Projects
![]()
No projects found
Investors
New
DAO Treasuries
DATs
Lend / Borrow APRs
Chains
Categories
Spaces
In Conversation with @landwhisker
Recorded: June 29, 2023 Duration: 1:12:39Space Recording
Full Transcription
So, Whitney, I do not know how to pronounce your last name.
Could you please grace us with the pronunciation?
Lord, honey, I don't either.
So I say Landerman.
So Landerman.
I'm pretty sure that my partner would absolutely hate that, but that's what I say.
I'm WSL, Whitney Stewart Landerman, and that's the best I got.
Landerman, okay, because it has so many letters in it, if you guys look at it, that I was very intimidated, and you don't often say your last name.
But thanks, everybody, for being here today.
Today we are chatting with the very talented artist and muralist Whitney Landerman, a.k.a. Witters, which you don't mind if we call you Witters during the space?
I would absolutely prefer it.
I can't say your first, your maiden, your partner name, your middle name, all of it.
So really excited to talk to you about what you've been up to.
Before we chat, a little housekeeping as usual.
Firstly, there is info on Nidhi Kits V7, aside from dark mode.
We've also added new apps, share to earn, fee allocation, royalty update that you can install to your NFT collection.
Details are all pinned up top.
And as always, please visit Nifty Kit to learn how you can use our tools to become a creator yourself.
This space goes for about an hour.
And lastly, friendly reminder that we do host spaces every week.
So join us back here next week, where we will be joined by some great creators.
So you won't want to miss that.
So we are talking today with a very talented artist, painter, muralist, and beloved human in the space.
Like, I don't know anyone that doesn't like Witters.
So I'm very excited to have you grace our stage.
But before we dive in, if you all can quickly take a moment, check out some of the pinned tweets above.
You can see some of her work and you can follow along as we chat today.
And Witters, please feel free to pin any additional tweets up there that you want represented.
So welcome and thank you for being here.
How are you today?
Oh, goodness, honey.
This week has just been a whirlwind of different things.
I am a trader, so I've been participating heavily in the Ordinal space, heavily in BRC20s, heavily in like Tezo, Seoul, just like the one-of-one collections.
I'm literally all over the place.
And some days it runs away from me just trying to keep on top of it all.
But I'm here for it, and I love supporting artists.
I think, honestly, like, that's why I got into Web3 just in general.
Like, I honestly feel like if you can find someone that resonates not only, like, aesthetically, like, what you'd like to, like, see with your eyeballs, right?
But also, like, get on that deeper connection with the human that also created that art.
Man, that's like a whole different breed.
And why I absolutely love Web3.
You have so many connections to people that you wouldn't have.
I don't know, like, if anybody else in this room, but I'm super sheltered.
I'll tell you right now, I, everyone that is around me, looks like me, talks like me, create, no, they don't create art like me.
I'm actually a pariah in the community.
But outside of that, I've been genuinely intrigued by all of the artists that are at my fingertips in Web3.
I mean, outside of Twitter, but, like, you can just go on, you know, like, OpenSea or Object or, you know, Exchange.
Magic Eden now has, like, absolutely everything.
And you can see art from everyone.
And that, to me, just because I have lived a sheltered life, has been paramount just for myself as a human, just for, like, growing and, you know, all that shenanigans.
But how are you, my love?
I'm good.
And I always love hearing your voice.
It definitely lifts my spirits.
And, you know, speaking of what you were just sharing about, I think it's interesting that, you know, you being so busy trading, supporting the artist community, being an artist yourself, you still manage to find time to do work, which I can't imagine.
I remember when I first got in the space and I was degening, I was like, all right, I need to stop doing this because I can't do that and art and other things.
And so I'm really, I tip my hat to you to keeping all the balls in the air because that's really, really difficult.
But I did want to ask you one question that I don't know if you've been asked this before, but I certainly haven't heard the answer, is the genesis of your nickname, Witters.
I love it, but I've never heard you identify how it came to be.
So it's actually what my brother calls me and has for a very long time.
It's what all of his friends call me.
And so, like, I, and no offense if you called me wit in the past, like, absolutely not.
Um, I will respond to literally anything, but I, I really don't enjoy being called wit.
Like, it's either, like, I would much rather be called witters, um, than Whitney, than wit.
That's how that, uh, goes down the line.
So my brother, he gave me, he gave me the nickname witters and, um, I was sissy and then I was witters.
Um, so that, like, for my whole life.
That's really sweet.
That's really sweet.
So for those of you who do not know witters, witters is an artist who dabbles both in realism and surrealism.
She seeks challenges, attempts to provoke thought, and promote love, which I, I love.
She's an exceptional human and talented artist, which I think I've already mentioned that, but I'm just going to keep saying it.
You've been very active in the Web3 community, um, with your art, and anytime I've been in a space with witters, I'm always laughing, learning, and feeling, you know, really inspired.
But for those of us who are just learning about you, would love if you could talk a little bit about your IRL background before you entered Web3, and then how you arrived here with the rest of us.
Oh, goodness.
Okay.
All right.
All right.
Okay.
So, uh, I lived my whole life in Appalachia.
Um, so, Appalachia is a, a, a grand area, but essentially I live in the mountains.
Um, like, the winters here suck, you know, like, if you don't ski.
But, um, I live in the most, like, organic and beautiful place, in my opinion.
And that has fueled a lot of my art from a very young age.
Like, my parents, they have one of my paintings that was framed from, like, 1995, um, that I did with magic markers.
So, that's how long, uh, I've been just an artist at heart.
Like, I was born an artist.
