The Most Wonderful Impromptu Concert

The Most Wonderful Impromptu Concert is rare digital art by Joe Chiappetta, available as an NFT on OpenSea.

My wife and I went on a double date with some friends to see a chamber concert at La Sierra University. As an artist, one of my favorite things to do is go to concerts and draw the performers. However, when we got to the campus concert hall, much to our surprise, the building was mostly unoccupied with few lights on. It soon became clear that I had the wrong date in my calendar. Yet as a man of faith, I prayed, "God, I don't know what is going on here, but please, make tonight's concert still happen."

Shortly thereafter, I discovered a mysterious young man sitting quietly in the otherwise empty lobby. His name was Rafael. I asked him if he played any instruments. He said confidently that he did. Then I asked him if he would do a solo concert for us--on the spot. In fact, I asked him if he could play 45 minutes of material for us. He said he didn't think he knew 45 minutes of material that was concert-ready.

As soon as he said that, I concluded that he was a humble man and therefore anything he performed would be genuine and inspiring. So I countered, "How about 30 minutes?" When Rafael said nothing, I rephrased, "How about 15 minutes? Just give me what you've got... please. I am sure it will be fantastic!"

"I can do that, yes," Rafael replied in an almost bewildered tone. Was he bewildered that I would ask him for a concert without ever hearing him play, or was he surprised that he was cooperating with a complete stranger? Perhaps it was both.

A new twist occurred, however. He remembered that he did not have much time as he was going to dinner with a friend and that she was just finishing practicing a song somewhere else in the building. So I asked if both of them would do a concert for us right then and there. He left to go ask his friend, and about 5 minutes later, they graciously invited us into the concert hall for the most delightful musical experience ever!

Rafael Braga and Isabel Pulido, both undergraduate students in La Sierra's music department, performed an unforgettable and heart-moving concert loaded with 6 songs plus endless inspiration for all.

Here is the list of what they boldly and passionately played with all professionalism and power:

1 - J.S Bach Prelude in g minor - BWV 558

2 - L. v. Beethoven Piano sonata Op. 13 "Pathétique" - 2nd and 3rd movements

3 - J.S Bach Gavotte en Rondeau and Gigue from the Partita no. 3 for violin solo

4 - J.S Bach Sarabande from the Partita no. 2 for violin solo

5 - J. Brahms concerto in D major for violin - 1st movement

6 - J. Haydn violin concerto in C major - 2nd movement

At the end of this spectacular evening, our tiny front row of 4 concert-goers were compelled to thank Rafael, Isabel, and God with the utmost sincerity, joy, and astonishment. Such kindness, giving spirit, flexibility, and desire for excellence (regardless of size of the audience) speaks volumes. Indeed, our gratitude resounds.

Silly Daddy 30th Anniversary

The Most Epic Battle is rare digital art by Joe Chiappetta, available on AtomicHub.

Starting July 11th, 2022, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Silly Daddy Comics, Joe Chiappetta begins releasing new rare digital artworks as editions of 30 NFTs for only 30 WAX. Some of Chiappetta's work sells for thousands of dollars in the NFT market, so this anniversary discount is a way to give back to the community.

Shortly after cartoonist Joe Chiappetta became a father, he started publishing a comic book series in 1992 called Silly Daddy. Over the years, Silly Daddy/Chiappetta has won awards from the Xeric Foundation as well as the Illinois Arts Council. Chiappetta's offbeat yet upbeat comics have earned him a historical place as an innovator in independent comic book publishing as well as in cryptoart. The loosely autobiographical and surreal comic series has branched off into graphic novels, comic strips, webcomics, merch, rare handmade books, zines, paintings, experimental art, songs, videos, metaverse gaming exhibits, and rare digital art NFTs.

