THE RUGMAKER
“I think it is especially important to make the space (and the information about it) more accessible to older individuals and people from minority groups.”
Rhys Goddard makes resplendent rugs. And NFTs of rugs. Growing up, Rhys constantly sought new ways to quench his creative thirst. Although illustration served him well, Rhys could feel his passion for it waning. Now turning his full attention to his rugmaking, he started garnering a following on social media.
Entering the NFT space, Rhys tested the waters on several platforms before settling on Foundation. There, he released his genesis drop, a vivid black and white illustration titled ‘Lost Landscape’ on March 1, 2021. Collaborating with the likes of Immy and Defaced Studio, Rhys has released two NFTs on Foundation using the moniker ‘NFT Rugs.’ An NFT reimaging Punk4156 as a rug also counts among his most notable pieces.
Rhys’s creative processes are diverse and can take anything from a few days to several weeks to complete. Ideas are swiftly captured on paper before being compiled in Photoshop. Once the design is finalized, Rhys brings it to life on a rug.
Has Rhys been involved in any cracking projects? He is one of the contributing artists of the epic ‘Thunderbirds Reimagined’ NFT collection. His ‘International Rescue (IR) Badge Rug’ was listed for $500 and was praised for its authentic feel by global Thunderbirds fans.
While rugmakers enjoy increased acclaim on social media and web3, continuous growth is imperative. How can the NFT space be grown organically? Rhys has a few ideas: “I think education is extremely important. There is a lot more information available today than when I joined, but people still need to actively do the research. I think it is especially important to make the space (and the information about it) more accessible to older individuals and people from minority groups.”
Born and bred in Wales, Rhys is studying towards a degree in graphic design while passionately pursuing his passion for rugmaking and art in his spare time.
