BIO
When I was in 2nd grade I won an art competition for a drawing I did of a hot air balloon. The prize was a set of oil pastels. I can still remember dancing all the way home with my rainbow in a box.
I studied painting and Art History under Mel Ramos, Enrique Chagoya and Dr. Mark Levy at Cal State East Bay graduating with honors in 1993.
In 1999 I started facilitating creativity workshops (ArtForPersonalGrowth.com) through organizations such as Men and Women as Allies, Friends of CG Jung, Sunset Center, carmel and Monterey Adult School.It is a great joy to me to lead these fun and experiential sessions.
My husband, Earl Vickers(museumofconceptualart.com) and I live in the Saratoga, CA. I am grateful to be supporting community and creativity by leading workshops through ACE, Adult Community Education(www.fuhsd.org). I also lead a Women’s Creativity Circle for healing and personal growth. In my own art, I indulge in the privilege and challenge of painting abstractly. I consider art-making to be view to the psyche and an experiment with the Divine.
EDUCATION
2012 Post graduate Abstract Painting with Katie Hawkinson, Stanford University,
2007 Advanced Painting with Don Feasel, San Jose State University
2000 California Teaching Credential, Chapman University
1993 Bachelor of Arts,Studio Arts, California State University, Hayward
AWARDS & HONORS
2011 Honorable Mention UB anderson Gallery, Buffalo, NY
2009 Sponsor's Award, SCVWS Rose Shenson Gallery, Santa Clara, CA
1998 2nd place, Jazz and Art show, Avery Gallery, Seaside, CA
1993 1st place, Graphic Designs in CSU, Hayward Newspaper
EXHIBITIONS
2011 Creekside Artists Collective SVOS (svos.org)
2011 UB Anderson Gallery, Buffalo, NY Niagra frontier Watercolro Society
2010 Los Gatos Art Museum,LGAA Statewide Juried show, CA
2010 Rengstorff House, Mountain View, CA
2010 Triton Art Museum, Midsummer Arts Fair,Santa Clara, CA
2010 Norton Gallery, Palo Alto, CA
2010 Sunnyvale Art gallery, 251 W. El Camino Real, Sunnyvale, CA
2009 Rose Shenson Gallery, SVWCS Juried Show, Santa Clara, CA
2009 Carrollwood Cultural Center, ISAP, International Juried Show, Tampa, FL
2009 Ocean Shores, AAOS National juried show,WA
2009 Statewide Juried show, Los Gatos Art Museum, CA
2003 Avery Gallery, S. Stanly Curator, Seaside, CA
1992 Pro-Arts Gallery, Co-op curators Oakland, CA
1993 CSUEB Gallery, Hayward, CA
1993 Muralist, in the Harlen St. Women’s Mural Project, San Leandro, CA
ILLUSTRATIONS
2008 Cover, Psihodermatologija text book
1994 Cover, Occam's Razor Literary magazine, issue 11
1993 Escape magazine, Illustration P.46
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2008-present Art Instruction ACE, FHUSD Sunnyvale,(fuhsd.org)CA
2006-2007 Art Teacher, Fitch Middle School, MPUSD
1996-2006 Multiple Subjects, Marina Vista Elementary School, MPUSD
LECTURES
2010 History of Collage, Cupertino Senior Center, Cupertino CA
2008 ACE, Sunnyvale, CA.
2007 Dreaming: Art and Insights Workshop Leader, Friends of CG Jung, Monterey, CA
2001 Letting Art Effect Us Deeply, led w/ Tim Bailey, Sunset Center, Carmel, CA
1987-93 Head of Mural Project, Geary Children's Center, San Francisco, CA
ARTIST STATEMENT
I am an abstract painter. My work reflects years of experimentation with various media processes that are now integral to my style. My paintings are contemporary, expressive, often decorative, and always inspired.
I start with a lose composition of shapes or grids and let a rhythm evolve. Paint is applied with brushes, rags, spray bottles, plastic scrapers and body parts. Variations are created by interrupting drying paint at different stages, introducing elements of randomness. This method gets me physically involved in a way that facilitates a focus necessary for my best work. I enter into a dialogue with the painting. I find images and colors become metaphors for ideas, the process of painting, always a metaphor for transformation.
I have been influenced by many 19th & 20th century Abstract and Minimalist painters. I admire their attempts to take painting to the level of pure abstraction that music and meditation achieve. As I child we had William T. Wiley's work on display in our home. Klee, Rothko and Klein are undenyable influences. My paintings have been compared to minimalists such as Agnes Martin. Currently I'm looking at Gary Kormarin, Maya Kabat and Elyse Katz with appreciation.I have a BA in Studio Arts from Cal State East Bay (1993).
CRITICS & COLLECTORS
“(Her work) …has a pulse and freshness in the mark-making as well as controlled depth in layering...everything works together beautifully.” -George Rivera, Art critic and Curator Triton Museum, Santa Clara CA.2010
“…(Zoya’s watercolor) painting hangs between realistic and abstract. I was intrigued. It is filled with subtle incidents, which hold my attention…”- Christopher Schink, Editor, Palette Magazine.2009
“Zoya’s oil painting is beautiful, very beautiful...” -Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Poet, San Francisco, CA.2008