Um, I honestly feel like that.
Um, and I've been, it's always been my side hustle, um, from, you know, uh, from middle school, high school, uh, doing commission paintings.
Um, and now I'm currently at, like, a four to five-year waiting list for commission paintings.
Um, there, there's a year gap, uh, because I, I would like to go explore a little bit of the world.
Um, so I've kind of planned that out, um, hopefully to do murals.
But that's, like, that's my whole goal.
Like, if you ever want to know what, why I'm here, what I'm doing, it's to get walls.
I want to paint outside.
Painting inside is boring.
The, that, that's just, that, that's just why I do anything that I'm doing now.
Um, and, uh, yeah, just, like, my, my, IRL, um, I guess, just, like, background, like, I, I live in the middle of nowhere.
Uh, there's no fancy, beautiful galleries, uh, our events, or Uber Eats, or Uber, for that matter.
Um, but I, I'm just, I'm, I'm deep-rooted in sustainability, and, and that's kept me here.
And I have, in this order, a dope-ass garden, a gallery that I built from studs.
That was, like, my, my biggest dream, uh, to have, I mean, the Main Street here is not, like, Main Street, New York, or anything.
Or, I mean, hell, like, I live in North Carolina for Charlotte.
Like, it's, it's nothing like that, but that was my dream, and I built my gallery from studs.
Um, like, I have a, a Procreate drawing of my gallery, and it looks identical to that.
I saved up money for years and years and years, um, because, I mean, I feel like everyone in this audience can agree.
If you're an artist, you, you don't know where that bunny is coming from, uh, on a month-to-month basis,
and I did not want to take out a loan, um, to be able to, um, have, you know, an establishment where I could put my art, um, and, and teaching.
Uh, so I, I teach, um, there's, uh, there's about a six-month waiting list for a one-on-one, or not one-on-one, uh, teaching where I choose from at-risk students or just, like, children in general in, in my area, and I do it for free.
Um, and that's what's great about having my own gallery.
Um, I can highlight their works, um, in, in a way that, that they honestly wouldn't have been able to have, because, unfortunately, like, the, the arts councils that, uh, we all love, there's still, it's still very hard to get work shown if you don't know somebody that knows somebody.
Um, and I feel like I've, I've created a space where, um, anyone, um, it, I, I just need to see effort, and if you have effort and you want to do art, that's what I want to uplift and, you know, like, foster.
I'm going to get emotional. Stop it, Jessica.
This is, this is really beautiful, because to hear the, you know, the giving back to the community, the philanthropic piece,
I think that that's really important, and often something that maybe artists don't think about is that we, you know, we are role models.
People do look up to certain artists, and I think that it's really wonderful that you're taking time out of your life to give back to students who are learning.
So, that's really cool. That's something I did not know about you, and is awesome. Like, I want to learn more about this now.
I do want to ask you a question, though, because you said you had four to five year waiting lists for commissions, which is, like, insane.
And I wonder, are you self-taught? I mean, you're born and raised in Appalachia. Like, did you go to art school?
Did you just teach yourself how to paint? Like, how, how did that happen?
Yeah, so, I, okay, I started at a very young age. I identified my ability to replicate.
So, that's why I am sought after, just, like, locally, for, for my ability to replicate.
Like, you could go get a photo blown up on, you know, on campus at Walmart or, like, wherever.
But what I give is something, like, I sit down with my clients.
I want to know exactly who the person that I paint.
Like, a lot of us dead people, I'm not going to lie.
Like, it's, like, a, it's, it's a lot.
But I, on it, like, it brings me great joy, which is so, I mean, it might be a little bit morbid.
To represent that person in the way that they would want to hang on their wall, I guess, would be the best way to put that.
But, um, so, like, what did they accomplish?
What was the, the, the biggest, um, thing that they remember?
Because most people that die, uh, you don't have the best representation of them stuck in your memory.
And I have made it a point to change that.
And I started that years ago.
Like, um, I think that my very first commission was 2009, I think.
Maybe 2008.
Before that, like, I was just doing it for free.
Like, I was just like, oh, you want your baby paying?
I got you.
I'll pay your baby.
Um, but outside of that, it was just, then it became, like, a passion.
And it, you know, whenever, like, like, you get good at something and you just want to outdo yourself each time, um, that's how it became with commissions.
Um, my, my, I guess, like, my most notable, uh, collector, or, like, not notable, because I fucking love all my collectors.
Um, I guess the one with the most clout, I guess, and this might not be, like, the best thing to tell, but it's Franklin Graham.
Um, it is, like, the, the famous person that has one of my, uh, commissions.
And, um, it was actually of Jesus.
And, and, and I don't think I'm supposed to, I don't think I'm supposed to depict Jesus, uh, just in general.
Um, but, that's, that's a different conversation.
Oh, my God, I'm dead.
I was, you just brought back the memory of that fresco that that woman had re, you know, remember in, I think it was in Italy, she was trying to restore Jesus.
I am certain if she can try to revive that fresco, you can paint a badass Jesus.
So, and I, is this online?
Because I feel like we need to see this at some point.
I need to see your Jesus.
Yes, yeah, it is online.
Um, it's on my website.
Um, I don't know how I scrolled past Jesus because, wow.
But you know what?
Also, with, with your work and your, your, um, your commissions, are you painting from, like, do the, the subjects,
sit for you, or do you do it off of photograph, or, like, both?
How does that work?
So, a lot of it is from photograph, but I have had, um, multiple clients that, that want to sit for the photograph,
which is always so awkward because, like, I'm staring at you, you're staring at me.
