Today we’d like to introduce you to Zak Duff.
Hi Zak, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in the DC Metro area and moved to the Carolinas in 2000. In 2005, I landed in Wilmington, NC, intent on returning to my education after some years of transience and uncertainty. I enrolled at Cape Fear Community College, where I quickly became interested in the arts program. After completing an associate degree at CFCC, I transferred to UNCW and completed a bachelor’s in arts. I also became deeply involved with Thrive Studios, an artist collective and gallery. Through Thrive and my bachelor’s program, I participated in dozens of group shows exploring several mediums and subject matter, developing an eclectic portfolio. During this time, I also worked as a gallery assistant at Projekte Gallery and then as a gallery manager at Anvil & Ink Gallery & Studio. All of this culminated in enrollment at the Academy of Art, San Francisco, where I completed a master’s in fine arts with a focus on oil painting. Initially promoting my work online, I was given a few important opportunities that initiated my post-graduate career, starting with a one-person show at a local brewery and taproom, Flytrap Brewing. From there, I expanded into a wide array of galleries, eateries, and artisan markets along the coast, showing my work by setting up my pop-up tent in the coastal towns of several counties. While labor-intensive, these markets have allowed me to expose my work to hundreds of thousands of people visiting our coastline annually. I have continued to show my work in galleries and group shows and have recently accepted a part-time position as an instructor at the very same community college I started at so that I might share my enthusiasm for art history with my students.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The path to becoming a full-time artist has been a challenging one. I remember early in my education being advised by a working artist that if I pursued ‘the artist route,’ I should learn to love criticism, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and ramen noodles. This has rung very true. There have been financial hardships, plenty of self-doubt, sleepless nights, and never-ending work days for little money. At one point, I broke my dominant hand in the middle of a major project that had to be completed ambidextrously. I have had projects accidentally destroyed after days of work, endured entirely unattended shows, and been caught outside in massive downpours with thousands of dollars worth of work. There have been challenges at every turn, but I would not trade it for the world.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
After completing my education, my artwork fell into three distinct categories – watercolors of Carolina wildlife, surreal portraits in oil, and abstractions in mixed media. The abstractions are based on landscapes, beginning with a naturalist depiction, which will ultimately be obliterated by a process I refer to as the “push and pull,” pushing out elements I do not care for and pulling forward elements that I find pleasing. The surreal portraits begin with an image of a model and an image of a sky-scape, which I will augment in Photoshop through layering and filters to create a reference image. This reference then becomes the basis for the portrait, embodying the feelings of serenity found in nature. These portraits reflect the idea of the sublime – the feelings of smallness experienced when faced with the vastness of nature and the universe. The watercolors are inspired by the works of artist and naturalist John James Audubon, blended with the line work and vibrant color palettes of 1990s comic book artists. All my work reflects my love of the diverse environments of the Carolinas. The surreal portraits are among my favorite to create, though they are also the most labor-intensive and challenging. My wildlife watercolors, some of which feature repurposed maps and nautical charts as backgrounds, are the most popular among my clients.
Let’s end by discussing what matters most to you and why.
Beyond the love and health of my family, what matters most to me is the preservation of our environment. The environment is a major influence on my work, and I enjoy my time communing with nature, especially with my wife and son. I plan to feature natural elements around the Carolinas in my artwork to raise appreciation and inspire others to take better care of it. I want to steward our environment to keep it safe for my son’s generation and beyond.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://zakduff.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zmduff/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zmduff/
Image Credits
Zak Duff
