth.

What was your greatest failure and what did you learn from that?
The truth is that I don’t remember anything happening to me that I could call a failure. Life is a constant flow of ups and downs, of decisions and consequences. We learn from everything that happens and that helps us to evolve. I had stages in which I sold a little more commercial and artisanal art, without ceasing to be myself, in order to be able to support myself financially. I enjoyed it and it worked out well. Then, at the moment I thought it was right, I left it to focus on the kind of art I have always wanted to do, where I feel like I can be myself.

Anything else you’d like to share?
Just thank you for the opportunity of this interview. It is emotional for me to be able to tell a little about my career as an artist and as a person. and to be able to share it with so many others through this publication. Web 3 is a wonderful place; A space where I have been able to meet and interact with people, artists and non-artists, from many parts of the world. I have found friendship, support, inspiration. Strength and hope. I think it’s an opportunity to bring out the best in us as individuals. Show support and solidarity with those who join, think of the collective as a skein in constant movement. It is simply beautiful even with its flaws.

The post Artist Interview: NurArt appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

Limewire, the software oft remembered for its mp3 music piracy, has announced their entrance into web3, re-launching as a hub for buying and selling music NFTs. 

Limewire was a peer-to-peer file sharing software launched in 2000. In 2010, Limewire was shut down due to copyright infringement. This was the result of a lawsuit filed by a number of record companies. The original Limewire company also faced complaints involving identity theft due to the common occurrence of malware in the files sent. 

According to Bloomberg, two Austrian entrepreneurs have long been looking to acquire the company. The team will be entirely different, and the new CEOs, also brothers, are making the play based on their affection for the name, and nostalgia for the brand. The brothers, Julian Zehetmayr and Paul Zehetmayr  “It’s a very iconic name. Even if you look on twitter today, there’s hundreds of people still being nostalgic about the name.” CEO Julian Zehetmayr shared with Bloomberg. 

It’s been 12 years since the music piracy days were thriving, and the Zehetmayr brothers have a vision. Reportedly, they also have “many mainstream artists” on board. The NFTs will be available to purchase through both fiat and crypto. While the music on Limewire won’t be free this time, at least it won’t be illegal.  If you are interested in joining, you may join the waitlist for the new Limewire, coming May 2022. 

Ashley_NFT

The post LIMEWIRE IS BACK AS AN NFT MARKETPLACE appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

In December, Michael Jordan announced HEIR, a fan engagement platform on Solana. Launched with his son Jeffrey, Jordan’s company had raised $10 million in seed money, and has now dropped their first collection of NFTs

The use-case is simple: connect fans with their beloved celebrity athletes, and reward them tokens, access, and benefits. Jeron Smith, former Nike brand manager is currently running the HEIR firm, alongside Jordan’s Son Jeffrey. 

HEIR’s first drop, 6 Rings NFTs are inspired by Jordan’s multiple championship rings, won throughout the span of his career. The collection included 5,005 at a price of 2.3 SOL ($221) through the Magic Eden marketplace. The price of each piece was inspired by Jordan’s jersey number. 

Each Rings holder will now become a “founding fan”, and this will provide access to the platform connecting fans to their athletes in “huddles”, smaller communities with limited access to content, AMAs and merch. Rarities will be announced soon through their rarity tool, currently in development. 

HEIR chose to launch and stay within the Solana blockchain due to the lower gas fees, and because of their alignment with the ethos of Solana as a network. While the list of celebrity athletes is yet to be revealed, HEIRs discord makes clear, the platform will be available for athletes of all sorts, from high school to professional levels. 

Ashley_NFT

The post MICHAEL JORDAN’S HEIR DROPS SOLANA NFTS appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

In her stunning and haunting multimedia works, Kristen Valent is able to move the soul. She captures simple content from her daily surroundings as a farmer’s daughter, and somehow creates a magical visual that will stay with you. Kristen is a compassionate and beautiful human, and her work allows for these qualities to shine though – with abandon. If I seem bias, I am. I am a HUGE fan of her collection, namely her Prosperity Lamb found on foundation. In her process, she uses photography, and merges this with the knowledge from her fine art background. Take a look below to learn a bit more about Kristen from our Q&A.

Tell me a bit about yourself:

I am 1998 graduate of R.I.T with a degree in Illustration. Upon graduation, I moved to Atlanta,  GA working with the top agencies and fortune 100 companies where I was heavily focused on  graphic design, illustration, photography, and marketing. This all came to a sudden halt in 2009  when I suffered a brain injury that deeply affects my visual system which limited my ability to  work more than 5-10hrs a week for the past 12yrs. Thankfully, I was gifted the blessing of a new  specialist who has opened up the doorway to more eye movements allowing me to create my  artwork again after years of being buried.  

What is one sentence you’d use to describe yourself?

I am a multidisciplinary artist and farmers daughter who celebrates every  moment in life. 

Name (Display name)

Kristen Valent 

Where are you from?

Buffalo New York 

What is your favorite thing to do on a weekend?

Go hiking 

One thing you cannot live without?

Nature 

Who is your favorite artists (Non NFT)?

Kirstin Stingle 

Who is your favorite NFT artist?

Renee Campbell 

What made you pursue NFT art?

I followed the tech for years but didn’t have the physical  capability to do it. Once I did, I jumped on board with full passion being able to create again; as  well as, to hopefully gain funds for my continued brain/vision therapies. 

What is the one piece of NFT art you wish you had purchased but missed out on?

I can’t  say that there is one as I believe to focus on the moment and not what I miss. 

If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go?

Santorini Greece Links and such: https://linktr.ee/kristenvalent 

Link to Website:

I do not have one yet since I’ve only been able to create for the past 5months  again and still struggle with eye movements. I will be working on this though. 