Uh, I, I, sometimes I make faces if I fuck up, and, uh, I'm like, ooh, that probably shouldn't have done that.
Your nose look a little wonky there.
I mean, I'm gonna fix that, but, I mean, it won't take a minute.
Don't look at it.
Um, but, yeah, so I've had a little bit of both.
Um, I would much rather prefer, uh, just, like, a photograph, but it is always so interesting to have your, like, sit-in clients.
Um, I mean, like, grail would be, like, of course, like, the king or queen's portrait, like, a queen portrait that we've done with hell.
Or, like, you know, something, uh, just to, like, represent someone that is just so powerful.
Um, and, and to create that with brushstrokes, I can't even imagine.
Um, Lawrence White did that, um, here recently, I think.
No, I don't think he did, like, a sit-in, but he definitely represented the queen.
Um, but, yeah, it's, it's a little bit about that.
It's weird.
Eye contact.
It is.
I was also thinking about how, um, when I was in art school, we would have to paint, well, and draw people that were naked.
And there, I, I mean, I never felt like they were really giving us eye contact.
Because they were, like, dancers and, and people that were, you know, like, very comfortable with their bodies.
And, um, I'm honestly interested in, in this.
Okay, so, um, okay, so they're naked, and you're painting them.
How long do you have, um, to do such a thing?
Well, mostly, we would do it for contour drawings.
So we would have, like, 30 seconds, and they would have to switch positions.
So we would just get, like, like, lines, like a figure going.
And then for, I guess, like, our final, and these were in advanced drawing classes, that person would sit in a comfortable, like, in repose.
So that we could do a longer drawing of them for the rest of the semester.
Um, and I think that would be, like, a few classes long.
But I always thought, every time I was sitting on, at my easel, like, uh, they're, like, these little, like, horse.
I don't know what, what, how to even explain this.
But they're just, like, these little horses, and they have easels on them.
And you kind of, like, straddle it, and you draw, or you paint.
And I just keep thinking, like, what are they doing?
Are they bored?
Like, what's going on?
They're just, like, I mean, don't get me wrong.
I love to lay anywhere for two hours and do nothing.
But, you know, just to, to be there and be present and allow people to really draw, like, a human specimen is, there's something really special about that.
You know, they get, like, the lighting set up.
And you get to really study, like, color and lighting and, you know, your shading and your shadow.
So, it is really cool versus, you know, you know, the, the, the still life setups that we would have to draw, like, in different classes.
So, that brings a different element to it.
But then there's, like, this rushed element of, like, I really need to capture the figure as quickly as possible.
And that really helps sharpen your skills of, like, how to get figurative.
You know, and I know you coming from a surrealism background of surrealism.
We share that in common because growing up, I always wanted to be, like, a realistic painter.
I wanted to paint things that looked photorealistic even.
And I was obsessed with that.
And then I kind of, like, verged into it became a style, right?
So, it was clear that it wasn't a photorealistic painting, but it had a style.
How do you feel about your painting in that respect?
I, like, how I said it before, I'm always trying to outdo myself.
Like, I want people to be shocked by the fact that I drew or I painted something.
Like, that's, like, that's, like, that's, like, a D-stroke that, just for witters, just in general, that just gets my engines revved.
And so, I think that I'm trying to chase myself as much as I'm trying to be creative.
Like, I will create.
Now, with AI, it has helped me just personally, just, like, using the tools that we have.
It has created amazing opportunities for me because I have these, like, dream journals where I have different ideas, but I don't have a reference image from.
And because that's how I started, I need a reference image.
Like, I can paint and I can draw without a reference image.
But now with AI, I can just be, like, all right, all right, this is what's going down, and this is the way that I want it, and I'm going to need the light to come from.
Sometimes it doesn't get the lighting correct, but you know what I'm saying.
Like, it's made it so much easier for me to create the things that I want to.
So, and, yeah, like, I would absolutely, I would have loved to be just, like, in the room.
I would have loved, like, an actual, like, art class is what I would have loved.
So, I'm super jelly that you got to participate.
I went for chemistry.
Don't know why.
I guess the mixed paints or, like, whatever the hell.
But, so, I took some art classes, but they were, they were, like, you know, like, drawing one.
Well, don't get me wrong.
They were nothing cool.
Those classes aren't what they crack up to be.
They're very humbling and interesting, you know, the folks that do sign up to be models.
But, I mean, all good experiences, right, because somebody taking the time, I mean, they get paid.
They're not doing it for free, guys.
Trust me.
And if they are, that's weird.
But, I'm sure if you really wanted to draw some life models, there would be people that would want to sit for you because that is, like, its own experience.
And in the same way that you sit for, like, a photograph, too, there's a lot of similarities.
Maybe less time involved, right, because then there's multiple sittings, usually with painting.
And taking it back to the old days, if you're using, like, a camera, obscure, or whatever, to, like, girl with the pearl earring style, you know, you're, like, looking through that.
And then you're painting this person or this still life for a long period of time.
It's a lot.
But it's interesting to hear about, you know, you're using AI.
Because I didn't even think we were going to talk about this in this space today.
But I would feel remiss if I didn't mention that something that I struggled with my entire art career as, like, a photographer, filmmaker, creative is that everyone in the commercial world, in the fashion world, they're obsessed with a deck, right?
They want to see a deck.
They want to see your creative pitch.
And I'm, like, but I want to make you a film or photo that you haven't seen before.
And they're, like, no, but what does it look like?
What does it feel like?
So I would always, like, pull references of, like, well, it kind of feels like a Lars Ventura movie, but then it's going to look kind of like a Rick Owens designer vibe.
