The idea is the foundation of all great art, but how to get a good one? First I think big by determining what universal themes I want to address, then I look at the details. It is the same with illustration and concept design – getting to the core of a concept then breaking it down into specifics. I create simple icons inspired by words from a story or scene then cross reference and overlay them to produce new images. Beginning as thumbnails they evolve into loose sketches.
I love the tactile quality of a pencil moving against the surface of paper. It connects my mind with the world of image potentiality. Many of my early sketches are indiscernible scribbles and smudged lines yet slowly they declare their secrets. This is usually enough information for me to get started on final art.
Every so often I will put a sketch through a process of collage, or scan it into the computer to flesh it out more, but the initial idea is born from those primal marks on paper. My ideas flow out onto notecards, scraps of tissue or on the back side of used printing paper. I know that artists throughout time have loved the freedom associated with the sketch whatever material it is drawn on. It is fascinating how some roughly hewn lines can imbue a sense of wonder, explain an idea or tell a story with such vitality. This is one ancient and timeless technology that is not going away. In the 80s and 90s we used FAX machines to send our sketches to the client. Sometimes that tech became part of the sketch!
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I am honored to be working with Mei Jin Lu, a master of Feng Shui and the I Ching. We are creating an I Ching Oracle deck together. The art above is a little peek at what is to come. Stay tuned.
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Forest Revelry is an image from my White Deer graphic novel that I am still working on. This art represents the moment when the magic in nature meets the nature in our soul. In the poem the young lady who is picking mushrooms, berries and herbs is introduced to a magical part of the forest. She is invited to a special party and banquet. Will she partake of the festivities?
In our life, we are offered opportunities to learn and grow and sometimes party! This art represents the moment we are presented with a mystical choice. What would you do?
THESE LIMITED EDITION PRINTS ARE BEING OFFERED UNTIL FEBRUARY 18TH. AFTER THAT THEY WILL NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE AND THE EDITION WILL BE BASED OFF THE TOTAL NUMBER SOLD. PRINTS WILL BE SHIPPED A WEEK LATER.
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I am honored to be working with Mei Jin Lu, a master of Feng Shui and the I Ching. We are creating an I Ching Oracle deck together. The art above is a little peek at what is to come. Stay tuned.
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White Deer is an important piece of art in my Goddess cyanotype series. White Deer is associated with myths and lore from around the world and I wanted to bring this timeless story into the world of popular art culture.
I have written a poem that reflects White Deer's rite of passage. It's classical poetry with a hint of children's book prose and is becoming a very limited edition graphic novel! I intend to have the project finished in 2024.
These beautiful graphic novels will accompany the purchase of a White Deer artwork of which there are limited versions.
Here is an excerpt from the poem, with a sketched panel from the graphic novel above.
White Deer by Greg Spalenka
In the depths of nature's core
A truth awaits, forevermore
That life's enchantment never ends
We evolve, transform, transcend
Childhood Dream
I awoke, yet still was dreaming,
Lucid but my eyes were sleeping
I see the pond, an ancient mirror
Revealing a ghostly White Deer
This rite of passage – girl to crone
Ancient wisdom, we learned to own
When this looming fate pressed near
Uncertain, this maiden fled her fears
With the blush of dawn life bloomed
Illuminating all the darkened rooms
While mushrooms rose in sodden nooks
and berries bounced by babbling brooks
Morning beckoned heartily
Paths of sun lead nature’s bounty
Fauna played, birds alighted
World’s of dark and light collided
Innocence is a mystic trance
In light of day, where shadows dance
The solar rays weave and wind
Through verdant woods of fable
Yet, to step beyond the realm of fear
and let the forest draw me near
I requested a tale untold
Of love and courage, brave and bold
A little video I made from a recent trip to Chaco Canyon, New Mexico with Earth Walks and the ancient wisdom from Bea Duran of Tesuque Pueblo. The massive buildings (now ruins) of these ancestral indigenous peoples of this area still testify to their amazing organizational and engineering abilities. From 850 to 1250 CE, Chaco canyon was the NYC of the southwest, with tribes making pilgrimages from across the continent and South America for a myriad of celebrations.
