Your use of GIFs on Twitter is admirable. Can you chat briefly about that?
GIF’s are fun, I think it’s because I’m a super introvert, and I can’t really find the words sometimes, but the right GIF can perfectly sum up a thought.
Do you do any animation in your work? Why or why not?
Yes, I do. I think some pieces need some animation to be fully immersive. I’m still growing my animation techniques in order to incorporate them more in my pieces.
When did you start creating art? What was the catalyst for that?
I really started getting into it about 6 years ago. I had really bad panic attack because I felt like I wasn’t living in my purpose, I was working at internships that had no intentions of keeping me, and a part time job that wasn’t paying enough. The weight of all of that just came crashing down. My art was the only thing that helped me cope. I was able to release my frustrations creatively while simultaneously nurturing and growing my creativity in a different way. It’s actually wild to see my pieces now and how much it has evolved.
You have work on multiple platforms. How strategic are you about where you place your work?
It’s half strategic/half experimental. I’m still exploring all my capabilities in this space so being able to release on multiple platforms helps me figure that out.
Who are some of your favorite artists in the space?
Latasha of course, Cocomamba, Lafayette Stokely, Segnon, ATM, Sirsu, Andre Oshea, Maxwell Step, Lyonna Lyu, Kai, ZZevre, Issac (Gold Eyesack) Tayodamnshoes, Emonee, Claudia Linke, Timriopelle, Raven, and many more, there’s so many to name.
You’re very active on Twitter and you release work at a pretty fast clip. Can you tell us about how you balance social media promotion with creating art?
Wow that’s amazing you think that, because I’ve been questioning if I’m active enough! I actually don’t say much while I’m creating because I find that time to be intimate. So, when I’m active, it’s usually because I’m gearing up to release or I just want to communicate with the community.
NFTs have changed my life. I’ve paid off debts, I’ve recently bought a new PC so I can start diving into 3D art and create more dynamic pieces, and basically maintain a good livelihood
Jahmel Reynolds
What would you say to other artists thinking of moving into the NFT space?
Do your research, dive in, engage with the community, don’t worry about sales. Focus on being consistent and move at a pace that’s comfortable for you.
Talk to me about the characters in your work. What is the inspiration behind them?
The characters in my pieces are inspired by different things that I love like Hip Hop, film, comics and Sci Fi. I create backstories for them based on experiences that I’ve had.
Tell us about your pricing strategy.
Right now, I’m using the various platforms into my pricing strategy. Rarible is for more accessible pieces, Zora for open bids with experimental pieces, and Foundation is for higher end pieces. That may change as the platforms continue to evolve but that’s what seems to be working for me now.
You’re also a filmmaker. How do you plan to incorporate moving images into your NFTs?
I’m actually still learning and figuring that out, I think now that I’m growing into 3D art, I’ll create some scenes for ideas that I have as pieces and take it from there.
Follow Jahmel Reynolds on Twitter and IG.
