Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Zamets
Hi Elizabeth, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Ever since I can remember, I’ve loved to draw. When I was a kid, I would copy Simpsons characters in magazines. I drew mermaids, fairies and robbers, and tried to copy video game characters. I remember spending uninterrupted hours copying, erasing, copying and erasing anything at all that interested me at the time. I took a keen interest in painting and in illustrating stories that I read, starting with a painting I made in 2014 illustrating a scene in The Hot Zone, a book by Robert Preston. In it he describes the patient zero of Ebola in Africa, experiencing complete body failure; cells bursting, blood oozing from his orifices, and eventually collapsing in the waiting room of a hospital. I felt very drawn to this because of the sadness of the story and my fascination with viruses and its effect on the society it spreads in, and how different nations handle different crises. When I finished the painting, I realized how enlivened I was with the process and how it felt to illustrate something; an idea, a plot point, a story, a feeling, and all of these things converging together to show you an image of something that could trigger disgust, fear, confusion, and just a general interest in the image. I decided to pursue illustration more seriously, and went to art school. Throughout my time there, I bounced between animation, fine art, and then finally arrived back at illustration. When I entered the department, I felt like I could do exactly what I wanted to do, which was to illustrate something, but in a way that was almost ambiguous, in a way that shows a lot of feeling and purpose, but by traditional means. It was also in a way that ties into what I’m interested in as a person; in music, film, philosophy, and in what it means to be a human being. Upon graduating, I’ve strived to approach art making in a way where I’m improving the techniques I use to make paintings, in improving the truth of the subjects I seek to illustrate and to unify those two in a way that’s increasingly authentic for me and evermore clear, but engaging. Mental health has long been a subject of interest for me, both from my own perspective as being someone who struggles with anxiety and doubt, but also as someone who loves people who deal with the same thing. I lost my mother in January of 2024, and the pain of her loss and what proceeded it in the year before her death was the greatest upheaval I’ve ever experienced. I’ve learned and felt so much that I never wanted to or needed to, and will never forget. Suffice it to say, these factors have influenced the subjects I explore in my paintings ranging from feelings of sadness, fear and loss, to feelings of love, liberation and joy. Alongside my painting practice, I work in the scenic art realm, painting for fabrication companies and assisting muralists in completing their work. This trade has also influenced the way I make paintings, and my paintings have influenced the way I do scenic work. I am proud to be a trade worker, and somebody who has learned a skill set on the job. Where these paths will lead I am not sure. I love painting, and I love art, and I love creating and pondering and living my life the truest and best way I can, for the memory of my mother, for my happiness and for the betterment of those around me.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I think the journey to being the artist I am today has been quite rocky. I’ve felt plagued with doubt more times than I can count, but ultimately I have realized that in order be truest to myself I must paint and create things as much as I can. I’ve felt like I couldn’t paint or do the things I wanted to creatively in the past, but have arrived at a place where I need to, no matter what fear or self doubt I experience, or the risk of failure.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I love to draw, paint and design in every capacity possible. I’m a traditional illustrator that specializes in painting emotions personified; allegories for emotional situations, my psyche, grief, and emotional snapshots. My work is typically colorful, intense, and stark, painted with detail and flashes of violence. I’m definitely most proud of my willingness to explore ideas to their fullest, and have learned that no idea is a bad idea, even if you’re not as happy as you’d want to be with the outcome. I am proud of my willingness to push myself and become aware of my own faults and weaknesses, and to create a way of painting that is unique to me and my practice.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
I think success to me is peace and doing what I love, and being around the people I love. I’ve always want to make a career out of art and painting, and hope to work in a more design centered and creative capacity, while maintaining my painting and illustration practice.
Pricing:
- Original paintings range from $500 to $900.
- Commissioned illustration prices depend on complexity, completed hours, and application.
- Scenic painting and visual merchandising rates range from $29 to $40 per hour.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://elizabethzamets.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizzamets
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-zamets-709293124?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
