Artist interview: NurArt | NFT CULTURE | NFTs and Crypto Art
Where are you from?
I am from Cuba, although I always like to say that I am a citizen of the world. I studied painting at the National Academy of Havana, and graduated in the specialty of painting. I worked for a few years as an easel restorer at Cuba’s National Museum of Fine Arts. But I have always dedicated myself to art and to developing my own artistic style, because for me creating is a necessity of life, a refuge, a way of expressing myself.
Can you tell us about your background and what led you down the path to becoming one
an artist and finally experimenting with NFTs?
Since I was a little girl I had a strong inclination to draw and paint. My family loves art and has always been a total supporter of me. I was able to study from a very young age in art schools and learned a lot from other artists and teachers. Art is always constantly evolving and my mind is always looking for new ways to interpret my work in different mediums. That’s why I went from drawing on cardboard, to painting on canvas and wood and other materials. But always, parallel to this, I have felt very attracted to technology and its infinite possibilities to create. So more recently I have invested in getting the necessary equipment to create digital art, learning programs like Krita to take my physical style to the digital without losing the essence, or even 3D modeling and sculpting programs like Blender and Zbrush, where I take my work. to the three-dimensional plane. So one thing led to another. I needed to find a way to market the digital art I had produced, and the NFTs opened that door for me. Today I am completely focused on this new medium.
When did you make your first NFT? Which platform did you choose and why?
My first work was marked in Opensea with the help of a great person named Ernesto Cisneros, who has been in this medium for a long time and has been an advisor, guide and friend to me and many other artists in their start in the world of web 3 .At the time, Opensea seemed to be the best place to start in the NFTs because of its facilities for making collections and the cost.
You were selected by Trevor Jones’ Art Angels and seemed to be a huge success! Would you tell us a bit about this experience? What has it changed for you?
Since I started this journey in December 2021 it has been a path where I have walked slowly, learning from each step… So when I was invited by Trevor Jones to his room -I didn’t know him at all- I felt surprised, first because there are many good artists on the net 3, like a giant ocean where I’m just a drop. So it was an honor that he saw me and invited me to the important room. It was actually a huge change for me everything that happened after that invitation. Shortly before, I was already dreaming of one day coming to Superrare, but for me
it was a dream for the future. Knowing that it would also be my origin with an auction in this exclusive market was a surprise that filled me with excitement!
Since then, I have gained many followers and sales, which is an impetus to continue creating and improving my work even more.
Can you tell us one thing you can’t live without? (and why)
Well… For me there are two basic things in my life: My family and my work. My family is my spiritual support. My husband and daughter, who are also dedicated to art. We support each other, we are a team. We share the work, the ideas, the housework. On the other hand, work, the creative process, is a necessity not only because it is our financial support, but also because it nourishes the spirit. My thoughts always create images that I have to concretize in a visual support. It is the easiest way for me to express myself to the world.
Who is your favorite artist(s) (Not NFT)? What about their style resonates with you?
In the world of art, I am first an admirer of Gothic and pre-Renaissance art, artists like the Van Eyck brothers or G. Boch inspired me a lot in my early stages. But fundamentally, I love surrealist and symbolic art. From there I could highlight two artists that fascinate me: Leonora Carrington and Remedios Varo. I feel a great connection with both of them, especially with Remedios’; the work and her dreamlike world of stylized fantastic entities, which come from her personal imaginary. A work full of details, poetry, scenes that tell a kind of story stopped in an instant.
Who is your favorite NFT artist? What makes this artist unique?
There are many artists online 3 that I admire. But it’s different when you’re close enough to see their work and thought process. This is the case with the artist @jassbarbier who has been my life partner for more than 20 years. I don’t pick on him for that, but I admire him as the great artist that he is. His work has always been in a constant evolution towards the search for himself and aesthetic perfection. I have seen him go from drawing, sculpture, painting, collage to digital photography and then transform it into something unique, beautiful, surreal. His pieces transport me to another world. One that somehow reminds me of the Steam Punk style, but in a personal and very refined way. The way he can take pictures of objects, fragments of doors, scenes, and then turn them into something completely new, into machines, into clothes, into wonderful ornaments that envelop his portraits fascinates me.
What made you pursue NFT art?
As I said in a previous question… I was already doing some digital work when I started hearing about NFTs. At first I was very suspicious because I didn’t know anything about it. I joined Cuban and Latino community groups and began to listen and learn how this new universe worked. Everything has been learned little by little because there is too much information and there is still a lot to learn. I was lucky to have the support of the community which is amazing and where everyone helps each other and I repeat, the musician and artist NFT Ernesto Cisneros. Which helped me with the necessary resources to start my first collection in Opensea.
