Unleashing Creativity: The Easy Artist Spotlight Series — Simply Anders
Welcome to our newest blog series featuring Simply Anders! Join us on a captivating journey as we explore the vibrant and imaginative world of this extraordinary artist. Through this series, we delve into the creative process, inspirations, and unique perspective that have made Simply Anders a prominent figure in the art community.
Simply Anders possesses a distinctive artistic style that merges elements of realism, surrealism, and abstract expressionism, resulting in visually stunning and thought-provoking creations. Their artwork encapsulates the power of storytelling, evoking deep emotions and prompting viewers to question the boundaries of reality and imagination.
In this series, we peel back the layers of Simply Anders’ artistry, shedding light on their influences, techniques, and the messages embedded within their work. We delve into their creative journey, exploring the experiences and encounters that have shaped their artistic voice.
Whether you’re an art enthusiast, a fellow artist, or simply someone seeking inspiration, “Unveiling Creativity: The Artistic Spotlight featuring Simply Anders” invites you to embark on a mesmerizing exploration of art and the boundless possibilities of human imagination. Together, let us immerse ourselves in the captivating world of Simply Anders and uncover the profound impact their artwork has on the artistic landscape.
Artist Bio
I was born and raised in Hawaii where I still reside today. Growing up on a ranch, I developed a love for the outdoors and became an avid surfer, drawn to the life and energy in the ocean. Art has always been a significant part of my life, and I enjoy expressing my creativity through various mediums. Whether I’m behind the camera or bringing my imagination to life through 3D creations, I find joy in the artistic process. In April of 2021, I delved into the world of NFTs, both as a collector and creator. It’s been an exciting journey to merge my love for art with the digital realm.
Professionally, I work as a photographer and videographer, capturing moments of beauty and preserving memories for individuals and businesses. Being a parent to my two boys is a role I cherish deeply, and they remind me of the importance of love and laughter every day. My work is inspired by the captivating energy of the ocean. I strive to create art that resonates with others and leaves a lasting impression.
How did you become a digital artist, what was your journey to creating your work as NFTs?
As a child, I always enjoyed playing games and exploring computers. During my teenage years, I delved into the world of digital art when I connected an old VHS camcorder to my dad’s Apple computer using RCA cables. While the computer wasn’t powerful enough to handle extensive video editing, I could extract freeze frames and experiment with them using various art programs.
In my early twenties, the transition from analog to digital technology took place, and it was during this time that my creative endeavors flourished. I created a couple of surfing films and eventually ventured into a career focused on real estate photography and video production. As an early adopter, I had the opportunity to work on 360-degree virtual tours, pushing the boundaries of this emerging field. Additionally, I found success by capturing 360-degree images and converting them into rectangular prints for sale.
In 2020, I decided to expand my skills and began learning 3D design in Blender, with the initial goal of creating renderings for real estate projects. However, as I delved deeper into this realm, my true passion for art became apparent. In 2021, while exploring online articles, I came across an artist named Pak, who was about to make history by selling NFTs (non-fungible tokens) through Sotheby’s. Although I had no prior knowledge about NFTs, I sensed the significance of this event. Intrigued, I made my first NFT purchases, acquiring a couple of Pak’s cube artworks. I still own one of them today, while the other was burned in exchange for $ASH, another creation by Pak.
Following this initial experience, I engaged in extensive buying and selling within the NFT space and became fully immersed in the Pak community. I forged meaningful friendships there and began sharing my own artwork with fellow enthusiasts. Encouraged by the positive reception, I started minting my own creations as NFTs and experienced great success. I attribute a significant part of my early achievements to Pak and the community they fostered, particularly the original members of the fomo channel in Pak’s Discord server, as well as my friend Del, who emerged as one of the leading creators within the Pak community.
Talk a little about your art style, tools you use, techniques behind your artistic expression. Do you see yourself crossing over to other artistic styles or mediums in the future?
