Aylia x Reddit Collectible Avatars

Bim - The froggy snoo

## **Information:**

This series was created by Reddit user **Avire** as a part of the Collectible Avatars Creator Program. You can check out the creator's profile on Reddit.

## Collection:

The **Aylia** collection is part of Reddit's first NFT collection.

MaiaMaruBim

 **Bim:** | 100

## Artist Feature:

**Avrive** spoke about the collection in an artist feature on Reddit:

*Hi friends!*

*I’ve loved art ever since I can remember. Probably, because art runs through my family’s veins, and has filled my senses since I was a little girl. Whether it be the scrumptious taste of my mother’s elegant and delicious cooking, the sight of my grandmother’s tiny apartment crowded floor to ceiling with her own creations and my uncle’s photography, the sound of the melody that fills the room as my Oma plays the piano, the sweet smell of the flowers in my Opa’s majestic garden, or the feel of my father’s hug as he tells me to do something I love, I am always connected to creative life force through the people I care about.*

*While my family planted the seed, I’m the one who nurtured it. Ever since I can remember, I’ve been consuming and making art like an inhale and an exhale. It’s also part of how I’m wired - I think in pictures not language when I’m most connected to myself. I love the process of expressing myself and bringing these creatures out of the depths of my imagination and into the real world. To me, art is the act of making something special, sharing it, and hopefully inspiring something novel in someone else. This collection interweaves my identities as an artist and an expressive art therapist - intertwining the subconscious realm of dreams with the conscious realm of illustration.*

*I hope you enjoy!*

**Maia**

*Maia represents our abilities to connect with each other through the fantastical world of dreams (Aylia). In Aylia, she meets two magical beings - Maru and Bim. My invitation to you is to let Maia help you connect with your own inner child, your imagination, and your dreams.*

*Maia was inspired by my mom and my song Child of Mine by Carol King - “All the new colors and pictures you design. Oh yes sweet darling, so glad you are a child of mine.” When I was a little girl, my best friend and I would have sleepovers and we’d pick a place to meet in our dreams upon falling asleep. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. The times we were able to meet, we’d awaken with a sense of awe and wonder, feeling closer to each other than ever.*

**Maru**

*In the land of Aylia, she lives in the underwater kingdom Biraquoo. She helps Maia connect with her own inner wisdom, so that she can communicate with dream beings beyond the confines of language - the way we do with pets. My invitation to you is to let Maru guide you, the way she guides Maia, to find the authentic connection you desire in life.*

*Maru is inspired by the creativity, vulnerability, and authenticity of the individuals in my Chamomile Cohort at CIIS. In school, we learned the concept of an Aesthetic Response. My own definition of an aesthetic response (which is ever expanding) is the use of any form of art to capture an emotional reaction to something. Maru is an aesthetic response to the collective energy we hold with others.*

**Bim**

*Bim lives in the luscious jungle portion of Aylia called Igmalia. Bim helps Maia find joy, spontaneity, and wonder in life. My invitation to you is to let Bim help you, the way he helps Maia, return to a youthful state of playfulness and to see the world through beginner’s eyes.*

*Bim is an expression of gratitude, love, and humor towards my closest of friends, affectionately known amongst ourselves as the Joshua Tree Frogs. They represent friendships that stand the test of time- the laughs we’ve shared, and the memories we’ve made.*

*While these are my inspirations, I invite you to listen to your gut and stick with your own interpretation. You liked these little creatures for a reason! Perhaps I tapped into something in our collective unconscious that I haven’t yet put words to, and your interpretation is another flavor in the soup we’re all swimming in. I’d be delighted to see aesthetic responses to this collection either here u/AVIRENFT or on TikTok @ ur\_pocket\_art\_therapist.*

Collectible Avatars are limited-edition avatars from Reddit that provide owners with unique benefits on the Reddit platform. The Creator Collection was made by independent creators in partnership with Reddit. When you purchase a Collectible Avatar, you become the owner of it. This means you can keep it, trade it, sell it, or use it on Reddit as your avatar, where Collectible Avatar owners get a special profile treatment that makes them stand out.