Today we’d like to introduce you to Franco Zacharzewski.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I first started making art when I was very young. We had a tiny, glass desk by the T.V. where I would spend hours making up little projects to pass the time. That is when, using old cardboard boxes and markers, I began to dabble in the arts! Drawing quickly became one of my biggest pastimes. At school, I would always rush to complete my classwork so I could draw on the tiny notepads my dad brought me from work. As my interest for the arts grew, my family began to travel more and more. We soon left my hometown of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and moved to Paraguay, Colombia, and eventually the states. These travels began to change the way I viewed people and understood culture.
I think anyone who has moved to a new country could testify on the impact this has had on their lives. Beyond the hardships of leaving home behind, I found great value in coming to adopt new cultures as my own. I began to perceive myself under a bigger picture and marvel at my own resilience to adapt and embrace new environments. For an artist in the making, this was fuel for the soul! I truly believe that one of the reasons I ended up choosing to become an artist is due to these travels. Not only did they provide me with ample sources of visual inspiration, but they have also left me with big questions regarding my relationship to my own culture. Art for me has become the vehicle through which I navigate some of these questions, while giving me the opportunity to reach out to other people, regardless where they are from. While I might still have a lot of questions about my own cultural identity, the universality of art is something that has brought great comfort and joy to my life!
Please tell us about your art.
As of lately, my work has been comprised mostly of gouache paintings and ink drawings. I find there’s something truly exciting about playing with line and color and finding out how they can explain the world. Among the things I enjoy the most is editorial illustration – this includes any art geared towards newspapers, magazines, and other media. I really enjoy working alongside writers to discover ways in which art can help clarify or strengthen a message: it’s like a puzzle!
On the other hand, I am also passionate about sequential art, including comics and children’s books. In this case, the challenge lies in telling a particular story with or without the aid of text. I simply love how successful these books can be in reaching out to people and sharing different facets of what it means to be a person in our world today.
Ultimately, my artwork revolves around understanding and manipulating illustration to engage in conversations with the viewers. Often times people are unaware not only of how images speak to us, but also that we can learn to speak through them. Unlike with written language, I am always fascinated to see how much of a person’s view of the world is poured into their artwork, practically subconsciously. I am truly grateful for illustration both as a tool of communication and also for giving me the possibility to share a part of me with the rest of the world.
As an artist, how do you define success and what quality or characteristic do you feel is essential to success as an artist?
Success as an artist can take many different forms. Perhaps the most predictable measurement of success is money – whether or not you are able to make a living with your work. Personally, I think that is one valid way to define your artistic success. After all, affording your expenses is a concern for anyone hoping to build a “successful” career, regardless of their field. However, above money, the quality that best determines your success is your own ability to determine what success means to you, and your drive to then attain it.
It’s okay not to want to be the most revered painter in history. Some painters are just happy to paint! As an artist, it is very important to continue questioning your own work, and why it is that you make what you make. Is there something else you would like to explore? another subject you would like to delve in? perhaps a format you have never tried before? Anything goes! What’s most important is to allow yourself to recognize the things about art that matter to you the most and then harnessing those interests. Not a lot of fields enable you to do this, so take advantage of it!
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
The easiest way to keep track of my work is through my Instagram (@francozacha). That is where I post my newest drawings, paintings, and any news about upcoming shows and exhibitions! For any other professional inquiries, you can also visit my website at www.francozacha.com for a thorough look at my portfolio and other contact information. If you happen to have any other questions about illustration in general, you are always free to reach out to me at francozacha96@gmail.com. Thank you so much for your support!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.francozacha.com
- Email: francozacha96@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/francozacha/?hl=en
Image Credit:
All credits to Franco Zacharzewski
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