Devon DeJardin: A Self-Taught Artist with a Unique Style
Devon DeJardin is an American self-taught artist, known for his unique artistic approach. His artworks frequently feature in various exhibitions, and his most notable series has been transformed into an NFT collection.
Devon DeJardin was captivated by art during his childhood after visiting the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. There, he was profoundly impacted by the painting "The Martyrdom of Saint Hippolytus," which opened his eyes to the power of painting in conveying deep and vibrant emotions. This experience was further enriched when his grandmother, an experienced artist, became his mentor.
This phase of his life played a significant role in shaping his personality and artistic expression. He also went through a period of severe depression as he grew older, which required extensive and intensive therapy. However, it was art that helped him find solace and tranquility during this challenging time.
DeJardin's works, ranging from paintings to sculptures, incorporate elements of cubism, abstraction, and expressionism. Influenced by renowned artists like Picasso and Krasner, he also brings his unique perspective to textures, forms, and color palettes.
His main series, "Guardians," represents entities intended to guide and inspire people during life's challenges. However, these beings are abstract, embodying various issues, crises, or even the loss of a loved one, rather than having a defined appearance.
In May 2023, DeJardin, inspired by decentralized technologies, transferred his "Guardians" series to the Ethereum blockchain, merging classic painting with digital processing. Originally, he intended to release 998 unique NFTs, each a one-off, with varying rarity levels for certain elements. Eventually, only 103 tokens were minted by users.
This phase of his life played a significant role in shaping his personality and artistic expression. He also went through a period of severe depression as he grew older, which required extensive and intensive therapy. However, it was art that helped him find solace and tranquility during this challenging time.
DeJardin's works, ranging from paintings to sculptures, incorporate elements of cubism, abstraction, and expressionism. Influenced by renowned artists like Picasso and Krasner, he also brings his unique perspective to textures, forms, and color palettes.
So much of our current physical reality is constructed by a few simple shapes that are altered and manipulated to form structures,notes the artist.
In starting each new work, whether a painting or a sculpture, DeJardin begins with a rough yet detailed plan. Yet, often in the throes of artistic inspiration, he finds himself completely redoing the foundation or improvising on the finer details. This process sometimes makes it challenging for him to finish a piece, as he continually feels the urge to add or change elements.
His main series, "Guardians," represents entities intended to guide and inspire people during life's challenges. However, these beings are abstract, embodying various issues, crises, or even the loss of a loved one, rather than having a defined appearance.
In May 2023, DeJardin, inspired by decentralized technologies, transferred his "Guardians" series to the Ethereum blockchain, merging classic painting with digital processing. Originally, he intended to release 998 unique NFTs, each a one-off, with varying rarity levels for certain elements. Eventually, only 103 tokens were minted by users.
The Guardians Collection. Source: Official OpenSea website.
The initial price of the NFTs was 0.25 ETH (approximately $500). At the time of writing, there were only about ten non-fungible tokens available on the secondary market, averaging 0.6 ETH. The desire of users to hold onto the collection indicates that DeJardin has a following within the Web3 community.
Digital art created through code may seem disconnected from the spiritual realm at first glance, it can still be a powerful tool for evoking deep emotional and spiritual experiences in viewers,shares DeJardin.
Going forward, he plans to continue exploring art in diverse directions and forms. DeJardin also aims to integrate decentralized technologies into his ongoing work, believing it important for artists to embrace evolving tools that enhance interaction with audiences and collectors.
