Where are you from? (Provide a little bit of your background, have you moved etc)
I was born in Bulgaria but I’ve been living in the Netherlands for almost two decades now. I grew up in suburban Sofia in the years after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of Communism. It was a strange and fascinating experience to see how this historical event shaped my generation. As kids, we are keen observers and naturally sense both magic and tension. The 90s on the Balkans were a generous mixture of both: newly found freedom but also violence and economic crisis. I believe that being exposed to such stark contrasts early in my life has had a profound influence upon my ability to perceive, think, feel and create. Later on, my path took me to the Netherlands where I studied and subsequently relocated permanently. Expat life offered me a new set of challenges. I guess you learn what you are truly made of when you find yourself immersed in a totally new reality, a new language and a new culture. We all naturally want to feel we belong but not all of us are meant to or can fit in even when reality insists we should. I still find myself wondering where and what home is. It has become a feeling rather than a location. Being an expat has enriched my understanding of humanness, relationships between people, prejudice and conflicting world views. This is probably the reason why themes such as freedom, identity, love and connection are so strongly present in both my visual art and my poetry. Perhaps, the truest definition of home for me is to be found in a beautiful heart and in art.
Can you tell us about your background and what led you down the path to becoming an artist and ultimately experimenting with NFTs?
I remember falling in love with art, music and poetry at an early age. My mom would take me to musea, piano concerts and poetry readings, whenever possible. I felt very strongly that this was my world. My mind felt equally comfortable with words, images and sound, stubbornly refusing to choose between them. I would play the piano when I was happy, draw when I felt I couldn’t ask or say things, and write when I wanted to understand myself or the world around me better. When it comes to academic background, I hold two degrees, one in English and American Studies and one in Management Information Systems. Practical circumstances made me deviate from my creative path, so I ended up in corporate consulting, working for a Nordic IT concern, meanwhile making art on the side. Amazingly, it was also my mom who predicted that I would leave the corporate world and return fully to my artistic core a decade later, which is exactly what happened.
When did you mint your first NFT? What platform did you choose and why?
16th May 2021 is the date on which I minted my first NFT on FND. It was a hand-drawn meditative surface pattern piece titled “Metamorphosis” which was collected 9 hours later by Jesse Powell, CEO of Kraken (@jespow). At that time, FND was a new platform and it was difficult to get an invitation for it. @realmissNFT was the kind soul who invited me and made the beginning of my crypto art journey possible. I’m forever grateful to her.
Can you tell us one thing you cannot live without? (and why)
Art and love. Art is my oxygen, so I don’t think I could live without being able to create. Related to it is the need to be connected to myself and to others through it, to feel deep love and be loved.
Who is your favorite artist(s) (Non NFT)? What about their style resonates with you?
Among my favorite artists are John William Waterhouse, Salvador Dali, Lawrence Alma-Tadema and Tamara de Lempicka. They belong to different eras and movements but what draws me towards them is the depth of emotion, the sense of elegance, magic and timelessness they managed to capture in their art. I am particularly obsessed with Dutch floral masters such as Jan van Huysum, whose vibes can be felt in my latest series on SuperRare.
Who is your favourite NFT artist? What makes this artist unique?
My favorite NFT artist is Moteh (@iammoteh). I’ve named him ‘the undisputed wizard of light’ as I’ve not come across any other artist in the space who has mastered the language of light as he has. His creations captivate the imagination with their powerful emotion subtly expressed through elegant minimalist compositions. Moteh’s soul seems to have found its most exciting playground in surrealism and hyperrealism. It feels like he is always in search of the essence of dreams by defying and redefining what is real. At times, his art makes me feel that reality is yet another dream and the surreal is the only real. Some of his pieces are enchanting slices of paradise imbued with solitude, waiting to be shared in order to be fully experienced. In others, one finds the beauty of sadness or a sense of endless longing for the deepest love and connection possible. It is that longing, I believe, that leaves many of his admirers, collectors and fellow-artists always hungry for more of his unique visions. I particularly love how versatile yet recognizable his work is. He proves that style is so much more than consistency of visual expression alone. It is to be sought in the consistency of the artist’s energy, vision, presence and their ability to capture and transfer emotions.
But Moteh is special to me for another reason too. He and I are blessed to share a brilliant connection that allows us to dream, create and write together. Many fellow-artists and collectors state that the synergy between us in both poetry and art is unparalleled. Perhaps, because we create with our heart and to us art is life. The magic of our art comes from a very emotional place of mutual artistic adoration, trust, a deep intuitive understanding of each other’s inner worlds and the way we feel and perceive the world around us. We’re often told we are the living proof that art connects imaginations and souls in the most unpredictable and mystical ways. We believe this is true. So far we’ve met on the blockchain twice for collabs in “Like A River” (a limited-edition series) and “I Close My Eyes To See”. The latter was collected by the amazing Hazel Powell (@hazel_pow), who believed in our synergy from the very beginning and encouraged us to explore it further. As our own art legend unfolds, keep an eye on our feeds for more Moteh & Rebellicca magic. We promise it’s worth it.
What made you pursue NFT art?
I’ve been interested in blockchain technology and crypto currency for a long time. I knew about the possibility of tokenization of art but hadn’t really looked into it. It was Jack Butcher (@jackbutchr) who actually inspired me to consider NFT art when he started minting his work on FND. I was following his journey on Twitter, found it fascinating, decided to give it a shot and joined the space in May 2021.
