CAN Review
The animated work of Jess Hewitt has an almost hypnotic quality that stems from the contrasts of colour, geometric patterns and swirls of movement that are very compelling. While the process can be described as generative art (art made by code), there is an in-depth process at work here that involves countless iterations and experimentation with software tools and code. Furthermore, there is a sense of ‘life’ in many of the animations that Jess has created and in some ways it is possible to still see the hand of the artist within the complexity of each piece via smaller portions of movement within the larger schema.
Each animated piece is saved in GIF format with seamless loops that go some way in adding to the compelling nature of each piece. The viewer’s gaze is therefore free to roam within the work indefinitely, without the jarring rupture of an edit to break ‘the moment’.
Although each animation has a 1:1 aspect ratio, Jess employs circles in some instances to frame her work as in ‘Galactic Cell’ below:
While others, such as the wonderfully titled ‘Candyland Contraband’ (See below), fill the square GIF animation with a fluidity of motion.
In conclusion, Jess is an artist who excels at experimentation as well as being able to curate her work at different stages along the way. Fortunately, thanks to the field of cryptoart we are able to follow this creative journey. Jess has also indicated that she is excited by the technological aspect of nfts and how they might be accessed in the future, e.g. Virtual Reality. We can only hope that she continues to create her innovative and artwork, whatever the format!
Artist Interview
Name
Jess Hewitt – transitioning to using my real name from my previous alias, rustysniper
Social media links (i.e. how to find you on Twitter, Instagram etc.)
https://www.twitter.com/rustysniper1
https://rustysniper.com/
Rarible link – https://app.rarible.com/rustysniper/onsale
What is your overall process in generating art?
I’ve been working with colored pencil/ink and collage since I was a teenager. I’ve always loved technology, and have more recently been focusing on generative art.
What is your background as an artist in general?
My generative art is a two-part process – creating the tools that I use to generate the art, and then creating the art itself.
I use the tools I build to randomly generate images. It often takes hours, and hundreds of generations, until I find one that is just right. I’ll then make smaller adjustments to the generator settings and keep iterating until the piece is exactly as I feel it should be.
Building the tools is the more direct part of the process, while generating and curating is more passive and intuitive.
How would you describe your art in your own words?
My art tends to be colorful, psychedelic, surreal, absurd, childlike.
How did you discover Crypto Art NFTs?
I’d already had some experience with crypto, and had seen more and more of the artists I follow on Twitter talking about NFTs. I wanted to get involved, and fortunately, Rarible made it easy and friendly to get started.
Has the digital nature of cryptoart NFTs changed how you approach your art practice?
Yes! I’ve focused a lot more on digital art, having a digital workflow, and using animation. I’m working to transition my analog pencil/collage work to digital as well.
There are also technological limitations. The maximum file size and compression on social media sites and the various art platforms often limit what you can create.
What if anything, has surprised you about this new area of art practice?
I was impressed by the supportive, welcoming nature of the cryptoart community on Twitter. It’s wonderful to see artists supporting other artists. That’s not to say there isn’t drama, but drama in the cryptoart community seems to play out as creation and minting of art parodying the conflict. I love this!
Also, I hadn’t seriously entertained the idea of being able to support myself via my art. Cryptoart gave me the hope that one day it might be possible.
How would you like the field of cryptoart and nfts to evolve over time?
I’d love to see more projects and platforms particular to generative artists, such as Async Art and Art Blocks. I’m also excited to see technology shape the future of art, incorporating AR, VR, AI and others.
How can access and information to this new field of art practice be encouraged?
It’s important that we grow the community around cryptoart with more sites like this, and more information helping new artists to navigate the space. It should be as easy as possible for anyone who wants to be an artist, collector, or both to get involved.
CAN – You can view more of Jess Hewitt’s competitively priced limited edition and single edition artworks via her Rarible Onsale page https://app.rarible.com/rustysniper/onsale
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