Attention artrepeneurs!
Keegan and Cole - the exceptionally talented duo behind the Tranquility Collection of exclusive, hand-crafted traditional art on the Internet Computer - are set to release a brand new treasure trove of masterpieces in their upcoming Equanimity Collection on December 28, 2021.
Don't miss this opportunity to purchase one of their gorgeous, moody landscapes and become a governor who helps make decisions about future collections! These potent pastel environs are evocative of the work of great artists like Jean-Francois Millet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir - and someday, the brothers may be just as famous.
Equally pleasing as computer desktop backgrounds or physical mantle pieces, ICP Art Collections feature modern works that bring classic beauty into the digital age. In this article, I will showcase the talented team behind these incredible works of art and take a closer look at a few of my favorite pieces. Then, I'll dive into the details of the upcoming Equanimity Collection release and how it fits into ICP Art's vision for a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) for fans of impressionistic paintings.
The Talent Behind ICP Art
The ICP Art team has three young and innovative founders: Keegan (17 years old), Marcus (24 years old), and Cole (18 years old), all from Ontario, Canada. Keegan is still in school, Marcus is currently in college, and Cole works at a computerized numerical control (CNC) shop programming and overseeing a waterjet and other CNC equipment for his day job. Keegan and Cole do the artwork while Marcus handles behind-the-scenes administration and logistics.
Keegan and Cole describe their art style as impressionistic, with a range of landscapes, and in some cases, abstractions. They've been obsessively experimenting with painting and drawing for as long as they can remember. Their mature works exhibit a perfect balance of textures and warm colors that form a focal point of unity within the art.
They've always drawn inspiration from the scenery on road trips regarding the subject matter. Their usual creative process involves seeing a beautiful scene, trying to remember it but forgetting it halfway through and then filling in the blank spaces to create something novel, otherworldly, and exquisite.
In the beginning, Keegan and Cole could have never envisioned entering the wild and weird world of blockchains and cryptocurrencies. They started with traditional canvas-based art. It was Marcus who introduced them to the bizarrely creative world of NFTs. At first, the team only knew about Ethereum, and unfortunately, transaction fees were prohibitively costly for launching an NFT art project. Discovering the Internet Computer, however, was a game-changer.
The Internet Computer held two substantial advantages: high transaction speed and low cost. For this reason, the brothers believe many NFT artists will soon participate in the NFT marketplace on the Internet Computer, especially once the Internet Computer begins to offer Ethereum blockchain integration.
Preview of the Equanimity Collection
Simply talking about the brothers' artwork doesn't do them justice. To truly appreciate the groundbreaking and breathtaking beauty of ICP Art, you need to let it capture your imagination. Here are a few meditations on my favorite pieces.
Piece 2- Frozen Peaks
Growing concerns over global warming inspired this piece. Cole watched a documentary on the topic, which showed what the North and South Pole looked like before global warming. Cole immediately began thinking of all the possibilities and variations of an icy Earth and became enraptured by the idea of a world where glaciers are growing and expanding rather than melting. This image invites the viewer into a barren landscape where an exquisite blend of blue and white hues captures the essence of a winter wonderland.
Piece 37 - The Three Witnesses
This brooding, twilit landscape reminds me of the jagged peaks of Zion National Park at sunset. Blue and green tones juxtaposed with the sun's waning yellow light convey a sense of creeping melancholy. It is as if the rocks stand in silent witness to an unspoken tragedy. The shadowy, shrouded waters in the middle ground offer the viewer a reflection pool to meditate on the lost happiness of bygone days. Their murky depths are a summons to gather steely courage against the future's gloomy nightfall.
Piece 43 - Misty Daybreak
Sunrise graces the tundra zone atop the mountain. This scene takes me back to my family's vacations to Colorado. The soft morning light carries the viewer along in an irresistible current of hope; uncertainties melt away with the morning mist. The twisted and barren branches of an old cedar that tenuously clings to life above the treeline testify to the ravages of the past - but endurance is worth it. Yellow flowers emerge from the icy ground, heralding the coming warmth of springtime.
Piece 5- The Highlands
The Highlands is a central piece in the Equanimity Showcase, and it's easy to see why. Keegan uses a mixture of texture and colors to depict a balance of emotions and seasonal attributes within the valley. The right side depicts a lush, springtime glow. In contrast, the left side showcases a chilly mountain range, with the shadow of a peak in the foreground looming over a narrow river. The juxtapositions merge to convey a sense of tranquility and timelessness.
Piece 10 - Into the Calming Fog
Fog robes the verdant countryside. This image could depict England, the Scottish Highlands, Canada, some valley in China or Japan, or even the central Texas hill country. The magical experience of an overcast day is nearly universal in reach. This piece invites the viewer to listen to some classical piano or perhaps curl up with a good book. In the distance, the pitter-patter of gentle showers beckons. You can almost hear the tinkling wind chimes on the front porch. Rain is coming, and it's time to relax.
Piece 19- The Tempest
A personal favorite of the DC Editor, one can truly see the Tober brothers' artistic capability at work in this sumptuous, minutely detailed piece. The nearer mountains represent the three ICP Art cofounders, depicting solid and reliable figures. The waves crashing against the rocks represent obstacles in life that can be overcome through perseverance and hard work. It is a fitting metaphor for the team's evolution of style and ability over years of artistic practice. Meanwhile, the background showcases a vast mountain range, with the sun setting behind it. This represents the dawn of a new day as well as renewal and rebirth - poignant, as we are enter a new year full of hope and aspiration.
Details of the Equanimity Collection
For their Tranquility and Equanimity Collections, the brothers have used pastel paints on canvas, with pieces taking anywhere from 1 to 8 hours to complete. This ensures their NFTs are unique and unrepeatable. Shortly before the original paintings were burned, a local photographer immortalized the art digitally.
Currently, ICP Art has three planned collections - although they have every intention of pursuing additional projects. The Tranquility Collection consists of 99 hand-painted pastel landscapes with a few abstracts. The upcoming Equanimity Collection includes 49 hand-painted oil paintings and primarily consists of mostly landscapes as well as teasing a few abstracts for future work.
The pieces within these first two collections are governance NFT pieces. Being a governor gives an NFT owner the ability to vote on all critical decisions within ICP Art's DAO, from the artwork and painting styles to the number of pieces minted, to the name of additional collections, to future collaborations, and much more! Governors will even help determine which artists can mint with ICP Art.
The cofounders of ICP Art will maintain the overall creative vision of the project and facilitate voting on relevant topics. For this reason, ICP Art can’t announce much about their third collection yet, as the majority of decisions have to be voted upon by governors. They do know that it will be a royalty-bearing collection. Royalties from all prior and future collections will be paid out regularly to the holders of NFTs from this third collection.
Once the first three collections have been released, ICP Art plans to allow its governors to decide where to go next. The ICP Art team believes they have the advantage of longevity and exclusivity over their competitors. They're here for the long haul of the Internet Computer ecosystem and will prove it by continuing to produce quality art for their artrepeneurs. All of their collections are exclusive collector's items, unlike most 10k randomly generated profile picture NFTs - hand-crafted art pieces.
Don't miss this incredible and unrepeatable opportunity to promote and shape the future of classic, canvas-based artwork in the digital realm!
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