I’m not sure if there is a name for my style. If I were to describe it in one word, I would call it mesmerizing. I use Blender to create abstract, geometric animated 3D designs that loop. Most of my work starts with a sphere comprised of thousands of cubes that rotate around a center origin in a hypnotic way, often revealing a central object. In Infinitum was my first drop showcasing this style.
I am a very curious person and web 3 has introduced me to all kinds of new possibilities. There are many challenges and constraints that come with building and creating art for the blockchain. I find these challenges exciting. I see all the possibilities of what can be done and I want to know how it all works. So I experiment with everything.
I’m incredibly inspired by the work of Tyler Hobbs and have a new passion for generative art. I’ve spent a lot of time recently learning to code. I’ve played a lot with AI. I love the on-chain art of artists like ripcache, smokestacks and 0xdiid. I’ve been experimenting with putting photography entirely on chain and will be releasing a collection of on chain photos in the near future. I’m also curious to see if I can mix some of these disciplines together. I’ve been a photographer for more than 20 years now. In addition to on chain photos, I am fascinated with the idea of creating generative photography.
What themes or ideas do you explore in your digital or NFT art, and what messages do you hope to convey to your audience? How do you use technology to enhance or transform your artistic vision, and what role do you see technology playing in the future of art?
I like to make art that people look at and say “How did he do that?” I like to incorporate the element of surprise. I want people to look at a piece, get lost in the mesmerizing flow of the shapes, and wonder what is happening. I like when a piece gets chaotic and falls apart only to come back to the original structure that it started with.
I often don’t start with any story or meaning at all. Creating is a passion for me and I truly enjoy the process of making something. Sometimes that is all I need. Some of my best work comes when I start with nothing other than the desire to create. I often connect very deeply with these pieces because they are a reflection of me. No outside influence, just passion.
I’ll be the first to admit, that my ideas are way bigger than my abilities. That is why I’m always exploring and learning. We have the opportunity in web 3 to create experiences that were never possible before. I want to create work that allows the collector to be a part of the experience and with blockchain technology, there are so many ways to make that happen.
How do you engage with your audience and build a community around your work, and what impact do you hope your art has on your collectors?
My last drop was a collaboration between myself and my collectors. I created the building blocks and each collector was able to make choices to customize their own piece. This was all made possible with a custom website and a smart contract. It was exciting to see what people came up with and really nice to be able to connect with them all as they shared their creations.
This was something that I envisioned and worked on for nearly a year. Whether you minted or not, anybody could play with the build site and make their own versions of my work. It was a great way to connect with my collectors and anybody who enjoys my art.
I want nothing more than for people to feel something when they look at my work. It can be a scary feeling to share creations with the world. One of the biggest rewards is when people connect with my work and get lost in it. Even if it’s just for a moment.
If you had the power to create a one-of-a-kind, immersive NFT-powered virtual art gallery, what kind of innovative experiences would you design for your visitors? How would it change the way people interact with art?
This is a fascinating question that really sparks my imagination. I have a genuine passion for interactive experiences and envisioning unique spaces to showcase not only my own work but also the art that inspires me. The concept of an interactive minting experience truly excites me, as there are countless captivating possibilities to explore within a virtual gallery.
One intriguing aspect of such an experience is the potential to address the issue of bots. Imagine if minting required individuals to navigate their avatars into specific areas. This would effectively ensure that only humans can participate, as someone would need to control the avatar and guide it to the designated location for minting. By implementing this approach, we could create a barrier against automated systems, fostering a fairer environment for artists and collectors alike.
To further enhance the interactive minting experience, imagine incorporating a challenging maze for oversubscribed events. Participants would have to skillfully navigate their avatars through the maze in order to reach the minting location. This could serve as a thrilling alternative to traditional lotteries, infusing an element of gameplay into the minting process. The excitement and anticipation of successfully reaching the desired destination would add an extra layer of enjoyment for participants.