And they're, like, but that's not what it's going to look like.
I'm basically lying to you in this deck with these photos because I'm going to make you a Jessica Yutrofsky piece, an image, a video, a film, an experience.
So it always felt like this fib that I had to tell to get the job.
And then they would obviously, like, no one would ever go back to the deck and, like, check it to check me to be, like, hey, it doesn't look like this thing.
Because what I presented them with was, you know, went beyond what these really narrow ideas are that we're just pulling from pop culture.
Now it's different.
I know that there's, like, a lot of editorials out there that are, like, based on Marilyn Monroe or based on, like, Elvis Presley.
And, like, you're doing it in that style.
That's fine.
Those are great to pull references.
But when you're a creative person that's forward thinking, future thinking, or just, you know, what you're doing, you have this dream journal.
You have these ideas.
Being able to put it into AI, like, you just blew my mind saying that because now we can create this thing for ourselves to make our art.
And also for our pitch decks where you're, like, I want to make it look like this, you know, like, or I want the drawing to come out like this or the painting to feel like that.
So it has helped in a lot of ways.
And I didn't think about that until you just shared that.
So I appreciate that.
I hope that resonates with some people in the room because we no longer have to suffer from struggling to explain what the end result of our project is going to look like to a potential client beyond, like, I know you do commissions of people.
And then I also wanted to say, have you heard of that?
But it's pretty funny because you're talking about, like, depicting people as queens or royal, how you can send your picture out and they'll give you a canvas back of, like, you, like, as a queen or a king or your dog as, like, a sire.
Like, what do you think about that?
I've done a handful of commissions that they wanted to be, like, they were of no regal descent, but they would like to be depicted as such.
And I was all for it.
I was like, yeah, girl, like, I tell the same thing to, like, just, like, a smidge of, you know, like, makeup artists that have done my makeup.
I'm like, forget what my face looks like.
This is what I would like to look like.
So, yeah, no, I'm totally in, like, 100% agreeance.
And with AI, okay, for one of the biggest things for me, I am running after that mural at any, I'm running after that vacant wall at any given point.
Now, what kind of precedes that is the price that I put on something like that.
And I have wasted a lot of time making very detailed renders and that I could, that, man, I can't get that time back.
And the client said no.
They were like, the quote is too much or, like, you know, whatever.
And AI has solved that for me.
I know that I can make them and I can surprise them with something even better because it's, like, more of an artistic and, like, organic feel.
But that render, that initial, like, in the gate, like, yeah, it came from my brain from words that were, came from computer images.
But I can still surprise you.
And it's cut down on just, like, my workflow, figuring out, you know, like, if they were, like, absolutely obsessed with it, yeah, I could absolutely recreate that because I have the ability to replicate.
But if they, you know, weren't, like, totally solid on it and they, you know, got the whole vision and I had more artistic freedom, I could run with that as well.
So, like, AI, like, I could see how it could be very cumbersome in certain job aspects.
But for me, for what I've done, it's only been a tool and it's been an amazing tool that I've gotten down with, for sure.
I do like the idea of this, like, under-promise, over-deliver.
So, maybe, like, sandbagging with the AI, like, don't give your best AI pitch, but just give it an F.
But, I mean, I'm with you.
Like, I can't get all those hours back that I've worked on pitch decks.
And what's fun is, too, is when you send a pitch deck and they just take the ideas and do it in-house.
That's always really fun.
And there's this special place in hell for them.
And your Jesus painting is not going to save them.
So, I just want to put that out there.
But I do want to talk more about you and Web3.
So, would love if you can talk about, since you entered the space, what you've been building in terms of an ecosystem.
Because you have a lot of collectors and you have some projects.
I do want to get into the project that you're currently working on in a little bit.
But I would love if you could recap some of your previous collections or notable collabs in the space and highlight some of those projects that were part of your journey at the beginning.
Or maybe ones that you were particularly proud of that ended up, you know, inspiring what you're doing now.
Oh, my goodness.
Okay.
This one, hands down, the first thing to come to mind.
So, I bought an NFT.
It was KryptonSkulls.
They subsequently created DAO because the founder had given, like, so many of the crypto schools for that fund or whatever.
So, I proposed to do a mural.
And I made a proposal to the DAO.
And from there, so this was, like, about this time last year, actually, I made the proposal, got hooked up with a wall.
Because that, like, within Web3, no matter what collection that you're a part of, there are so many key players.
No matter who they are, what they're doing, what their IRL job is, what their involvement in Web3 is, like, there are so many key factors within a community.
And that needs to be fostered, honestly, and this is a completely different tangent, but just don't build a community.
Like, maintain your community.
Foster your community.
That's, like, that's, like, that's, like, the biggest thing.
But, okay, that, sorry, that was a complete side tangent.
So, anyway, made a proposal for the first AR integrated NFT mural, like, live art piece.
And so, it got passed by the DAO.
I went for the very first time by myself.
I mean, I'm, like, 34.
So, back then I was 33.
So, this was, like, super huge for me.
Like, I call up, you know, these mural placement firms.
I'm, like, hey, I'm Witters.
I'd like to paint on a wall.
And they won't give me a time in the day at all.
And so, this, like, broke down barriers for me just through that placement process.
And, oh, man, just the connection that I made with Justin.
Justin Fredericks.
I'm sure y'all have seen him on Spaces.
Absolutely brilliant, kind, like, wonderful, wonderful human.
He is the CEO of Art House AR.
He's done amazing, amazing things.
Not only IRL, but he's a wonderful collector, a wonderful patron of the arts.
