Bitcoin Art Podcast w/ Asanoha – Ep.1 ft. Gus Grillasca

ASANOHA (Host): We’re live on both Twitter and Nostr. I really appreciate your patience. I’ve been beating my head against the wall trying to figure out how to make this streaming situation work without caving in to one of the plug-and-play platforms like Riverside, which it seems most people use—probably because of how difficult this has been. So thank you for your patience.

How are you doing today? I’m going to make a couple quick announcements and then I’m just going to ask you some questions about Bitcoin, Bitcoin art, and your journey as a Bitcoin artist.

Today on the show we have Gus Grillasca, who is featured in the Genesis edition of Bitcoin Art Magazine. Gus, how have you been? What are you up to right now? Are you working on any new art projects?

Current Work and Creative Process

GUS GRILLASCA: I’m always doing new designs and exploring new techniques—new materials, new media. That’s what keeps me going.

This year I’ve been working on a new series with mosaics. I’ve been preparing it since the end of last year. Hopefully I’ll have some new pieces ready by the end of the month so I can start sharing them on social media.

And as always, I draw constantly—on paper, on wood, on plywood, and digitally. I do a lot of the design work on a tablet first. Once I land on a design I like, I keep developing it and try to take it to a new level—often by incorporating materials like acrylic or painting on canvas. That’s been my general process for the past several years.

ASANOHA: Awesome. How long have you been making Bitcoin art? And how long have you been making art in general?

Art and Bitcoin Art Background

GUS: If we’re talking about drawing and illustration, I’ve been making art as long as I can remember—since I was a kid. Not just drawing, but physical media too—sculpture and designs on different materials. I’ve been doing that forever.

Professionally, I’m a chemical engineer. In my early adult life I worked in different fields—pharmaceuticals, recycling, and petrochemicals. But I always kept one foot in the art world because I’ve always needed to create.

I started learning about Bitcoin in 2014 and 2015. But in 2016 I came across the Rare Pepe community, and that’s when I really realized I could thrive creatively in this ecosystem.

Before that, I was trying to get more involved in Bitcoin in different ways—podcasts, organizing meetups, trying to get into software development with a small team of friends. I didn’t know exactly what my role was.

At that time I was living in Europe and looking for a way to come back to Mexico. I was born in Mexico, but by 2014 I’d been living in Europe for almost a decade, and I was used to those wages. Coming back to Mexico would’ve been a big hit financially, and I didn’t see myself starting from scratch again.

When I learned about Bitcoin, it blew my mind—the technology, the potential, the ideology. I got more and more passionate, but I still didn’t know how I fit.

Then Rare Pepes happened. That was the entry point where I realized I could develop my creative side and sell art for BTC. I started doing that at the end of 2016, and since then my activity in Bitcoin art has only increased.

ASANOHA: So Rare Pepes were really the entry point into Bitcoin art for you.

GUS: Yes. I think I came across the directory one or two months after it launched. A friend showed it to me at a Bitcoin meetup in Toronto. From there I started minting and doing designs—of course everything related to Bitcoin in one way or another—and I’ve been more and more active in different areas of Bitcoin art since then.

Rare Pepes and Digital Collectibles

ASANOHA: How do you feel about Pepes today? Do you feel like they’re still going strong?

GUS: The community is still very strong. I firmly believe the idea of digital collectibles is never going to go away. It’s too powerful.

But the NFT brand at the end of 2021 did a lot of harm to the broader idea. During the pandemic there was so much demand that it blew expectations, and everyone started doing NFTs—most of them low-quality, and many outright scams. That created the bubble, and when it burst, it damaged the reputation of digital collectibles.

Now many people hear “NFT” and immediately think scam. That’s a problem. But the underlying idea of owning a digital collectible is too powerful to disappear.

Rare Pepes are different. It’s a real community-driven project. It doesn’t need sponsors, marketing, or VCs throwing money at it. It works because it’s an organic meme and a strong idea. So I think it’s going to keep growing.

Sometimes compared to fast pump-and-dump projects, it can look like it’s not growing—or even shrinking—but that’s just because those other projects move so quickly they overshadow organic growth. The fact is: it’s been growing every year. I’m bullish on it.

ASANOHA: I hear you. It’s tragic how the influencer pump-and-dump era gave genuine digital-collectible work a bad name. The demand for skins and in-game items has existed for a long time too—just siloed within platforms. So it’ll be interesting to see how it matures.

GUS: Yeah. The possibilities are countless, but we’ve been flooded with bullshit. Even for people deep in it, it’s hard to discern what’s valuable sometimes. It needs time to mature and condense into what’s really valuable. I’m positive valuable things will come out of it.

ASANOHA: Yeah, it’ll be interesting to watch.

Working on Wood: Cyber Hornet

ASANOHA: Can you see my screen that I’m sharing?

GUS: Yeah.

ASANOHA: Cool. Let’s talk about these pieces. Let’s start with 2024 Cyber Hornet. This is on wood, right?

