To continue our journey toward the upcoming launch of the Oases genesis NFT collection, we want to introduce you to one of the artists creating the artwork. In our announcement article, we dig deeper into the collection, the background, and the vision for the art. The idea is to focus on environments and different animals in their path through the desert to hopefully find the Oases, their refuge, and shelter. In this article, the focus is now on the artist to get a glimpse behind the scenes. The artist wishes to stay anonymous for the time being.
Genesis artist interview
How did you get into arts?
I started developing a strong interest in painting and drawing already back in junior high. I clearly remember this time when a neighbor girl came over to play and drew a lady with chalk in my yard. I was astonished and really touched because I thought it was such a beautiful drawing. Since that day, I have drawn and painted a lot in my free time. I started by painting in these picture books my mother bought me, and I also did a lot of blackboard drawing with chalk. From the first year of high school, I started receiving professional training.
What does drawing mean to you?
Before I became a full-time tattoo artist, I did some design work for companies but my professions have always included creative processes and a lot of drawing. Still, even in my spare time, I do "draw diaries". I draw both the things that made me happy and the things that made me unhappy, I would use pictures to represent all the emotions. Too often I have found myself at the end of a full notebook and had to run by the store and buy a new one to continue. This diary-drawing thing has been going on for so many years and I still do it regularly as I love painting alone after a day's work. Emotion is a part of human nature and people all have their unique ways of expressing themselves and reflecting and managing their feelings. For me, drawing is my way to express myself and also deal with my emotions to calm my mind and be a mindful person.
Pursuing an artistic career is not always the easiest path. What have people close to you been thinking of your career choices?
At first, I encountered some skepticism about tattoo artist as a profession which made it take a bit longer for me to take that step in my career but I've always felt encouraged in my creativity. Whether painting or being a tattoo artist, especially my mom has been very supportive of my hobbies and work. She always told me that, as long as you are conscious about what you're going to undertake and are passionate about what you do, you can do whatever you want. I'm very grateful for that support during the years as it gave me the courage to pursue my creative passions.
You mentioned now working as a tattoo artist. How did you get into the profession?
I've been a tattoo artist for five years now. When I graduated from high school, I started to develop a strong interest in tattoos. Unfortunately, I was at the time discouraged by people around me, so I didn't take the step of doing it. Still, I always wanted to utilize my creativity and had other work for many years where I could do that. But I could never let go of tattoos. So I went to find a tattoo master where I could study for two hours after off work almost every day including weekends, catching the last bus home. Eventually, I started to feel that I didn't have enough time to practice and I just quit my job and started practicing in a tattoo studio. Sometimes I practiced even after two or three o'clock in the morning.
The tattoo machine actually scared me at first, and it took me some time to get over it, but now it's like the most natural thing in the world. After practicing the art and making tattoos for quite a while, I set up my own tattoo shop that I advertised a lot on social media. The first place was actually in an alley that wasn't easy to find. Early customers walked into my studio with fear, but they left satisfied, so the number of customers increased steadily.
What does it take to be a good tattoo artist and what are your higher aspirations?
Creating tattoo art is unique as the body is the bearer of the tattoos, so you must be aware of the ergonomics amongst much else when making the art for it to be aesthetically pleasing. It´s also a social challenge as I for example need to consider the profession of my guests as their work may limit where the tattoo could be painted. But you need to keep learning, keep improving, and still be curious, which I think is essential to enable personal development. On the more practical side, I will also take some time to stay at a senior tattoo artist's shop to learn from him. I think he is a very good artist and it's always valuable to learn and take inspiration from other people's experiences. Like with most professions and human abilities, you can always learn more, and it's a continuous journey that I want to explore as far as I can.
How did you determine the current style of your Genesis NFTs?
After trying several versions, I finally settled on the line-based style I have now. It is similar to tattoos as tattoo designs are also line-based. Line-based work can have more space and plasticity for subsequent development, which I appreciate as it enables a more organic and growing creative process. Drawing such line-based art is very time-consuming, but as I have mentioned, it is something I enjoy.
Can you give us a glimpse into your creative process when drawing animals?
When I draw, I imagine myself as the animal and draw from that imagination. Rather than anthropomorphizing animals, I want us to explore and also learn about animal emotions. Animals have more body language and they use it to express emotions differently from humans, but it's also similar in many ways.
This was our first interview with a Genesis collection contributor with more to come in the future, so stay tuned and interact with the community at our socials.
About Oases
Oases represent the Metaverse, the new oasis of humanity. It also indicates that NFTs, starting as niche collectibles are rejuvenating the art market. Oases, as its name implies, is an open, innovative, and vibrant community. We are committed to providing trendy, engaging, and distinctive products and functions to meet the demands of our users.
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