Spring is a season of transformation. After the slumber of winter, nature comes back to life. And after a period
Curations | NFT.NYC | Mint Gold Dust event!
Happy spring from Mint Gold Dust!
As we shed our winter layers, we’re transformed by the thoughts of warmer weather, sunshine, and regenerative vibes as we continue to cultivate and nurture the enthusiasm in the NFT and digital art spaces.
NFT.NYC is coming to New York City next week and we are excited to re-connect with our Web3 community and learn about the latest projects from the far reaches of the Metaverse.
This is an opportune time to experience the upcoming Mint Gold Dust collection, Portal Realms, put together by our good friend, artist, and curator @JenJoyRoybal.
JenJoy is the co-founder/CEO at SearchLight.art, a woman-led blockchain art organization championing inclusivity, diversity, and accessibility for artists of all types, from all walks.
Last year, JenJoy curated an amazing collection on the Mint Gold Dust platform called CU3NTOS, six pieces from LatinX, Web3 artists that reflect holding onto slipping cultural identities, recalling fading memories, and the nostalgia for the sights and sounds of our youth.
View CU3NTOS.
JenJoy admires the viewpoints of futurist Amy Webb, professor at NYU Stern School of Business and CEO of the Future Today Institute.
In Amy’s recent talk at SXSW 2023, she shared the 16th edition of the Tech Trends Report about how signals are mixing in ways that she’s never seen before – there’s a lot of noise, and this can feel very destabilizing. She explained that even with the advances we have made in tech, there are still many biases and oversights to be on the lookout for.
It’s recognized that new patterns in tech movements take some adjustment, which is a big part of the exploratory theme in Portal Realms. JenJoy believes artists play an important role in making sense of these patterns in much the same way that the artists in the 20th Century helped to make sense of the rise of the industrial age.
“The key is looking at the convergences among, and in between, these technological advancements. In the cacophony of activity is a view of what’s to come. By looking at the confluences, we are able to see a pattern.”
“I like the idea that play, poetry, and art can offer up more perspective about the future, that – with a hint of the absurd – can support this rapidly accelerated transformation we’re undergoing.” she continues, “This show gives viewers a glimpse into that critical activity.”
Look for Portal Realms in the Mint Gold Dust Curated Spaces very soon.
NEXT WEEK
Next Tuesday, April 11, 5:30-7:30PM in NYC:
Our educational and explorative event for artists and art lovers:
“What’s the deal with NFTs?”
Mint Gold Dust Founder, Kelly LeValley Hunt, will address what to consider before creating an NFT, proven provenance, further opportunities for royalties, and helping to restore power to creators.
Tuesday, April 11th from 5:30 – 7:30PM (ET).
Location: The Yard @Herald Square, 106 W 32nd St, NYC.
We’ll be revealing the first NFT by current artist on display at The Yard: Herald Square, Laura Umaña.
Observe and engage in a step-by-step conversation about creating crypto art.
We would love to see you there! RSVP here!
Check out last week’s 79Au to get a closer look into the thoughts behind some of our artist’s creations and their take on the importance of digital art. Read 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.
At Mint Gold Dust, we invite you to get a closer, more personal look into the thoughts and energies behind the artwork. We look for ways to bring artists and collectors together by appreciating creative vibrations in common.
We spoke with some of the artists from our platform and from our 79Au Interview Series and asked them to share thoughts about their process, how they got into digital art, and how they use NFTs as a form of expression.
Here are some of their insights.
In the beginning, LeLapin Mignon felt so out of place in the digital art world that she was hesitant to even use an iPad to create. When a friend from art school told her to look into NFTs and digital art, she thought it would be a difficult endeavor as a non-technical person. It ended up being wonderful, life-changing advice.
She soon realized she could reverse her usual color palette and turn up the vibrancy in ways that were unexplorable with traditional watercolor. This experimentation opened a whole new dimension of creation. This daringness was only possible with the help and support of the growing NFT community.
She now helps other artists create traditional works with embedded animation and music, exploring playful and creative digital possibilities.
“Anatomie d’Une Poussière d’Or is my very own interpretation of Gold Dust. It shines, it explodes with dreams and hopes, it sparkles with joy, while being delicate and ethereal.” Lapin is one of Mint Gold Dust’s eight Genesis artists who created digital art pieces centered around the theme of ‘gold dust’.
Listen to the full interview here: https://bit.ly/3TXXMSm
I grew up the only son of an artist and a single mother. Art was served up daily, and even though we lived in a New York apartment, we rented a basement studio on Perry Street in the west Village. I painted and made collages up to my first year of art school.
Since 2001 I began thinking of myself as a Digital Artist. One of my first shows at the Agora Gallery in New York was titled “Pixel Perfect.” Back then, I made collages out of my photographs by mixing painted elements and individual splices from my photography. My work was unique, and most people didn’t understand Digital Art.
NFT Art is just another extension of tech’s relationship with Art to create something new. The space is most exciting because it’s a level playing field. It brings well-deserved recognition to a new group of programmers and digital artists who the art world had yet to recognize in the past.
