David Cheifetz
Today I'm happy to present one of the greatest oil painters from the NFT Space! His colorwork is excellent and each picture has its own little surprises hidden in the detail! Let's take a look at the thinking and works of David Cheifetz!
David please tell who you are!
I’m a professional oil painter, but fine art is actually my second career. From the time I was kid, I knew that I wanted to become an architect (I was inspired by my grandfather, the incredible landscape architect Satoru Nishita). After earning my degree in architecture from the University of Washington (Seattle, 2004) and practicing in several downtown firms, I realized that I needed something with more creative freedom and autonomy. Those years of profound disillusionment in architecture were difficult, but I will always cherish them for their transformative effect on my life. In 2007, while my wife was attending school in Washington DC, I began studying art full time at the Schuler School of Fine Arts in Baltimore, Maryland while simultaneously telecommuting for architecture full time (nights and weekends). I was laser-focused on becoming an artist, and by 2009 I had fully transitioned from architecture to selling my oil paintings. Only recently have I started to think about how my grandmother, Ina Belle Tucker-Cheifetz (an artist and painter whose work was exhibited at MoMA and the de Young Museum in San Francisco), who I hardly ever knew, may have also been guiding me from the great beyond. Since 2009 I have been painting, exhibiting in many gallery shows (including 5 one-man shows), teaching workshops across the United States, and offering dvds and online instructionals. After 10 moves within a decade, my wife and I finally landed our family in Olympia, Washington, USA. We have two young children (6 and 8) and being a dad has been the greatest creative adventure of all.
How did you get involved with NFTs?
I started tinkering with crypto in the end of 2017. For a few months, I was utterly fascinated and I learned as much I could during that time. I even dabbled in trading on the big exchanges. Then it all fell off my radar until earlier this year with the incredible Beeple sale. When heard about NFT art (along with everyone else), I was already primed for the idea. I started to notice that fellow oil painter Serge Marshennikov (an amazing artist) was finding success in the nft world and it made me realize that maybe fine art and traditional oil painting could have a seat at the table. My entire painting career has been filled with trying out new business ideas and my attitude towards nfts was no different. In early April I started on eth (Rarible and FND) and by the end of April I was on tezos (Hic et nunc), which is my primary nft home. I love the h=n community.
How will NFTs affect your future and the future of all of us?
Nfts have already had a huge impact on me, not only as a creator, but as a consumer.
As a creator, I’ve begun to experiment more with digital art, including AI/generative art. I’ve also started to play with Procreate, which is blowing my mind…I’m very excited for the impact this will have on my art practice. While I will never stop learning how to be a better oil painter, I felt that my learning curve had begun to level out a little over recent years, and so it is incredibly exciting to be learning totally new processes in new mediums. Gaining new skills at a blistering pace. This is the same excitement I felt when I first picked up a paint brush.
As a consumer, for the first time ever, I can legitimately call myself an art collector. I find it poetic that it took nfts to turn this IRL oil painter into a collector. I never before felt that I could afford to collect art… paintings are so expensive! But the spirit of nft art and specifically the Hic et nunc community is one of artists supporting artists. A switch flipped in my brain when I realized that purchasing work from other artists was the exact same thing as supporting myself. Collecting is a joyful and satisfying process, and the creative charge I get from the work of other artists is invaluable.
I truly believe that nft art represents a new Renaissance. The flood of unleashed skill and creativity is almost overwhelming.
Who do you want to promote?
There is a mountain of nft artists whose work inspires me and whose skill merits wide recognition (A look into my collection and my retweets will reveal some of these creative giants) and I’ve notably had the great privilege of collaborating with legends Von Doyle and Laurence Fuller. I will just mention a few artists who I currently wish to learn more about, and I hope that they are all eventually featured here!
Jenni Pasanen, the queen of AI.
Kx_f , sculptor extraordinaire.
Leander, text/code wizard.
And finally, Tim Maxwell, the master of line, who I nominate for the next feature!