SHAY’S LIFE-CHANGING MOMENTS

“I never thought I could sell my artwork for this much money in such a short amount of time. I was in college working on campus, and I couldn’t believe it.”

Originating from Wilmington, Delaware, Shaylin Wallace – also known as Shay the Surrealist – is a digital artist taking photography and illustrations to new heights. Creativity has been a part of Shaylin’s life from an early age: “I’ve been a digital artist since I was 14. I started playing around with editing apps such as PicsArt, Union apps, and Snapseed on my phone. That’s when I started editing my own photos. I would manipulate other people’s photos that they would post on their page for free.”

With a keen eye for surrealism, she began posting her art around 2015 but did so in an under-the-radar manner. “I didn’t tell anybody about it; it was very personal,” she remembers. “Even when I posted on my Instagram page, no one knew my identity.”

In 2017, she started getting freelance gigs while also working a 9-5 job to save up for a laptop. “I got my first Macbook Pro and a subscription to Adobe, then taught myself how to use Photoshop.” In 2020, she declared her aspiration to become a full-time artist. She then began entering exhibits – both domestically and internationally – but found little luck. Her fortunes were to be turned upside down: she was introduced to NFTs.

“I really wanted to sell prints on my own because I felt like I never knew who was buying my work, and I really wanted to make it more intimate.” The NFT market provided Shay the Surrealist with the perfect solution. “February is when I finally minted my first piece on Async Art, and it was called ‘asynchronous art’ because you can mint two pieces, and one piece showed from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm, and the second piece from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am. My piece was called ‘First Catch of the Day’ and then ‘Last Catch of the Day.’ I never thought I could sell my artwork for this much money in such a short amount of time. I was in college working on campus, and I couldn’t believe it.”

Believe it, Shaylin: that’s the power of NFTs. Able to combine her graphic design and artistic background, Shaylin Wallace has become one of the most sought-after surrealist artists in the NFT space. What makes her creative journey all the more remarkable is that she did it on her own, self-taught. The blockchain’s rewarded her, and she’s also given herself to the blockchain. We’re here for more!