GUS: Yes. For that series, I did the design on paper first—really nice thick cotton paper—then I cut it out and used it like a stencil on plywood, painting over it with acrylic.

A big restriction for me is travel. If you do it on paper, you need framing, or you need to frame it on site, and that’s always a hassle. So I wanted something sturdier.

For this piece, I burned the wood a little to give it a darker look, then used acrylic colors for highlights, applied the cut hand-drawn design, and finished with varnish. I sold this one in Nashville.

I did several in this style—cyber bulls, a cyber whale, cyber hornets—and even some Pepes.

ASANOHA: That’s awesome. I love the ingenuity—drawing on paper, cutting it, applying it, varnishing over wood. I totally feel you on the struggle. I’ve shipped rolled canvases and stretched them in an Airbnb. I’ve flown with framed acrylic pieces. Figuring out how to get work from place to place is its own challenge.

GUS: Exactly. I’m always experimenting with how to present the work. I see some artists who have one consistent presentation method every time, and I admire that—I don’t know if I’ll ever get to the point where I stick to one approach.

I’ve failed plenty of times—worked a lot on a piece and then it looks terrible on the wall because the frame isn’t right, or it’s not stretched well, or something. But it’s a learning process.

Lately I’ve been using thinner plywood with a brace on the back. It’s strong but not too heavy, which is ideal for travel. You want something light but resilient.

ASANOHA: Totally. Presentation is an art form in itself.

The Bank Note Series

ASANOHA: Tell me about your bank note series—this one is featured in the Genesis edition of the magazine. How did you make it, what materials did you use, and what’s the inspiration?

GUS: The series started in 2017. I’ve admired bank note designs since I was a child—the engraving, the cross-hatching, the incredible line work. Modern money often looks cheap by comparison.

My first bank note designs were more “bullish Bitcoin”—Satoshi motifs, blockchain elements. But over time I realized I also really enjoyed criticizing the fiat system. So the series shifted toward darker, more critical pieces that explore propaganda, corruption, and power.

To keep it tied to the Bitcoin narrative, some pieces include augmented reality. If you scan certain designs with an app like Artivive, a Bitcoin bank note appears on top. I invite people to try that.

I do a different design every year. Last year was called The Final Battle. This year I’m working on something related to the Federal Reserve. It’s a way to take the toxicity and conspiratorial narratives that surround this corrupt system and put them into the work. And people respond strongly—sometimes they say it looks exaggerated, but a lot of the elements are taken from real-world narratives.

ASANOHA: I love the details—the reptilian general, the alien businessman.

And one of these was acquired by Bitcoin Magazine, right?

GUS: Yes. That piece is at the Bitcoin Art Museum in Nashville. I went there in 2024 during the Nashville event Trump attended, and I visited the headquarters and museum. The collection is amazing. They have three of my pieces there. I’m honored.

How the Bank Notes Are Made

ASANOHA: What tools and materials are you using for these?

GUS: I start designing digitally on a tablet. Once I’m satisfied with the design—even if it’s still a sketch—I print it on canvas and then paint over it with acrylic. So it ends up as acrylic on canvas.

Some elements would be very hard to paint by hand perfectly, so it’s a mix: part print, part hand-painted acrylic. That creates a one-of-one original, and I usually sell it at auction.

After the original sells, I’ll often make smaller poster prints, and sometimes smaller canvas prints. I’m also saving at least one print from each design because I want to do a full show of the series eventually.

ASANOHA: Do you have any prints available now?

GUS: The plan is to have e-commerce on my website. Last year I made the mistake of not renewing the host and I lost everything, so I rebuilt the website from scratch. The good part is it gives me a chance to rebuild it better.

For now, people can contact me through the site and we can arrange it directly. I don’t know if I still have posters of Slave Money, but I definitely still have posters of The Fiat Standard and a few others. I need to put them up on the site.

ASANOHA: So if someone wants one, they should reach out through your website contact form and you can show what’s available.

GUS: Exactly. I try to save at least one of each design to build a complete series show later.

ASANOHA: I’d love to see them all together—either in person or even just photographed side-by-side. The proof-of-work in a long series like that is so impressive.

Pepe Credit

ASANOHA: You’ve got to tell me about Pepe Credit. We featured it in the magazine.

GUS: I love that design. The original token dates back years—around 2017, I think. It went into the Fake Rares directory a couple years ago, and I refined the design for that.

Most of it is digitally hand-drawn. The guilloché background was developed with Polymetric—he shared several designs with me that I could test in different bank note concepts—but everything else is mine.

I made it in Adobe Fresco, which lets you draw directly in vector, so it’s fully scalable. I could print it the size of a building if I wanted.

I also made a run of lithographs on cotton paper and sold most of them at Pepe Symposium Paris in 2023. I might have one or two left, but not many.

ASANOHA: If you have any left, you should pair one with a signed copy of the magazine and auction it. Photograph the print next to the magazine spread.