I've just kind of, like, tucked myself underneath his wing and let him show me all of the things that I've been sheltered from in the past.
And so, from the Crypto Schools mural, like, the entire time that I was painting it in Jersey City, alongside, like, actual street artists.
Like, this was the first time.
Like, I live in the middle of nowhere, y'all.
There's not people that look and sound like the people that were with me every single day, like, got me pizzas because I had been working for such long hours.
They had, like, a tribute in the middle of the street for one of the street artists that had actually been shot the weekend or not the weekend before, but maybe the month before.
I'm not really sure.
And I got to see all that culture through that experience, hands down, the most pivotal moment in my life because I got to see things that I'd never gotten to see.
I got to do things that I'd never been able to do.
I was completely on my own.
And so, that in itself, just, like, it actually made everything that I want to do in the future, like, I want to do murals that have NFTs correlated to them so you can go visit those murals.
And that's why I've started doing motion art out of thin air, literally just started doing it, and now I'm obsessed.
I'm absolutely obsessed, and I want to make the motion art kind of like stop motion for all of my murals that are AR integrated.
So, the entirety of the mural is me, but it brings you in.
It makes you fully immersed into street art, into public art, into anything.
And I think AR, honestly, for artists, that's, like, that next pivotal moment within, like, just traditional art is to explore that.
I love that.
I love – we'll talk about it in a bit, but the recent mural that you did for Pixel Polaroids I think was so awesome.
But AR is something that has always been really intriguing to me, and I've experimented with it.
And I remember a friend of mine, she was – I don't know if it was LA or somewhere.
She was on a boardwalk somewhere.
And she knew that this pretty well-known artist who is escaping my mind right now had this installation where you just hold your phone up, and it looks like there's an explosion going on beyond, like, in the ocean.
And I'm doing a horrible – I'm doing a horrible description of it, but it's really kind of astonishing, you know, and I think, like, that's a way of, like, activating and also just this really beautiful way of hidden art but art in plain sight at the same time.
And there's something that I wanted to ask you along the lines of being a muralist and you just, like, seeking out these – wanting space and wanting these walls, which were not at a loss for in – at least in the United States.
There's so many walls that need murals.
But I was thinking about this also in tandem with your commissions and wondering, do you feel like you've seen more interest in your, like, this Web 2 skill, let's call it, you know, of painting in joining the space?
I'd imagine you have more exposure for your work and more demand in having a Web 3 presence.
Has that led to, like, an exponential growth in your IRL opportunities?
I would love to hear about how you've felt about this.
Oh, goodness, yes.
There – okay, where do I begin?
Not only the connections that I've made in Web 3 that actually have connections to in real life walls and people that want art for public art,
but the people that I was, like, originally dealing with, they've seen growth in me within this past year, like, on social media.
I have a better understanding of the real art world now because I'm surrounded by it.
I'm surrounded by it every single day, and I can see how that actually transact, whereas before I was delusional.
I was absolutely delusional as to, like, how that process, like, provenance and being able to, like, find collectors
and that actually enjoy your art, not only for you, but for your actual art and what you're trying to create.
I've found opportunities that I would have never, ever – and let me – that is an understatement.
I would have never been able to even participate in had I not been here every single day, like, in Discord, on the timeline,
like, just, like, collecting other artists' work and getting to know, like, a completely different side of it.
Like, there's just no comparison, and I would have never been able to reach the breadth of the, I guess, axis that I have now prior.
It's really wonderful because I know you do have a lot of supporters and a lot of fans, a lot of collectors,
so I can only imagine that we're going to see a lot more murals coming from these connections.
As I joke, you know, when have we in the history of time just gathered hundreds of friends overnight,
and that happened during the pandemic and the emergence of these audio apps?
So congratulations, first of all, because, you know, you say you're in this little town, you're isolated,
but now you're able to share your gift with the world, which I think is really, really beautiful.
Well, before we run out of time, I do want to get into talking about your new project, Pixel Polaroids,
which is pinned up top.
So give us the full TLDR on Pixel Polaroids.
Oh, goodness.
Okay, so whenever I was creating the mural in New Jersey, I thought, I was like, this is a new thing.
Like, this is how I want to, this is the artist I want to be.
I want to be the artist that you can go visit actual pieces of art instead of like the physicality,
the digital meets physical, like the whole nine.
And so I, with Justin's help, I was able to integrate my art, my motion art,
that started the whole motion art shenanigans that now I'm obsessed with and I can't stop doing.
And so, like, I wanted to create, from my trading background, I wanted to create a,
something that was like interesting on, like, I don't want to put, like, gamification onto art,
because that's, like, blah.
But I did want it to be more interesting than just, like, hey, I'm winners, I dropped something.
And I wanted, you know, like, there to be interesting reveal and burn mechanics for physicals.
I wanted it to be something that I personally, as a trader, would be interested in.
Now, the timing on such a thing wasn't the best, I will say that.
It was right at the peak of not only Pepe, but just, like, shitcoin season in general,
which I was heavily participating as well.
And it's a good thing because I had fronted all of the murals for my collection myself on my Discover card.
And I was like, this will work out, I'm sure.
It's like that leap of faith that you just, like, pray for.
And so, like, mint came, and I had wonderful, wonderful collectors that supported me.
I loved them absolutely dearly, but I didn't mint out.
And it was my Genesis collection.
And I did get a little bit down.
I'm not going to lie, I'm not going to try it front.
I did get a little bit down because I had been participating not only in Web3,
but I had worked on that since about August of last year, just, like, trying, like, doing the motion art,
which, I mean, that's, like, a learning curve in itself is stop motion and figuring out, you know,
all the things you need to do.
