#7 Beyond Quantum Horizon, Darko’s art transcends the familiar

An artist draws inspiration from the wonder that surrounds him.

To an outsider, the world of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) seems esoteric: some digital tech activity only the science and tech gurus understand. While succeeding in the NFT space requires a good understanding of its internal workings, those workings are not necessarily exclusive to experts. 

Those brave enough to move beyond the skepticism and venture into this novel virtual world may find it very lucrative, just like a group of Ghanaian dancing pallbearers did after selling their viral video as an NFT for 200ETH (about $1 million).

Darko, one of the big players in the NFT space, confirmed this theory when he decided to step into this world. 

Darko and his art

Getting into the NFT space

Darko’s digital illustrator and graphic printmaker journey in the NFT space began in 2017. 

As a freelance artist, he asked to be paid in cryptocurrency by some of his clients. “At the time, I was doing an illustration for a client who blogged about crypto and blockchain, and I was paid in crypto.” But it took years before his combined interest in cryptocurrency and art evolved into a life-changing business opportunity.

In 2018, one of the owners of a company he worked at asked if he knew about NFTs and how it connected to art. As an artist, he stood the chance of making a lot of money by putting some of his work on the blockchain. But since Darko didn’t know much about it, he didn’t get involved just yet.

“A year later, a friend told me to check out NFTs and offered to introduce me to some artists he knew. That's how I got into it, but I was still not heavily involved. I wanted to learn more.”

In learning, Darko faced setbacks. His research didn’t suffice, and it was difficult to keep up with the new, rapidly evolving space and its changing rules. So he took a step back to decide on the best way to go about it. “I did my own research from 2019 to the end of 2020, but I didn’t learn much until I joined Clubhouse in 2021.”

Like many other artists we’ve profiled, Darko confirms that Clubhouse is a great place to start your NFT journey. You learn the basics about NFTs and how to mint. “Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces were my places of learning because experts always helped people in the field.”

The storm before the calm

New entrants into the NFT space often face many problems, some of which can be prevented by conducting thorough research. But treading with caution cannot guarantee one’s success or safety in such spaces.

“A lot of people jump into the NFT space [without first doing their research]—that’s one of the problems. There [ought to be] a bit of a learning process. There have been so many scams happening, but things have become easier, even for people who weren’t in the crypto space before.”

“I remember losing some money my first time minting. It was a huge amount for me at that time. There were no guides about minting, and I had to learn by myself. I made a few mistakes until I got the hang of it.”

Darko still encounters some of these issues, but he’s more proactive in ensuring the security of his money and his art.

One of such problems arises from using Ethereum-based wallets, he says, as they’re more susceptible to hacking. “The best advice I can give anyone is to spend a little money getting a hardware wallet and then transfer everything from your Metamask to your hardware wallet. I’m also trying to help people get wallets.”  

Quantum Horizon: the idea of multiple universes

Darko has his hands in a few pies, from graphic illustrations to generative art projects. “I like exploring interesting stuff. I have a collection called Quantum Horizon, which is basically the entry into the NFT space. Something was happening at the time, and I connected it to my art.”

“Quantum Horizon started as a guide for my ideas where the collector becomes part of a story that they can continue with their own interpretation. The Quantum Horizon depicts what happens when we look beyond what we see and continue exploring further. It was an opening collection for my work, and since then, it has evolved further.”

This collection, in turn, birthed the Exploration series where the digital artist explores universes beyond the horizon, inspired by the metaverse and the stories within.

The year Quantum Horizon launched came with huge opportunities for Darko. “The collection gave me guidance in what direction to focus, both story-wise and visually. It also expanded the field of my work into new waters, giving me the chance to roam into coding and art combined.”

Darko draws his inspiration for his abstract works from science, especially physics. “Science and physics have been an inspiration for me for a while. I’m a science geek, and I like to read about science and new technologies. That’s how I started implementing the things I learned in high school. The experiments with physics and using kinematics and drawings just rolled into the abstract art that I do.”

Meeting people from diverse backgrounds and places, and learning about their cultures and religions expanded his perception of the world and, in turn, his art. “I really love meeting people from different backgrounds and cultures, and I try to implement it in what I do.”

His study of astronomy, astrophysics, and quantum physics introduced him to the idea of multiple universes. “That’s how I look at the Quantum Horizon. When you connect to the quantum realm, it feels the same and you never actually get to the finish line. If you continue going towards that line, it keeps going further and further. You just go and explore your emotions and feelings. Our experiences evolve every day, who we talk to, who we see. That’s what builds us as humans.” 

With this knowledge, Darko has been able to create generative, one-of-one abstract art pieces in the Quantum Horizon. You can find them here on OpenSea.

Joining the NFT community

For one to be successful in any industry, hard work isn’t the only requirement. It also helps to be a part of a community, a bunch of people in an industry with related goals. It is the same for NFTs. Being a part of the NFT community is one of the best ways to learn, meet potential buyers and other people, and scale using the strong connections you make in the community.

“The community in the NFT space is amazing. Everyone is trying to help everyone, and anyone who you come across would try to help you as much as they can.”

