Kristy Glas first digital painting is turning ten years this spring, and she shares it exclusively with us. Art has been a part of her life ever since. She gets inspired by many things, including art, nature, dreams, feelings, and music. The moment she drops a new piece, she feels excited and nervous.
NFT Granny: “Dear Kristy – thank you very much for taking your precious time. Your first-ever digital painting is going to be ten years old this spring. As it is not online yet – would you mind sharing this first digital piece with us and describe how you feel/think looking at it after almost a decade?”
Kristy Glas: My very first digital paintings were simple landscapes. I followed a simple tutorial and got used to hand-eye coordination with the tablet and laptop. I instantly felt that this was the art tool I had been looking for all along. A couple of months later, I painted the first digital painting I was really proud of- a girl observing some glowing fish in a dark magical forest. I love using digital art to achieve glowing effects that are incredibly hard to do with physical art. Also, I particularly liked the privacy I had painting digitally, as I wasn’t constantly observed anymore, so I started experimenting with my style.
How did you first become interested in art, and how did you get started with it yourself?
Kristy Glas: I’ve been interested in art for as long as I can remember, and I’ve always been encouraged to paint. Often I gifted drawings and paintings and loved the reactions.
I remember mom faxing one of my drawings to dad when I was maybe 5, and I was really amazed by the machine. I started oil painting when I was 11 and digital art at 18.
Could you tell us more about the story behind your profile picture?
Kristy Glas: My profile picture is a kind of self-portrait. I was having sleep issues at the time and my mind was overwhelmed with just too many thoughts and ideas. I wish I could export them from my head. Most of the time I have more things I want to do faster than I can finish whatever I’m working on.
Which of your artworks are you most proud of?
Kristy Glas: There are many of them, and I usually love my latest painting because I try to push my skills further, evolving my style and process. If I had to pick one, it might be Reaching for the Stars because just a couple of years before, I only dreamed of being able to paint like that. I finally felt that I could paint whatever I set my mind on.
Open on KnownOrigin.io
Is there an artist you would like to work with? Like a collaboration?
Kristy Glas: I’d really love to collab with XCopy some day. Also there are many talented artists I admire that I hope to ask to collab with once I’m more caught up with my current projects.
We are curious 🙂 Would you be willing to share any plans of upcoming projects?
Kristy Glas: I prefer to announce things when they’re closer to the finish. Flexibility is important for me, because it helps me stay motivated and concentrate on what I’m currently working on. I tend to go back and forth between projects and paintings and sometimes finish some months after the initial concept.
Who or what are your biggest influences or sources of inspiration?
Kristy Glas: I get really easily inspired by everything, including art, nature, dreams, feelings, and particularly music. I often write down random ideas on my phone and pay attention to those I just can’t get out of my head. Occasionally I’ll browse old notes or sketches and find something I want to get back to. The hardest part is filtering ideas and evolving them into something completely new.
Is there something specific you are trying to express with your art?
Kristy Glas: Curiosity and wonder are the key feelings for my paintings. However, I also love when my sketches cheer someone up. I guess it’s essential for my work to elicit some strong emotion or a general sense of tranquillity, it has a lot to do with moods.
What do you feel when you are creating new art?
Kristy Glas: It’s usually a cycle of emotions. However, I particularly love when I get into the “zone” while listening to music and just losing myself in the painting. I experience a sense of discovery because I often start a painting with just colours that I’m feeling in the moment, and I go from there trying to see things in the strokes.
What do you feel the moment a project you’ve created dropped?
Kristy Glas: I get really excited and nervous because I want everything to go as smoothly as possible. I still got a similar feeling when I dropped my first NFT.
Do you remember the first time you heard about NFT Art?
Kristy Glas: I heard about NFTs from Hive artists who were blogging about it in early 2020. I was instantly intrigued by the concept and just kept researching more about it.
What is your favorite platform for mints and why?
Kristy Glas: I don’t want to pick a favorite. I feel fortunate to be able to mint on so many great platforms. I love when a platform provides something unique, which gives me a reason to use their available tools.
How do you enjoy the NFT Art you have collected? Do you have a way to display it for example at home?
Kristy Glas: I mostly browse the art I’ve collected on my desktop and phone and love digital galleries. I must add that it’s really fun to re-discovering older pieces that I’ve collected, as they always make me smile. I currently don’t have a way to display NFTs physically, but I’d love to get a digital frame.
What would be your biggest wish for the NFT Art scene? What is currently missing / not fully developed to reach full potential out of it?
Kristy Glas: I feel what’s missing are good tutorials. I’m not great at explaining, so it would help to onboard newcomers. Understandably you can only simplify things so much because how do you explain the internet to someone who’s never tried it? Also, I’d love to see better browsing and filter tools, but it’s already a lot better compared to when I just got started with NFTs. Currently, almost everyone I know heavily relies on Twitter for discovery, myself included. I am also looking forward to being surprised by how NFTs evolve, and I would love all forms of creation to join and spread in other fields.
We would really like to know, where do you see the NFT Art scene in the future?
Kristy Glas: I believe NFTs will be used everywhere, integrated into daily lives. I hope all digital goods will have crypto/nft options for purchase in the future.
What does a typical day for you look like, and what do you like to do when you’re not busy with NFT Art?
Kristy Glas: I wish I had a routine, but I can never really stick to one. I drink a morning coffee/tea and draw or write most of the day. I pretty much wake up at a different time every day. When I take a few days off, I usually play some games I enjoy and find it very energizing and fun.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Kristy Glas: The best piece of advice I read a while ago was: Always strive for win/win situations where everyone benefits.
Is there something aside from art or NFTs you collect?
Kristy Glas: I have a coin collection that I had collected as a kid and some card games. Also, enjoy having physical books, but I try not to keep too many things to avoid clutter.
- What did you want to be when you were a child: I always wanted to do art, but thought I’d have to do some regular job for income.
- First Job: Cutting pamphlets and posters
