Erick Calderon, better known as Snowfro, is the creator of Art Blocks, the platform behind iconic generative art collections like Chromie Squiggles (the original), Tyler Hobbs’ Fidenza, and Monica Rizzoli’s Fragments of an Infinite Field. While he’s now recognized as a key figure in generative art, Calderon’s journey began in an entirely different industry: running a ceramic tile business. His belief that porcelain tile was the most durable home solution mirrors his current perspective on NFTs and digital art as long-lasting, authentic, and timestamped records.

As Calderon explained to Right Click Subscribe magazine, “What I’m doing now — developing technology to produce art that is durable from an authentication and timestamping perspective — feels similar to my work with ceramic tile 20 years ago. Porcelain tile remains the best solution, and I believe NFTs are the best way to document born digital art.” After transitioning from the tile business to digital art, Calderon has continued to innovate and inspire within the art community.

Today, Calderon no longer works with tiles, yet his contributions to generative art continue to bring beauty into homes through newer, more digital means. Below are key facts about his personal projects and the platform he’s created for generative artists. Calderon's work is particularly significant in the digital age, where technology and creative expression merge to redefine artistic possibilities.

What is generative art?

Generative art has revolutionized the way we create and experience art. With the rise of digital technologies, artists can now use algorithms and machine learning to create unique and intricate patterns, shapes, and forms that would be difficult or impossible to create by hand. One of the pioneers in this field is Erick Calderon, also known as Snowfro, who has made significant contributions to the world of generative art.

Who is Snowfro?

Erick Calderon, aka Snowfro, is a generative artist and entrepreneur based in Houston, Texas. He is the founder of Art Blocks, a pioneering platform in the realm of generative art. Snowfro’s work explores the functional uses of NFT technology in the art sector, and he has been a key figure in the development of the digital art movement. With a background in ceramic tile-making and a passion for digital technologies, Snowfro has inspired a new generation of artists and collectors.

Snowfro is the founder of Art Blocks and a generative artist

Art Blocks is a platform that offers artists and buyers access to on-demand generative NFT art-making tools. Calderon founded the platform in November 2020, and less than six months after launching, he was already hiring a full-time team to staff the platform.

“Our job is to host the best generative art by the best artists in the world, and we want to elevate generative art to the top leagues,” he once explained in an interview.

In essence, artists on Art Blocks upload the code for their generative art project, which results in autonomously generated digital artwork. The process is unpredictable, as neither the artist nor the buyer knows the final outcome of each piece until it’s minted. While the artist can set parameters, such as the total number of pieces that can be minted, they do not have control over the individual outputs, making the experience a surprise for both parties. This allows the algorithm to create endless permutations, showcasing the innovative potential of generative design. Generative systems enable artists to explore complex and innovative designs through computational processes.

Chromie Squiggle is Snowfro's first generative art collection

Upon starting Art Blocks, Calderon was actually the first artist to introduce a project — Chromie Squiggles — to the platform. Calderon simply wanted to prove that Art Blocks’ process worked, but then the Chromie Squiggles project took on a life of its own to become one of the most coveted generative art collections in the space. While Calderon was excited by its success, it also raised the bar for what he needed to do next creatively. The Chromie Squiggle collection was created using computer graphics, and it showcased the innovative use of technology in digital art.

Calderon once explained:

“I’m both incredibly excited and also terrified about creating another work because of what’s happened with Chromie Squiggles. Originally, they were a proof of concept rather than an art form, but over time they became a recognizable thing that I’m now incredibly proud of.”

The Chromie Squiggle collection was capped at 10,000 items, but Calderon held on to 500 pieces to release selectively. Each Squiggle in the collection is unique and generated from six different types of lines: normal, bold, fuzzy, slinky, ribbed, and pipe. All share common visual traits, contributing to the recognizable status of the project in the world of digital art.

On August 21, 2024, Calderon donated Chromie Squiggle #9999, a generative art piece created through computer code and delivered as an NFT, to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) as a gift. This final artwork, created on the Art Blocks platform, showcases the cutting-edge possibilities of generative design in traditional art spaces. The piece is now part of LACMA’s permanent collection. The copyright remains with Erick Calderon.

Snowfro forged a unique digital art style

Snowfro’s digital art style is characterized by vibrant and sinuous lines, often exploring the themes of color and fluidity. His work, such as the iconic Chromie Squiggle, showcases the power of generative art to push boundaries and create compelling visual experiences. Snowfro’s art often exists entirely on the blockchain, generating new and unique pieces every time they are minted. This unique approach to art has made Snowfro a leading figure in the generative art movement.

Snowfro's creative process utilizes algorithms

Snowfro’s creative process involves using algorithms and machine learning to create unique and intricate patterns, shapes, and forms. He often uses coding languages such as JavaScript and GLSL to craft his digital art pieces. Snowfro’s approach to art is highly experimental, and he is constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible with generative art. His work is a testament to the power of technology to create new and innovative forms of art.

Snowfro believes in the power of collaboration and making generative art accessible 

Art Blocks’ first launch sparked interest and demand in the art world, in response Calderon led the platform through a swap in how projects were auctioned. The model shifted by starting auctions at a high price and regularly dropping by fixed amounts, which took Art Blocks from its $70 million peak to $2 million in less than a month, according to ArtNet. This was an intentional calming of the waters that Calderon was looking for to make generative art accessible once more. 

In addition to leading a platform that makes generative art easy to share and purchase, Calderon has also ventured into more projects beyond Chromie Squiggles. 

His collaborative Friendship Bracelets project with artist Alexis André, also known as MacTuitui, was a phygital, free-to-mint NFT collection that allotted owners both an NFT and instructions on creating a physical version of their unique friendship bracelet. Those who purchased a Friendship Bracelet NFT also got another NFT to share with a friend. 

Whether through his own collections or his own platform, Calderon is proving daily that generative art is a consistent sense of surprise for both the artist and the owner. He’s creating the foundation for others to continue to push the boundaries of what NFT art can be. 

Snowfro founded the Art Blocks community

Art Blocks is a community-driven platform enabling artists to upload algorithms to create generative art and one-of-a-kind NFTs. The platform has become a hub for generative artists, with over $1.4 billion in sales. Snowfro’s vision for Art Blocks is to create a space where artists can showcase their work and connect with collectors and enthusiasts. The platform has become a leading destination for generative art, and Snowfro’s leadership has been instrumental in its success.