SingulariTree is a collection of images focused around isolated trees as the main subject of the piece. Each piece is also tied to a human experience and emotional element. Personification is a powerful element used in those heartwarming images of animals that has helped people relate to wildlife images and become motivated to protect them as a result. This project aims to add personification to trees to promote a similar connection and desire for preservation.

This series is being launched as a collection of NFTs(non-fungible Tokens) on my own smart contract through Manifold. This allows me to maintain control of the collection and list on multiple platforms. This secures the body of works longevity and removes any risk from platform(opensea, foundation, etc) interference or loss. The series will initially be launch on Foundation marketplace platform: Singularitree

Trees are incredibly important for our global ecosystem and aggressive deforestation, massive forest fires and invasive species continue to threaten them. I will be working with an organization called Give Back to Nature to plant 1000 trees for every 1 of 1 SingulariTree piece that is collected or complete edition set. The remaining profits from this collection will be funding a trip where I will be traveling to the Amazon and working with local organizations focused on forest and wildlife preservation and rehabilitation. While there, I will be documenting the experience and producing a photobook. Collectors from the series will receive a airdrop of the photobook with the option to burn the airdrop and receive a physical book.

All collectors holding a piece(that I am able to connect with) at time of the trip will also receive a copy of the trip’s itinerary and an invitation to join at their own expense. This will provide an opportunity to meet with me and be involved in the experience.

After the trip (and potentially before), I will be looking to exhibit the collection in some physical gallery spaces to continue to promote the project and cause. I will use these gallery exhibitions to raise additional funds for the conservation projects and raise awareness around deforestation and environmental impact. The gallery exhibit will include a link to the NFTs for each piece at the exhibit that will add additional promotion for the original collectors as well as education for NFTS. There will also be a section to link the NFT/Climate impact narrative in a single exhibit to bring more education and awareness to the public and help onboard people into the space if they desire.

Each piece in the collection will have 3 physical metal prints made. This limited edition of 3 is for a specific purpose. One of the editions is meant for the NFT collector, the second is allocated for supporting the physical gallery spaces for the event and the third is for my own personal collection. My personal collection piece will be displayed in the gallery events but listed Not For Sale, should the 2nd edition sell at any of the previous events.

The Trees:

#1 “Light Through the Fog”

Reserve Price: 1 ETH

Description:

Has your mind ever been in a fog? Difficult to concentrate and then there is one thought that makes its way through. This piece is about finding that light through the fog. 

Behind the shot: 

I made the early morning drive north to the Adirondack wilderness, right at the end of peak foliage season in a last ditch effort to get some more fall images for the year. I had missed a few prime weeks while traveling to Iceland and hadn’t had the chance to do a lot of scouting this year. It’s about a two hour drive for me from the capital region of New York where I live and I got a later start than I had wanted to. Due to this, my timing was a little off and I was in a rush to get to the spot I had scouted. I had planned to catch sunrise from the top of Whiteface mountain but as I was nearing it, the sun began to light up the valleys around me. Thick pockets of fog hung in every low point as I drove through and this particular field had a massive tree standing alone in the center. The bright yellow foliage stood out against the dense fog to further isolate it from its surroundings. Since I was already running late, I drove right past this scene without stopping. About a mile down the road I made the decision to abandon my original plan and turn around. I drove back to this location and took out my camera. I’m glad I did!

Edition: 1/1

#2 “Focus on What Matters”

Reserve Price: 1 ETH

Description:

Life moves at a fast pace and you can get caught up in the blur. Take the time to slow down and focus on the parts that truly matter before you miss them completely. 

Story behind the shot:  

This image was captured at Heart Lake in the Adirondacks in the fall of 2021. The lake, named for its shape, has a trail that goes around it but the trail is far enough away from the edge of the lake that you cannot see the actual lake from the trail. There are small paths every 100 meters or so that branch off and lead down to the lake’s edge. The first path down to the lake brought me a wide view of the area. I saw the surrounding mountains popping with color in different pockets. I scanned around the edge of the lake searching for interesting compositions. Along the edge of the far side of the lake, a single vibrant red tree stood out, contrasted by the dark green pines that flanked it. It was at an off angle so the composition wasn’t exactly what I was looking for but I believed it could be something from another offshoot along the lake. I continued my way along the trail getting closer to this area of the lake and continued to walk down each offshoot as I got closer. With each branch I took, I could see what I was looking for start to take shape. Finally I got to the path directly across the lake, providing me the perpendicular view I was searching for. I took out a telephoto lens and focused on getting in close, eliminating other beautiful but distracting parts of the scene. When I got the image home and started working on it in post production and got it to a point that I liked, but didn’t love it so it sat. Life got busy, things came up and the image sat on my hard drive. One day I came back and sat down to look at it again, still having a busy day but I told myself to focus because I wanted to finalize this image. While the vibrant red provided some separation, there was too much detail throughout the frame which I felt was a distraction. Choosing to apply a motion blur to the image and mask out the tree that I wanted to focus accomplished simplifying the scene. It was at this point that the message of this piece was formed as the final result resonated with my own journey to create it. There are times when an artist sets out to create with a message in mind and then there are times when the message presents itself through the process of creating. This result was born from the latter. 

Edition: 1/1

Physical Prints are also available in a limited quantity:

To be released: