‍Jen Stark is comfortable on both U.S. coasts and with multiple artistic mediums. One look at her Instagram page supports this theory. It’s as lively, colorful, and dynamic as her artworks and NFT collections — and if you look closer, you'll see mathematical patterns running through it all.

While the Miami native and now LA-based artist started her career with a paintbrush in hand, she has shapeshifted everything from wood to metal to NFTs to bring her artistic vision to life.

Her website describes her art as “work that balances on a razor’s edge of optical seduction and perceptual engagement.” One look at her piece “Psychedelic Strobe,” with its multicolor blinking shapes, brings her description to life. 

Here are three things about Stark’s colorful and hypnotic NFTs.

Her first NFT helped her blaze a new path 

Jen Stark graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in 2005 and has been creating and exhibiting art ever since. But it wasn’t until recent years, inspired by the rising popularity of NFTs leading up to 2021, that she began expanding her workflow to include different mediums, like technology. 

Specifically, she credits her increased curiosity in NFTs to her cross-country move to Los Angeles during pandemic times because both experiences allowed her more time to experiment.

In her first NFT — a 1-of-1 titled "Multiverse" — Stark brings her signature pattern-driven artistic style to an ever-looping digital animation. 

She explains:

“This unique genesis work features a psychedelic menagerie of multi-layered shapes blooming into a kaleidoscopic garden. "Multiverse" embodies nature's energy pulsing throughout the universe while mimicking designs found in the spiritual world.” 

Her artistic style has remained consistent throughout her career 

While Stark has diversified the tools she uses to create art throughout her career, her artistic point of view and inspirations have remained consistent. Stark’s top source of inspiration is nature, which may feel out of place when looking at her psychedelic strobe-filled pieces, but as she explains, those patterns, shapes, and waves are pulled directly from the world around her. 

To Flaunt, she explained: 

“I’ve always been inspired by nature. It’s a big part of my work. I take the mathematical parts of nature, and visually translate them. There’s all these different equations, like pi, inserted into nature, with spiraling shapes and different fractures. I’m also inspired by the colors of nature, as they are an attractant or repellent. It’s either attracting you to eat this delicious apple or telling you this frog is poisonous, don’t eat it. So I love that back and forth that nature gives us with color and spectrums of light.” 

In "Vortex," Stark patterns with NFT art platform Art Blocks to bring the topography-inspired collection to life. The 1000-item generative art collection was released in December 2021, with each NFT spinning in kaleidoscope fashion. In an interview with Art Blocks, she shared that she translated earlier hand-cut paper sculptures into code that resembled her original physical art pieces to arrive at the NFTs.

She believes in the future of art and the generations who will continue to propel it forward 

Stark has shared in interviews how much she has loved the open communication between art creators and those who collect their work. But she’s also conscious of how important it is to filter the noise when pursuing a creative passion. 

When asked what advice she would offer other artists, she told Flaunt: 

“I would say: focus on what you love. Keep going for it, keep going at it. There’s going to be haters. There’s going to be people that tell you you can’t do what you wanna do. People told me that, but I’m stubborn, and I just keep going. Luckily I didn’t listen to them. Keep going on your own path, and keep following your joy, and it’ll eventually create joy.” 

Since joining the NFT art space, Stark has released infectiously fun collections. For instance, Stark released her lively and smiley "Cosmic Cuties" collection in 2022. The 333-item PFP collection plays with googly eyes, a smiley face, and Stark’s trademark undulating color patterns. The same year Stark released the collection, art auction house Christie’s also included Stark’s work ("Light Box #2") in its July 2022 “Trespassing III” auction and invited her to share her story as a speaker at their Christie’s Art+Tech Summit. 

No matter the space or the medium, Stark brings color and light into any room. Her NFT collections have created an easier access point for a bit of cosmic nature anywhere.