Today we’d like to introduce you to Zoe Papas
Hi Zoe, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Though I’ve been drawing since I was a child, I didn’t consider myself a professional artist until after I graduated from the University of Central Florida with my BFA in Studio Art. While in college, I frequently practiced drawing from nude models even outside of class. After I moved back to my hometown of Clearwater, I continued honing my skills at a figure drawing open studio at the Dunedin Fine Art Center. A fellow attendee recommended I apply to teach figure drawing at the art center and I got the job. I enjoy passing on drawing techniques to fellow artists, so this was a great fit for me. Around the same time, I also applied to sell my work at the Art Harvest, an annual fine art festival in Highlander Park. Though I was completely new to the outdoor show circuit, I took home an Award of Excellence and sold a few prints which motivated me to continue. I continued to win awards, but I was never completely satisfied with my work.
I discovered the Florence Academy of Art online and was inspired by the beautiful work the students there were producing. It was then that I knew I needed some further art education to fully bring my visions to life. I enrolled in an inaugural art program with Florence Academy of Art where I worked full time for 3 summers on my Master of Arts degree. While there, I learned classical atelier drawing techniques which greatly improved my work. I then created a new class at the Dunedin Fine Art Center, Drawing Atelier, where I could pass on these techniques to my students. I graduated with my master’s degree in Florence, Italy in the summer of 2023. Today I’m still teaching at the Dunedin Fine Art Center, and I’m slated to teach Drawing I in the spring of 2025 at the University of St. Leo. I’m working on new drawings in my dual-layer series and branching out stylistically with my work. I’m currently submitting to art shows, exhibitions, and grants to get my art out in the world.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There’s been several hurdles I’ve had to overcome. The biggest one was paying for my graduate school. In addition to teaching, I used to work part-time at a print shop to make money. Now I do graphic design work as an independent contractor for Lotus Design LLC. I’m very grateful for the support of my husband and parents to help me pay for school.
Teaching also came with its own struggles. I’ve always been a shy person, so teaching did not come easily at first. However, doing it continuously for the past 7 years has helped me be more confident. There will always be difficult students, but I try my best to connect with people and give them good, honest feedback. I’ve seen my classes fill up more and more lately and I’m really happy with the work my students are doing.
I’ve also struggled with motivation. Sometimes, doing work in my studio comes easily, other times it feels like a chore. An artist I admire, Stephen Bauman, often talks about cold passion. As opposed to hot passion which is fast-burning, cold passion is long-lasting. It involves putting a little time into your art every day, even when you don’t feel like it. I’m often surprised by what I can accomplish with just an hour or two a day.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in drawing figures from life. My preferred medium is charcoal and chalk on toned paper, but I like to experiment with incorporating other media into my charcoal drawings such as watercolor, ink wash, and gold paint. I also do oil paintings on occasion. I enjoy depicting the human form because of its timelessness and universal appeal. I’m proud of my drawing and painting skills, yet I’m a perfectionist at heart so I’m always looking to learn and grow. As a result of my study and practice, I’m able to achieve a sense of realism and subtlety which I feel often sets me apart as an artist.
In particular, I’m proud of my dual-layer series. In this series, I typically have a charcoal figure in the foreground, and I cut out a portion of the paper to reveal the background. I use the background layer to explore what the person is thinking or feeling in that moment or to convey an idea. These drawings both literally and figuratively reveal something beneath the surface. I think of them as bridging the gap between the classical and contemporary.
My most recent work in this series Convalescence, was inspired by the Japanese art of kintsugi, a centuries old practice of repairing ceramics with a lacquer mixed with gold. I cut cracks in the figure in this work to reveal a layer of gold beneath. This piece shows how one’s struggles in life, the cracks, can lead to great strength in spirit.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I’m more of a believer in divine intervention than luck, though I used to joke about a lucky shirt I happened to wear whenever I received an award. There have been many moments where things fell into place unexpectedly. My husband, Daniel, was able to secure a proposal writing job at just the right time to help pay for my graduate school. It was unexpected for me to win a major award at my first juried fine art show which propelled my art career forward. I received a grant at Creative Pinellas which helped cover some art expenses. I made personal connections which have helped me to get several jobs. Overall, I’m grateful for how my art career has developed so far, and I believe that coincidences often happen for a reason.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.zoepapasart.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoepapasart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zoe.papas.art/
Image Credits
Daniel J Dupuy (for pics of me)
