Artist Eric J. Taubert Brings ‘Dreary Immaculate’ From Coastal Maine to NFT Collection – MAINE ART SCENE MAGAZINE

“There’s more to the NFT world than the Bored Ape Yacht Club.”

The traditional art gallery model that has served plein air painters, mixed media artists and art photographers for generations still reigns supreme in Maine; but change is in the wind.

A recently launched NFT collection at Foundation called “Dreary Immaculate: Coastal Maine” by Eric J. Taubertan artist and photographer with deep ties to the Ogunquit art scene, suggests where the future of art is headed.

“I’ll be the first to admit,” says Taubert, “that there will always be a meaningful place for the local brick-and-mortar art gallery, especially in Maine. For many people, the physical process of seeing, discovering and buying art in a traditional gallery setting the only experience they’re interested in. That’s what they know. It’s time. It’s familiar.”

“The Ogunquit Art Colony exerted a strong influence on my development as an artist,” continues Taubert. “For nearly a decade I lived in the historic Thompson Farmhouse (1750) located just outside of Perkins Cove in Ogunquit, Maine. I am also a jury member artist of Ogunquit Art Association/Barn Gallery – Maine’s Original Artist Group (Established in 1928).”

“Many collectors of my Maine-based work,” says Taubert. “and many of my fellow artists in the Maine area are very used to operating within a classic, rigid and formal art world structure. Maine tends to be a place where change is slowly integrated. That’s part of what makes Maine a magical place. It’s also part of what drives me to bring my traditional Maine artwork into these new formats, on these new platforms, and in front of the new audiences gathered there. I love the contrast that exists between “what we’ve always done’ and ‘what the future holds’.

“We may be in the early days,” shares Taubert, “but there is a growing digital movement where artists and collectors of all ages are embracing compelling technological advances that I believe will have enriching, positive and lasting impacts on the way art is created, appreciated, collected and experienced.”

“NFTs are still a fairly nascent technology. Some people don’t understand the concept. For them, NFTs are a polarizing topic, but there’s no reason for negativity to become part of the conversation. And for those who have only heard of NFTs are peripheral, it is important to teach them that there is much more to the NFT world than just the Bored Ape Yacht Club.”

“NFT artworks are digital goods that we can own, display and appreciate for their aesthetic qualities,” explains Taubert. It doesn’t end there. With new NFT advancements such as token gating and unlockable content functionality, artists have the resources to add more value (and additional utility) to any NFT they offer for sale by offering the buyer special benefits such as early access to newly released artwork, additional content related to the artwork, physical copies of the digital artwork, exclusive invitations to a community or event, and/or much, much more. Trust me, you will definitely be hearing a lot more about NFT token gating over the next few years.”

“Even right now,” says Taubert, “the creators and collectors of NFTs inhabit what is still almost like an underground art scene. The majority of traditional collectors and artists have not ventured into the NFT market yet; it remains, for the moment, a space characterized primarily by early adopters. These early days are quickly coming to an end. Every day there is more technology. More advancements. More investment. More adoption. More utility. More value proposition. More intuitive user interface. It’s exciting to be alive in this era, to witness these changes, to be a small part of these changes.”

“It may take some time for collectors of my work to fully embrace NFT and digital art spaces,” says Taubert, “but I plan to continue offering my work there going forward. I plan to find ways to reward early collectors who follow me there. And maybe I’ll make some new friends along the way.”

About Eric Taubert

Eric Taubert is a contemporary art photographer and writer. He is a member of the jury in Ogunquit Art Association, Maine’s Original Artists’ Group | Est. 1928, and a contributing writer/photographer at Artscope Magazine. To view the “Dreary Immaculate: Coastal Maine” NFT Collection, please visit foundation.app/collection/maine. To view other works by Eric Taubert, please visit taubertgallery.com.