Baltimore-based artist, Vinnie Hager, celebrated for his unmistakable bold lines, shapes, and patterns, is pushing the boundaries of storytelling with his new collection, Diary, which dropped exclusively on OpenSea on Thursday, September 7th, 2023. This pioneering venture blends the realms of physical and digital art, aspiring to be one of the year's most inclusive art projects.

Diary is a look into Hager’s artistic exploration over the course of the last decade. The development of his unique visual language begins with 100 archived physical drawings that established themselves as the backbone and the 1/1s in this collection. These 100 drawings were split into 12 visual categories (entries) and then paired with a varying library of color palettes to create the open edition generative art pieces. This collection is only available for 24 hours. All artworks minted will have a physical counterpart claimable at a later date.

This poignant collection stands as a testament to Hager’s enduring spirit and acts as a visual diary, chronicling his emotional evolution. By sharing his story through these compelling artworks, Vinnie aims to convey how his artistic practice and therapeutic drawing process became his “saving grace,” enabling him to overcome hardships and find new avenues for success, connections, and self-expression.

OpenSea: Hi Vinnie! Thanks for chatting with us! We’re obsessed with the artwork you created for OpenSea’s New York headquarters. Can you tell us a little about the inspiration behind the artwork?

Vinnie Hager: Hey! Thanks so much, it was a great pleasure to be able to do something for the OpenSea Office. After speaking with some of the team there, we chatted over the concept of starting out with a singular shape (an envelope), and as the mural evolves over the space the shapes and symbols get more complex and jam-packed. I saw this as an opportunity to add elements like the OpenSea logo, water droplets, waves, crypto imagery, etc. throughout the mural.

OpenSea: How did you go about planning this piece? Was it sketched ahead of time or did you create it in real time?

Vinnie Hager: Everything is created in real time. I had an idea in my head about how I wanted to attack the space, however, the process of putting markers on the wall flowed naturally as soon as I started working. The use of space and process is something I've developed slowly and consistently over the last decade or so. 

OpenSea: Is this how you normally create artwork?

Vinnie Hager: It is! I usually go with the flow in most of my artworks, allowing imagery, color palettes, and materials to flow freely at my discretion. Of course, the amount of planning and prep depends on the project, commission, and guidelines. 

OpenSea: What are your biggest inspirations when creating?

Vinnie Hager: I'd have to say my constant urge to create is always my inspiration, almost in an addictive sense. I wake up most days with many many ideas, concepts, and projects that I’m gradually attracted to and eager to work on. It's always been a natural sense for me to be creating and having inspiring thoughts when going through my day-to-day life. 

OpenSea: Can you tell us a little about your Diary drop? How is it different or similar to your previous collections?

Vinnie Hager: For my new project, Diary, I wanted to take a look back through my own archive of artworks that I had saved over many years. I save almost all of the work I create and it was exciting to watch the development of my style over this period of time. Realizing I had a lot of completed drawings of different sizes, materials, and of visual styles, I wanted to tell a more personal story of how those drawings came to be. Drawing to me is incredibly therapeutic and is the backbone of this new collection. 

Diary is different from anything I’ve released before as it tells a very personal story. Over the last 6 years, I have dealt with personal family loss, the passing of both my parents and brother. It was a turbulent time in my life but my artwork tethered me to something positive. Diary is just that, a body of artwork underpinned by personal story and how it fueled my artistic output. This output allowed me to get my emotions out on paper, literally, in a constructive and beneficial way during my toughest times. It was important in shaping my daily visual language.

This mini-documentary complements Diary by shedding light on Vinnie Hager's artistic process and personal life. It's a rare glimpse into the mind of the artist and provides more context to his work and the journey to where he is now.

OpenSea: If you had to use one word to describe Diary, what would it be?

Vinnie Hager: I'd be wrong if I didn't use the word "diary" as the one word to describe the collection! It’s just that — me telling my story through many years of drawing and creating, keeping a diary but in the form of drawings, not a bound book. Allowing those drawings to be the backbone of this collection and then adding in the generative portion of the artwork to breathe new life from older artworks into new ones. 

OpenSea: What does the future of NFTs look like to you?

Vinnie Hager: I’ve been focused on Diary for a long time so I’m excited to finally put it out in the world! I have a few special brand collaborations set before the end of the year but other than that I'll be eagerly watching and supporting as my friends continue to create and push the boundaries of what is possible. As for the technology of NFTs and web3 as a whole, time will tell.

See the whole collection on OpenSea here.