What’s the one piece of NFT art you wish you’d bought but missed out on?
I don’t think I’ve reached the point yet of considering becoming a large-scale art collector. I have seen great artists and works, but I have not yet been inclined to buy. I am still at a stage where I need to focus more and invest in better resources to improve and optimize the tools of the trade.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why this location?
I can only say that I love the mild climate and the landscapes. Watching wildlife and wild birds. I have always dreamed of places a little far away from the big cities. There are many places I can go that meet these requirements. In Spain, in British Columbia… in Germany…. well i haven’t decided…maybe all of them!
What are your other passions besides art? Why?
Well, it has a bit to do with the previous question. I am an admirer of nature and animals, I love to study birds, I like to rescue animals and find homes for them. I also love music and singing, although I only dare to sing with friends! I love video games, yes even at 44 my inner child is still there!
Do you make other forms of art?
I am always looking for new ways to create. I’ve done a little bit of everything. In the beginning I drew on paper or cardboard, then I started coloring on canvas and wood. I was fascinated by using pieces of wood that were once parts of doors, windows, furniture…paints too
metal or stone supports. I also had my fleeting stage of conceptual art and performance. I have made sculpture in clay above all and in wood. In digital art I have tried drawing, painting, 3D modeling and sculpture, animations and then I have experimented with different ways of creating. There are still many things to learn and do!
How did you arrive at your specific style?
Ever since I was little, imagination has always followed me. Imagining characters and animals and situations between them that I see as stories in my mind. I externalized it, and while learning drawing and painting techniques, I adopted my own style. At first full of influences from medieval art, erotic art, but little by little I found my way, my figuration, my symbols that are recognizable today even if the evolution continues.
How has your style evolved over the years?
As I told you before. It has been a gradual development. I have always liked the human figure and at first the proportions were very difficult for me until I found my way of doing them. The rest has been to let myself be carried away by my thoughts, feelings and imagination and improve my way of interpreting all this in a better way.
What is coming in the near future?
I am full of ideas and projects. My thoughts don’t stop and I’m still very inspired. I work on several projects at the same time, which has arisen by entering the large nft environment where new things always come up. For a new market to which I was invited, for a collective exhibition in Paris under the wings of Ernesto Cisneros’ Impulse. art project… I’m also working on several collaborations with Web 3 artists, which is one of the best ways to get to know each other better.
If you could collaborate with one artist, who would it be?
The first artist I want to collaborate with, and actually already do, is with my dear @jassbarbier. But I am open to any artist who wants to collaborate, be it a painter, a musician, a 3D artist, a writer…and more.
Do you have any upcoming drops?
I’m waiting for the right moment. I have finished the work, but I will wait a bit before putting it on the market. I don’t want to get full right now.
Where can collectors find your work?
I currently have works available on Foundation and KnownOrigin. But in the near future there will be a new work available in super rare. I have not yet defined the moment for it. I also have a facet of my work closer to drawing and experimenting with 2D animation
Objkt.com
Link to the website:
Social links:
https://www.facebook.com/Nur.Art.Pure
https://www.instagram.com/nurart_10/
https://twitter.com/NurArt_
Links to the NFT Marketplace:
https://foundation.app/@nurart
https://knownorigin.io/nurart
https://superrare.com/nurart
https://objkt.com/profile/tz1NjRn5DNE8D4qT8irc7YLGgBcLw9yMbLkR/created
Biggest piece sold?
So far, my origin has been in SupeRrare, which was up for auction and sold for 1,777 eth.
What was your biggest failure and what did you learn from it?
The truth is, I don’t remember anything happening to me that I could call a failure. Life is a constant stream of ups and downs, of decisions and consequences. We learn from everything that happens and that helps us develop. I had stages where I sold a bit more commercial and craft art, without ceasing to be myself, to be able to support myself financially. I liked it and it worked well. So, the moment I thought it was right, I left it to focus on the kind of art I’ve always wanted to do, where I feel like I can be myself.
Anything else you want to share?
Just thank you for the opportunity for this interview. It is emotional for me to be able to tell a little about my career as an artist and as a person. and to be able to share it with so many others through this publication. Web 3 is a wonderful place; A space where I have been able to meet and interact with people, artists and non-artists, from many parts of the world. I have found friendship, support, inspiration. Strength and hope. I believe it is an opportunity to bring out the best in us as individuals. Show support and solidarity with those who join, think of the collective as a skein in constant motion. It is simply beautiful even with its flaws.
