Tekuma and Compass Gallery have featured my art

I was browsing through Pinterest today and came across a post showcasing my work. Tekuma.io has partnered with Compass Gallery to promote my work through a new "gallery". You can check it out here: http://tekuma.io/boston-galleries/compass301/

What is Tekuma’s mission?

Space needs Art / Art needs Space We want to democratize the arts by creating beautiful galleries everywhere. We want to solve the problem of exhibiting art: too much talent goes unseen. At the same time, a lot of properties with bare walls are waiting to be personalized and lack authenticity. At Tekuma, our vision is to create the world’s largest gallery without owning any real estate. 

We help artists spread their stories. Displaying their art is the best way to do it. Too much good work goes unseen!

The founders went through architecture school, and we started out by exhibiting our own work in Airbnbs. We loved the idea that our work could be appreciated by more than a handful of students. The most exciting part was that visitors noticed the art, and even left reviews in the Airbnb listings.

Artist interview with Curioos

Scott Oppenheim | Generative Art

Scott Oppenheim is a designer/digital artist with a passion for generative art, the combination of coding and fine arts. By mixing randomized algorithms with a vision of an artwork to create in mind, Scott reworks the code as many times as needed to achieve the end result. From bright to subtle, curvy to linear, each artwork requires ample gazing time to discover the intricate details. An expert in his field, Scott has published a tutorial on generative art in Issue 195 of Computer Arts Magazine. He’s also won several awards for web design and advertising work. Having studied classical drawing and color theory in the past, and currently working as senior interactive designer for the branding and interactive agency CHIEF in Washington D.C., Scott propels generative art as both a lead actor and influential artist in the movement.

1. You currently work as a Senior Producer for a branding agency in Washington D.C. Does your personal work influence your work work, and vice versa? What other creative talents do you exercise in the office?

I always believe in doing the best work. Art is about personal expression and allows me to have a creative outlet for the ideas I have in my head. My professional work is about helping others tell their stories. My work is guided by the belief that design is more than the way something looks—it’s the experience it provides.

“Sunflowers” | Exclusive Edition Aluminum Print

2. Have you been a creative for as long as you can remember, or was there a sudden, life-changing “Ah-Ha” moment that led you to explore your artistic passions? 

I’ve always had a passion for art. I remember an old Crayola drafting set I had as a child and a digital etch-a-sketch. Trying to create frame by frame animations on an etch-a-sketch from the 80’s wasn’t so easy. My mom was very artistic and my parents always encouraged me to play and experiment with different things. These same values guide the work I do today. 

“Origami Stream” | Exclusive Edition Aluminum Print

3. Generative art is really unique, and more rare than other techniques used in digital art. You must have your computer skills down pat – is this the case?

I’ve had access to a computer my entire life, but I wouldn’t consider myself some kind of computer genius. I was always better at playing with/on a computer than programming one. It wasn’t really until college that I began to learn programming.

“I Charm Fate” | Exclusive Edition Aluminum Print

4. You have also studied classical drawing and color theory. Are there other types of artworks you create besides generative art that we should know about? ☺

I like to draw and paint.

“New Year Vintage” | Exclusive Edition Aluminum Print

5. For those who are new to the generative art field, can you walk us through your technique? What software / programs / tools do you use to bring your ideas to life? How does one foresee, or plan out, the desired outcome of generative artworks? (sorry that was two questions☺

First off, I have to give a shout out to Eric Natzke and Joshua Davis, two pioneers of this awesome digital art process. I discovered Natzke’s work while trying to find inspiration for a project at work and then later discovered Josh’s work. Every artist has an affinity for a certain style and I immediately connected with their work. I was lucky enough to attend a couple conferences to see them speak, and they were kind enough to share their process and enough code to get me started. My “toolkit” includes the Adobe Creative Suite, an iMac and a Wacom tablet. I think it’s personal and based on a lot of different factors. For me, it depends on my inspiration and vision. I do not always have a desired outcome; sometimes, I have a general sense and I am able to capture it at the perfect moment. The outcome is not 100% guaranteed and that is part of the beauty of it. Personally, I am drawn to the chaotic nature of generative art and how quickly it allows me to express my ideas, but I have also tried to bring order to my art through the use of grid systems. 

“Inspired” | Exclusive Edition Aluminum Print

6. Over the past few years we’ve learned that our artists’ creative juices flow much easier under certain conditions. Are there any “must haves” in your creation environment? E.g. coffee, U2’s greatest hits, fuzzy socks?

No, I can create anywhere. 

“Spring Loaded” | Exclusive Edition Aluminum Print

7. Balancing work life and time for personal art is often hard. What advice do you give to aspiring artists who hope to excel in their own artistic endeavors, as well as in their professional day-to-days?

You have to have passion for what you do, never give up, believe in yourself, and surround yourself with supportive friends and family. 

“Mondrian’s Makeover” | Exclusive Edition Aluminum Print

SoHo Arthouse Gallery Exhibition

Six of my artworks were on display at the Curioos Digital Art show, SoHo Gallery For Digital Art / SGDA – SoHo ARTHOUSE in New York City from January 6-12, 2014.

The exhibit featured 14 carefully selected artists, each showing 6 of their best artworks on LCD screens. I was proud to be among the 14 featured artists. Additional artists submitted work via a contest on the Curioss Facebook page for a chance to display their art alongside the 14 featured artists.

It was an honor being included in such a talented group of artists. The other featured artists were:

Jared Nickerson, Ruben Ireland, Lukas Brezak, Antoni Tudisco,Floyd Grey, Richard Davis, Alizée Lafon, Nicolas Obéry, Cyril Rolando, Federico Bebber, Tatiana Kazakova, Stephanie Jung, Wlop.

Standard and limited edition signed prints were on sale.

Opening Night Success For The Curioos Exhibit

Gallery doors opened at 6p.m. to an eager crowd ready to experience amazing digital art from talented artists from around the world. 16 wide LCD screens featuring 100 original art pieces awaited, glowing from the walls to illuminate the entire gallery.

After opening the first bottle of champagne, hundreds of art fans overtook the gallery to begin a unique adventure exploring the diverse selection of the digital arts showcased.

Photo manipulation, digital painting, illustration, generative art, and 3D art are just a few of the creation techniques that decorated, and will continue to decorate the walls of the SoHo Gallery until January 12th. Crowds of viewers huddled around each screen, reading about the artists and watching their featured artworks rotate from one HD visual to the next.

Accompanied by biographies and QR codes linked to artist profiles, each screen offered an intimate look into the creative processes of the featured artists. Throughout the 2-floor gallery, artists and art lovers alike celebrated the quickly evolving digital art movement until the closing of the doors later Monday night.

Images via Curioos