-VanDi
Read full interview: https://bit.ly/3jFzFKo
My future is precarious having terminal cancer, and after all of my paintings sold when the news was out, I was left with no inventory. NFTs were, in a way, a solution to a problem both in regards to my digital legacy and the future of my artwork.
I had an idea to delete any trace of me online after I am gone, with the exception of my website. But many people seemed to object to this. Instead, having a little ecosystem of collectors that carry my legacy in the digital space is a pretty cool concept. And my most recent work has all been digital, not oil paint.
The thing is, most people do not understand they are leaving behind a digital dossier of their life online, so why not make certain what happens to it?
-Arabella
Read full interview here: https://bit.ly/3wpbNgP
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’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.
-Rakkaus Art
Read full interview: https://bit.ly/3HawB21
As a digital artist I’ve always had art on the web. Once I learned how to actually upload and post, I added my art on multiple platforms. Especially when I was blogging heavily to promote myself and other people’s content.
So entering the Web3 realm was familiar to an extent. It was just learning the new rules of the land that was actually in my favor as a digital artist. I’m still learning though. Things change in a blink of an eye with time online so it always feels like I’m playing catch up.
Life is definitely a big book of inspiration, and how you see it and gain from it will reflect in the world you create. I just so happen to see it digitally with a lot of extra colors and thick lines. So it actually works hand and hand with doing NFTs. New world on familiar grounds.
-Goldie Gold
Read full interview here: https://bit.ly/3Y9uKQz
Check out last week’s 79Au, written by one of our long-standing staff members who volunteered with ETHDenver and offers an insider’s view of the recent event. Enjoy! https://bit.ly/42uvmn3
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.
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.
FEATURED ARTWORKS OF THE WEEK
Interview with Mint Gold Dust Founder & CEO Kelly LeValley Hunt
This week we’re celebrating our one-year anniversary! Today, we’re pleased to share an interview with our Founder and CEO Kelly LeValley Hunt for a look back at the year we’ve had, our future, and her advice to female founders in the NFT space.
What inspired you to start Mint Gold Dust?
I needed to work with artists on a daily basis who inspire me. In Mint Gold Dust I found a way to work with creatives and technology for the good of my soul. I had previously invested in an ecosystem that supports NFT platforms, investing in companies such as Illust Space, Smart Seal, Refashioned OS, and Gilded Finance, and the only missing piece was the NFT Platform itself as the foundation. I just knew that with a platform that used ERC-1155 contracts, I could help promote and work with these companies that supported artists and collectors. So I decided to build.
I had also invested in SuperRare and loved what they were doing, and I could see that the market was evolving really quickly, and artists and collectors were going to need more than a platform to present NFTs; in other words they would need a supporting ecosystem.
An example of this was our project with Refashioned OS. They came to us when they were launching their software platform to work with clothing manufacturers for clothing on demand to minimize waste in the fashion industry. We were able to connect them with graffiti artist Curvazoid to create the design; work with Smart Seal to NFC tag each garment; work with Smart Seal to NFC tag each garment; work with Illust Space to create a 3-D rendering of artist, creator and businesswomen Paulina Vega (who also happens to be Miss Universe 2014) wearing the clothes; and then the NFT asset was geo-dropped in AR in New York during fashion week. A perfect marriage of the ecosystem hard at work.
What has been your favorite project or event from the past year?
The Genesis 8 project that we launched last November has to be one of my favorites. With Eleonora Brizi curating, and Memeconscious writing code, the excitement of a new platform marked the beginning of this journey – the true genesis!
Giant Swan’s Metamorphosis is amazing, and the story about Hackatao’s unique piece Primordial is beautiful, and they are just two of the Genesis 8 which are extraordinary.
What is it like being a female founder in the NFT space?
I hate this question but I get asked it a lot. I don’t know how to answer that because I’ve never been anything else.
That being said, my best piece of advice for women in technology is to do what you want to do and don’t think about who’s watching or judging. At the end of the day, it doesn’t fucking matter. The only thing that matters is that you are doing what you’ve set out to do, and that you’ve built a good community around you that supports you and you can support back. Just do it, and don’t think about the consequences. Just fucking do it. I hate when I curse (but I do curse a lot!) so this shows how strongly I feel about it.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from being 1 year in operation?
It’s not just about the technology, it’s not just about the artists, and it’s not just about the collectors. It’s about the community as a whole and the engagement and coordination of that community.
What made you choose to not seek out funding in the first year of operation?
Getting funding can be daunting, and I just wanted to focus on building and making sure I got it right. I didn’t want to take funding to build a product with someone else over my shoulder. I’ve also been too busy talking to artists and creators to do a funding round, so time constraints played a big factor.
What can we look forward to in the next year from Mint Gold Dust?
Valuable engagement with artists, listening more with our community. I feel compelled to support creatives in the way they feel they need to be supported. Better conversations with people and I will encourage my team to do the same. We are going to focus on more partnerships and more innovation with new technology in the NFT sector; including building out a more robust live auction service and platform.
Have you read our latest editorial piece on the importance of curation in a decentralized world? If not, check out the article here.
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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.