Meet The Team
The Birth of Ecowarriors of the Metaverse
Michael Struck, Founder and CEO
Tracy, Marketing Advisor and NFTs Connoisseur
Miguel Balbás, Creator, Artist and Copywriter
Making My Pocket Light to Keep Our Planet Bright
In the spring of 2022, I stumbled upon an advertisement in a cryptocurrency forum. It called for collaborators for a metaverse project. The ask wasn't explicitly for an artist, but it struck me that my skills and background could be of immense value to this endeavor named Gaialaxy. I envisioned potential needs for corporate identity graphics, the leadership of an Art Director, and perhaps, a line of NFTs.
Tracy, a sage in the fields of marketing and NFTs, and Michael Struck, the visionary behind Gaialaxy, reached out after they saw my portfolio online. My work resonated with them and I was tasked with the creation of a logo for Gaialaxy, a virtual and real estate enterprise. At this juncture, the potential of creating NFTs hadn't come up.
I was informed that Gaialaxy was a bootstrap initiative - a new term for me back then. The implication was a lack of upfront funds. Despite this, I felt a pull towards the project. It was ambitious, plausible, and promised a sense of purpose. Thus, I agreed to a remuneration plan that would pay me once the venture started making money. Little did I know at the time that it would be an 18-month journey, during which I would find myself working with the hope of future rewards.
Designing the logo was a substantial undertaking. I brought to the table multiple sketches, and ultimately, a design featuring the initial 'G' of Gaialaxy was chosen. Given the project's real estate focus, the logo naturally integrated elements of architectural and environmental design. The completion of the logo, after several days of arduous work, was met with much acclaim.
My work didn't stop with the logo. I kept introducing fresh ideas for Gaialaxy and creating a range of illustrations and designs. The project was a blank canvas - an exhilarating yet daunting prospect. Everything had to be crafted from the ground up, and I found myself filling the website with my work, piece by piece. The return on this investment seemed far off, but I was driven by the conviction that my creative contribution could truly enrich the project.
Six months later, the subject of NFTs surfaced. In a conversation with Tracy and Michael, I was presented with the mandate that the NFTs should embody a theme of global salvation. As an artist who has dedicated his work to shedding light on the various trials and tribulations of our planet's inhabitants, this directive resonated deeply with me.
I was taken back to my past experience in 1994, working as an Artist and Art Director for a t-shirt company in Venezuela. The company's ethos was deeply rooted in environmental consciousness - its motto, “a t-shirt with a conscience”. Given the uncanny alignment of my past experience with the current task, I decided that the lack of funds and the arduous path ahead would not deter me from creating an inspiring NFT collection.
Thus was born "Ecowarriors of the Metaverse". Envisioned as an army of robots aligned with the 'Save the Planet' coalition, these entities were created to fight against the destructive Axis of Evil Army of the New Universe Government. What was initially envisaged as a 10,000-unit NFT collection in four installments soon expanded into a massive project of 20,000 units.
To accomplish this feat, I had to push the boundaries of my capabilities with Procreate and Photoshop.
Contrary to other collections that boast lead artists, artists, art directors, graphic designers, copywriters, and more, I found myself singularly responsible for the creation of 'Ecowarriors of the Metaverse.' The absence of a broader team required me to compensate with additional work and enhanced creativity. Despite our aspirations to match the magnitude of larger projects, our resources were scarce.
Therefore, to stand a chance in this competitive landscape, it was clear that we had to offer more than just great visuals. This realization ushered in the era of storytelling for our collection. I formulated a diverse range of characters, each furnished with unique stories that intertwined with one another.
Additionally, to engage our patrons, collectors, and NFT enthusiasts, we initiated 'Gaialactic News,' a newsletter we aim to publish weekly. This platform is designed not only to keep our audience updated with the latest from our collection, but also to share our characters' narratives and shed light on issues aligned with our 'Save the Planet' theme, including ecology and environmental concerns.
In the face of towering challenges, an inadequate budget, and an immense workload, my passion and dedication didn't waver. Every day, I was driven by the ambition to create a successful NFT collection that showcased not only my artistic creativity but also our deep concern for our beautiful planet.
The only task that remained was to introduce our collection to the world. Hence, we created this webpage you're currently perusing. We had invested so much passion and diligence into the creation of the collection, it seemed only fitting to consolidate and exhibit our efforts in one accessible location.
Our aim was not merely to share our labors and the artistry of our NFTs, but to communicate our unique perspective and mission. Our collection isn't simply a series of art pieces; it carries a purpose. This purpose is conveyed by our robots and characters, each seeking to tell a compelling story full of humor and beauty.
It is our sincere hope that we've achieved this goal, and we now look forward to having our passion, determination, and hard work reflected across our NFTs, newsletters, webpage, and social media platforms. We are in need of as many Ecowarriors as we can muster and we hope you'll join us in this fight.
Miguel Balbás