My Work

The fifty years I spent developing my work was missing a critical element until I had an epiphany in 2020. That revelation enables me to produce large pieces – as I initially envisioned. Following that came the proof-of-work, the blockchain and NFT’s which opened up another new dimension. I invite you to read My Story – a fifty year history of my linear graphics development.

I design contemporary, artistic cryptograms featuring a traditional, text based substitution cipher presented to the viewer through a vertically displayed but horizontally read character set. The challenge for the Trithemian Web™ owner is to decipher the piece, revealing the body text (message), the designated title, and, if included, other revelations.  The message, title, and other inclusions are exclusive to that particular piece. The owner can share that information if they so desire.

Super Rare?

That term is frequently used these days in conjunction with the explosion of NFT’s in the marketplace. Artists and their marketplace affiliations are trying to present pieces as rare or super rare in hopes of increasing their value. Some of the NFT marketplaces are vetting their artists to help insure quality work. SuperRare is one such marketplace. If you click on Explore/Artworks you’ll see almost 60,000 listings. Many styles are similar. What you’re looking for is a totally unique style that sets it apart from every other artist. That’s my work.

What do I envision as super rare? Beeple for instance. His ‘Everyday’s: the First 5000 Days’ sold for $69 million. I don’t believe it was the 5,000 digital images that inspired the sale. It was his dedication to produce an image a day for 5,000 days; a stroke of genius. He is the first and only person to achieve such an endeavor. That makes ‘Everyday’s, I believe, super rare and extremely valuable. On a side note, Mike Winkelmann (Beeple) and I are from the Charleston area, home to the Spoleto USA.

Another example would be ‘Black Circle’, a 1924 oil on canvas painting by the Kiev-born Russian artist Kazimir Malevich sold on the secondary market for $85 million. Others have painted black circles on canvas, but they are secondary to the originator. There are many other examples of super rare in the art world – innovators who have long passed but whose work survived. Consider Salvador Dalí, Claude Monet, Rembrandt, Leonardo da Vinci and Picasso. Each was an innovator, a master of his craft.

I don’t believe an artist has to be dead for their work to be considered super rare. Beeple for example. He’s only 41 (as of 2022). He has developed quite a social media following since starting his design career. What if he had not developed that large following but still produced ‘Everyday’s? Would it have sold for $69 million? That we will never know. Would the piece have still been considered super rare? I believe so. He still would have been the first and only person to undertake such a task.

As a cryptographer, I have developed a linear graphic character set along with a methodology to present a text based cryptogram that is solely unique. In addition, I incorporate another procedure that sets my work apart. See this example. These distinctive elements define my style, which is one of a kind.

My work checks all the boxes discussed on Binance.com – Rarity, Utility and Tangibility.

Each Trithemian Web™ conceals a rumination. My goal is to design uniquely identifiable pieces that will help them survive through generations. My thoughts will be perpetuated in a most unusual format.

Exclusivity Precautions – NFT’s

My compositions contain design elements that can only be revealed using the original, digital file. Theoretically, if I upload a full size original to the marketplace, anyone can copy that file. They could then apply the techniques needed to decipher the piece. I will only upload a smaller version of the file. The reduction in size renders it impossible to decipher. A person who copies that file will never be able to unveil its hidden contents.

In Conclusion

My goal, when I was a younger man, was to design pieces that could be purchased by the masses. My graphic design work was more focused on the art side of the gift market. Please read My Story for a detailed sequence of events. In my remaining years I’ve decided to focus on designing and producing a limited number of Trithemian Web™ compositions for the serious, sophisticated, eclectic collector.