Award-winning multi-disciplinary artist Aaron Ricketts has established himself as a notable figure in the photography and NFT spaces. With nearly a decade of experience, his exquisite creations are rooted in surrealism via photography, animation, and most recently, motion.

At the start of 2021, Ricketts would view NFT discussions held on Twitter from the artists he followed. “I think the one thing that really I went about in the wrong way was that originally I thought, ‘Okay, I gotta work in 3D for this to make sense,’” Ricketts tells EDITION. “So, I did a mixed media piece that featured my photography and some 3D assets, but then it didn't really like feel right.” Thus, he reevaluated his process and committed to more research on approaching the NFT space naturally – in a way that fit his creativity. Sticking to his artistic background, Ricketts began creating art geared toward his surrealist photography, and “that's when things really started to make sense,” he mentions.

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In February 2021, a fellow artist and friend, Andre Oshea, gave Ricketts a rundown of how the NFT space operated before extending an invitation to join the platform, Foundation. Then, in March, Ricketts unveiled his first NFT titled Big Mouth. Shortly after that, Ricketts secured his first bid and sale. Since then, Ricketts’ unique artwork has sold no less than $4,000 per piece. To date, Ricketts has released 54 different pieces of NFT artwork – and he plans to cap his creations there for now. Ricketts’ reasoning is so that collectors of his work “can know that they're really holding a special piece no matter what piece they have,” he says.

Going into 2022, Ricketts plans to continue creating art based on his ongoing ideas before releasing them into the world. He also wants to continue growing his connections and reputation with the NFT community. Furthermore, Ricketts recently launched a Discord as a hub for collectors of his work.

Ricketts sees the future of artists – regardless of the medium – eventually all become digitalized. “Whether you're a traditional artist with painting or whatever the case may be, nine times out of 10, these creations are already becoming digital, whether we're sharing it on our socials or putting it on our own websites,” Ricketts states. “I'm a full believer in crypto and just what that could mean for not only myself but just the everyday person themselves. With crypto, it puts so much power back into the people that are engaging with it; because of decentralization, it’s not the one single entity controlling the power. Anything is possible and there’s not one person as the ruling judge of it all.”

Below, we asked Ricketts to share the inspiration behind five of the masterpieces that resonate with him the most.

Big Mouth: “This piece is a surrealist examination of the power of one’s own voice. With subtle details, the viewer is posed with a question, are they seeing a reflection or magnification?”

Nothing More to Give: “This piece was inspired by a past relationship. In that relationship, it felt as though I was constantly giving more and more of myself, and eventually I had nothing left to give.”

Waiting for Growth: “This is a surrealist piece rooted in self-reflection for the artist. The large, wilted tree representing all of their hopes, dreams, and ambitions. Leaving the artist to question, when will their tree bear fruit.”

When It Rains: “When It Rains is a surrealist piece that bends the laws of reality by depicting an unknown figure attempting to shield themselves from rainfall but is unsuccessful as the rain falls directly under the umbrella. Thus, defeating the purpose of having the umbrella to begin with.”

The Void: “The Void is a piece inspired by Rene Magritte and his work, The Castle of the Pyrenees. As with my other works, this piece is heavily inspired by surrealism and a perfect example of the direction I aim to take my practice in terms of concept and execution.”