Today we’d like to introduce you to Zachary Diaz.
Hi Zachary, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I grew up homeschooled in a country town with no access to art classes. My mother, two brothers, and I moved in with my grandparents to make ends meet. We didn’t have much, but we had each other – that was more than enough. During library visits, I read books about the Italian Renaissance, Expressionist painters, and whatever else I could reach on the shelves that had a fascinating cover. Like a sponge, I soaked up everything. “I’m going to be an artist,” was my response to every “What do you want to be?” question. I meant that.
Art was my way of escaping my current circumstances and imagining a life I was desperate to experience. I drew cartoons with my father during summer visits and became obsessed with looking through my grandfather’s college portfolio case. Both were artists when they were younger, but stopped along the way to pursue life. I was determined – or perhaps stubborn – and pursued art instead. As a result, my life fell into place.
I studied art at several Universities and taught myself graphic design along the way. I’ve won awards for my artwork, sold pieces to incredible collectors, painted a 45ft mural for the University of South Carolina, and attended artist residencies in the US and Italy – some free of charge – all because I followed my dreams. My trips to NY and Italy were the most emotional for me because I finally got to see the art I read about as a child. There is no greater feeling in the world than seeing your dreams come to life.
People tell me they are proud of who I became, but I am most proud of who I was: that kid in the library looking for books to read about artists, drawing and praying for something better while ignoring every discouraging voice that laughed and told me how much of a gamble pursuing art is. I’ve always believed the only “gamble” was doing anything else.
I’ve tried my hand in so many interests. I’ve been a college athlete, an actor for theater and TV, a rapper, a cook, a barista, a waiter, a children’s home counselor, and plenty more. Throughout every experience, I brought my sketchbook. I’m very blessed to be where I am now in my artistic career. If I stopped at any time during the rough patches, during the hard times when other career doors seemed easier to walk through, or when people I looked up to looked down on my dreams, I wouldn’t be sharing my story with you now.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being an artist comes with its difficulties. Whether creatively or financially, I’ve had to stay encouraged, determined, and constantly reevaluate my approach if I wanted to keep this going. Networking and collaborating with other artists have helped me reach farther than I could have alone. Graphic Design also changed everything for me. I was able to work in a creative field that teaches me marketing and business practices, pays my expenses, and allows me to invest back into my art. I’ve worked with universities, college athletics, and currently design for the US Army.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My work is a blend of classical and contemporary compositions. The inspiration for my art changes over time. For years, I created hyper-representational work with figures and portraits. Then, I created stories within my art that had an underlying message for viewers to observe. In 2020-21 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, my work was inspired by the experiences of others and attempted to connect people by anonymously sharing their life stories and creating work inspired by them. Currently, I’m working with clouds and combining all of my previous inspirations into an interconnected story with figures, symbols, and poetry.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Many people know that I draw and paint, but I’ve done a lot more: I played soccer for two universities I attended, joined a Christian rap group in high school with my older brother – we recorded two albums, took a year off during college to act for TV and theater, and still dream of opening a restaurant/gallery one day because I love cooking for people! Anything I’ve been fascinated by I have tried. Not because I’m indecisive, but I believe our interests have a way of revealing who we are (and are not). I’m not afraid to start from scratch if I am genuinely interested in something. I’ve learned things from all these endeavors that I still use today. The only constant truth is that anything is possible. I know that’s cliche but, try this: If you don’t mind looking like a beginner at something, you can become the best at whatever you do.
Contact Info:
- Email: zadiazcom@gmail.com
- Website: www.zadiaz.co
- Instagram: instagram.com/zadiaz_com
- Facebook: facebook.com/zadiazcom
- Twitter: twitter.com/zadiaz_com
Image Credits
Ambience Unfounded Photography
