There was a time when my creativity was on ice. I was busy showcasing other people’s creativity on my travelling cinema screen, while quietly putting my own ideas on the shelf—like a wrinkled sketchbook left in the back of a drawer. But eventually, I made one small but powerful change: I gave myself permission to create again. To draw, write, and explore the odd little worlds floating around in my head. That shift brought a sense of purpose and energy back into my life. Like the figures in my dream journal piece Frozen Vegetables, I found myself harvesting forgotten treasures from the snowy fields of my subconscious, nourishing my soul one carrot at a time.
This artwork, part of my dream journal series, was born from the surreal imagery my mind served up one winter’s night. A Victorian expedition, stranded in a frozen wasteland, stoically harvesting oversized cabbages and carrots from a snow-covered field as icicles drip from towering cliffs. The absurdity of it. The stark beauty. It was one of those images that insisted on being made. I use AI to bring these dream fragments to life—not as replacements for imagination, but as collaborative tools, brushes that reach where my hands can’t. Frozen Vegetables is one of nine unique dream journal pieces, available as NFTs on the Zero One Market.
For those new to the space, NFTs (non-fungible tokens) are digital certificates of authenticity that allow collectors to own limited edition digital art—think of them as digital originals. I’ve chosen Zero One as one of my NFT platforms because it supports artists who are pushing creative boundaries, especially those using AI and digital tools in innovative ways. The platform’s artist-first values and elegant curation make it a perfect home for my dream journal series.
Describe one positive change you have made in your life.
Since embracing my art fully, everything has changed. I started a podcast where I explore what it means to thrive as a working artist. I illustrated my own kids’ books, reconnecting with my childhood sense of wonder. I dove headfirst into the world of uncommon wallpaper design and op art, and I rediscovered the magic that happens when I allow my subconscious to lead the way.
Creativity is where I feel whole as a human being. For years I buried it, trying to fit into a world that often prizes practicality over passion. But here’s what I’ve learned: being a “normal” human being is completely overrated. I’d rather be strange and creative than tidy and numb. So here’s to the frozen cabbages of our dreams. To the carrots we dig up with frostbitten fingers. And to the warmth that comes when we finally start making the art only we can make.
Kids Book Illustrator Andy C Marshall 