There are so many incredible artists in the Web3 space, and such a wide variety of styles. One of my favorite artists and styles is the digital collage work of POST WOOK, who is dropping her SuperRare Genesis piece on 12/22/21.

To begin, can your introduce yourself to our community? Your name, where you are from, and the mediums you work in?

Hi! I’m Natasha, better known as POST WOOK and I am a digital collage artist based in Los Angeles, CA. I use Photoshop and Lightroom to create surreal landscapes!

I love your style of digital collage. I first came across your Instagram years ago and have been amazed at how you find such beautiful overlaps and symbolism in your combinations. Where did this particular journey begin for you?

Thank you! I still am so humbled by how long you’ve been following my work. You truly never know who’s watching! I started making collages when I was about 12 and used old magazines, scissors, and glue. I literally collaged things onto the wall in my childhood bedroom. It felt really good to create, and collage came naturally to me vs. painting or drawing. I stayed super creative throughout my adolescence, but never considered myself an artist. I created theater sets, costumes, clothes, and so on; was definitely a Pinterest enthusiast and got as creative as I could be.

I've always been a very visual person with a vivid imagination, literally to the point where I’d create such a detailed visual in my head that other people’s creative interpretations (movies, visuals at shows, etc) felt like sensory overload because I already had a competing visual image in my head.

What a beautiful journey. All too often, the rigid structures of society seem to drain us of that childhood curiosity and sense of wonder, the joy of creating. I'm so glad you held onto those threads because the world is better with your vision in it. I'm also curious about your name, POST WOOK, and how that plays into the larger arc of your story.

The concept of POST WOOK started before I coined the name for myself as an artist, and ironically I only made the Instagram account to squat on the handle until I could use it as a lifestyle blog, but that obviously didn’t happen. I got super into the music festival scene when I was in college, and then after a series of events got sober when I was 21.

The idea of going back to these events with a different mindset was exciting and terrifying, but once I did I quickly realized it was different. I wasn’t doing drugs like I used to, but I was still doing irresponsible stuff (at the time) like skipping payments to afford festival tickets and lying to my boss about where I was going to make it work. I realized that what I was doing was somehow post-wook. Similarly to how post rock music takes influence from rock but creates something new, post-wook is meant to be a refined psychedelic style for seasoned psychonauts and average joes alike. My entire ethos is centered around doing things responsibly and consciously but still doing them your way. I translate this through my art as much as I can.

Let's talk a bit about the experience of a Web2 world, and your hopes for what Web3 may offer for creatives like yourself. You share a lot of work to your audiences on social media. How did that begin, and what was the arc of that journey over the years? How do you feel about these platforms in these recent years as well?

I started sharing my work every single day on Instagram around three years ago, and since then I’ve made an internal commitment to myself to create work regularly and being as involved as I can be on socials. Instagram became a literal sixth sense to me in the beginning. I spent so much time checking insights and responding to comments that it became an integrated part of my day. Like web3, you’ll get rewarded on social media by being social, and terminally online.

I have mixed feelings about social platforms rewarding people for being terminally online now because I think it’s so important to take breaks, set boundaries, and practice positive self talk. It’s so easy to compare ourselves to others in such an externally validating place like the internet. I learned how to reframe checking and engaging on social media as work because even though I enjoy it, it is still work.

Web2 platforms feel like renting space at this point. I am one of the very fortunate people who has some reach on Instagram, but even then it’s a constant uphill battle and I feel like I’m constantly at the whim of the algorithm. The concept of digital ownership excites me.

"Renting space" is a key takeaway here. Let's talk about the concept of digital ownership. What is your take on what has happened with art and blockchain this year? What are your hopes for the future as this all unfolds?

I can’t call what’s happened with web3 anything less than an explosion. In my life it went from one phone call about NFTs in November 2020 to massive 6-figure art sales that grabbed headlines in March and beyond. I think the profits nabbed headlines and excited people to flock into the space, but the technology is far more fascinating in my opinion.

Most of the NFT hate that I see stems from lack of understanding and info of the tech — these people just don’t know what the blockchain can do. The concept of being able to put my work on the blockchain by minting it alone is the coolest concept. It lives there forever! NFTs are unequivocal authentication of information, and truly represent digital ownership. I’m grateful to be alive during a time where this is reality.

Well put. We are in an interconnected ecosystem of value exchanges, finally able to participate in the economics of internet technologies. It may not be perfect but it's certainly a giant leap in the right direction. It's a very special time to be living through.

Lastly- and I love to get everyone's take on this- what would your advice be to an artist or creative type who is earlier on their journey?

The biggest piece of advice I give everyone is always be yourself. Artistically — make what you want to make and what you’ll want to make in 5-10 years from now as well. Continue evolving stylistically and pushing yourself to be the best artist you can be. Personally — express yourself in whatever way gets your voice across. Connect with artists who you can relate to, and who you can help. Doing everything you can to help artists who can’t do anything for you is so important. Empower more than you are empowered. And my motto: