Future of Digital Art

Anne Spalter, Digital Artist, Author, Educator & New Media Pioneer

Anne Spalter spent her younger years fighting her parents' attempts to drag her to art galleries, and few would have anticipated her rise to become one of the world's leading pioneers in digital art. First encountering a computer in the 1980s, and finding it both a source of inspiration and endless possibility, Anne's career took her away from the world of finance towards a life dominated by digital art. From her early days as an educator in some of America's top academic institutions, hostility to the very idea of digital art has been a part of Anne's experience, but in recent years the ubiquitousness of computers in our daily lives has shifted how all of us think about their role in our creative process too.
On today's show, Anne talks about the impact NFTs have had on how people perceive digital art, the potential for computers to power innovation and exploration in creativity, why visual communication is going to dominate the future, and why she's convinced the future is bright for artists of all disciplines.
Topics discussed:
How a chance encounter with a computer helped change the trajectory of Anne's life
How a lack of opportunities to learn about digital art pushed Anne to teach it herself, and learn more than she ever expected
Why digital technologies give us all more opportunities to explore and innovate in art
Taking a leap into the unknown, the move to become an artist full time
Computers as a part of the creative process, regardless of what form the end result takes
The NFT effect on digital art and the inspiration for new ways to collect and share
Why artists aren't going anywhere, and how our visual future leaves plenty of room for artists
A woman's role in the art market, anonymity, and why collectors should keep an eye on the space

Andrea Bonaceto, Multimedia Artist, Entrepreneur & Creator of AB INFINITE 1

Andrea Bonaceto's journey to the frontiers of digital art hasn't been what you'd call conventional. Trained in Economics and Finance, he found his way into the art world via NFT exchanges, and now produces powerful, thought-provoking and conceptual pieces both alone and in collaboration with other artists. His iconic AB INFINITE 1, a constantly evolving open-access multimedia digital canvas of image, sound, and poetry, curated and crafted by AI, has been recently auctioned at Christie's, marking a fundamental shift in the mainstream perception of digital art in the modern era.
On today's show, Andrea talks about what art means in the modern era, how digital art is helping to transform the way we relate to creativity itself, how to get started in the space (and more importantly, why to get started), and why balance is still the key to building a fulfilling life.
Topics discussed:
How NFTs helped bridge the gap between digital art and the mainstream
AB INFINITE 1, and how new media provides whole new opportunities to be creative
Why it took so long for digital assets to get the recognition they deserve
Differentiating digital art, and why not everything has to be an NFT
Why setting your personal priorities is important when you enter the digital art space
The great digital art debate: just another medium or the frontier of a whole new cryptoverse?
What art means, why it matters, and how context helps keep things relevant
Why a quiet period in the digital art market might make more creative communities, moving away from products and back to pure expression

Emily Carrig, Co-founder of True Stars

Emily Carrig is the co-founder of True Stars, a web3 brand inspiring people to be their true selves through quality art NFTs, fine jewelry, and creative storytelling. Emily is an NFT Degen and collector with a passion for exploring emerging web3 technologies that can empower both artists and collectors.
Topics discussed:
Emily’s foray into the world of crypto, web3 and NFTs 
What excites Emily about digital art
How NFT and web3 technology helps artists and creators 
What the digital art space will look like a year from now
The challenges of working in the NFT space
Emily’s advice for artist and collectors just starting out with crypto and digital art
Emily’s thoughts on the economics of artist networks within the NFT ecosystem

Trevor Jones, Traditional Painter and Digital Artist

Trevor Jones might not be what you expect from a crypto-oriented digital artist, having begun his personal journey in art at the age of 30 and only making his first moves into the digital art space in 2017. He quickly discovered a space defined by innovation, collaboration, community and growth, which embraced his unique pieces in a way which he felt the traditional art world never did. We talked to him about his journey with digital art, cryptocurrencies and what it means to be on the cutting edge of contemporary creativity.
Topics discussed:
Coming late to the art world, and finding your space in unexpected places
The digital art landscape today - why the recent NFT market crash is a good thing in the long run
Why community is crucial to making an impact in digital art
The challenges of the digital transition, learning a new language to access a new world
How reaching out for help makes digital art more accessible, and why Trevor still relies on people who know more than he does
The culture of the crypto-art community based on collaboration, learning, and pushing the frontiers of what's possible
Why nothing shocks Trevor in digital art, and why it will continue to evolve from strength to strength
Trevor's top advice for people looking to establish themselves in the digital art space, why talent alone might not be enough

Grace Insogna, Social Media Manager at World of Women + Aine Foran, Project Manager at Saatchi Art

Grace Insogna is an experienced Social Media Manager at World of Women, a community-centric NFT brand celebrating art, representation, inclusivity, and equal opportunities for all. Grace formerly worked within the fashion space, but has now shifted into the exciting world of Web3, fem tech, and wellness. 
Aine Foran is the community and project manager for NFTs at Saatchi Art. Today’s episode looks at the future of digital art and Web3 from varied perspectives. 
Topics discussed:
Grace’s and Aine’s thoughts on the current state of community and social engagement in Web3 
World of Women’s WoWverse NFT Capacitors
Challenges and positive experiences Grace encountered in their role as a social media manager for World of Women
How World of Women inspired and influenced Aine’s NFT journey
What excites Grace the most about Web3’s potential for artists
A quick background on Yam Karkai, co-founder of World of Women
How artists should use Web3 tools and channels to maximize engagement
Grace’s and Aine’s advice for new artists and collectors who want to join a Web3 community

