We are excited to introduce the second article in our series, Art Blocks Collector Spotlight. Through individual collector spotlights, we explore the connections forged between collectors, artists, and the extraordinary pieces that form the essence of Art Blocks.

The journey of each collector unveils a facet of our community’s shared enthusiasm and the profound impact of Art Blocks in cultivating a vibrant culture around digital artistry.

We’re excited to showcase longtime collector, mikegee. As a seasoned designer and coder, mikegee has spent most of his life bridging the gap between art and technology. When he encountered NFTs in November 2020, the connection was immediate and profound. Unable to focus on anything else, he made the difficult decision to step away from the startup he co-founded, embarking on a years-long sabbatical to immerse himself in the burgeoning NFT space.

Fast forward to today, mikegee has diligently curated a collection guided by personal taste rather than market popularity, making a concerted effort to spotlight lesser-known artists and collections. In this way, mikegee isn't just a collector; he's a patron, committed to supporting the artists and the space he passionately believes in.

Art Blocks: What initially drew you to Art Blocks, and how has your appreciation for it evolved since your first acquisition?

‍mikegee: To say that Art Blocks has had a huge impact on my life would be an understatement. I’ve been on the Internet for longer than I’m willing to admit, but I truly feel like I’ve only just now found my calling as a generative art collector and artist. Simply put, my journey into generative art would not exist without Art Blocks.

I’ve always collected digital art, but mostly in the form of browser bookmarks. So when NFTs came along, it instantly clicked. I started collecting NFTs in late 2020 and discovered Art Blocks in May of 2021. At that time, you could still find a ton of collections that had not minted out. My home base was the CryptoPunks Discord, where I have fond memories of us discovering collections we loved and typically minting them out. We’d share our pieces and talk about what we liked about them. These are the experiences that I had while falling in love with generative art, and Art Blocks was the epicenter for all of it.

AB: Which Art Blocks piece in your collection holds the most sentimental value, and what’s the story behind it?

MG: Fidenza #249 is probably the most sentimental piece on Art Blocks, but sadly I no longer own it. The pressure to sell was too high in 2021, and I had no business owning a piece of art worth that much money. Fidenza was the second piece I minted on Art Blocks (I minted a small piece prior as a test), and it was my first introduction into generative art. I was blown away by the aesthetics and how the minter got to play a small part in what they ultimately received. Another collection that has had a huge impact on me is Archetype. I would say Archetype really defines and embodies the type of aesthetic I like to collect.

AB: How do you decide which Art Blocks pieces to add to your collection? Are there specific artists or themes you gravitate towards?

MG: The pieces I get the most excited about collecting on Art Blocks tend to be ones that utilize the medium to the fullest extent. I am always happy to collect a beautiful static piece, but much prefer art and artists that utilize what the context affords. These are pieces like Gazers, Cargo, 720 Minutes, Calian, Cerebellum, etc. Outside of that, I tend to like aesthetics that explore shape, order, structure, organization, recursion, etc. Archetype, Squares, Drifting, and Andradite are all good examples of this. But really, I’ll collect anything that stands out as unique. Favorites not yet mentioned include: The Harvest, Meridian, ORI, JPEG, Bent, Edifice, Invisibles.

AB: How do you envision the future of Art Blocks and the larger generative art community unfolding? Are there any trends or shifts you’re excited about?

MG: I’m really interested in hyper-native art that lives on the very boundary of what’s technically possible in the medium, be that medium a computer, or maybe it’s the blockchain itself. Now that prints are no longer the only endgame, I hope we see artists explore more dynamic pieces. I’d also like to see the space continue to be more conscious of preservation, i.e. raising our standards for what we consider to be “on-chain.” Preservation and durability of the art are the foundation that makes all this work.

AB: For newcomers looking to start their own Art Blocks collection, what advice or insights would you offer from your journey so far?

‍MG: My only real piece of advice is to buy what you love and develop your personal taste. You can spend all your money buying the most obvious (and most expensive) pieces, but that’s way less fulfilling than digging a little deeper and finding those lesser-known pieces that really hit you on a uniquely personal level.

AB: Where can people follow you and see your Art Blocks collection?

MG: You can find me on Twitter at @mikegee and you can view my curated permanent collection here. Also, there’s more here.