Get to Know Paulina Zamorano

Paulina Zamorano

Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do.

Hello,

My name is Paulina.

I am a Visual Artist and a Freelance Graphic designer that has recently completed her Bachelor's Degree at the Australian Catholic University.

As an emerging artist, I believe that my practice reflects the Identity of my Chilean background and the connection to the privilege I personally have as a child of immigrant parents within the Western world.

To put it quite simply, my art practice is a reflection of who I am as a person, the experiences and perspectives I may have on the world around me and those who have had an impact upon it. This reflection is explored through wearable works (garment construction), Illustration, sculpture and painting. Just to name a few.

Alongside my art practice, I’m also a Graphic Designer and content creator. That’s right I also think critically. The work I am able to produce through this field of work is much more client-based, therefore I create content and collateral that benefits the clients' needs.

It’s a good combination of free creative thinking as well as critical brief based work that I get to explore every day.

What fuels your creative passion?

To be quite blunt. My parents, family and closest friendship groups. They influence and “Fuel” my creative passion. Each individual has become a pillar of inspiration (as cheesy and grandiose as that sounds, yet it is 100% true) they each have an essence of understanding and perspective that allows my vision as an Artist, Graphic designer, Photographer and content creator (naming all the hats that any and all creative individuals have to wear) to expand and explore deeper into the purpose of the work that I create.

What is Zam Studio?

ZAM (orano) Studio (creative house of conceptual creation)

Coming up with my “artist” name when I began to explain my passions to my family. I wanted them to understand my work, my artist practises and what I create is actually all for them (my family). They’re the backbone of every creative endeavour I’ve taken on board or simply thought of. Therefore I wanted a name that would age with my work and the growth I’ll continuously be embarking on as an artist and as an individual.

Lately, your social media has been flooded with pre-loved sneakers. Can you give us an insight on what your plans are with these and how the idea came about?

That project… Is a secret.

(I’m kidding, kind of)

Sneakers have and will always hold a very important relationship to me. Yes I am aware that they’re shoes and that ‘everyone’ has them (however not everyone is privileged to say that). Therefore the act of collecting and repurposing worn sneakers will become a part of a very important artwork that I’ll be releasing in the ‘near’ future. I rather not specify a date as of yet. However, if you keep up with my studio account @zamstudio, you'll be bound to hear about it.

We’d love for you to share some insight on some of your favourite pieces of work to date:

1. You and I are the same 2019 (Graduation Collection)

2. Strength In Numbers 2019 (Passion Project Collaboration)

3. Interwoven 2019 (Group Project)

'Graduation Collection' #1

'Graduation Collection' #2

'Interwoven'

'Strength in Numbers'

What is your role as a volunteer like at Connection Art Space?

Connection Arts Space is a not-for-profit Art Gallery, located in the heart of Dandenong. Run by a beautiful and passionate group of volunteers that create space for all local artists, We aim to include all emerging to established Artists. CAS’ aim is to make Art more accessible to our local and greater community of Melbourne.

I am blessed to be the Instagram Manager and Content creator for CAS. Therefore I run everything from my phone, which has now become an extended part of my limbs. This organisation has allowed me to give back to my community of Casey / Dandenong, as I am also passionate about creating opportunities for young artists with big dreams. I’m able to reach out via social media and give young creative individuals the opportunity to showcase their talents to our audience of 1.2k. This reach has formed a local community that connects art lovers and creators. We will continue to support and invite local talent to showcase their works.

If you or someone you know would like to feature their works online, feel free to message @connectionartsspace on Instagram. We’re here to help over the holidays!

Do you have a mentor or someone you look up to in your industry?

Inspirations such as Frida Kahlo, Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet and Zhang Xiaogang, hold very special relationships within my education as an Artist and influences throughout my creative process. The common thread between all five individuals is their passion to break through a mould and become better craftspeople within their practice. They all manage to uphold their individual cultures and notions of society through the purpose of their works.

The notion of a “Mentor” or an “Idol” doesn’t sit well within my practice as an artist. Not to sound rude or dismissive of the individuals who have paved the way for young artists like myself, however, the relationship and inspiration I draw from individuals that I named earlier, is solely based upon the individual career each artist was able to construct for themselves. From scratch. That's where I find the most inspiration to create and focus my energy into.

• Personally Speaking. Having good, and I mean GREAT Lecturers and Technicians throughout your studies is vital to the growth of your art practice. I have to give a huge shout out to the following individuals: De leggo, Loretta, Mrs Grieg, Catherine Bell, Christine Small and Elvis Richardson. They’re the true angels that shape and guide your creative consciousness into new spaces that you probably wouldn't have gotten to without their help. I know for a fact that I was blessed with inspirational teachers that gave me 100% of their time and energy to better my craft as an artist and as a young woman. I am also driven to create works with a greater purpose because of what they taught me.

Where would you like to see yourself in the next three years?

I’ll be 25, working towards a gallery exhibition and fingers crossed we can travel. So then that exhibition can become an internationally viewed body of work. I also hope I can be enjoying a good cup of coffee with a croissant in hand whilst seeing myself in Art Almanac. (I’ll let you know how I go in 3 years from now)

My social media accounts are:

Personal: @paulinazamorano_

Studio account: @zamstudio

Website address: paulinazamorano.com