GUS: That’s a great idea. I’ll look into it.

Cross-Hatching and Technique

ASANOHA: Tell me about this piece—Dorian Nakamoto with the Bitcoin cigar burning dollars. The cross-hatching is incredible. Did you do that all by hand?

GUS: Yes, it’s all by hand.

There are tools now and they’re getting better, but if you use AI you often end up with a small raster image. I prefer working in vector so I can print at any size.

I’m still perfecting my technique, but I really enjoy working this way and I’m pushing it further.

ASANOHA: It’s beautiful work—better than any cross-hatching I’ve ever done. I’ve only played around with Photoshop tools a bit, so I’m impressed.

Where to Find Gus

ASANOHA: You can find Gus at GusGrillasca.com, and on Twitter/X and Instagram at @GusGrillasca.

GUS: I’m also on Nostr—I need to update my website with my profile link. You can find me on Primal by searching my name.

ASANOHA: Yeah, Nostr links can be tricky, but even a Primal profile link works well as a clickable link. You should definitely add that icon to your site.

Also, your website has a great video where people can see your studio and where you work. It’s a bit long to play here, but I encourage everyone to check it out.

Upcoming Work

ASANOHA: Anything you want to tease—new work, new direction?

GUS: I don’t want to say too much yet because I’m still figuring out the medium. But I’m working with vintage designs that combine pixel art and physical media, with gaming themes. I’m excited about how it’s looking, but I’m still working out presentation.

Upcoming Events

ASANOHA: Do you have any conferences or events where people can see your work in person soon?

GUS: Nothing confirmed yet. I’m being more selective now because I’m a dad—my daughter just turned one.

I’d like to attend Vegas, but I’m not 100% confirmed. I’m also looking at events in Texas, because from Mexico City it’s convenient to drive. If I don’t make those, sometimes I get invited to Miami or New York. Once I’m confirmed, I’ll post about it.

ASANOHA: I hope to see you at least once this year. And if I make it down to Mexico, I’ll hit you up—maybe we can hang.

GUS: Absolutely. If you come through Mexico City, let me know. I know a lot of people here—I can help.

From Chemical Engineering to Bitcoin Art

ASANOHA: Earlier you mentioned your pre-Bitcoin career. Can you tell me a little bit about chemical engineering—and how it shaped your journey?

GUS: I didn’t know what to do out of high school, and chemical engineering felt broad and interesting. It was extremely hard—college was tough—but I’m proud I finished.

By the end of my bachelor’s, I fell in love with biochemistry. Biochemistry is basically the story of life—humans, bacteria, whales—everything. The chemistry behind living systems blew my mind.

After college I worked briefly in petrochemicals, which I hated. Then I did a master’s in biochemistry in Barcelona. I stayed in Europe about ten years. I built a recycling startup focused on cellulose—a biopolymer.

But over time I realized that in chemistry and biotech, it’s hard to have autonomy. Even in private industry you have endless layers of bosses, and it’s difficult to pursue independent research.

In 2010, with a professor and a small group, we spun out a startup from the university and developed a cellulose recycling process. We got a government loan to start. But being an entrepreneur in Europe can feel impossible—so much regulation, so much compliance. We did it anyway, and I’m proud of it. That project is still running as far as I know.

I sold my share in 2016 and bought Bitcoin with it. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made.

I realized I was trapped in a system that limited freedom. Now I live in Mexico City, and I can travel when I want. I wanted to come back to Mexico but not earn in pesos. Bitcoin helped unlock that.

Today I’m not only doing art. I teach, I run workshops, I do consulting. I’m relatively well-known in Mexico’s Bitcoin community—not famous, but trusted. I’ve stayed honest—no scams, no scandals. I work with clients, students, and workshops, and I stay up to date with the tech. It’s a more autonomous life.

ASANOHA: That’s fascinating. And I totally hear you on the gatekeeping. It’s wild how advanced the sciences are, and also how controlled access can be.

GUS: Exactly. A lot of knowledge is available online, but access to labs and serious research resources is gated through credentials and institutions. That can protect people, but it can also bottleneck human progress.

I’ve also seen industries where people become world-class without college—like cosmetics formulation—because they can experiment at home. But with genetic engineering and biotech, it’s much harder. And a lot of research direction gets captured by big pharma. The science is mind-blowing and powerful—and it can be used for good—but it’s also a dark world because of incentives and control.

ASANOHA: I’m glad you found your way into more freedom. Thanks for sharing all of that. Next time we hang out, I’m going to have more questions—over a beer.

GUS: Anytime. Thank you for giving me the chance to share my work and be part of the magazine. I’m proud to be part of this community. I’m very bullish on the future of Bitcoin and Bitcoin art. Let’s definitely have that beer and keep talking.

Closing

ASANOHA: Gus, thank you again for taking the time. Thanks everyone for listening, and we’ll see you next time.

GUS: Thanks, Asanoha—and thank you everyone for your time and attention.

ASANOHA: Have a great day, everybody.