Daryl Zang

Daryl Zang (b. 1971, New York, NY) is a contemporary realist oil painter. She earned a BFA from Syracuse University’s School of Visual and Performing Arts, with additional study in Florence, Italy.

Zang’s figurative paintings have been exhibited across the United States, including at the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art (Wausau, WI), the Helen Day Art Center (Stowe, VT), Cavalier Galleries (Greenwich, CT, New York, NY, and Nantucket, MA), Principle Gallery (Charleston, SC), RJD Gallery (Sag Harbor, NY), and the Salmagundi Club (New York, NY). Daryl Zang has also held solo exhibitions at The Bing Art Center (Springfield, MA), The Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Art (MA), and St. Peter’s Church (New York, NY). She is included in the Bennett Collection of Women Artists in San Antonio, TX. Daryl Zang currently lives and works in Connecticut, US.


Artist Statement

I make figurative and still-life paintings inspired by the moments of indulgence that I find balance the demands of daily life. In today’s world, it seems that time is the ultimate luxury, and beauty is sometimes overlooked. In my studio, I use painting as a way to escape the stresses of adulthood.

Using my traditional training along with carefully considered compositions, blended colors, and smooth brushstrokes, I create a bright and colorful version of an unhurried, carefree, and beautiful world. My paintings are a glimpse into a place where we are given permission to savor a perfect moment.


www.zangstudios.com

Who and/or what were your influences when you were first starting out vs. now?

Motherhood has been the greatest influence on the trajectory of my work from the time I started a serious painting practice over 20 years ago until now. I made my own painting a priority at the same time as I found myself at home as a new mother. Trying to carve out time to paint during naptime and in the evenings, I made the best of the situation by looking around the house and through my belongings for whatever I could find that was beautiful or interesting. As my children grew, I paid close attention to how easily they were fascinated by simple things they found in nature; they instinctively knew how to find beauty, and I tried to keep the same open attitude.

All those years ago, I copied down a quote from a Linda Nochlin essay that is taped to a cabinet door in my studio today. It reads, “….if a woman is hemmed in by the domestic scene, if floors, toys, and laundry are her daily fare, she can still turn adversity into advantage, constructing out of the meanest, most neglected aspects of experience an imagery horizonless and claustrophobic, yes, but concrete, present and unchallengeable in its verisimilitude….” I interpret these words as meaning that you can find something worth painting in any setting or situation if you know how to look.

I still approach painting that way today. I keep the process simple and just make sure that I am present enough to notice the beautiful moments in everyday life.


What is your favorite thing about the materials you use?

I am primarily a painter, although I also enjoy drawing with graphite. My work is created in oils on canvas that I stretch and prepare myself because I don’t like to be constricted to only standard sizes. I create a good number of square paintings. My favorite thing about oil paint is the smooth, buttery feeling of brushing the paint onto the canvas. I also really enjoy the open working time and lack of color shift as the paint dries, which you find with other types of paint. I like the process of mixing color and tend to work slowly at times, so not having to worry about my colors drying out is important to me.


What would you say is hidden just underneath the surface of your work? Meaning, what are you revealing to your viewers?

I like to think, and I hope, that my work reveals a sense of optimism. It is easy in today’s world to get bogged down with adult responsibilities and to feel rushed and overwhelmed. At the core of my art practice is the belief that there is something wonderful and full of beauty in the everyday if you look for it. You do not need to travel anywhere exotic or buy anything expensive; you will be rewarded if you are open to finding these special moments.


Can you tell us about a turning point in your practice? Was there a moment when things started clicking?

Despite having studied painting in college, earning a BFA, and working in art-related jobs throughout my 20s, I didn’t return to painting until I became a parent. I showed work again for the first time two years after that, and in another two years, I was part of a group show in a Massachusetts gallery. That led to an offer of a solo show at the Michele & Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Art (Springfield, MA). I did not initiate those conversations; at the time, I was just hoping that nap time would go well and that I would have time to paint. The point of this story is that it was during this time that I realized I could actually be taken seriously as an artist, despite feeling that there were many obstacles in my way. If I had waited until the timing was perfect, I’d still be waiting. Being thrust into that spotlight was definitely a sink-or-swim moment, but it gave me the confidence to keep going and to reach a little bit further than I might have thought possible at the time.

I’ve been a part of many shows since then, and almost every time I can find an excuse to not be ready. At the same time, after every event or opening, I am re-energized and motivated to get back into the studio. I realize now that waiting for the perfect moment is unrealistic and that you have to take advantage of the good opportunities that come your way.


In honor of our women’s issue, who are three women and/or gender nonconforming artists that inspire you?

I always feel a connection with Mary Cassatt and Berthe Morisot because they both used domestic life and the scenes they experienced every day as their subject matter. I am also inspired by Audrey Flack because she found her own voice within the male-dominated genre of photorealism. Her chosen props were instinctively feminine. She bravely chose objects she was drawn to, despite the belief at the time that her subject matter was not considered serious. Audrey Flack’s book, “Art & Soul: Notes on Creating,” is one of my favorites, and I reread the dog-eared pages of my copy often.

I should also recognize all the artists who are carving out time to work on their art while balancing motherhood and family responsibilities. That commitment to creating is an inspiration in itself.