The strata and petroglyphs in the cliffs are remarkable.
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In 1989 I was asked by Silas Rhodes, president of the School of Visual Arts in New York City where I lived at the time to create a piece of art for their subway series of posters that lined the NYC transit stations. I was honored to be a part of this tradition that had been around for decades and had enjoyed seeing many of them while riding the subway.
Dee Ito (Marshall Arisman's wife) conjured up the copy for the poster I was to illustrate… "Even a great idea is just an idea until you make it real."
During that time in the 80’s the subway system was not in the best shape, it was depressing and the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) was attempting to clean it up. So I thought I would put an angel in the subway to uplift the environment in a small way. The image I produced shows an angel in a small jail like room, painting a landscape with paint from her wings that are painting palettes.
The posters (hand silk screened in Paris!) looked great in the subway, but within a week or two I was noticing they were disappearing from the walls. No one at SVA knew why this was happening and so I contacted the MTA directly and asked why they were being taken down.
They said to me, “We are sorry Mr. Spalenka, but people are stealing your posters!”
I loved being a part of that SVA history!
SVA is presenting “Underground Images: A History,” a new exhibition showcasing the full collection of the College’s Subway Posters, which have covered the walls of NYC subway stations for almost 75 years. This is the first time the entire collection of more than 200 posters will be shown to the public.
In addition to the posters, this rich time-capsule tribute to SVA's history will include multimedia installations, progress sketches and paintings and a recreated NYC subway platform. Presented by SVA Galleries in partnership with the SVA Archives, “Underground Images: A History” will be on view through Saturday, October 14, 2023, at the SVA Chelsea Gallery, 601 W 26th St., 15th floor, New York City.
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Birth of Venus conjures up aromas of verdant flowers on a sandy beach with a whisper of sea air. This art was created as a compliment to the Page 47 botanical fragrance produced by Illuminated Perfume and also a nod to Sandro Botticelli, Italian painter of the Early Renaissance.
Venus was said to be ‘born of the sea spray’, representing love, beauty, freshness, spring and femininity. Delicate jasmine flowers dropped from her hands herald her arrival along the seascape, imbuing the salt air with their beautiful scent– a blossom that is prevalent in the perfume.
The seashell behind her and various shells on the seashore symbolize fertility, and the subconscious.
The Page 47 scent with its citrus rind unfurling into a rich, nectarous jasmine bouquet laced with underpinnings of champa, driftwood and golden amber, reminded me of 1800's Parisian posters, hence the hint of Art Nouveau in the diaphanous dress.
This signed limited edition (10), 18"x24" digital print with a white border is made with archival inks on museum quality acid free paper.
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Recently at Sweetwater Harvest Kitchen I conjured up a culinary performance art piece with some very talented people. We celebrated the Divine Nature Oracle Deck while exploring facets of our senses, including that of intuition. Joining me were Roxana Villa, Christine Remy, Starbird Inès, Lester Fu, along with Soma Franks who opened her awesome restaurant to this event. Below was the menu-
We received glowing reviews from the guests; "Loved it"... "More than Generous"... " A Delight!" Ritual of the Senses was a first step into creating experiences that compliment my art and personal vision while collaborating with other talented souls. The goal is to produce more theatrical pieces that accompany a gallery opening or similar.
It appears I am always biting off more than I can chew... but as I mentioned in my art presentation my mantra is... Am I more than I am? and of course... Onward and Upward!
Special thank you to Kim Aronson who shot the video footage on his iPhone.
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The Divine Nature Oracle Deck inspires the curiosity in everyone... including Luna, who is the animal companion to Starbird (who shot this video). The card that Luna picks is perfect.
"They say an elephant never forgets, and now is the time to emulate her powerful spirit. She knows who she is and carries the wisdom of the ancestors in her veins and the song of the earth in her mighty step. Her grace and power remind us we need only honor our own nature and embrace its natural shape in order to embody remembrance.
