LA.jpeg NFT Artist Interview
*Full transparency a member of the NFTCulture team purchased one of LA’s NFTs on foundation.
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in the Philippines, but I am now living in New Zealand for the past 6 and a half years. I have a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering and i am currently employed in a small engineering consultancy firm in New Zealand. I usually make art after work all week and use the weekends to hangout with friends and family to relax.
Can you tell us about your background and what lead you down the path to becoming an artist and ultimately experimenting with NFTs?
When I was a kid I watched a lot of anime. Those were my common inspirations and style when I tried to draw and illustrate, I never had formal training, I just winged every art that I made. But as I grew up my attention shifted from different things and got busy with university, work, gaming, friends so I stopped making art. This was from when I was 13 years old to 24 years old.
Last year around the same time, I discovered NFTs through axie infinity. I got curious so I researched and read a lot about it then I stumbled upon opensea. The first NFT project I saw was BYO PILLS and instantly fell in love with the art.
I wanted to own an NFT so I started making fan arts to get WL, not to flip it but to actually own a really great piece of art. This lasted for a few months but I realized that I have found my passion again and wanted to do more. This is when I started to think about making my own 1/1 collection.
When did you mint your first NFT? What platform did you choose and why?
I minted my first 1/1 collection on Foundation. I treated opensea as a platform for generative NFT projects, it also has a lot of issues so I didn’t like minting there. SuperRare is an invite only platform. Foundation is where I mostly see 1/1 artists mint their work so I think its a good platform.
Can you tell us one thing you cannot live without?
Music. Its something that has been with me all throughout my life through ups and downs. When i’m driving, cooking, making art, working. Life is hard without it because it is something I can relate to and sometimes gives me energy when i need it.
Who is your favorite artist(s) (Non NFT)? What about their style resonates with you?
Among my favorites are Suanjaya Kencut, Andy Warhol, Daniel Arsham. I like pieces that catches your attention in a second. The style, the composition and the uniqueness all comes together to create a stunning piece. I want to make art so unique that you can tell who the artist is in one look. They are just some of my inspiration.
Who is your favourite NFT artist? What makes this artist unique?
Its hard to name one so I’m gonna mention my top list, @tylerxhobbs, @Grantyun2, @Jesperish, @cafromthesky. They have a really unique and consistent style that I have never seen before. You can tell in a split second who the artist because of how distinct their style is. That is what kind of artist I wanna be.
What made you pursue NFT art?
I read a lot about the possibilities of NFTs, including authenticity, transparency, provenance, security and royalties.
Digital art that is not in the blockchain can easily be transferred and lost without knowing who the artist is.
What is the one piece of NFT art you wish you had purchased but missed out on?
Fidenza by Tylor Hobbs
If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go? Why this location?
Japan, because I love japanese food and want to try authentic japanese food. Also the country is rich in culture and beautiful nature.
What are your other passions besides art? Why?
I love to eat and travel. Because aside from art, these things are what fills my soul, gives me new perspective and energizes me and freshens my creativity.
Do you make other forms of art?
If you consider 3d mechanical models and 2d fabrication drawings art then I do those everyday at work. I am also trying my skills in photography very subtly.
How did you come up with your specific style?
In the months that I have been making fan arts, I have made a lot of different styles and subjects and everytime I find out which one I like and which one I don’t like doing.
The piece that made me discover the style that i am doing now is a piece that I made for looks rare art contest. I really enjoyed doing surrealism. I like aquatic animals such as whales, I think they are majestic beings and I want to highlight that in my art.
How has your style evolved over the years?
A lot has changed and its hard to tell how. I’ve seen more art this year than I have the rest of my life so there is a lot that contributes to how I make art.
You can check some of my fan arts on instagram and how my style evolved in a year.
What is coming in the near future?
More pieces are coming in my new collection called Anti-natural. A collection that branches out from my genesis series. Art pieces that are composed to break your natural view of reality.
If you could collaborate with one artist who would it be?
Its hard to pick one. There are a lot of talented people out there, I guess I still have to know them personally before I can decide who.
