Hello, fellow Pixels,
Today, we step into the universe of Sam Spratt, where the digital era collides with the timeless essence of traditional art. Imagine a journey that began with simple sketches, where each stroke of the pencil was a promise of the wonders to come. Now, picture Spratt at the zenith of the digital art world, wielding technology and creativity with the finesse of a true maestro. His narrative isn't just a tale of artistic growth. It's an ode to the limitless potential of imagination, determination, and pixels.
Some thoughts on why I chose to create this, what has come from it, and what will be; all from going all-in on “monkey paintings”
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Sam's artistic spark was ignited early, favoring sketches over textbooks, leading him on a path to the prestigious Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). There, immersed in creativity, Sam refined his craft, embracing both the digital brush and the classic canvas. This blend of old and new became the hallmark of his style, captivating audiences with its depth and authenticity. According to Spratt himself during an interview with SCAD, "The SCAD painting program and faculty, especially Professor Roger Walton, are priceless building blocks for whatever technical understanding I now have."
Upon graduating in 2010, Sam didn't just step into the professional world; he leaped. Collaborating with giants like Warner Brothers and contributing to causes like the American Association of Cancer Research, his digital illustrations began to redefine what art could be and where it could go. Album covers, editorials, and even the gaming industry bore the signature of Spratt's intricate, lifelike digital paintings. Some of his work in the entertainment industry including working with Marvel on a Black Panther comic cover, and with the rapper Logic for his Album covers; one of which is "Bobby Tarantino".
In 2021, Sam introduced "LUCI" to the NFT space, not just as a character but as an entire universe born from his imagination. Auctioned at Christie's, Luci represented more than an artistic milestone; it symbolized the fusion of narrative depth with digital innovation, inviting the audience into a world both fantastical and eerily familiar. With the latest release of LUCU: Chapter 5 - The Monuments Game, everyone has been left on the edge of their seat, ready for the next chapter. Throughout the journey that is LUCI, the obvious points are seen that the artistic talent, attention to detail, the depth of each stroke is felt, however, something more profound is seen when you zoom out and look at what these creations have done to the people who are so invested in them. The story of LUCI has proven that storytelling through classic mediums even in a digital sense, has not become a thing of the past, in fact its transforming into something greater that can be seen and enjoyed by more than any generation before us has had the pleasure of.
Check out the finalists of "The Monument Game" here
Sam's journey wasn't just about creating; it was about connecting. Leveraging platforms like social media, he shared his creations, engaging with a community of art enthusiasts and collaborators. This openness not only expanded his reach but also paved the way for partnerships with musical luminaries like Janelle Monáe and Logic, illustrating the transformative power of networking in the digital age. In fact, due to his engagement with social media, it actually ended up leading him into the presence of someone who used to study his old time-lapse drawing videos he posted; Fewocious. When he started getting into the NFT space, he ended up interacting with Fewocious and stated that they helped him in understand the new world of Web3 and NFTs when he was in the beginning of his journey into this new space.
As we look into the future, Sam Spratt's artistic journey seems to stretch into exciting, uncharted territories. With the Luci series laying the groundwork, we can anticipate deeper explorations into this digital universe, promising new stories, characters, and perhaps, a closer look at what it means to be human in a digital world. However, even with a bright future ahead of him, just as he keeps paints and brushes in his studio to remind himself where he came from, we all can do the same and use where we have been to inspire where we want to go.
An experiment in participatory art. A game of observation that leaves a communal digital varnish atop my painting & across a network.
Over the last year, @niftygateway visited my studio to document its creation. Everything you need to know in 5 min.
For a deeper dive into Sam Spratt's work and his ongoing projects, be sure to check out his official website and keep an eye on his socials for the latest on his fine art collections.
