Zara’s life as
an Artist

As a cancer Sun, Moon, Mercury, Mars and Lilith, expression has always poured through me as a way to sail the vast depths of emotion.

My first love was dance, I studied a BA at the University of NSW as a dance major (Contemporary & Ballet), dancing 5 days a week until age 27. Living in the heart of Newtown, I spent my uni years immersed in artist playgrounds of warehouses, galleries & gigs - absorbing the colour of the city.

From the age of four, I was very clear in requesting specific design details from the clothes my Mother made me. Sewing basics were handed from my Grandmother, to my Mother, to me. My overwhelming passion, persistent focus, a problem solving OS and practical nature were really the main tools to move between the gaping canyon of hemming tops at age eighteen to making jackets in my thirties. Hundreds upon hundreds of hours, my goodness! It was also fed by my strong desire to wear the designs i’d dreamed up, yet couldn't find in a store. I also have a deep love affair with opulence, high quality silk, cotton, linen, wool, hemp and fur (drool) and love the feeling of textures on my skin (cancer things).

Sewing ignited the builder in me. Measuring, double checking and checking again before cutting, creative/efficient use of materials, rectifying boo boo's etc etc. These tools are really the backbone of the larger art installation project I worked on for Mind Sub at Burning Seed 2018.

Painting has been my most recent love affair. Bursting forth from the dammed waters of my heart. I was fortunate that my Mother is an artist and I spent my childhood in crafting storms.

Having lay dormant until 2021 (and post soiree as a Melodic House/Techno DJ), I began learning the art of oil paints which have cooed and softened the edges of these times.

Giving deep gratitude to my teacher and great master painter of traditional oil techniques, underpainting and mischtechnik Daniel Mirante