Allow yourself to take up all the space you need to express your particular genius. Allow yourself to love who and what you love, unabashedly. Make no apologies for what feels most natural and alive to you. Now is the time to remember who you were before the world told you who you should be."
–Angie Sullins
]]>Cyanotype emulsion on chromogenic print. Limited Edition.
Showing at Wolf Gallery - Located at Music Hill Ranch 16219 Navajo Trail Austin, TX 78738
Within the great story of reality, we enter into the canopied forest of our life, then emerge into the sunlight of our transformation.
The white deer holds a place in the traditions of many cultures. Native Americans believed the female white deer represented benevolence, kindness, creativity, spirituality, renewal, connectedness. A white stag symbolized longevity, virility, abundance and endurance. Symbolically, antlers represent sun rays of the great spirit.
The Celts considered white stags to be messengers from the “other world” and their appearance was said to herald profound change in the lives of those who encountered them. White deer are also a symbol of higher knowledge and to remind us of our spirituality.
Combining masculine and feminine principles, Deer with Stag, God with Goddess, creates a synergy of alchemical forces. Personal transformation is the goal.
My experiments with cyanotypes and early historical photographic processes reflect a type of alchemy in the elements of earth, fire, water and air. The symbolic elements of EARTH are found in the film, paper, and emulsion, FIRE is the sun’s rays exposing and transforming the chemicals into light and shadow, WATER develops and transfigures the image, AIR finishes the process of manifestation. This technique includes painting with the emulsion, destroying and rebuilding the image and repeating the process. Each piece is an evolution. Resurrecting concepts of Spirit and Alchemy in this manner, allows me to reflect upon aspects of my own personal evolution.
Working on a new cyanotype piece for a show at the Wolf Gallery in Austin Texas. Here we see the interior life of the cyanotype negative... its potential to create magic with the cyanotype alchemy- earth, water, air, fire.
Making these short little videos is a fun way to explore the creative process.
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The cyanotype experiments continue...
I am still exploring the alchemical mastery inherent in this historical photographic process. Seen here are the prints taken out of the water they were developing in. We can see the transitions from negative to positive image.
I consider these sketches while working out the dynamics of the process. Ultimately these will be larger pieces closer to 42"x42"
Dreams of Alchemy, (sketch) is an image in progress. I can see anomalies in the developing process. There is a serendipitous quality to the cyanotype method... hence it is very difficult to create a series where every piece looks exactly the same. Learning to surrender to the unique properties that this technique offers is a spiritual practice.
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I created and edited the background visuals and simple animations for Danaë Vlasse's Mythologies concert which was held at the University of AL in Huntsville.
Ming of Void Visuals in Germany helped with fractal imagery and motion graphics expert Chris Friend in Los Angeles was incredible with some animations. I was able in less than two weeks to whip up a video presentation for the entire show. I still do not know how I did it. Here are a few excerpts.
Sopranos: Sangeeta Kaur & Hila Plitmann
Tenor: Camron Gray
Piano (Principal): Robert Thies
Piano: Melody Ng
Violin: Joshua Burel
Cello: Paul Vest
Lyra & Percussion: Danaë Vlasse
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Charcoal drawing of Death from Sandman in The Art of Greg Spalenka book. This video showcases my process of sketching out the figure then adding clothes and other items to enhance the story. Music by Montana Jose.
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Did you know that Tarot and Oracle deck YouTube reviews are a thing?
Most of the reviewers did not know who I was, whereas others like Raecine Ardis of Fire, Grace and Beauty had some framed prints of my art.
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The final version of the Divine Nature Oracle Limited Edition Altar set.
Thank you to everyone who supported it.
Thank you also to Angi Sullins for her insightful prose and US Games for helping produce a beautiful Oracle deck, Rachel Watkins for the elegant plate and bowl ceramics, Matt Campos for the beautiful mala beads, Roxana of Illuminated Perfume for the hand made incense, Mother Nature for the exquisite rose quartz, and the Bees for the pure wax tea lites.
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I just received a new box of the Art of Greg Spalenka - Visions From the Mind's Eye books from London! Nine years after it has been printed, it is still a thrill to open a package of these.
