As part of the Mycoverse’s mission to support artists and creators in web3, we’re starting a series of spotlights to feature the stories of different NFT artists and creators. Our first spotlight is Petrichorate—the Mycoverse’s very own artist and designer!
How would you describe yourself as an artist?
Hi there! I’m Kat, and I’m an illustrator and designer. My art is usually very cheerful and colorful, and I try to use my art to spread messages that I care about. During the pandemic, I also started my own illustration brand on the side, Meridrop, which has allowed me to partner with some really cool organizations like Instagram and Discord and experience what it’s like to be more of a professional illustrator!
What inspires you?
So many things! A lot of my art centers around themes of emotions, mental health, and personal creativity. But in terms of visual motifs, I think the two biggest things that inspire me are nature and anime — very different, I know! Most of my “professional” work is very floral and nature-inspired, but on the side I’m always drawing characters from my favorite shows and manga (currently I’m obsessed with Spy x Family). I’ve been reading manga since I was like 10 years old, so I’m sure it has had a huge influence on my overall style.
How did you get started making NFT art?
Back in February 2021, my friend was telling me about this new thing called “NFTs” and I totally didn’t get it at first — but through talking with more people, I started to understand why NFTs really provide a new form of value in the digital world. I actually made a few NFTs back then (and sold them!), but then paused for a long while.
Later, around autumn, I started learning much more about web3 and different blockchains like Polygon and Solana, and I got back into NFTs — both from an artist and a software design perspective. I built a few projects with my partner like Nifty Pixels, which is a pixel art NFT marketplace on the Polygon blockchain, and really got deeper into the NFT art community when we started our own NFT collection on Solana, the Mycoverse. Creating the Mycoverse has been super fun because I’ve never done this kind of generative art before, and we have an amazing community of mycofrens and mushroom lovers!
Outside of NFT art, what do you do to refuel your creativity?
Seeing other people’s creative projects brings me a lot of energy — when I see other artists pouring their time and love into their work, it really inspires me and helps me think in new ways. I love hearing about the behind-the-scenes of different creative media, from the filming process behind movies, to the iteration process behind a series of ceramic pieces.
What advice would you give to artists who are new to NFTs but want to get into them?
Overall, I’d recommend taking the time you need to learn about the space — burnout is real, and it’s easy to feel like you’re always behind when you see everyone posting about a constant stream of NFT sales! But it takes time to make art, and I think it’s important to give ourselves the grace to create and engage at our own pace.
Also, I think it’s great to connect with others in the space! A lot of people in the NFT art community are very welcoming and want to help newcomers, and meeting other artists in web3 is a great way to learn more about the community and the culture of NFT art.
Finally, I’d recommend learning about some basic crypto security measures. We made a few Mycoverse comics about protecting your crypto, so that might be a helpful place to start!
Here’s how you can find Petrichorate online!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/petrichorate
Mycoverse NFT project: https://mycoverse.xyz/
