There are folks that read people well, some see things that many cannot in others and then there’s Stellabelle. An immensely passionate artist that smacks out the truth and plasters it on full display for all to see and take in. With a signature style that is recognizable no matter what metaverse you’re walking in, everything becomes one big drippy lucid flashbang of a dream and you don’t even have to take a tab for it. Honored to be able to chat with a Verified Artist that’s been around CryptoArt since 2016, always has fun with it (you have to hear her laugh!!!) and keeps it real all at the same damn time.
Your art has such a powerful impact when first experienced. It’s a bit of ‘fuck you’ street art mashed with traditional illustration and photos thrown into a vivid mixed-media soup of madness. Has this been the style you’ve preferred or did it find its place when Cryptostellas came to be?
I create art in many styles. I draw in a fluid manner but I have also been doing collage art for a long time. I like to experiment constantly. I started out my CryptoStellas project with paintings but sometimes collage better communicates a message, so I use that too
Back in 2017 you had a thought and community of artists earning crypto for their art with Slothicorn, it was also shown in a different capacity on the Ethereum side of things by DADA NYC w/ The Invisible Economy and now that we’ve seen the idea of fixed value at play, do you see a mix of all these ideals or are we moving forward in fixed values as an artist community within CryptoArt?
The idea of a shared economy in a dao is attractive, but I lack the discipline and organization to make such an idea into reality. My cryptoartist collective Slothicorn taught me a lot about how a group can make a big difference in artists’ lives. Right now though i’m too focused on my own art career and running a group is a ton of work. If anything, I want to focus more attention of gift economics because I think it has more potential to impact society. I have done experiments that prove it’s a powerful concept for humans.
CC0… all the rage now but what folks aren’t noticing is that you have given away chocolate with your art including stickers. What made you come to this great and tasty idea?
I want to be Wonka, and have had this dream for a long time, since I was a kid. What I love about Wonka that I can relate to is invention. I consider myself an inventor of concepts that have a foundation in imagination and absurdity. And when I manufactured my art chocolate (some with golden tickets inside) and gave them to my collectors, I got closer to feeling what it’s like to be Wonka. The element of surprise is a huge factor in my dreams for humanity.
You’re a vocal artist and for this I thank you. Not many are willing to stand up for what’s wrong when the clock strikes. Being outspoken is usually frowned upon in CryptoArt, has this changed what you publicly say for the better and have you noticed a shift in subject matter when creating?
I can’t hide what I honestly feel deep down. I tried to hide that for most of my life, and got sick because of it. I was an alcoholic, and the reason I drank was to escape reality, and to have the courage to speak my mind. I cured myself of a lot of my addictions by being true to myself and speaking the truth. Yes, it has gotten me in trouble, but it’s not my problem. I think CryptoArt can be a place where we speak the truth and change the future for the better.
There’s a certain level of playfulness within your video on twitter that are enjoyed by many and makes us laugh a great deal. Are these Stella bits of comedy for us or more for you? Say it’s for us, haha.
Hmmm, I think it’s for both. I have fun with life, and can see the absurdities of the human condition, and I want to share that and laugh with others.
In the vastness of our collective artistic journeys many steps are taken and some are lessons as to who we are. Who are you and do you think you’ve found the right timeline?
I am still trying to be as authentic as possible without letting the world bring me down. I am a passionate person and sometimes, rage overtakes me. This year I’m focusing on how to become more effective in reaching more people. I am also focused on creating new experiences, like for example, I want to manufacture scratch n sniff stickers, so my art can transcend into different senses.
Now that you’ve taken soo many firsts within Crypto and Art, what can we expect from Stellabelle or would it be like the Spanish Inquisition?
I am just getting started. I don’t know where this train is headed, but I can assure you of one thing, it won’t be boring. I have not yet decided my next project, but it’s important that I finish my current one, and create as much value as I can for people.
Alright kids, it’s time for me to wait on the mailman for my Stellastickers, hope he doesn’t see them and snags my goods. Until next time… stay weird and loud.
Stellabelle links:
Twitter, Slothicorn, LinkTree, Cryptostellas, Voxels Stellabelle Gallery, Un-Crap Your Life
Extra: Hackernoon article on Slothicorn on Dec. 17, 2017