ODE TO THE SKY: eight new paintings
why the pseudonymous economy won't work, NFT workshop update, and more
Happy Monday from the desert ✨
To all the new faces - welcome! You might be one of the eighty (!) fine artists who came via my NFT Onboarding Workshops or maybe you found me via my fine art musings on Twitter. Despite my as of late deep dive into Web3, I’ve said, and will continue to say, that my physical painting practice remains the backbone of everything I do. Today, we’re highlighting just that.
In case that’s not really what you’re here for, though… I’m working on a couple new writing pieces: a spicy one with the working title: “Change Your Profile Pic Back to Your Face: Why the Pseudonymous Economy Won’t Work” (h/t to @magdalenakala and @alexrkonrad for a great exchange + push on this topic this week) and a more introductory one about the creator economy and the rise of next gen/Web3 social (forever s/o to @landing_social on this topic). Expect those to hit in the next few weeks. High demand for a Twitter workshop as well, so stay subscribed and stay tuned for something come early December.
But anyway! Today! We have! THE ART! I am delighted to release my newest collection of paintings, ODE TO THE SKY: eight new paintings inspired by my summer musings in Joshua Tree and Costa Rica. All work is available via my website, alexmacedastudio.com - if you’d like to pay with eth or btc, DM or e-mail me and we can make that happen.
Much love and many blessings to you,
A
ODE TO THE SKY COLLECTION
alex maceda studio, november 2021
I moved to the desert to experience the sky the way I needed to experience it: vast, all-encompassing, multi-faceted, constantly changing, and yet — perfectly still.
ODE TO THE SKY, attempts to capture that essence: in particular, the immaculate gradient of blue, purple, and pink that occurs in the sky opposite to the last moments of sunset. Its sister painting, FIRST LIGHT reflects the rising of the sun at dawn, when bright yellow brings with it the lightest of blues with touches of purple and pink. The desert sky and its ever-changing light and color palette continues to be a main source of inspiration for my work.
Stylistically, these two paintings employ thicker and more expressive brushstrokes that my previous layered abstract work. It is a new treatment I have been experimenting with over the past few months, and I look forward to combining the new and old treatments more explicitly in the future.
The same thick layered treatment is used in SUNRISE OVER SUNFAIR HEIGHTS, a piece that looks back and recalls the first moments of sun up on the mesa from where I currently live.
SUNRISE STUDY is even a freer piece: an exploration of color and stroke, a loose study on the intersection of darkness, light, and desert.
On watching - and Being Watched
I have been exploring the idea of watching — of being watched. The one-sided intimacy and microcosm/macrocosm of social media contrasted with the macrocosm and expansiveness that is nature (literal, human). At the end of the day what and how and who do we watch, how do we look at ourselves and who is really watching us — is it anyone? Does something bigger exist, independent from us, and should we believe in it — or does it exist simply because we believe?
SUNSET and SUNRISE AS THE EYE OF THE UNIVERSE explore this theme. The look much more similar to my prior work: a more typically thin, transparent, layered style. If these two feel psychedelic, they are. They pull from dreams and visions I’ve had in while in deep meditation or in ceremony. The two were created together and imagined both independently, and as a diptych. They are sold separately but would look phenomenal displayed as a pair.
For me, everything comes together in, THE PLANTS ARE SINGING.
The painting was inspired by my summer trip to Costa Rica. After spending months in the desert, the vibrancy and colors of the lush jungle plant life came as a shocking inspiration. Everything was so alive, and the sky and plant life seemed to sing at every moment. Each leaf was filled with so much unexpected color, oranges and reds merged seamlessly in with bright and deep greens, and all seemed all the brighter against the light and deep blue sky. The entire country seemed to say, “life is ceremony, every day is ceremony - and aren’t we so lucky that it is?”
Something certainly unlocked for me here - both during the trip, and during the creation of this painting. It is perhaps my favorite piece I have created this year.
All pieces are available directly via my website, www.alexmacedastudio.com/originals, and more details are on each page. Direct sales have allowed me to control my fate, keep my prices relatively affordable as no cut goes to a gallery, and have a more intimate relationship with collectors. I am so grateful for the support I’ve received in this first year of working and looking forward to growing more come 2022. Click below to purchase any of the paintings - or reach out to me via email or social media with any questions. Thank you and be well! 💖