MEET THE ARTIST

About Zuzana

Zuzana is a London based artist, a member of Richmond Art Society and an awarded artist by International Watercolour Masters. Zuzana’s original works can be found in private collections around the world, from Japan to the US. Here is what she has to say about her artistic journey so far…

I’ve painted here and there – mainly here – since I moved to London in 2004. Courtesy of the Covid lockdown, this dormant interest of mine became a full-blown passion. The relative freedom finally allowed for study of technique, art history and, most crucially, daily practice.

My first love was watercolour. I painted solidly every day for two years and it has been a valuable learning experience, exploring wide range of  subjects.

More recently I’ve expanded my practice to acrylic and oil painting. I was looking to address some of the challenges inherent to watercolours.  The change was a natural evolution, widening my creative experience and a skill set. What hasn’t changed is my intention to capture essence of my subjects and finding balance between representation and abstraction.

What drives me to create

I see beauty in natural simplicity. The closest to my artistic sensibility is the aesthetic developed over the centuries in Asia, Japan in particular. In the traditional sense, it’s defined by imperfection, subtlety, acceptance of life’s natural rhythms, harmony, restraint and intentionality.

I’ve applied many of these principles in my recent collection – ‘Vessels’. With my work I  honour the pottery and glass makers and their sensibilities to the beauty of nature. I see the weathered, cracked or softly eroded surfaces as carriers of memory and use and essential qualities rather than flaws. Equally central to my work in this collection are the principles of ‘kanso’ (simplicity and omission) and ‘ma’ (negative space). I pared down the compositions to the essential. By removing the non-essential, the viewers are invited to look slowly.

My background

I grew up in Slovakia, where my love for nature originates. After completing my Master in Economics studies I moved to London, where I currently live with my husband and two daughters. I work from my home studio where my patrons are invited annually as part of the Art House Open Studios.

I regularly exhibit my work with Richmond Art Society – Summer and Winter Exhibition, and my work can be seen at events organised by Arts Richmond.

Besides my own creations, I work on commissions across mediums and to the client’s subject and size specifications.