Given Chiappetta's role as a cryptoart OG, project leader on ArtVndngMchn, and autobio comics pioneer on Silly Daddy, this NFT drop event is one to excite the whole family. Silly Daddy's origins began in year one as profound, silly, or profoundly silly. Thirty years later, that legacy continues, as profound and silly as ever.

https://sillydaddy.net

Silly Daddy Coins His Own Money

I have been studying economics and the digital transformation of money lately and have some not-so-serious thoughts (like the above Me-Money comic) and some serious thoughts below.

If a central bank ever decides to compete with bitcoin (which is a decentralized global currency and not government controlled), and that central bank starts to issue its own cryptocurrency, here are the some of the potential positive and negative impacts of such a venture:

Positive Impact to the government and central bank:
1. More control
2. Ability to run pilot program(s) first in smaller environment to work out unexpected issues
3. Can take as long as it likes to roll out the system
4. Can end the cryptocurrency at any time
5. Can pressure and incentivize other nations and companies to use the currency
6. Can make tax filing system automatic
7. Easier to collect fines from lawbreakers
8. Can issue more currency whenever it likes
9. Easier to track spending patterns and activities of citizens
10. Worldwide media exposure and attention
11. Viewed as innovative and forward thinking

Positive Impact to individuals:
1. Better tracking of money spent
2. Quicker payment sending abilities
3. Time saved through more integrated tax filing process
4. More jobs for those skilled at cryptocurrency

Negative Impact to the government and central bank:
1. Central bank and government are at the discretion of fallible humans who can become very disunified, change the rules, have hidden agendas, and make poor decisions about ongoing operations
2. System will be always pressured by politicians, special interest groups and businesses serving selfish interests
3. Increased exposure to cyber crimes and online theft
4. System is totally dependent upon electricity and the internet. If either system ever goes down, the economy stops.

Negative Impact to individuals:
1. Those holding bitcoin or other altcoins would see those coins and infrastructure devalued and in decline
2. People without great internet service would be excluded from full participation
3. Increased exposure to cyber theft since more transactions move online
4. Higher unemployment for bank tellers and brick and mortar retail bankers

That said, I'm not saying a central bank or government should or should not issue its own cryptocurrency. I really don't know if it would be good or not. There are so many variables that only God knows how such an economic transition would turn out. Besides, I have no authority in this matter. My prayer is that, however we use money, we do it to honor God.

Art Is Money: 10 Tips & Truths

Fellowship Of The Machine (detail) is rare digital art by Joe Chiappetta, available in select ArtVndngMchn Series 3 NFT packs. The full piece is a statement on how fine art, machines, and money have converged into one bizarre and fantastical fellowship.

Art Is Money: 10 Tips & Truths

Economics, art, and blockchain fell into a blender and out popped NFTs.

By Joe Chiappetta

NFTs Take Large Share of Total Art Market Sales

The rare digital art NFT industry has become a very large economic engine in the past few years. If current sales and adoption trends continue, it could eventually surpass other sectors of the art market. According to the Art Basel & UBS report, which includes data from only a few blockchains, 2021 NFT sales reached $11.1 billion USD, with the entire art market in all sectors totaling at $65.1 billion USD. This means 17% of all art sales came from rare digital art! That percentage is even higher since sales figures from the highest-volume blockchain for rare digital art, WAX, were not included in the report. In fact, according to DappRadar, 2021 NFT sales were nearly $25 billion.

What Is Rare Digital Art Again?

With experimental origins tracing back to 2014, rare digital art is widely known today by the more common term, NFT, which stands for "nonfungible token." Comprised of digitally scarce fine art pieces, rare digital artworks are each attached to a unique cryptographic token--also known as a cryptocurrency. A record of who owns this unique (AKA non-fungible) token and its attached art is readily available on a specific internet-powered blockchain. One of the big deals here is that once a person accepts that the art and the token are tied together, trading of art NFTs on a global scale becomes instant--and for a number of blockchains--almost as easy as sending an email.

Bit by the Crypto Bug is rare digital art by Joe Chiappetta, available as an animated color edition on SuperRare.