The video is a recent drawing I placed in one of them. If you have not seen the book it represents 30 years of my art career and the printing is absolutely gorgeous... literally glows on the pages. It took a year working with my good friend and graphic designer, Jeff Burne to review all the work and design the book. In my opinion, it is one of the most impressive projects Jeff has produced in his career.
I am grateful that a decade ago, Titan Books embraced me to be included in their amazing collection of artists.
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I am part of a group show in Austin, Texas at Music Hill Ranch, opening Friday, Feb. 24 with a new experimental body of work. This is the first of many explorations on themes of the Goddess and historical photographic processes.
R-Evolution The Triumph of Alchemy & the Sovereign Goddess
6'x3' Triptych of cyanotypes on paper.
10,000 years ago was the golden age of the Great Goddess. Women were venerated as creators of life. During this time, communication, art, beauty, tolerance, balance, peace, creativity, prevailed with a caring respect for nature. Conflict was minimal and war almost non-existent. The shift to patriarchal rule upset the balance between men and women, initiating the decline of basic human values. Gods rose above the Goddess, hiding her in shadow.
Alchemy is an ancient mysterious doctrine. Transformation is the goal of all alchemical exploration, but the "Great Work” of creating a Philosopher's Stone was the prize. The perfection of this essence was termed “the absolute.” Turning lead into gold was considered real and symbolic. However, enlightenment was most desired. It was perceived and realized as the Beauty of all Beauty, Love of all Love, and the High most High. True alchemy was misunderstood and so during the fourteenth century this science fell into grave disrepute, and many good practitioners suffered prison and death.
The Great Goddess and the Great Work as forces of nature and spirit live on, revealed in the power of personal transformation. As I learned more about these sacred concepts, I envisioned the Goddess of Sovereignty returning to the consciousness of the world… reviving the Divine Feminine and the Anima Mundi – the World’s Soul. To embolden the R-Evolution of Humanity.
My experiments with cyanotypes and early historical photography processes reflect a type of alchemy in the elements of earth, fire, water and air. The symbolic elements of EARTH are found in the film, paper, and emulsion, FIRE is the sun’s rays exposing and transforming the chemicals into light and shadow, WATER develops and transfigures the image, AIR finishes the process of manifestation. This technique includes painting with the emulsion, destroying and rebuilding the image and repeating the process. Each piece is an evolution. Resurrecting concepts of the Goddess and Alchemy in this manner, allows me to reflect upon aspects of my own personal evolution within the realms of nature and spirit.
This event is a ticketed event with exotic food, bar, live music!
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The Divine Nature Oracle Deck will be released in March.
When I was asked by the wonderful wordsmith, Angie Sullins to collaborate on an oracle deck in conjunction with Duirwaigh and US Games I was honored. I had worked with Angie and her partner Silas Toball on other book and calendar projects and the quality of what they produced was always very sophisticated.
I felt the concept for this oracle deck could fall in line with calendar projects that were also called Divine Nature. The idea being that we are all divine spiritual beings clothed in the nature of this reality. It took a solid year preparing the art and for Angie to write the eloquent prose that accompanied each card.
Here is a hint at the introduction to the deck by Angie-
"Every human life faces a daily challenge: to embody our mammalian humanity, with all its needs, wants, power and vulnerabilities OR to inhabit our divinity, accessing the radiance of the I AM as it lives in us, through us, as us.
There is a bridge between those two conditions constructed of compassionate awareness. For our purposes here, we will call it Presence, and acknowledge it as the passageway between your humanity and your divinity.
As humans on planet Earth, nature is our home. But your own nature, as nurtured through your golden spirit and your evergreen human heart, is the primary eco-system home you reside in daily. At any given moment, whether you’re in curiosity or crisis or even celebration mode, you are either experiencing your human longing, your spiritual belonging, or walking across the bridge between the two.
The moments we find ourselves on the bridge, in Presence, are the ones that help us see clearly the never-ending gifts of spirit, while also helping us stay grounded in our human experience. The images contained in this deck and the words in this booklet are here to take your hand as you explore the bridge and all that you are."
