artist interview

79AU | 1.10-1.17

Featured Artworks of the Week

Mint Gold Dust Marketplace Update

We are happy to announce we are renovating the Mint Gold Dust marketplace for an exciting 2023. Firstly, we will be focusing on a more streamlined user experience with features such as:

Universal Profiles
Memoirs on Chain
Optimized Decentralized Metadata
Online Auctions
Tokengated Experieinces
ERC-721 Contract Implementation

A note about the update from our Head of Smart Contract Development & Auditing, Casmir Patterson: “We’re committed to bringing a more decentralized vision for Mint Gold Dust to unleash our community’s potential and creativity in the Web3 Space. Building an immersive metaverse user experience encompassing new technologies like Galleries that use advanced geo-location technology provided by our partners, to revamping our bespoke Curated Spaces, and giving more power to our artists is our ultimate goal.”

While this update is taking place, we have paused all minting on the platform through the month of January. During this time, all other marketplace features will still be available including memoir writing and collecting.

We are excited to share with you the renovations of Mint Gold Dust this Spring!

Interview with Rakkaus Art

Rakkaus Art is a multimedia artist focused on connection, creation, compassion, and storytelling. Today, she shares her thoughts on AI art, her inspirations, and what she’s working on right now.

What inspires you about storytelling?

Many of the stories that live inside us can only emerge through creative expression, whether you mean to or not. Oftentimes I don’t even realize I’m telling a story until it’s finished. Painting is very meditative and a kind of intimacy with your soul that only shows up when it’s ready. I love an audience and telling a good story, and the actor in me wants to make sure you experience it as I did… in my art, you get to be there from the end, then experience feeling…and decide the story for yourself.

How has experimenting with AI been for you?

I haven’t done much with the AI generators, but I’ve tried my work in some of the filters with added descriptions to see how it morphs. As a mixed media artist, I love finding new tools that might add something new to my work. I have a couple ideas up my sleeve as to how I could potentially incorporate it in the future.

What are you working on right now?

I’m working on a lot. I will likely start sharing more of my VR creations this year, just thinking of fun ways to bring it into the space. Otherwise, I continue to work with the human figure, abstract portraiture and digital experimentation. I enjoy discovering ways to emulate the feel of my IRL pieces through texture, brushstrokes and layers. I have started to introduce more elements of collage. I’m also very excited about launching my new fabric line and home decor designs this year.

Enjoy our interview with Rakkaus Art? Check out our artist interview from last week where we talk with Chazz Gold about all things AI/Gan art, his photo bashing process, and more here.

Ready to get started as an artist or collector on Mint Gold Dust? Check out our Metamask start up guide to get started. Ready to start minting? Apply to talk with our curatorial team today.

Weekly Recap

79AU | 1.3-1.10

Featured Artworks of the Week

Interview with Chazz Gold

Today, we’re chatting with AI/Gan artist and photographer Chazz Gold about his journey into Web3, the tools he uses to create his pieces, and the intersection of AI and Photography. Keep reading for an in-depth look into Chazz Gold’s artistic process.

How did your journey in Web3 begin?

My web journey started in Clubhouse rooms in early 2021. At the time, I was working on a coffee table book concept with a project called “Shapes of The Divine.” When I got into web3, I decided to take that project to another level.

That project consisted of collaborating with over 150 different psychedelic, visionary artists from around the world and using their art to project onto the female form.

Adding to the already psychedelic nature of art I was using as projection, I began to mask out my subjects and use them as backgrounds. Then, I’d mask them out again to animate the backgrounds and take still photographs, adding motion to them in a cinematographic style using applications like Motionleap and Plotagraph.

The “Shapes of The Divine” project still lives on OpenSea as a collection. I have been working on taking a few pieces at a time, moving what is not collected onto my own manifold contract, and putting them back on auction on the platform.

25% of the “Shapes of The Divine” project sales are donated to a local women’s shelter for survivors of domestic violence.

How did you make the transition from photographer to AI artist? Do you find that there are similarities between the tools?

I discovered GAN art through Clubhouse. Those were the days of Snowpixel and Night Café. Google Colorful existed back then, but a lot of us did not know about it yet. I actually released a whole project called “Portraits From the Parallel Universe” on OpenSea. That was all portraiture AI artwork that I had generated with Snowpixel. It wasn’t long after that I had heard of photo bashing, which is using photography and running AI text to create image prompts with the photograph as an initial starting point.