NFT Tips & Truths

The market innovation behind NFTs expose a number of economic and artistic realities in auditable ways. Art has always had the potential to be a friendlier form of money. In fact, physical money traditionally has art on its face as a given; think of all the portrait art on metal coins and paper currency. The imagery is meant to be welcoming and trust-bringing. Isn't that also what art often does?

Using the blockchain and smart contract tech that makes rare digital art function as money and art simultaneously, gift-giving, patronage, art stewardship, and trading all take on a more accountable role. The economics of who bought (or gifted) what art from whom, when, and for how much are meticulously broadcast on blockchains for all to see. Like traditional physical currency with a huge ecosystem behind it, NFT art--with its growing global ecosystem--can now also be just as welcoming, trust-bringing, or even more so. Plus, because art can be fun, "money" in the form of NFT art, becomes fun too.

Art Is Money by Joe Chiappetta.

Below are just some of these game-changing truths that NFTs make more obvious.

1. Money is art and vice versa.
2. Currency can be created by anyone.
3. Art can be created by anyone.
4. Money can be created by anyone.
5. Everyone (and anyone) can be an artist.
6. Everyone (and anyone) can tokenize anything.
7. Anything that can be tokenized, will be tokenized.
8. Art has always been a game.
9. Money has always been a game.
10. Powering art and money, internet access becomes even more of a human right.

May you power-up to play the art/money game well... and enjoy it.

---

The full art from the first painting this article (and more) can be found in ArtVndngMchn Series 3 Fine Art NFT packs.

ArtVndngMchn Series 3 Announcement

ArtVndngMchn Series 3: CryptoSkateboards and Other Things that Fly

• Launched February 26th, 2022
• Fine art NFTs wrapped in randomized packages
• 10% donated to charity
• Cryptoart OGs and emerging artists
• On Wax Blockchain
• Coincides with 3D virtual exhibit in the metaverse

ArtVndngMchn Series 3 NFT fine art pack art by Joe Chiappetta

ArtVndngMchn is a digital fine art collection that wraps curated, top-notch paintings and drawings into surprise NFT packages on the WAX blockchain. With its new Series 3 pack release, ArtVndngMchn is back to paint the world in all colors with fun and uplifting inspiration. Much of the Series 3 art will revolve around the theme of skateboards, fantastic cars, and other high-flying vehicles.

On this same day as the NFT pack release, many of the fine art pieces from this collection will be on exhibit in a Minecraft metaverse at The Brawl Gallery, where visitors have to fight monsters and complete mazes before they win the rare privilege of viewing this special exhibition. This 3D virtual gallery is located within the massive ArtVndngMchn Amusement Park in The Uplift World. Experiencing ArtVndngMchn Series 3 paintings in The Brawl Gallery is an art adventure to die for... because the in-game monsters may (virtually) kill you a few times before you make it through the labyrinth that leads to the Brawl Gallery's main exhibit hall.

As with each preceding pack release, a percentage of the revenue will be donated to help the poor through MERCYworldwide. To date thousands of dollars have been donated. For this series, 10% from the initial sale will go toward helping youth who are blind learn independent living skills at the Kyiv School for the Visually Impaired!

Curated by award winning cartoonist Joe Chiappetta, cryptoart OGs as well as emerging artists have contributed some of their best artworks to this lively fine art collection. Artists included in Series 3 include Bruce Bachelder, Jennifer Barrett, Anna, Denise, Joe, and Luke Chiappetta, Beth and Caleb Cohen, Kara Mia, Sean O'Kana, Mike Rende, Melida Rios, Fabi Yamada, Richard Yates, and Marko Zubak.

Each piece in this collection serves as stand-alone high-quality fine art... plus some of these pieces can also be blended through NeftyBlocks into even more stunning and rare pieces of artwork. The ArtVndngMchn series is a fine art experience with an unpredictably gamified NFT life of its own. Join in the fun now!

Follow joeychips on Twitter for more frequent ArtVndngMchn updates.