US Games has produced some beautiful Tarot and Oracle decks with some very fine artists. The decks are printed in China. I would have preferred they used US printers, however when it comes to quality, the Chinese can elevate the craft to a fine art. My Art of Greg Spalenka retrospective book published by Titan Books in London, was printed in China and it was glorious. I have seen a glimpse of the cards and the box and it looks stellar.
The goal with the Divine Nature Oracle Deck is to create a sacred space for personal divination and inspiration. The ritual of pulling a card and asking spirit to impart a moment of encouragement with art and uplifting words– I feel is a simple affirmation of doing something good and fun for ourselves. After living with the cards for a while I am certain you will feel the wisdom inside them. Meditate with them... and may you feel love within.
I have created two limited edition sets to compliment your experience of the deck. These are now sold out.
]]>"I use the figure in most of my art because it can communicate an infinite variety of ideas and emotions. I especially love the nude figure, as it is universal and timeless."
This drawing with charcoal on newsprint started with a live fifteen minute pose of the model. The goal of the short pose is to capture the energy of the figure. Then using memory and imagination I brought refinement to the final drawing.
Matt Tadalan Campos, the incredibly talented jewelry and drum maker / Shaman, was the model.
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"I use the figure in most of my art because it can communicate an infinite variety of ideas and emotions. I especially love the nude figure, as it is universal and timeless."
This drawing with charcoal on newsprint started with a live fifteen minute pose of the model. The goal of the short pose is to capture the energy of the figure. Then using memory and imagination I brought refinement to the final drawing.
Adelaide Marcus, the incredibly talented dancer, artist, was the model.
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This drawing session of fifteen minute poses was created at the First Fridays at Lena Street event in Santa Fe, NM. The goal of these short poses is to capture the energy of the model. These sketches are essentially warm ups for more complex drawings that can come later. For now it is about having fun and feeling the movement. Charcoal on newsprint.
Matt Tadalan Campos, the talented artist, drum maker, jewelry/bead artisan, shaman was the model.
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NFTs can be an important facet of an artist's creative and financial strategy. This also includes fans, patrons and collectors, who like today support creative individuals for esthetic and financial purposes. NFTs are a simple and safe way to create and sell editions of art in its myriad of forms, but with the option of receiving royalties when it resells... FOREVER. You can pass on the ownership of your NFT to your family, friends, organization, etc. potentially creating income for them... FOREVER.
NFT is the acronym for "Non-Fungible Token". "Fungibility" is relatively simple to understand: it means that two or more things are interchangeable. For example, a twenty dollar bill or two ten dollar bills have the same amount of value: they are interchangeable.
This is not the case with "non-fungible items": two works of art may both be paintings, but they are not interchangeable. Both belong to the genre "painting", but they are definitely not the same thing. The term "token" in this context means that all information about the artwork is combined in a so-called "smart contract" and exists as a "token" on a special blockchain.
In summary, an NFT is ideal for ensuring the rarity and authorship of a digital or real work which can include collectibles, GIFs, videos, metaverse avatars, and even music. This is the reason why more and more artists, celebrities and collectors are adopting NFTs.
NFTs use blockchain technology, which means that traceability to the creator of the original work is ensured. So you can think of it as a digital representation of the artist's signature that authenticates the originality of the work.
Before, it was very difficult to nearly impossible to verify authorship flawlessly, especially for digital artwork, video, music, etc. The innovation of blockchains has therefore had an enormous impact on the art world: at last it is possible to ensure unambiguous attribution of digital creations. The process of making an NFT on a blockchain is called "minting."
Connecting an NFT to a digital artwork is the assurance that it is verifiably unique, a rarity, and owned by only one person. The artwork can therefore be sold 1:1, just as it would be sold "offline."
Many artists and musicians have been very successful with NFTs. One of the most famous examples is Beeple's "Everydays: the first 5000 days" (below). It sold for around 70 million dollars at an auction at Christie's.
2020-2021 were bull market years for NFTs, but in 2022 because of the economy, Bitcoin dropped in price as well as the crypto market affecting the NFT market. It is expected to rise again in 2023.