Like, it would have taken less time had I been doing it before.
But, and so, like, that was kind of like, oh, okay.
So I timed the market not so well.
I had, like, over, it was over 1,000 wallet submissions at the time of mint.
And about, let's see, I think, so 60 people minted.
And so that was just, like, you kind of get your hopes up.
But at the same time, like, it's just another opportunity to build.
It's another opportunity to just, like, keep creating.
And so outside, so initially, like, my whole plan, like, do the murals, then mint, like,
that was going to be my grand reveal for mint.
It's like, A, that, like, I'm providing value up front because normally that's how it goes.
Like, you have a PFP collection that PFP commissions a mural to be done.
But I switched that, and I was going to, you know, make paintings from, you know,
the different frames that are part of the collection.
And it didn't work out the way that I planned.
But now, oh, my God.
So now I have, like, beer cans.
So that was, like, part of my BS in chemistry.
I worked as a brew hand for many, many years.
I got a lot of connections to not only Anheuser-Busch, but, like, just, like, Craft Brew Alliance in general.
So I reached out to my old colleagues, and I was like, hey, I made art for this NFT collection.
I would love it to be on beer cans.
And so now that's in the works just for, like, just for, like, my holders and also for that, for them, essentially,
because, like, they're always looking for new art.
And that's another avenue.
If you're an artist, like, even if it's just, like, your local craft brewery or winery or distillery,
like, they're constantly, and, like, most times they do not have the budget for a, like, in-house artist,
but they are constantly creating new products, and they need art.
And that's something, like, you can work out with royalties or, I mean, that's what has kept the lights on for a while now,
is my partnerships with a winery and a brewery that is local to me.
But now this is super exciting.
And then I am currently in the works of making an ordinal collection.
So you can either burn pixel polaroids for a physical, like a physical painting, a physical print,
or for the ordinal collection.
Because some people in this space, like, it doesn't matter what you're offering that they can touch.
They want their digital wallet and that provenance to show, like, what they, where they've been,
what they've been doing, you know what I'm saying?
So at that, I wanted to encompass, I wanted just to check all the boxes that not only I hold as, like,
priority for my art and my, just, like, as a collector, but just, you know,
tapping to the, to the resources that I have and provide value to my collectors accordingly.
So, yeah, so, and I don't, I don't even think that I describe pixel polaroids very good,
but, um, essentially they are the, the collection is made out of the steel frames.
Um, there are three in the collection that are the gifts, um, for the motion art that I,
that I hand drew each frame, but the frames themselves are, um, what make up the collection.
And there are color variations and, um, you know, different little Easter eggs, uh, within,
within each, but you can actually visit, uh, my art in, in New York and in, uh, so in Bushwick,
New York, and then also in Wynwood at, like, Miami, Florida.
That's amazing.
And I was just thinking as you were speaking, which is so rude, um, but, you know, you have
to, when you're interviewing someone like yourself, I was thinking, you know, smells
like utility, feels like a roadmap.
And I feel like these are things that as artists, we don't really set out to do, but
when you're talking about these organic connections and they're kind of like built into your personality
and how you interact with folks.
So it's kind of like when you invest in an artist, when you collect from an artist and
somebody who has a high integrity, like yourself, like this is what can happen.
I mean, that's so cool with these partnerships that you're developing and that's things that,
you know, you didn't promise that to your collectors, but that's a by-product of what you're doing
in the space and what they get to be involved in as a supporter of your art.
So that's really, really beautiful.
And like that, that also feels like advice for the room, but I do want to ask you in
a little bit, um, more specifically about your advice, but I know, you know, you come
from a particular background, you're an applied artist.
And I do often ask this question to guess, you know, you yourself, particularly as a woman
forging a path in web three, how do you feel about the future about with, with what we're
creating and how women are claiming space on the blockchain and what that means for the
artists who come after us, what, um, we're role modeling, but what are we telling people
with our actions in your mind?
Oh, goodness.
Okay.
There's, there's like two points on this that I feel like I, um, I need to address.
So I'll, I'll address the one thing that is disheartening and then I'll, I'll uplift you
with something afterwards.
Um, and I'm just going to speak truthfully, um, because it's been brought up on, on several
spaces by like different trolls or like reply guys.
Um, I am not anonymous.
You said different trolls.
Yeah.
It's been brought up by different trolls.
I mean, there's another word that I'd like to use, but I'm not going to use it.
Um, but I, I'm not anonymous as sometimes, sometimes I wish that I were, um, and what
behooves me, um, and trust me, I've tried multiple Twitter experiments and, and the fact
that a selfie of me gets a hundred X more engagement than an artwork of mine that took 20 plus hours
to create, uh, it, it just, it just run, it runs all over me, but I can't change humanity.
Um, and I can post those, uh, some would categorize as thirst traps and I can pray that at least
the engagement from those would generate intrigue to what I'm actually doing that matters.
Right.
So, um, I, that's like one of the sad points of being a woman in web three.
Um, but I honestly feel that like we are the future, um, a, I think women truly, truly are
the future in web three and we're underrepresented in PFP collections and the girls that I know
personally, they got some deep ass pockets.
Let me tell you.
So I just for like collections in the future, I think it would be wise to show more feminine
traits, but as a woman collector myself, I'm picky as fuck.
Um, I'm not going to settle for some mid art and that's neither, you know, here nor there
when it comes to traditional art and a web three traditional art as a collective, but finding
people that are like you, like nifty kit, um, that has so many different tools, um, like
you, Jessica, that, that uplift artists in the space, uh, like Sarah.