These are just a few initial thoughts on the subject, but I have many more ideas swirling around in my mind. The possibilities for creating engaging and immersive interactive minting experiences are vast, and I find great joy in exploring and expanding upon these concepts.
You are one of the most minted seed creators for Tyler Hobb’s QQL collection. What attracted you to QQL?
I was initially drawn to QQL because it was a project by Tyler Hobbs, and his previous projects have achieved great success. There was a contest offering the best outputs a QQL mint pass, which I saw as a promising investment. Throughout an entire week, I dedicated my time to producing outputs, even though I knew it was a long shot. Unfortunately, my entry wasn’t chosen. However, during this process, I discovered my genuine enjoyment for sifting through outputs and exploring the possibilities of QQL. One aspect that truly captivated me was the formation of a vibrant community centered around creating QQL seeds. We actively share our seeds on Discord and offer support to one another. It was within this community that someone approached me, expressing their interest in purchasing one of my seeds to mint it. Since then, I’ve had a total of 6 seeds minted into the QQL collection, including one by Mike Dougherty, one of the founders of EASY. What makes QQL particularly special to me is its inclusive nature. It welcomes individuals from diverse backgrounds and encourages collaboration and participation. Being part of this community has been a truly rewarding experience.
I do like the last question about AI. I don’t mind talking about that a little. I view AI as an art form that simply represents another medium, similar to painting, sculpting, 3D art, and photography. Currently, it seems like anyone can generate visually pleasing AI outputs, akin to the early days of the camera when people were amazed by its capabilities. However, I believe that over time, the novelty of AI art will fade, and it will require more than just impressive visuals to truly captivate people. Just as anyone can take a photo, making a career out of photography involves much more than simply pressing a button. Similarly, as AI art evolves, it will demand a higher level of skill, creativity, and innovation to stand out and impress viewers. It will no longer be sufficient to rely solely on the novelty of AI; artists will need to push boundaries, experiment with new techniques, and inject their unique perspectives into their AI creations. While AI opens up exciting possibilities and expands the artistic landscape, it will ultimately be the artists who go beyond the surface-level aesthetics and create meaningful, thought-provoking art that will continue to make a lasting impact. AI is a tool that empowers artists, but it is the artist’s vision and ability to harness the technology in novel ways that will differentiate their work and enable them to thrive in the evolving landscape of AI art.
As we conclude our journey through the artistic world of Simply Anders, we are left with a profound appreciation for the creativity, vision, and unique perspective that this remarkable artist brings to the table. Throughout this series, we have witnessed the power of art to transcend boundaries, evoke emotions, and ignite the imagination.
Simply Anders’ art has served as a conduit for storytelling, capturing the essence of the human experience and inviting viewers to embark on their own introspective journeys. Their ability to blend realism, surrealism, and abstract expressionism has produced a body of work that is both visually stunning and intellectually stimulating.
Through the exploration of Simply Anders’ creative process, we have gained insights into the inspirations, techniques, and underlying messages that make their artwork so captivating. We have discovered the fusion of imagination and technical skill that brings their visions to life, pushing the boundaries of artistic expression.
This series has been a celebration of the artist’s talent, but it also serves as a reminder of the power of art to inspire, provoke, and connect. Simply Anders has shown us that art has the ability to transcend language, culture, and time, resonating with individuals from all walks of life and leaving a lasting impact on those who engage with it.
As we step away from this artistic spotlight, let us carry the lessons and inspiration gleaned from Simply Anders’ journey. Let us nurture our own creativity, embrace our unique voices, and continue to explore the infinite possibilities that art offers.
Thank you for joining us on this captivating exploration of artistry. We hope that “Unveiling Creativity: The Artistic Spotlight featuring Simply Anders” has sparked your imagination and encouraged you to view the world through a new lens. May you continue to find inspiration and joy in the transformative power of art, just as Simply Anders has shared with us through their exceptional creations.
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