Can physical works of art be turned into NFTs?
The short answer is that yes, physical artworks can be minted and sold online as NFTs– making this market ever more accessible to artists in all creative disciplines. Instead of the traditional route of setting up an art gallery, artists now have easier access to art as a career.
The biggest benefit of linking physical artworks to non-fungible tokens is that sellers and buyers can easily prove the art is genuine. Following the purchase, a buyer can easily prove the NFT is theirs. Whether for valuation or resale, this offers a clear advantage for everyone in the industry concerned about legal ownership of their art.
And for the artist, many NFT marketplaces (such as SuperRare ensure that every sale results in royalties, meaning they could stand to continue earning from the same piece of artwork for many years to come. Unlike physical art where the artist rarely knows where their work ends up, NFTs allow for a clear digital history as well as the perk of additional income. NFTs also cut out the middleman, so the artist can deal directly with the buyer, and enjoy the full profit of the work.
NFTs and the Environment
Lastly, there has been debate about how much Bitcoin, the crypto market and NFTs affect the environment because of the energy usage. It is extremely difficult to know the truth about how much energy is actually used, and what type of environmental impact there really is, because corporations, the banking industry and governments are driving the narrative for their own purposes. Everyone has an agenda, so I learned decades ago we must do the deep dive to find the answers.
It appears to me that the impact is not as great as we are led to believe in any of the mainstream media. There are many studies and articles putting Bitcoin's energy consumption into proper perspective. Check these out-
Protos, Coin Market Cap, Genesis.
These last few blog posts were only an introduction to the digital world of Bitcoin, Crypto Currency and NFTs. I encourage you to do more research to familiarize yourself with the different platforms and complete your due diligence before entering the marketplace.
Stay tuned to my first NFT drop on OpenSea with singer/song writer SEAY. I will offer more instructions on how to sign up with OpenSea on the next post.
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This is the second in a series of posts explaining the concept of cryptocurrency, NFTs and the future of money.
What is an NFT? Stands for non-fungible tokens. Physical money and cryptocurrencies are “fungible,” meaning they can be traded or exchanged for one another. They’re also equal in value—one dollar is always worth another dollar; one Bitcoin is always equal to another Bitcoin. Crypto’s fungibility makes it a trusted means of conducting transactions on the blockchain.
NFTs are different. Each has a digital signature that makes it impossible for NFTs to be exchanged for or equal to one another (hence, non-fungible).
An NFT is a digital asset that can come in the form of art, music, in-game items, videos, and more. They are bought and sold online, frequently with cryptocurrency, and they are generally encoded with the same underlying software as many cryptos. Hence, they become embedded on a blockchain.
NFTs have been around since 2014, generally to buy and sell digital artwork. The market was worth a staggering $41 billion in 2021 alone. Since then the market has dropped for different reasons the main one being that crypto prices have fallen significantly since the start of the year. In the crypto world everything rises and falls on Bitcoin which is the number one decentralized (no one owns or controls it) crypto currency in the world.
Many NFT's are placed on the centralized (owned and controlled) Ethereum (ETH) blockchain network, which generally follows the ups and downs of Bitcoin. There is volatility with Bitcoin because it is still tied to US and world financial markets. Within the next decade it will decouple from those influences and become its own value system, which if the predications are correct will far surpass the fiat systems that have been used for hundreds of years.
NFTs are generally one of a kind, or at least one of a very limited run, and have unique identifying codes. Think of it as a limited edition print that is digital, not on paper. However, there are different types- Multi-Edition NFTs, 1/1 NFTs, Generative Collections, Autonomous NFTs, Dynamic NFTs, Music NFTs.
This is the first in a series of posts explaining the concept of cryptocurrency, NFTs and the future of money. Why? Because I will be selling some of my art and products via this format and want to help my patrons understand this new technology. The ultimate benefit of utilizing this new form of commerce is that banks will no longer be the gatekeepers of your money.
Money is becoming digital. In some ways it is already digital with the use of credit cards, and online banking, but over the next decade most financial transactions will be placed on the blockchain. What is a blockchain?
