“I just want to fill the world with colour.” - Lago, 2021

• interview via Karissa

Meet Lago, a down-to-earth artist based in the Canary Islands, Spain. Lago has only been digitally painting since March 2021 and has already had multiple early successes (one of the most notable: a 1.25 ETH sale to @thisisaito). Lago’s most recent NFTs all include commercial licenses. We first met on Instagram over a shared interest in art, astrology, and travel.

Fast Facts

Genre: abstract expressionism

Media: digital mixed media

Coffee shop order: a good espresso, the stronger the better

Pets: 2 dogs: one Doberman and one mixed-breed

Favourite TV character: Raymond Reddington (as played by James Spader in The Blacklist)

Hi Lago! Your entire collection is consistently striking. Can you tell us about your technique?

My NFTs are created digitally using a variety of tools. Sometimes I use acrylic and oil techniques, different canvas textures, and so on. I just use whatever I think is appropriate for that moment and piece. I like things clean and colourful (with a bit of madness).

What is the inspiration behind the name “Lago”?

I don't really remember why or how I got it. I just remember I signed my first piece directly with “Lago,” it came automatically. It's like I remembered it from a past life or something. It doesn't really have a story or anything. It just came naturally. When I signed it, it was as if my hands were moving on their own. Maybe that doesn’t sound believable, but that’s just what happened.

Can you tell us about your choice of colours with Muse?

I wanted it to be a passionate work, with strong and vivid colours. For this particular piece, I just chose the colours as I went along, it's not something I had premeditated. In general, I don’t really think about making a determined piece, I just create it as I feel it instantly.

Read about the astrology of Muse here.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I try to dedicate as much time as possible to my art but it’s a challenge. I have other work to do and there are always responsibilities to attend to. I also tend to be interacting a lot with the NFT community on Twitter. There are some really passionate people there! And coffee is always a part of my day, lots of coffee.

You’ve mentioned loving the hours staring and working on a piece. Can you tell us more about that?

Yes, this is because I am a perfectionist with my art. Even though it is abstract art, for me it has to be perfect, even if it is impossible. I always try to look for the ideal composition and represent what I have in my head at that moment as much as possible. I really enjoy spending time with my compositions.

Tell us about your thought process behind including a commercial license with your pieces. To me, they look like they could be great album covers. How does it feel to let go of your piece in this way?

All I want is to share my art with people and have them really enjoy it. I came across the licenses that Yam shared on Twitter. I liked the idea and decided to try it on some of my artwork. Yes, I would love to see my work on an album cover!

Read more about the joint benefits of the “Power to the Token” license here.

You have a very unique, clean, and iconic style. How did it develop?

I don't know exactly how it developed over the years, but it was always clear to me that artistic expression came naturally to me and that I had a specific passion for abstract art. As a kid, I started painting and everyone told me I was good but I never believed it. At one point, while I was still a kid, family and friends began to constantly ask me for pieces. The corporation where my mom worked wanted pieces too! They wanted some for their offices. But I got overwhelmed and stopped painting for good. Over the years I went to classes in different styles, drawing, etc., but it wasn’t my thing.

Would you say that the classes limited your expression?

Yes, totally. I had to draw as the lady was telling me to. And I didn’t want to. Maybe what she was teaching was the correct way to do it... but maybe I didn't want to paint that shit. Let me paint my madness. I'm crazy, I'm fine with that. I was a problematic kid too; no one understood me.

Maybe painting was a way for you to feel understood?

Yes, totally. It has always been my escape. In high school, I always needed to have some paper and pen in front of me to combat my boredom. I did graffiti too.

You have a very professional image now. What was your first job?

I have always had an entrepreneurial mindset. You could say that my first job was selling my classmates some notebooks that my mother was given at work. I needed to get my own money. I've always needed to earn my own money. The notebooks were completely normal, but I told my classmates that with them they could pretend to be doctors and they could prescribe medicines to each other. Kids were prescribing medicines to each other, I charged $2 per notebook, in-school, no costs, money came to me!

That’s amazing. Do you have any paintings from when you were a kid?

Yes, I still have my first physical ever. And there’s a story behind it…

One day, I was painting on the floor of the paint shop/gallery where I used to paint. I was 8 years old. I used to paint like eight pieces in a single afternoon on the floor of that shop - I loved painting on the floor. A tourist came in, an older man. He saw my first piece there, called my mum, and told her that he would pay her any amount she wanted. My mum always said no to offers like this. He told her that this piece needed to go with him to some gallery in New York. It was common for me to receive offers on my pieces. But my mum would always say no. I didn't even know what was really happening, I didn't care. The image below is that first piece.

You said you stopped painting for a long time. What changed to get you to start again?

Something was always calling me. In silence, from the inside. I just felt it all the time, it was like a gentle latent pull. I bought new paints and tools to start again, but they were all just sitting in a bag and I didn’t feel like starting again. Discovering NFTs was the turning point. That's when I felt: okay, this is the way.

Tell us more about what inspires you about NFTS. Why do you believe in their future?

I discovered NFTs this March on some blog. I just saw the three letters and, I don't know why, but, it gave me an impulse to investigate what it was. From there I fell in love with everything about NFTs, especially the wonderful community we have here.

I am fully confident that they will be something very big in the near future. The technology is exciting and being able to enjoy so much art and talent just a few clicks away really is a dream for many.

I want to take the opportunity to give a huge thank you to my collectors so far: @ramiaboulhosn94, @sigmastrange, @servkrillz, @thisisaito, @javiercarton, @gettingsuited, @thetreyfisher.

How long have you been digitally painting?

I started long into the pandemic. I bought an iPad right away. My first mint was in March 2021, so yeah, around that date.

That is absolutely remarkable.

I have been and am currently going through quite a few rough moments, so I haven't been able to dedicate myself to this as much as I want to. I am betting on it now.

What is one of your wildest dreams? Anything crazy on your bucket list?

I would love to be able to dedicate 100% of my time and soul to my art and be able to afford the luxury of living in many places around the world, meeting all kinds of wonderful people and living all kinds of experiences.

I would like to spend some time in Barcelona, Amsterdam, Venice, and Canada. From what little I know, I am very attracted to the culture and atmosphere of these places.

I want to go full-time on this.

Thank you for sharing your art and vision with us! To conclude, what is an important virtue that you are personally developing at this point in time?

Patience, I am trying to develop it in all aspects of my life.

Find Lago on the following platforms:

Twitter, Instagram, Foundation, Rarible, Showtime, OpenSea, and check out Lago’s gallery on Cyber.

Find Karissa on the following platforms:

Twitter, Instagram, Rarible, Foundation, Gallery, Hic et Nunc, and check out Karissa's other articles on Medium.