Kara Zuzu
Your parents, were they involved in your creativity as a child? Did they take notice of your talent?
I will always give my mother credit for fostering my creativity as a kid. I feel so fortunate to have had that experience growing up. My mom had a degree in Home Economics and was constantly providing crafts activities, teaching me how to sew, or even cook. When she learned that I loved sculpting she endlessly supplied me with polymer clay. It was this early exposure that I credit for the sculpting skills I have today.
That first notable art experience, is this something you remember?
I had an AMAZING art teacher in elementary school! Her name was Mrs. Boetz and she was my teacher up until 3rd grade when she retired. She was the catalyst in molding my identity as an artist and developing my creative spirit. I remember how supportive she was of all of my imagined ideas for my artmaking. Upon her retirement, she had taken a picture I had drawn entitled, “They all have babies” (quite literally over 20 animals and their babies) and turned them into greeting cards. Cards that I still have today. The time and effort she put in to making me feel special as an artist back then has paved the path to my courage and confidence as an artist today, something for which I will always be grateful.
What is the most gratifying aspect of your art making?
Sometimes I think that I am “obsessed” with the process of making. I really enjoy problem-solving, and that is a huge aspect of my artmaking. I am constantly asking myself how to make something 2-d into a 3-D form or how to make something soft out of something hard. Solving those problems is what really excites me and leaves me wanting to create more.
Your inspiration, where exactly is that coming from?
Nature and animals 100% inspire my work. Sitting in nature and watching the animals is so grounding and reflective for me. When I see something in nature that resonates with me emotionally I include it in my sculptures and this is what drives my work. Yet, there is always a very deep and personal aspect to my art that many viewers may not know. I kinda like it that way, like a secret only me and the artwork I create know.
I will always give my mother credit for fostering my creativity as a kid. I feel so fortunate to have had that experience growing up. My mom had a degree in Home Economics and was constantly providing crafts activities, teaching me how to sew, or even cook. When she learned that I loved sculpting she endlessly supplied me with polymer clay. It was this early exposure that I credit for the sculpting skills I have today.
That first notable art experience, is this something you remember?
I had an AMAZING art teacher in elementary school! Her name was Mrs. Boetz and she was my teacher up until 3rd grade when she retired. She was the catalyst in molding my identity as an artist and developing my creative spirit. I remember how supportive she was of all of my imagined ideas for my artmaking. Upon her retirement, she had taken a picture I had drawn entitled, “They all have babies” (quite literally over 20 animals and their babies) and turned them into greeting cards. Cards that I still have today. The time and effort she put in to making me feel special as an artist back then has paved the path to my courage and confidence as an artist today, something for which I will always be grateful.
What is the most gratifying aspect of your art making?
Sometimes I think that I am “obsessed” with the process of making. I really enjoy problem-solving, and that is a huge aspect of my artmaking. I am constantly asking myself how to make something 2-d into a 3-D form or how to make something soft out of something hard. Solving those problems is what really excites me and leaves me wanting to create more.
Your inspiration, where exactly is that coming from?
Nature and animals 100% inspire my work. Sitting in nature and watching the animals is so grounding and reflective for me. When I see something in nature that resonates with me emotionally I include it in my sculptures and this is what drives my work. Yet, there is always a very deep and personal aspect to my art that many viewers may not know. I kinda like it that way, like a secret only me and the artwork I create know.
Biography
Kara "Zuzu" Zupancic received her BA in Studio Art and Art Education from Saint Vincent College in 2007. She continued her education at Edinboro University and earned her MA in Art Education in 2012. She maintained a professional career as an arts educator while pursuing her work as a professional artist. As a Pittsburgh-based ceramic sculpture artist, Zuzu makes both smaller, functional art (like mugs with hand-sculpted embellishment) as well as large sculptures. Her one-of-a-kind sculptures are inspired by animals, women, and narratives from her lived experiences. To further deepen her skills, Zuzu attends workshops held by a variety of independent studio artists. She also traveled to Bali, Indonesia to complete a workshop with artist Allesandro Gallo. She connects with other sculptors through her membership in the Pittsburgh Society of Sculptors and Associated Artists of Pittsburgh. Especially an animal lover, the creatures Zuzu chooses to sculpt are often those that cross her path and leave her imprinted with a feeling evoked by that animal. Intentionally chosen, Zuzu relies on the calming energy of animals to tell humanistic and personal stories. Her sculptures draw you in, asking you to look beyond an initial impression for interpretation. Animals are a non-threatening way to engage an audience in an experience of allowing for multiple perspectives and self-reflection.