A blockchain is a database of secure and decentralized record of transactions that is shared amongst a computer network. A blockchain guarantees the fidelity and security of data, generating trust without the need for a trusted third party (like a bank).
Bitcoin is the world’s first successful decentralized cryptocurrency and payment system, launched in 2009. The word “cryptocurrency” refers to a group of digital assets where transactions are secured and verified using cryptography – a scientific practice of encoding and decoding data. Those transactions are often stored on computers distributed all over the world via a distributed ledger technology called a blockchain.
Bitcoin is considered a store of value like gold. This is because the price of a single bitcoin has increased considerably since its inception – from less than a cent to tens of thousands of dollars. Dollars can be traded into Bitcoin and vise versa. There are many crypto currencies out there, but in my opinion Bitcoin is the safest.
NFTs (which I will be integrating with some of my upcoming projects) are connected to the cryptocurrency landscape and I will talk more about them in the next post.
There are many people that can explain Bitcoin and digital commerce much better than I can, so here are some references-
Here is a good written overview.
Crypto Dad (You can learn a lot from his You Tube channel)
Trader University (Good overviews along with specific understanding of economics and Bitcoins place in it)
Like any new technology there will be fears as to how it is going to change our reality. I dove into this paradigm five years ago and use Bitcoin for transactions and will take it on my website for everything I sell. I encourage you to learn more about this bold new world of digital commerce. Stay tuned for more info.
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At Illuminated Perfume
Free.
This is a once a month event where the Lena Street talent opens its doors to the public. There will be live music, open studios, yummy food. See you in Santa Fe!
Stay tuned for the launch of my collaborative adventure into the NFT world with award winning singer, song writer, SEAY! We will be showcasing a fusion of art and music on the Open Sea platform. It will be called, Sonic_Alchemy.
Seay added beautiful vocals to my Memory of a Cosmic Heart album.
Above is the banner and logo I designed for our page. This is an opportunity to explore the NFT landscape with my artful videos married to SEAY's music.
For those of you not familiar with NFT's I will be sharing the steps to owning and collecting these unique pieces of art. Potential monetary benefits as an investment opportunity are there for those who are interested. I encourage everyone to learn more about this new paradigm of art collecting!
More info soon.
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On the 8th day of the 8th month, the Lions Gate opens. Metaphysically this is a powerful day for transformation and visualization. There is a scene I worked on for the "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" motion picture which encapsulates this concept. Go Here.
One of the characters, Eustice has been turned into a dragon through a greedy activity. He is in danger of being slain because no one knows that this is not his real form. After realizing his error he asks for forgiveness and Aslan, the sacred lion turns him back into his human form... with some intense dramatics.
This scene symbolically represents the dragon of our lower nature, and the power of transformation using right thoughts, and right actions. The animatic shows our dragon/boy floating up from the ocean (his subconscious) as a sand bar pushes him above the water.
When he opens his eyes (waking the portals of perception) he sees the sun rising which turns into Aslan standing on the water. Aslan roars and rushes the waking dragon (the wind of realization). He tears him open with his claws (removing the ego) and the transformation begins from lower nature to higher being.
The changing consciousness is washed over by a huge wave (infinite love), setting in motion a rebirth. Meditation, Contemplation, Prayer and Visualization are tools that help us calm the mind and open the portals of perception. May the perception of truth be yours.
To honor this event I am offering one free signed Aslan's Land postcard with every order from my site this week (ends August 14)!
Music- "Creation" by Honk and "Pulsar" from the "Memory of a Cosmic Heart" album.
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Catwoman!
I rarely create art based on comic book characters, but this one was a delight. The goal was to bring a more quiet, classic approach to Catwoman instead of the more dynamic, ubiquitous qualities of the super hero comic genre. In this art the infamous cat-burglar calmly contemplates the exploits of the coming night. You can see Santa Fe sunsets influencing the tone in this one.
This is a limited edition 18"x24" museum quality print of only ten copies. Each will be numbered and signed. $125. Purchase Here.
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