Social links:  

https://twitter.com/KristenValent  

https://www.facebook.com/kristenvalentartist 

NFT marketplace links:

https://linktr.ee/kristenvalent 

Link to any pieces you want to highlight in the piece (and prices if necessary)

1) Foundation Prosperity Ram  

This is my genesis piece and the first piece of fine art that I created in attempting to bring the  core of me back. https://foundation.app/@kristenvalent/foundation/104807  0.4 $ETH  

2) Foundation Heritage  

https://foundation.app/@kristenvalent/foundation/130405  

1 $ETH Rare photographs of my turkey that can never be naturally recreated. 

3) Summer Nights 

0.25 $ETH  

This is my family farm where I was taught what strength and perseverance that setme up for the  rest of my journey in life. 

https://opensea.io/ 

assets/0x495f947276749ce646f68ac8c248420045cb7b5e/811054086177850808548327331338 47922677983221215878817228421569864520878260225/ 

4) Resurgence from Endless Transformation. This collection is about the expansion of your mind  to see beyond what’s right in front of you.  

0.2 $ETH 

https://opensea.io/ 

assets/0x495f947276749ce646f68ac8c248420045cb7b5e/811054086177850808548327331338 47922677983221215878817228421569872217459654657/ 

Optional Questions  

Biggest piece sold? 0.25 $ETH 

Anything else you’d like to share?

Just be thankful for everything you have every single day  because you never know when it can be taken away. I never could have anticipated that the  simple action of moving my eyes could crash my whole body. Life, Laugh, and Love Always.

The post 1/1 ARTIST INTERVIEW: KRISTEN VALENT appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

For its 75th anniversary, Wrangler will be debuting a two-part NFT release titled “Mr. Wrangler”.
February 22nd, the first drop debuted, featuring 75 NFTs in its “Icon” drop, and will be releasing 1 single edition for its “Legendary” drop. The “Icon” will include 1 digitally animated NFT, 1 VIP pass to a private event at New York Fashion Week in Sept 22′ where Leon Bridges will be performing live, 1 Icon Decentraland Metaverse Wearable, and IRL access to the unveiling of the “Legendary” NFT. The 1/1 “Legendary” NFT will include 1 physical replica of the denim suit infused with exclusive content only accessible via LTD. INC’s scanning app, 1 retro futuristic suitcase, 1 digitally animated NFT and 1 Legendary Decentraland Metaverse Wearable.

The sale is taking place as an auction, ending March 1st 12pm, and Wrangler’s collection is hosted by LTD.INC, a platform offering curated, ultra-rare physical and digital NFTs. Starting auctions begin at .3 Eth ($796.20 at the time of writing this).

Daryl Kelly, CEO of LTD.INC, shared in a press release, “We are honored to partner with Wrangler and Leon Bridges to launch the “Mr. Wrangler” NFT Collection for the brand’s 75th Anniversary. The collection represents a first of its kind NFT class that crosses the physical, digital and virtual worlds. Over the last year, we have been forging partnerships with well-established artists, brands and creators to help them step into space and craft thoughtful NFT collections that bridge the gap between the physical and virtual economies allowing them to connect with their audiences in new and exciting ways.” LTD.inc, founded in London, 2020, is seemingly looking to showcase the Wrangler launch as the first of many high touch, promising releases.

Leon Bridges is known for his throwback, soulful sound and noteworthy style, an incredible fit and brand partner for wrangler. He is often seen wearing a sharp looking, vintage or custom Wrangler suit, even prior to this partnership.  Bridges is currently Wrangler’s men’s global ambassador, and has released a new song with band Khruangbin, Texas Moon, available on all listening platforms.

Ashley_NFT

The post WRANGLER® JOINS THE METAVERSE PARTNERING WITH GRAMMY WINNER LEON BRIDGES appeared first on NFT CULTURE.

Portion acquires Decentraland estate to offer immersive experience for artists and brand

Sales of real estate in the metaverse exceeded $500 million last year and could double this year, according to investors and analytics. Currently, some digital lands in fancy Decentraland districts are worth more than $1 million.

Being one of a few companies that paid a whopping seven figures for a virtual estate is Portion.io, a 21st-century blockchain-based auction house and collector’s community for rare high-end physical and digital art items. The purchase of ”Portion District”, near Decentraland’s Genesis Plaza, was completed for 425,000 MANA, equivalent to approximately 1,200,000 USD.

This acquisition comes on the heels of their recent successful partnership with Publicis Sapient, a leading digital consulting company. As a leader in digital business transformation, Publicis Sapient partners with the world’s largest brands, most of which are exploring and investing in Web 3.0.

Portion.io, a 21st-century blockchain-based auction house and collector’s community for rare high-end physical and digital art items, announces the purchase of ”Portion District”, an estate within Decentraland, a 3D virtual world platform where users buy virtual plots of land as NFTs. The purchase was completed for 425,000 MANA, equivalent to approximately 1,200,000 USD, as of 01/27/21.

“We’re incredibly excited to acquire a premium district in the Decentraland ecosystem in the early stages of its development,” says Jason Rosenstein, CEO & Founder of Portion. “It’s a major step in our journey since it helps us begin tangibly building out on a vision we’ve been developing for quite some time, allowing us to effectively optimize proof of concepts for the growing pool of curious artists and brands merging themselves into the Metaverse.”

Portion has partnered with celebrities including 2chain, WizKhalifa, Virgil Abloh, and well-known artists to make exclusive NFTs. From February 7-11, Portion will be featuring an NFT exhibition dedicated to Black History Month, highlighting a range of artists exploring Afrofuturism and alternate realities through a Black cultural lens.

The post Portion Drops $1.2 million for virtual property in Decentraland appeared first on NFT CULTURE.