Darko says it has been a fun journey so far, coloured by wonderful members of the community who have helped in improving his life greatly. Some of these connections go beyond the NFT space.

“The first NFT piece that I sold was bought by a person in Belgium. I was trying to find the collector for a month or so. They had only Twitter and Discord handles on their OpenSea account, but the problem was that they were missing one letter from their Twitter handle and one number from their Discord. So, I couldn’t find them anywhere.”

They’d eventually reconnect virtually and Darko would realise that he had met them before NFTs became a thing. They had shared each other’s works online and entered into spaces together without even knowing it. “It was a funny story because it all happened without us knowing that we’d met before.”

“I used to stay in Belgium five years ago, and when we started talking about the places I’d been to in Belgium, I found out that the person was in those places at that time too. I also found that we’d actually spoken in person, talking about NFTs during those times I was there. It's mind-blowing. We became really close friends but sadly that person passed away before we got a chance to see each other again.”

The inspiration behind it all

In the over 10 years that Darko has created art, each of his works has a story behind it. Darko’s experiences, as well as the emotions they evoke, play an important role in his life. This also reflects in his personal work.

“My abstract work is really connected to my emotions. I'm doing a new project that’s inspired by my life, the people around me, and all the people I see every day in the NFT space. Everything is inspired by what I see, and a lot of my pieces are emotional.”

In 2021, Darko lost four friends in a car accident. He channelled his emotions into a piece he shared on Quantum Horizon. “The reason I made that piece was connected to that story. It was a really dark time, and I couldn't go out for months because of that situation. Things have been a lot better after that.”

But emotions aren’t all that drive Darko’s art. He also participates in physical activities like snowboarding, bicycling, hiking, and mountain-climbing. It helps that his Northern Macedonia home, situated near the Greek border, sits close to mountains and lakes. He believes sports and having pets connect him to nature. “I love nature; it’s an important part of my life.”

Part of his process of creating art involves listening to a lot of music. Music helps him think more clearly and puts him in the mood to create the specific kind of art he’s going for. 

“When it comes to art, it depends on what I draw. I can connect what I drew to the type of music I listened to at that moment. For abstract work, I listen to more ambient music because it helps me flow, and I don't have to focus too much on the lyrics.”

New projects, new horizons

Darko credits the NFT space for the life-changing opportunities it’s granted him—as well as a lot of other people—as an artist. “I listen to stories, and a lot of them talk about how NFTs have changed their lives in a real valid way, not just sales. It also includes the people, the community, and the positive energy they get after a sale.”

Darko has learned many valuable lessons from others’ experiences by being in this space, from learning new things to defeating procrastination. “I’m currently learning the p5.js javascript library which will help me in creating art with code.”

“Initially you’d write everything down, and if you want to draw a line you write a code. The code is simplified, and you don’t have to write too many codes. I’ve seen so many great artworks created through p5.js, but I’m still in the beginning stage, just learning the basics. I love what that software gives. There are some things that I can create that look a lot like the abstract art that I create. That’s coding and art.”

Though he hasn’t transitioned fully to creating art using software, he loves combining both digital and traditional techniques. 

This shows how Darko is constantly on a journey to improving himself and how he creates his art. “A lot of people are playing with technology in the NFT space, so it makes you want to try it. I have seen so many artists evolve from a certain kind of art just because they joined the NFT space. They started meeting people and learning new things, and their art started evolving.”

“I believe that my art is evolving too. It's just amazing to be in the space.”

Feeling at home

Learning by teaching others has been proven to be extremely effective, as is demonstrated in many studies. Eager to learn more while imparting his skills to others, Darko picked up teaching.

“While I was teaching, my aim was to help children understand that creativity in any field of life is important. Everyone is creative; we just have to find the thing that clicks for someone and give them the needed recourses for them to shine. Sadly the role as a teacher had to come to an end so I can completely focus on art.”

Having been a teacher who worked with kids, Darko knows what teaching techniques work and which ones don’t. Teaching children has also forced him to improve his communication skills. 

“I was learning about how best to reach and connect with kids, and yelling at someone doesn’t help at all. Every time someone wants to teach another person something, they should do it as calmly as possible.” 

Teaching in an empathetic way is a great approach to spreading more awareness about NFTs and how people can thrive in the space. And Darko seconds this. “I think when someone wants to teach people they should be as gentle as possible, that's the best way. If you make people scared about something, they won’t be more accepting of what you’re trying to teach.”

Five things to know about Darko

• Darko enjoys collecting art.

• Nature is a major motivator for Darko. He really enjoys just being in nature, then his observations inspire his art.

• To relax and while creating, Darko enjoys listening to music. His most played genres are Hip Hop, Jazz, R&B, and orchestral music. The music he listens to often depends on what he’s working on. This is his favourite playlist now.

• Darko loves animals. He has a pet parrot who serves as his art assistant.

• A huge fan of hero stories, Darko’s favorite movie of all time is The Lord of the Rings.

We really enjoyed writing Darko’s story and we hope you enjoyed reading it as well!

Please check out our other stories like the Artistic phases of LethaboHuma and Taslemat’s sisi eko collection.

Till next time,

Wagmi from FOW3. 💛