Oh my gosh.
Sarah is such a staple, um, wine bags, quantum captain dead pants.
Uh, like literally everyone's secrets.
Sirius, Sirius is a wonderful, um, animator, um, floor poppy.
I mean, I literally love everybody in this audience, so I'm, I'll spare you, James, like,
oh my God.
Um, uh, I, I just think that like finding those people, finding your, um, your tribe, your collector
base, people that actually care about your art and can see through the bullshit, right?
So, um, can see through everything that, that creates engagement because all of it is just,
oh my God, like retweets cost nothing, but some people's egos transcend their, their timeline,
honestly.
And the takeaway in web three that I've personally found is like, why do you matter?
And if you personally can answer that, um, then you're halfway there.
Convincing other, others is easy as long as you put in the, you know, hard work, consistency,
um, and, and like women are just like, that's just like how we operate, right?
Like hard work and consistency and, and being there for one another.
So I honestly feel like we're the backbone of this bitch.
No, it really is true.
It really is true.
And I, I love your perspective too.
And also I think that, um, I mean, not, this can be a whole other room, but bridging between
like third and fourth wave feminism, there's, there's a lot to say.
I mean, people want, can lean in, you know, to being a woman in the space or they can remain
anonymous.
There's benefits to both.
Um, there's drawbacks to both, but I think like you just need to do what's true to yourself.
And I don't think shaming for doing either one, like really has a place in this conversation
because we are artists at the end of the day and we do like to move our art by moving
our art.
We mean, sell it to collectors who are interested in purchasing it.
And, and I find that, you know, a lot of the times people have purchased art because they
feel so connected to the artists in their process.
So there's no difference here, you know?
And if it has to do with your gender, so be it.
Um, do I wish things were a little bit different in society?
Sure.
Are we going to change that overnight?
No, but I think like what we do have to look at is really talented artists like yourself
in the space and following your journey and seeing what else you have on the horizon, which
we are coming up on the hour.
So I do want to close the room soon, but I do want to ask you about what you think some
of the freedoms artists in a similar position as yourself can experience as they come into
Web3, where we have the possibility of expression outside these, you know, gate kept places that
have really sort of, um, hindered a lot of growth among artists or, you know, aspiring artists.
We have royalties here, kind of, um, and we hold the power to our own work.
We, you know, we're in a smart contract room right now.
Oh, it's not a smart contract.
That's on Wednesdays with Joseph, a quantum variant, Jeff Jagg, and Jen Stein.
So definitely hit those up on Wednesdays.
But we're a no-code smart contract toolkit here at NiftyKit.
And when it comes to blockchain, like, what do you think are the freedoms artists can, can
experience here?
Oh, my goodness.
Okay.
And just speaking for myself, I, I've been, I've been the weirdo in the community.
Um, I've never been able to, like, so, like, in my gallery, I have to post, um, uh, essentially,
like, why I panned it and, like, where my mindset was, because I get a lot of, oh, she's
on drugs, um, kind of sentiment.
But in Web3, like, with blockchain, I can be whoever, well, mainly because, like, 99% of
the people that live in my town are not on Twitter, but, like, just being able to-
I thought you were not on drugs.
Or, or not on drugs.
I mean, I don't know if 99% of them are not on drugs, but, um, but, um, just being able
to, like, create what I want to, because I've found an actual, a community that, like, embraces
art for art, and, which is, um, and you can, you can browse that at your, at willy-nilly,
like, you can do, you can find, like, especially on Tez and, like, um, or, like, on, uh, object
and exchange art, um, on soul.
Like, you have the ability to see from all over the world, and, and your art speaks, especially
if you're anon, um, it, it speaks for, for itself.
And, and that's, that's something that, like, in a traditional art, um, setting, like, you
have to know someone to get into the galleries, you have to know someone to be curated, you
have to know someone to be, um, uh, just even recommended to take a look, you know, and, um,
that's not how it is in Web3, and, um, I, I honestly think, like, people that just show
up every day, even if it's just, like, a GM, a, a retweet, a like on another artist, like,
I have heavily curated my timeline to where it is, is none of that GM stuff.
It, it is, it is artists, it is people that I genuinely love, and that I have made an effort
to, to follow, to, um, engage with, and, um, and finding, it's so easy in Web3 to find
those communities, and, uh, that, that's that freedom, that's a freedom that I honestly don't
think that there, in any different, like, you get lost in Instagram, you get lost, um, thank
God if you're still using Facebook, but I pray for you, um, but it, or just, like, your
website online, um, there, there's just so, between just, like, speaking engagements, um,
or, uh, participating in different communities, and collecting, that's the biggest thing, collecting
other artists is so huge, because once you have collected some, something that you generally,
like, love, the other people that have collected that, they genuinely love art, and, and that's,
that's something that is untapped, I, if, if there is a way, I'm sure, you know, the big
corporations are going to figure it out to tap into our minds, but I, uh, that, that's
the freedom that, that I've found, uh, just in, just in general, um, and I, I do a lot
of onboarding, like, because I have my gallery, I do a lot of onboarding into Web3, just for
artists that are here, um, because it is harder here, being so remote, um, to find collectors,
and just, like, setting up a wallet, or, you know, posting your, that's, like, half the
battle, it's, like, posting, I used to throw up before I gave a commission to someone, um,
because I was so deadly afraid to see their face, but with Web3, it's, like, oh, you either
like my art or you don't, and I don't have to ever see your face.
You're, like, I'm gonna go make a sandwich right now, I think.
