Web3 Wonders: Free Art Education Initiatives
At the heart of the transformative NFT world, there are individuals who stand out not just for their art but for the fearless spirit that fuels their journey. Today, we're thrilled to shine a spotlight on Michael Lyons, also known as DefiniteOptimist - one of the talented Discord members of our creative community. His story is one of overcoming challenges, embracing positivity, and crafting a legacy that can transcend to infinity.
Get ready to be blown by his tenacity which deserves to take center stage! Let's take a moment to appreciate his journey that can resonate through time, leaving an indelible mark on the world of art.
Michael is a creator and an engineer but he hasn't had a smooth sail at the beginning. A self-taught college dropout and 3X failed startup founder. Like any artist navigating unfamiliar territories, he encountered obstacles that tested his resilience. His path was blocked with challenges. But rather than succumb, Michael chose to see these challenges as opportunities for growth. His credentials include being a startup lead engineer at Nextravel (a YCombinator Batch Winter 2016), which was the startup and Michael was a lead engineer hired to build out the front end.
Learning combinatorial art is one of the initial challenges he unforgettably faces. It’s a subset of generative art with transparent frames that stack into a single image. He worked harder by having to stretch his personal algorithm skills to create the scripts that would generate and allow for fine-grained control over combinatorial artwork generation. He was introduced to web3 engineering and the NFT space through Buildspace, his first project was a simple ERC-721 contract for on-chain NFTs storing images directly on the blockchain.
ERC-721 is a core NFT smart contract for the Ethereum blockchain. The first real project he took on was a PFP (Profile Picture) project, a ‘standard’ NFT project w/ 10K pictures.
It is still in development (so stay tuned!)
For now come check the Twitter link: https://twitter.com/theyosos
He has his own full NFT project that he's working on launching, working double time as the illustrator of all the art as well as the engineer deploying the smart contracts. He’s also currently an engineering manager in business-to-business (b2b) software as a service, an enterprise parking software called Pavemint.
Seeing a creation work is a magical experience for Michael and this inspires him to build something innovative. Being an artist engineer, connecting buttons on a website to functionality on the internet is powerful wizardry for him. Through his works, he aims to transcend the gap, creating a bridge between digital universes and the people that inhabit them. A creation that could be a testament to the power of art to ignite imagination, spark conversations, and forge connections.
"Building is the lifeblood of progress, and people that want to build good things for humanity should be empowered to the utmost."
He envisioned his goal by exuding positivity to support people trying new things and learning from them. His visionary journey was not just about personal success, but about fostering a culture of support and growth for those venturing into new endeavors. He recognized that the fear of failure often hindered people from taking that crucial first step. With unwavering optimism, he sets out to change this mentality. His objective includes connecting as many artists to revenue opportunities as possible. For him, artists deserve the most amount of support, and every opportunity is seized to refine one's craft.
One of the most remarkable aspects of being in the community for him is the potential for small creator support and he's loving the positive energy that the community is bringing! We couldn't agree more, most creators find solace in a community of like-minded individuals who share a passion for a common goal. The exchange of ideas within the community not only appreciates your talent but also encourages you to keep pushing your limits.
Michael is currently building Lootgod, a phygital publishing platform for creatives to render their art in both the physical and digital worlds. The main goal is to change artists' lives by handling as much of the business side of operating and publishing their art, as well as giving as many opportunities to publish their artwork as possible. "Phygital" is the concept of using technology to bridge the digital world with the physical world with the purpose of providing a unique interactive experience for the user.
Michael is also building a story-driven collaborative art exhibit directly on Twitter. He and his team are writing a story about Artificial general intelligence, e-sports, fashion, food, and culture. Giving artists a platform to link their art to pieces of the story they vibe with. If you have art you wish to connect to this story, you are very much welcome to do so!
Join here: https://twitter.com/aMichaelLyons/status/1682868660233437184
Fun fact! Infinity Labs joined on one of the Tweet threads by posting a Scene from the Solverse that resonates with “Saving Planet Earth”
The approach of Michael's vision grants artists the space to soar unhindered. By laying the groundwork for artists to thrive, it strives to enrich avenues for exposure and enhance artists' visibility to celebrate collective creativity.
Show Michael some support! - @aMichaelLyons
Let me end this article with one of Michael's words to ponder, “DON'T LET YOUR DREAMS BE DREAMS. JUST DO IT.” You might also want to check out one of his favorite documentaries of all time, “The Pixar Story”, a Leslie Iwerks documentary that dives deep into the founding story of Pixar, and how the three founders all brought their own level of world-class magic together to create a new frontier for animation. This is a pivotal work for him in understanding how stories are core to what makes art impactful as we only have one life so Michael deeply encouraged us to make it count!
The work behind this initiative by Michael to our NFT community echoes across the artistic realm - providing artists with a multitude of opportunities to showcase their work, embracing optimism, and creating a vibrant ecosystem to channel their energy and focus into the very act of creation that defines them.
The content is not intended for promotion or providing financial advice. This is for educational purposes only.
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