Raina Mehler, Director at Pace Gallery

Raina Mehler is the Director of Pace Gallery, one of the leading international art galleries representing some of the most influential contemporary artists. She is also an independent curator, producer, and writer, working in both physical and digital spaces (AR, VR, NFTs, Metaverse).
With over 15 years of experience in the fine art industry and a Masters in Art History, Raina is an authority in the field of experiential, time-based art, and the Web3/Crypto/NFT space. 
Topics discussed:
Raina’s work trajectory at Pace Gallery, starting out with a registrar role to being the gallery’s director
The state of digital art today and the role blockchain technology plays in it
Her transition from traditional to digital art, and the biggest challenges she encountered with collecting and curating digital art
What excites Raina about digital art today
Noteworthy digital art exhibitions in the past years
What Raina looks forward to  seeing  in the world of digital art a year from now
The story behind the #Retouched exhibition
Raina’s advice for artist who are just starting out in digital art

Jonny Wilson, Video Remixer Behind Eclectic Method

Jonny Wilson is the video remixer behind Eclectic Method. Jonny started out as a musician and was inspired after hearing a Public Enemy album to make sample-based music. He then became a DJ where he started making mashup videos and eventually moved into creating robust audio visual music video experiences and has had 3 NFTs on Super Rare.  
Topics discussed:
Jonny’s journey from a rock band, to a video DJ on MTV Europe, to collaborating with bands like U2, to motion graphics and crypto art 
How crypto art makes space for more robust audio visual music video experience 
The copyright challenges around music videos and how crypto helps solve these challenges 
Jonny’s experience with viral memes 
How Jonny describe the state of digital music and audio visual art today
The power of word of mouth vs algorithmic content 
How more analog musicians are shifting toward NFTs and the benefits they’re seeing 
Jonny’s top three pieces of advice for artists who are just getting started

Colborn Bell, Co-Founder and Director at the Museum of Crypto Art

Colborn Bell is the Co-Founder and Director at the Museum of Crypto Art. His background working in finance has gradually morphed into a career of collecting art and NFTs. He shares why he believes digital art to currently be in a state of crisis. Digital art is a hot industry right now, and Colborn has seen people come in with distorted expectations. If you are an artist who is considering making the transition into the digital art space, then this episode will serve as a great intro to the industry and an overview of the most common pitfalls. 
 
Topics discussed:
 Colborn’s background and the work he does at the Museum of Crypto Art 
The influences that shaped Colborn’s unique career and work 
Why Colborn thinks digital art is in crisis 
The truth about working in the digital art industry 
What happens when creators are also the collectors 
The biggest challenges of collecting and curating digital art 
Reasons to be excited about digital art today 
What crypto art could look like a year from now 
What artists need to know as they are getting started in digital art 

Miss Aniela, Photographer and Creator of Birth Undisturbed

Miss Aniela, also known as Natalie Lennard, had an interest in digital art from a young age when she got into photography as a student. In her project, Birth Undisturbed, she traveled through the world and history to depict birth from ancient to modern, and squalid to famous, the series depicts stories of women both real and imagined. 
On the show today, she talks about her favorite medium, photography, some of her recent projects, and what excites her the most about digital art right now. 
 
Topics discussed:
Miss Aniela’s background and how she got into digital art 
What drew Miss Aniela to the medium of photography 
The state of digital art today in relation to photography 
Some of Miss Aniela’s favorite projects 
What excites her the most about digital art at the moment 
Storytelling through static images in her Birth Undisturbed series 
What the future of digital art will look like in 3 years 
Miss Aniela’s advice for artists that are just getting started with digital art

Akosua Viktoria Adu-Sanyah, Jury Panelist, Artist and Photographer

In this episode, we are joined by Akosua Viktoria Adu-Sanyah, an internationally exhibited and published German-Ghanaian visual artist and documentary photographer based in Zürich, Switzerland. 
Her work is frequently awarded for exploring new territories through image-making, research, and human connection. She equally engages in documentary work and conceptual arts and has an active practice in the NFT and web3 space, most notably with her project Behold The Ocean.
 
Topics discussed in this episode:
Why Akosua believes digital art is absolutely necessary and how NFTs and web3 are technological and cultural tools
Why and how Akosua made it a point to get outside the echo chamber of web3 
Her perspective on how the digital art revolution started 
How Clubhouse created a gateway for global conversations in a different way than social media had before 
The biggest challenges Akosua faced in creating digital art and how she overcame them 
Why the marriage of work and technology and forming communities with the courage to communicate about their work excites her most about digital art 
Why the blockchain’s decentralized system is the most resilient storage solution digital artists have
Akosua’s Behold the Ocean project based in Patagonia and how she got involved in this passion project 
Her top three pieces of advice for artists