Yeah, yeah, exactly, and, and you just, like, you put it out into the ethos, and, and you
let it cook, and, um, if they, if, if they see, you know, something that they like, that's
something that they enjoy, that's amazing, if, if they see your perseverance, if they see
your commitment to the space, um, that, that speaks way more than just being in a pop-up
gallery somewhere in, like, a cool city, in my opinion.
I love this, I, I love everything that you've been saying today, we do have to wrap up soon,
but I do want to leave with this one last question for you, um, it's been great to learn more about
your work today, as I normally say to all of our guests, but you always have, like, you're
zigging, I'm zagging, and that's what's so pleasurable about having you in a space, or,
you know, sharing a space with you, or just being in the audience.
When you're speaking, um, because you're full of surprises, and you're full of so much wisdom,
and you're immensely talented, so I love what you're carving out creatively, and I wonder
if you might share some advice for the artists and creators in the space right now that are
building, experimenting, painting, that maybe they're working in a similar medium than, as
you are, uh, any words of wisdom for them?
Try something new, like, if there's something that you've, um, been doing traditionally, um,
in, in your, like, traditional practice, or, like, what you've, um, uh, I don't, I don't
really know, like, how else to, to describe it, just, like, something that, that is different,
because you have so many opportunities, um, to be different, and especially, like, we were
talking a little bit about AI, and it's gonna come to a point to where, like, you're gonna
have to prove your humanity, and, um, like, if you're just, like, if you're stuck, like,
that's why I cannot commit to, like, a color scheme, or, like, a general thought, um, but
I guess, like, my takeaway is, like, all of my works are, um, just juxtapositions, like,
there's, there's no common theme, because I would be absolutely bored to death, but, um,
experiment with different chains, like, be, um, be, you know, multi-chain curious, um,
there are other collectors, and, in different, um, in different parts, honestly, like, uh, of each
chain, that, they create such wonderful opportunities, and people that are actually
chain maxi, so you kind of want to, um, just to participate, I guess, would be the, the
biggest takeaway, like, participate, uh, no matter where it is, no matter what chain, be
different, and, in the way that, um, no one can compare you to anyone else, and, um, even
if that's, like, medium-wise, um, like, I, I'm a, I can't, I'm, like, a canvas oil, I am
a digital artist, I am a muralist, like, um, realize that there are multiple, um, revenue
streams, um, even if it's just, like, fan art, you know, like, if you're, like, really digging
a collection, or, like, really digging just another artist, make, but make just something
that, um, will set you apart, and also, like, showcase your talent, um, in a community that's
already established, would probably be my biggest takeaway.
I love that, try something new, and don't be afraid to diversify, is what I'm hearing.
I love this.
So, before we close the room, any other calls to action?
I know you have Pixel Polaroids out.
Anything that we should know about?
Anything to say before we say goodbye?
If Pixel Polaroids, you know, resonate with you, totally check it out.
It's in my bio.
Um, I've got a lot of things planned, uh, on the BTC side.
Um, I've been in ordinals.
I was actually, uh, grappling whether I should launch on ETH or, um, ordinals whenever I did
Pixel Polaroids, but, uh, because I am a person of juxtapositions within my art, uh, even though
it's, like, a very permanent art installation on, uh, Bitcoin, I think it's cool that, uh, you
know, it, it's actually, the, the AR qualities within my art can be, whoopsies, that might drop
something, um, the AR qualities, uh, they do point off chain, but I can always update that art to
anything that I've ever done, um, from now until I die.
And I don't plan on dying anytime soon.
So, um, I, I, yeah, just, uh, just wait, honestly.
That, that's, I think that's what every artist, um, just wait and see what I can do because
I can, I can blow your mind.
Well, I love this and I love you and I'm very excited that we were able to have you in the
space today.
Please go up and check out the pinned tweets before we close the room.
The last one is Pixel Polaroids, um, everything that you need to know about Witter's new projects.
And thank you everyone for joining us today.
And of course, to our guest Witters and to Nifty Kit for hosting.
Please follow Witters, follow Nifty Kit.
And if you are a creator, please be in touch.
If you want to become a Nifty Kit creator, you can check out the pinned tweets above and
you can learn more and more about V7.
And you can also reach out to our website and hit up the support chat.
If you have any questions, they're real people, not bots here to answer any and all questions
you may have about Nifty Kit or anything that you're working on so that we can help you launch
your next NFT project.
So, uh, join us back here.
We're going to be back next week and we are going to have our first experts round table.
So, uh, set your date for that or set your agendas or whatever buttons.
I don't know.
These buttons change every week.
So just hit one of those things and we'll remind you it'll be all over the timelines.
So we really, really are excited to have you Witters.
Thank you again for taking the time to be with us today.
Thank you so much, Jessica.
Um, I absolutely love your art.
I love your books.
They're in my gallery right now.
Um, and, and I get inspiration from them.
Actually, one of my, uh, ordinal pieces, I, uh, took from like your picture, like the inspiration.
Um, and I, I included some, some little extras, uh, within that.
And I can't wait to show it to you.
It is, uh, you're, you're absolutely, you're phenomenal.
And thank you for uplifting artists.
Thank you, Nifty Kit.
Um, and I love everything that y'all are doing and, uh, I love you to pieces, damn it.
I just love you to pieces.
Same, same, same feelings are the same.
So everybody, thank you for being here today.
I'm going to play us out with some music.
Please follow Witters, follow Nifty Kit, and favorite those tweets up there so you can go
back and check out all the amazing work Witters has been doing in the space and on walls around,
around the United States, I'll say.
Thanks, guys.
Thanks, guys.
