Life is Gray

Reflecting on the Pressures of Living in an Increasingly Digital World

Some of you may already know that one of the major themes in my artwork is exploring my mental health journey. My new series, “Life is Gray,” digs into some deep, under-the-surface stuff in my "Second Realm". And it builds on the ongoing themes of anxiety and depression that you may have seen in my previous work.

This series ultimately asks the viewer to reflect on pressures of living in an increasingly digital world where every interaction seems to be observed, reported, and catalogue for future use.

The Creative Process

In this series I get assistance from various artificial intelligence tools including Midjourney, ChatGPT, Photoshop (Beta), and more. They help with creating the visual elements and once the AI has done its magic, I take these elements and transform them into surreal collage art. To add a twist, the finished artwork is made look like an interface where the viewer is watching AI analyze the scene.

A Deeper Dive into “Life Is Gray”

“Life is Gray” dives deep into the abstract caverns of my subconscious, exploring themes that are at play in the Second Realm of existence — a space between stark absolutes, where complexity and nuances reside.

It’s more than just an art series; it's a reflection of life itself. It invokes the profound reality that life is not merely a dichotomy of black and white, but rather an infinite spectrum of grays. These grays embody the complex, layered, and often challenging experiences we navigate daily — both a metaphorical representation of the intricacies of human life and a literal embodiment of the melancholic hues that anxiety and depression often cast over our lives.

Each piece in the collection is like a screen interface through which an artificial intelligence deciphers these deeply personal themes, revealing a dynamic exchange between human emotions and artificial consciousness. This interaction echoes the interplay between technology and artistry, evoking thought-provoking interpretations of what it means to be human in an increasingly digital world.

Explore “Life is Gray” to experience a vivid visual journey that's uniquely contemplative, somber yet sublime, reflecting the “grayer” shades of life while offering an insightful introspection into our collective human condition. My creations encapsulate a world where technology meets emotion, unravelling profound narratives that mirror our struggles, victories, and the many hues in between.

What’s Next?

Exploring “the gray” will continue to be a major creative focus for me. So, I’d love to hear what you think about this new series! The good, the bad, the ugly. I’m ready for it.

Yours creatively,

Eric

PS: If you’re interested in one of the pieces in this series, you can make a public offer or DM me.

Reader note: You are receiving “Eric’s Creative Bytes” because you signed up for one of my previous newsletters or submitted a form related to my NFT projects. Feel free to unsubscribe if you’re not finding these bytes valuable or this is not your cup of coffee.

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Quick Bytes

I created this series with the intention that they would be displayed on large screens with low glare (almost matte) glass in an IRL gallery on black walls. However, until that happens, I’m using Gallery.so to display the “Life is Gray” series. As far as web/mobile interfaces go for viewing art, it’s one of my favorite easy-to-use tools for displaying NFTs I’ve collected. And now I’m using it for this new series.

Note: This is not a sponsored post. I just like the product that much and wanted to tell you about it.