Who are you?
Well, on Twitter I am a Clown Vampire born into a long-line of vampires, who always felt that biting humans for their blood was sad. Why hurt others? When I was young, I joined the circus in hopes of bringing joy to people.
In our supposedly “real” world, I am involved in creative industries and technology and wear a few different hats. But my main theme in my projects is trying to help people realize the potential they have.
What initially sparked your interest in art?
I’ve always loved design and have attempted (and failed) at graphic design since I was a kid, but I was never really “into art.” I was more into creativity, broadly and was deeply curious about what people could create (whether art, code, or music). I got interested in digital art after being early-ish to the ETH pfp bonanza under a different name and realizing that while I enjoyed the speculative stuff, I really did enjoy the art and started to develop opinions on what I liked/didn’t like.
Other than art do you collect anything else?
Yes! Over the years I’ve collected coins, pokemon, sportscards, political memorabilia, beanie babies. You name it. I find it very soothing to sort and discover. I also enjoy the dopamine rush of opening packs, etc.
How did you hear about Tezos?
I had a seen a few big collectors talking about it (namely Cozomo) and after the fifth time of randomly seeing people talk about it on Twitter, I wrote myself a literal note to “check out Tezos” on my to-do list.
I eventually got to it and quickly realized that there was this whole giant world of amazing art.
What were the first artworks you collected on Tezos?
I’ll tell you the first five in order!
1 – Ringworlds #24 by 1mpo$ter
2 – Heart You #51 by Heart You
3 – Radition by andreasrau
4 – Lushtemples — Heart Shaped by Zancan
5 – SMOLSKULL #1159 by Mark Knol
Now that I have more context, I’m really happy with those being the starters!
Currently how big is your collection?
There are 2414 unique artworks not counting multiples of the same. It grows by about 50 NFTs per day.
What do you look for in a piece of artwork?
I seem to gravitate to things that are both easy to comprehend and technically complex (even if they appear simple). I also really love artists who build worlds across multiple pieces. I tend to collect a lot of pieces from the artists I collect and that’s because I tend to focus on the worlds that an artist is building rather than a one-off piece.
What is a red flag or a turn off that would make you not collect a work?
Hmm, the only thing that comes to mind is if something is a really clear derivative where there isn’t proper credit given to the inspiration. So much of art is about remixing, but there is a nuanced line goes “too far.”
What styles or trends are you currently into collecting?
Right now I’m on a bit of a generative kick, focused on pieces they have incredible detail (see Mediterranean or hollow). I’m always interested in fun/colorful animations and continue to collect lots of pieces in that broader vibe.
What is the end goal with your collection?
To have the best collection of Tezos art in the world.
Currently what are some of your most beloved works in the ClownVamp collection?
Two that immediately come to mind are my Dystract V by C3 and L̶i̶s̶t̶e̶n̶i̶n̶g̶, an interactive piece by Cem Hesami and Play. Both of them make powerful statements while having incredible aesthetics.
What advice would you give to artists struggling to find a collector?
For those who can afford it, I think being an artist/collector is the best way to grow your own audience. Other artists will appreciate the support and you’ll naturally build relationships with other collectors of the same works you collect. In short, geek out and you’ll find other geeks.
What advice would you have for those who want to be nft collectors but don’t know where to start?
I would start by stalking wallets of collectors who you think have interesting taste. See who they’re collecting, join those discords, follow those people on Twitter. Consume as much information as you can and you’ll naturally start to form your own conclusions.
And…make some friends! It’s way more fun/easier to bounce ideas off of someone!
Where do you see the future of this art scene?
Hmm, so this is very much not financial advice, but I do think Tezos is in a really interesting place. Someone else called it the East Village galleries of the NFT scene and I think that’s super fair. Currently it’s a tiny fraction of the size of the Eth market if you look at the numbers. So it’s really noticeable when anyone comes in and starts buying with size. That tells me that any mild increase in liquidity could lead to interesting effects. So, what would cause that? I think A) As more artists cross over from Tezos to ETH and get “discovered.” There will be a natural draw for ETH collectors to come over and buy older pieces from their new favorites. B) If there is ever an easy-to-use bridge (EmblemVault can feel a bit chaotic), I think you’ll see a lot of “NFT archaeologist” types who start to bridge stuff over.
All that to say, my thesis is that even if none of those exist, I am buying art that I love and would gladly hold forever. If you do that with the proper sizing, it makes it all super fun.
Is there anyone you want to shoutout?
Oh, so many! I spend a lot of time chatting with folks on Twitter and learning that way, but special shoutout for sure to
@studiobrooke who is sort of an amazing spirit animal for the scene and is a super warm collector/artist and helps a lot of people. Same to
@chrisostoich who is super motivated to help artists and is always down to geek out. But I could literally list like 50 names. People on Tezos are so nice and that’s part of why I like collecting here.
Anything else?
If Tezos ever truly breaks out, I’m sure we’ll remember these days as “the good old days,” but it’s important to remember that we have to keep moving forward. Savor today, but be excited for tomorrow!