I do find that there are similarities between the practice in the tools. I still use a lot of Photoshop to change any parts of an image I think needs modification. I still use my Lightroom catalog as a place to store, organize and keep track of all of my AI-generated images, and keep the original photographs for comparison.

Can you walk us through your process of Photo Bashing?

These days I use Google Collab folders, made by pharmapsychotic and his models. I have a heavy interest in cyborg, cybernetic beings, and the divine feminine; the mixture of those things inspire me to make art and helps me envision what the future looks like. I find it interesting that I’m using AI to create images that are very futuristic.

As for photo bashing, I use the initial image by uploading photographs onto Google Drive or Google photos and then use the web address of that image and put it in the Google collab folder too. I’ll play around with the different levels of strength. You can use a percentage of every initial image by using a decimal point system and providing the level of strength of the initial image as part of your final image.

Many of my initial photographs are pulled from my database of the “Shapes of The Divine” project or portraiture that I have done with models and friends. Being that many of my photos already have a professional look (and with the case of the “Shapes of The Divine” project, a colorful and psychedelic nature) the female form stands out prominently. They’re easy to use as an initial image or a basic shape of what I want the subject to look like.

I also create my own sacred geometry Mandela art using many different apps on my iPad, and sometimes I use those as initial images for my work. Everything that is minted on Mint Gold Dust was created with that process, rather than using base photographs of an actual person. I also involve very complex AI prompts to generate the images that I make, which I affectionately call prompt craft.

Have you read the last 79Au post on our New Year’s curation? It’s all about rebirth and renewal. View our latest article here.

Ready to get started as an artist or collector on Mint Gold Dust? Check out our Metamask start up guide to get started. Ready to start minting? Apply to talk with our curatorial team today.

Weekly Recap

3 months ago Weekly Recap by : Mint Gold Dust

79AU | 12.9 – 13

Featured Artworks of the Week

Mint Gold Dust Event Survey

In 2022, Mint Gold Dust welcomed our community to events in New York, Miami, Austin, Denver, and Los Angeles. Next year, find out if we’re hosting an event near you! Be the first to know about our upcoming events by filling out our 1-minute survey below.

Interview with Trish Gianakis

Today, we’re speaking to artist Trisha Gianakis about her journey into Crypto Art, her history in the augmented and XR art space, and her plans for the future. Keep reading for a look at her artistry and process.

Tell us about your journey to the Crypto Art and NFT space.

I was introduced to CryptoArt in 2018 at the Art World Conference and have been following it until the technology got a little easier to use. I made my first NFT in Feb of 2021.

What was your inspiration behind your piece, Mother Earth?

Mother Earth is part of my cancer survivor story. Gratitude for being alive and how all living things are connected on this planet. Starting with my obsession with trees and bark during cancer treatment, I later found out bark was in my cancer medication. I have created several RAKU sculptures (a Japanese style of pottery) of bark and female faces coming out of the bark. Now I am making NFTs in AR to complement the physical sculptures.

You teach augmented reality courses. Tell us about your history within the augmented and XR art space.

This past summer I was selected to collaborate on various programming/projects for the BronxNet TV as part of the BronxNet team to build a state-of-the art XR/VR/AR Lab and Video Production Studio. I also teach at Bronxnet TV and at Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City. I have a Master’s Degree in Computer Art Installation from the School of Visual Arts in NYC. As far back as 1999, I created my first VR experience. I have always been on the forefront of digital art and technology. In 2007 I started learning about augmented reality. In my first AR experience, I used Unity (2017). The software has come a long way, and now I use several programs (Spark AR, Spatial, Blender, TiltBrush in Oculus Quest 2, and more).

How have you seen your artistry change as time goes on?

My art has changed with technology, but I still maintain my healing themes of nature, humanity, and peace. I am very excited about incorporating my physical art with digital art to create immersive artwork.

What are you working on now?

I am working on a couple projects:

1. ArtWorlds created with TiltBrush, Gravity Sketch, Blender 3D and can be experienced in Spatial. You can view my new Metaverse Artworld gallery here. Another Spatial gallery, viewable here, also has a portal to my work too.