April Spotlight Artist's
Frisky Foxtrot
A lifelong creative and musician whose style reflects echoes of hyper-colored surrealism with a dash of horror. His first exploration of art came in the form of graffiti, but his formal art foundation began in high school by getting accepted into a public school for the arts for “non-traditional music” aka Rock N Roll. There he played in bands, learned audio engineering, song writing, dabbled in photography, drawing, and videography. Shortly after high school, he became a father and didn’t touch a guitar or do a drawing for many years. Then with the advent of Midjourney, Frisky found himself a relatively early adopter of this new art form (June of 2022 MJ v2) wherein he found the tool that could finally express the weirdness hidden in the dark corners of his mostly stable brain. Having had 3 heart surgeries for a congenital heart disease and his unmanaged ADHD, his spirit reflects that of a rescued Labrador, taking no moment for granted and happily making friends wherever he goes. If asked to sum up his creative message in a single sentence: “Embrace the chaos and find the beauty in it.”
Artwork
The Amalgamation of Order and Chaos
BLAC (b. 1985, Seattle, WA)
A pseudonym for the Washington-based multimedia artist with a strong creative career background and fine art education. BLAC holds a BFA in Graphic Design and Advertising from the Savannah College of Art and Design (2007). He is an AI collaborative artist whose work is typically presented in Surrealism and Post-Photography aesthetics, with a focus on spiritualism, ultra-consciousness, and existentialism. Starting in 2021, BLAC quickly became an international artist that established himself among leading AI art practices in the Web3 ecosystem. BLAC also runs an Artist Incubator that provides workshops and keeps its growing online community up-to-date with cutting-edge developments in AI and their impact on the art world.
BLAC's artworks have been showcased internationally in physical locations in shows such as “HYPNOS,” Live Exhibition in front of Rome's National Gallery of Modern Art with Satyrus Meta Art (Rome, 2023); “SURREALISM,” World Trade Center Exhibition With Superchief (NYC 2023), “Réconciliation with the living” Exhibition with UNESCO + MuseumWeek (Lisbon, 2023); “AI Hackathon” NFC Lisbon, MakersPlace Live Event, (Lisbon, 2023); “Real Thoughts,” NFT Rome w/ Mecenate Fine Art Gallery (Rome, 2023); “100% AI* *ça n'existe pas,” NFT Factory (Paris, 2023); “LA Horror Show,” SuperChief LA Exhibition (LA, 2022) and “AI Is Freedom,” the Mecenate Fine Art Gallery (Rome, 2022).
Ever since he started integrating AI into his practice, BLAC has been very active in the Web3 Art & AI community, being invited to give talks in live events such as “Artistic Expression through AI, and the Arrival of The New Renaissance” hosted by the CINECA [Consortium of 100+ Italian Universities & Research Centers] (2023), Mercedes’ Future Dimensions Podcast (Episode #7) “What If AI let us grow beyond ourselves” and Time Magazines’ Pieces Show, The Alpha, as a featured guest speaker.
BLAC.ai's work has also been featured in NFTnow, Aguilar Art & NFT Magazine, and AI Art Weekly, just to name just a few.
Artwork
Kc iMagination
Casey is a self-employed entrepreneur building educational software using art communication. With a background in lending and risk assessment, he uses a combination of AI tools and video editing to generate and animate a multitude of messages through his creations. As an artist with a penchant for hyper-color and funky sounds driving the animations, his goal is mastering his artistic method while delivering consumable, positive messages with his art #Typo
Artwork
Ready for more? Good! Because there's always more here at PPN!
Get ready for PPN's live event at NFTNYC 2024!
Come Meet the Team!
Event Details!
-April 5th in Manhattan NY, the Community Zone from 11am-12pm EST
-Fun Games
-Invited Guests
-Free Swag
Join us for an exciting and engaging afternoon where we will delve into the intersection of art in web2 and web3, enjoy some entertaining games, grab exclusive merch, and stand a chance to win free art!
Staying Safe in Web3
Huge thanks to Kc iMagination for this!
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