Where are you from?
Can you tell us about your background and what lead you down the path to becoming an artist and ultimately experimenting with NFTs?
As a kid, I always was creating things. Sketching, creating my own newspaper, painting, carving, designing clothing, anything that would intrigue me. I always wanted to keep learning more and could never put myself into a box. When I saw my photographer friends shooting fun concepts, I would pitch them crazy ideas to run with. I eventually learned that I could create my own dreams by practicing photography and learning Photoshop. I was not able to travel to the places I envisioned, so I learned to bring the world to me.
My good friends David Ariew and Chelsea Evenstar shared their success in the NFT world back in March ‘21. I dove in, completely unaware of even what eth was. Haha I originally thought NFTs were some kind of scam/online gallery. But now it is my life full time.
When did you mint your first NFT? What platform did you choose and why
I minted my first NFT on March 16, 2021 on Foundation. It actually sold the very next day! I chose that platform because I had a new invite from a friend and decided to give it a try!
Can you tell us one thing you cannot live without?
I actually have a solid black Spartan helmet that I keep on my desk to remind me to never quit. I can’t live without it, because it is a constant visual reminder for me to stay focused on days when I am not feeling it or am being flat out lazy.
Who is your favorite artist(s) (Non NFT)? What about their style resonates with you? So hard to pick just one! Dustin Valkema is a phenom composite artist who inspires me
with his thematic imagery. He creates such mind blowing cinematic images and also works with cosplayers. He has excellent YouTube tutorials and also shares how photographers can blend their work with C4D.
Who is your favourite NFT artist? What makes this artist unique?
One of my fav NFT artists is Teds Little Dream. He pulls people into such magical worlds filled with story and scale. I am always taken into another realm when he shares his art!
What made you pursue NFT art?
I pursued NFT art because I believe in taking risks. I didnt’ know if my art would be welcomed, because 3D pieces and astronauts were super popular, and here comes a
digital photographer with armor, flowing dresses and mermaids. haha
What is the one piece of NFT art you wish you had purchased but missed out on?
One could always say it might have been a popular pfp, like Apes or Punks, but I don’t believe I have missed out on anything. I believe that what is meant for you comes to you in the right time. I don’t have time for regret, so I just look to the future and know I will have more amazing art as this community grows to incredible heights.
If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go? Why this location? If I could travel anywhere, it would be Rome. I actually already have a dress picked out just for a night there. Walking the streets, taking in the culture, the architecture, under the stars. I feel like I was easily a Roman citizen in another life, because that place holds a piece of my heart already.
What are your other passions besides art? Why?Some of my other passions are vintage motorcycles, which show up in my work often! I love the old vibes they have! I run Spartan races, so I have a bit of a feral soul, since I love throwing spears and blackened steel armor. I also am friends with many wolves and hang with them when I
have the time, they model for me when they feel like it. A wolf is such an incredible creature, but def command respect for what they are capable of. Oh, and serious love for brownies!
Do you make other forms of art?
Currently learning 3D, so taking on that challenge! One of my hidden talents is seeing something small and drawing it to a massive scale by hand. It really has no purpose, but I use to constantly study and draw giant things when I was younger!
How did you come up with your specific style? Watching films and gaming trailers growing up always sucked me in. How they had thematic lighting, their characters, the worlds they created. Every piece pulled me in, so my style is always a cyclone of those worlds, plus anything else that might interest me, like fine art, photography, composites, etc. I want my viewer to look at these pieces and finish the narrative in their mind.
How has your style evolved over the years? I started photographing families then models then started composite work. My style has grown as I have studied color theory, lighting, composition, etc. Always trying to make my next piece better than my last.
What is coming in the near future?
I am still going to do some self portraits, but 3D rendering will give me so much more control than photography can. I will dive into that world more and actually could see myself doing short films, so my worlds and ideas can come to life for the viewer. It is on the horizon!
If you could collaborate with one artist who would it be? I would love to collaborate with David Ariew. He is a master at 3D, so teaming up with him and seeing what stories we could share together would be amazing.
Do you have any upcoming drops? I have a couple new projects coming up. Taking a risk and bringing viewers into a world where I blend 300 and Wonder Woman inspirations. Self portraits with incredible landscapes, animations and effects. Sounds crazy, but it is so authentically me, I know in my heart I have to do it. I even had to do some real life aerial stunts to nail one of my images, so hope my viewers appreciate my passion for it. Haha I also have a 10k project coming soon with 2 other artists! I also cosplay as Lara Croft, so would love to modernize her and create some inspired art bringing a version of her into 2022. It is all craziness, but these are my worlds!
Where can collectors find your work?
All my links can be found here! https://lynkfire.com/GlassCrown
Biggest piece sold? My biggest piece sold to date was for 5 eth to Crip2Dax. It is called Work in Progress. A double exposure photo where I rebuilt the male model using building materials and scaffolding. A reminder to always keep working on yourself, because personal growth never ends.
What was your greatest failure and what did you learn from that? I know my greatest failure was creating NFT pieces that were not me entirely, because I thought they would sell. I felt pressure to make things that maybe collectors would like or would be more popular over just going with my heart when I first started out in this space. I learned
that our NFT world craves authenticity and the worst thing you can do is change who you are as an artist for a potential sale.
Anything else you’d like to share? I would leave you with this. Have the courage to be yourself. It takes courage to be you and not pursue validation or popularity. Be bold in what you create. Be fearless. Never surrender who you are meant to be for anything.