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At the AllShips Holiday Party in December, the walls were covered in a living tapestry of black and white faces.
Alyssa Stevens, the 25-year-old artist charming the festive crowd with her live painting, has emerged as a nascent creator to watch in the web3 space. Her distinctive doodle-inspired works recall cubist influences within labyrinthine layouts, notably her “the intangible” series of 1/1 pieces like “i know nothing” and the newly-minted “i see the world differently now.”
She counts notable names like Cozomo de’ Medici, Gary Vaynerchuk, Funghibull, and Oveck among her collector base. Recently featured in ARCHIV3’s magazine alongside the likes of Dave Krugman and Bryan Brinkman, Stevens has been embraced by New York’s digital art community since quitting her corporate job and moving to the city in August upon receiving an artist grant from Station3.
“Before I had ever sold a piece of art, I wrote a list of manifestations that seemed extremely far-fetched,” she tells nft now. “I looked at the list every day until it became my reality.”
Every week, nft now’s Next Up unveils a new artist from our curated list of ascendant talents who have been making significant waves throughout Web3. This week, our spotlight turns to Alyssa Stevens.
nft now: How did you first become interested/involved in digital art?
Alyssa Stevens: I’ve always loved art – I drew my own comic series as a kid, participated in after-school art intensive programs, and handed in homework assignments covered in doodles. In 2020, I borrowed my friend’s iPad and created my first piece of digital art on Procreate – I quickly became obsessed and got my own iPad. Creating digital art became my favorite form of therapy in a time when I was struggling with depression and anxiety. It felt like talking to a friend who just understood, and allowed me to express my emotions in a way words couldn’t. “Interconnected Planes,” the first collection I minted on the blockchain, reflects this period of healing and reconnecting with my younger self.
“My art tends to have a messy, childlike quality about it, which is important to me. My goal is never to create art that looks a certain way, but to allow my intuitive, emotional self to guide the process.”
ALYSSA STEVENS
How would you describe your art?
Introspective. Abstract. Emotional. Imperfect. Stream-of-consciousness.
My art tends to have a messy, childlike quality about it, which is important to me. My goal is never to create art that looks a certain way, but to allow my intuitive, emotional self to guide the process. My best work is often created in a trance-like meditative flow state.
What’s your process like? And where do you usually find inspiration?
My goal when creating is to be as vulnerable with myself as possible and allow any buried emotions to come through without judgment. Creating allows me to accept and heal from pain in a beautiful way. I prefer creating alone at night while listening to a curated playlist of music I would describe as ethereal and nostalgic. I find that the best inspiration comes from turning my mind off and tapping into the stillness of the present moment, although some artists I love are Picasso, Hilma af Klint, and Miró.
“There are countless talented artists out there, but the decentralized nature of web3 puts the pressure on artists to do so much more than just make art.”
ALYSSA STEVENS
What are the biggest challenges facing rising artists in web3?
I find one of the biggest challenges facing rising artists in web3 to be building a community and keeping them engaged. There are countless talented artists out there, but the decentralized nature of web3 puts the pressure on artists to do so much more than just make art. Web3 is about creating genuine relationships, building trust, constantly engaging with the community, strategizing, etc., and having so much to manage can take time away from creating art. While it can be challenging at times, having control over the entire process is what makes this space valuable.
What advice do you have for rising artists in this space?
This is going to sound so cliche, but hear me out…believe in yourself to a delusional extent. I used to roll my eyes at such generic advice, but I’ve come to the realization that most people in your life are going to tell you to “be more realistic” when you share your dreams. Shut out external opinions and work on shifting your belief system to reflect the version of yourself that has already achieved everything you desire.
“Believe in yourself to a delusional extent.”
ALYSSA STEVENS
Before I had ever sold a piece of art, I wrote a list of manifestations that seemed extremely far-fetched. A little over a year later, I had completed the entire list, which included quitting my corporate job to pursue art full-time and Gary Vee collecting my art. I looked at the list every day until it became my reality.