What is the one piece of NFT art you wish you had purchased but missed out on?
In Dec 2021 Moteh minted a piece titled “We Are All Data”. When I saw it, I was instantly captivated by it and wrote some poetry inspired by it. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to own an artwork so much. The reserve for the piece was 10 ETH which was pretty much all I had made in sales since entering
the space in May. I was so in love with the art that I actually considered meeting the reserve and collecting the piece. (And yeah, I know what you’re thinking, ‘This is crazy!’ ) I shared my intentions with a mutual friend of ours who informed me that a collector was already interested in the piece. I hesitated and eventually the artwork went to @Crip2Dax. To this day, I regret not placing the bid. Something really great came out of it, though. Crip and I struck a wonderful friendship and eight months later he became the collector of my SuperRare genesis piece ‘Surrender’. I couldn’t be more grateful and honored to have him mark the beginning of my journey on the platform.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why this location? What are your other passions besides art? Why?
I’ve always wanted to visit Japan and Australia. Both countries have been on my bucket list for a long time. Australia’s nature is mesmerizing and something I would love to explore. I find myself attracted to Japan’s countryside too as it seems so serene, calm and beautiful. Most recently, I also want to visit Bolivia’s salt flats. This is a place I feel strongly drawn to and for sure would like to experience. The salt flats create a sense of an infinite world by mirroring the sky and every object in a perfect manner. The images captured by visitors remind me of being in heaven on earth…
What are your other passions besides art?
Exploring nature, traveling, journaling, making cakes and pastries, car tech (yes, I do love cars!), and above all, spending time close to the sea and the ocean. This is what usually helps me replenish and regain balance when I need it.
Do you make other forms of art?
Besides visual art, I write poetry and compose music for my multi-media pieces. My poetic lines also accompany the minted works of artists such as Archan Nair, Ronald Ong and Raphaël Erba, and Moteh.
How did you come up with your specific style?
Short answer: by experimenting with visual aesthetics until I feel I’ve found what matches the best the emotion I’m trying to express. I may work in different styles but my intention is always the same: create art that comes from raw, deep, real feeling. I go where my imagination takes me and try to dream and live my truth on the digital canvas and on the page.
How has your style evolved over the years?
Before joining the space, I’ve been creating abstract pieces for years. I started with large canvas works and drawings, and later switched to digital art, which allowed me to try new techniques and create differently. In the meantime, I was also writing poetry and making music unrelated to the visual art. A significant breakthrough in my artistic evolution took place when I realized I could integrate the three media I love the most (visual art, poetry, music) into coherent artworks in the format of rich-media pieces instead of having to choose one of them. Also, my newest series on SR is a breakaway from pure abstraction and a transition into a form of magical floral surrealism. The series a form of hybrid or blended art. The floral compositions are hand-drawn/sculpted by me upon AI-generated layers of texture and color that do not contain any shapes or objects. It took me almost a year to develop the technique, meanwhile researching palettes and styles of great floral masters. I
don’t think there has been a project I’ve put so much heart into as I have in the “Floral Eden” series on SuperRare.
What is coming in the near future?
I’d love to create more multi-media artwork, specifically using C4D and integrating voice, visual art and poetry.
If you could collaborate with one artist who would it be?
I love collaborating with Moteh. It’s been our dream for a long time to create more art together, so I think we will continue doing that.
What was your greatest failure and what did you learn from that?
I wouldn’t call it a failure, it’s more like something I struggle with. I always find it difficult to ask for support. But I’m practicing and getting better. In retrospect, I believe my first year in the space could have been easier if I had reached out for help and guidance much earlier than I did. Having said that, I feel beyond privileged to be accompanied in my journey by some of the greatest talents and most amazing souls in the space.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I’ve shared a lot about myself and where my path has led me to so far. The people mentioned below have made my journey so amazing with their support, presence and faith in me.
@iammoteh: Kære troldmand, du er min inspiration, min magi og den mest fantastiske gave, som kunstuniverset har givet mig. Min utrolige rejse ville ikke have været mulig uden dig. Og jeg føler mig så velsignet også at være en del af din. Hvor er det dejligt at drømme og skabe vidundere sammen! Tak for dig. Tak for alt!
@hazel_pow: Dear Hazel, thank you for your wisdom, continuous support and deeply inspiring presence. The way you connect with my poetry and art makes me feel so appreciated and understood. It’s incredible to have you as one of my collectors but your friendship and your endless
faith in me means even more. You’re amazing!
@crip2dax: Dear Charles, you remain by far one of the most brilliant and extraordinary people I’ve ever had the pleasure to cross paths with. It’s such an honor to have my art collected by you. But even more so to know you, enjoy your friendship, humor and wisdom. Thank you so much for everything!
@ronnaldong: Dear Ron, you are as amazing and original as your art is! But you are also a most wonderful friend and a rarely genuine soul. Thank you for your support and kindness, and for being such an important part of my journey. I’m so glad to be part of yours as well!
@makeminimus: Dear Glenn, I cannot describe how grateful I am for our friendship and for your faith in me so early in my crypto art journey. Your love for art and the way you support emerging talent in the space is so inspiring. This space needs you and is privileged to have you in it. Thank you for being here!
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