2. My project for the Bronx involves creating a Geofence map using Illust.space with pinned locations that launch augmented reality stories about historical figures, sculptures or landmarks in the Bronx. Some of the AR stories I plan to feature include watching the Piccirilli Brothers carve the statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.; visiting Myles Davis’ grave while listening to his music; and listening to an Edgar Allan Poe poem at the Poe Cottage. I will be building these experiences using the Oculus Quest Pro headset, Lidar 3D scanning equipment, and various software applications to adapt the 3D objects, video, stills and audio files into a format that can be imported into augmented reality.

Missed our recap of our Fake Basel event earlier this month? Check out the highlights here.

Ready to get started as an artist or collector on Mint Gold Dust? Check out our Metamask start up guide to get started. Ready to start minting? Apply to talk with our curatorial team today.

Weekly Recap

4 months ago Weekly Recap by : Mint Gold Dust

79AU | 11.18-22

Featured Artworks of the Week – Rakkaus Art

Rakkaus Art is an intuitive multimedia artist interested in creation, connection, compassion and storytelling. Constantly pushing boundaries and experimenting with various techniques and materials, each creation is vibrant and unique. with its own story.

“I create visual stories from the energy and experiences on my life journey; everything starts with a feeling.” – Rakkaus

Upcoming Events with Mint Gold Dust

Mint Gold Dust will be in Miami next week for Art Basel! We will be throwing the opening party and live auction at Fake Basel in Wynwood on Friday, December 2nd from 6-9pm. Follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the details. We looking forward to seeing you there!

Interview with Mila Sketch

Mila Sketch is a multimedia visual artist. She is recognized internationally and is known for her detailed and intricate large-scale murals, elaborate and meaningful fine art paintings, and digital art. Today, we’re chatting with her about her artistic process, NFTs, and the influence motherhood has had on her work.

You are well known for your iconic murals. How did you go from painting large-scale murals to creating animated digital artwork?

I started my artistic journey as a pointillist working with the ink on paper formats. I was inspired by M.C. Escher and his visual riddles. My series, Bags, exhibited at Pall Mall Gallery in London, emerged as a result. I continued to work in this style for a long time. Years later, I moved to the United States and became interested in public art. The idea of a street gallery fascinated me as I could reach an unlimited number of people and brighten their daily experiences with my murals.

Innovation and technology always interested me. Animation added a new dimension to my drawings and augmented reality came naturally as I explored adding color to my art and working on canvas and wood panels with industrial acrylics.

What drew you to start creating NFTs earlier this year?

A collector interested in my work at Art Miami in December last year asked if he could get an NFT with his 2D painting purchase. I created one for the Texas Birds artwork.

Your art often references historical figures, myths, and regional traditions. What inspires you about that, and how does it manifest in your work?

I love to move in space and create in different places, so travel for work inspires me to investigate and research. I love to translate the sense of the environment through culture and history in my murals and digital artworks.

Tell us about the two pieces you currently have on Mint Gold Dust.

Sophia the Robot was created during my pregnancy last year. I discovered the female body’s magical ability to bring a new life and the miracle of birth. It was painted on a wood panel with an AR feature, then the NFT was added. The painting was sold right away. It now lives in New Orleans.

I painted the Flourish when we lived on the Oaxaca coast in Mexico during the summer of 2021. I was blown away by the vivid colors and rustic environment around me. I connected technology and nature with the accent on sustainable future development in this painting. I used industrial acrylics on the birch tree panel. Then I digitally drew an NFT of it.

Many of your physical pieces include an AR component. Can you talk about that process and your app?

I developed the MilaSketch app so people could easily enjoy augmented reality for my equipped works. It is essential that not only single collectors can access this feature but also people who walk by my art in public places. Austin Bergstrom Airport has several of my works that demonstrate the AR addition. The app is free and available for download on major platforms.

You recently became a mother. Do you find that has influenced your artworks and what you are drawn to create?

Becoming a mother made me treasure my time. I structure my days differently and feel super-charged to create even more.

What will we see next from you?

I am working on several mural projects. Private fine art commissions and a new line of paintings are coming out in the next six months.

Have you read our Founder Kelly LeValley Hunt’s article on artist and collector royalties? If not, take a look at the article here.

Ready to get started as an artist or collector on Mint Gold Dust? Check out our Metamask start up guide to get started. Ready to start minting? Apply to talk with our curatorial team today.