Daryl Zang

About Daryl Zang:

My first real contact with art came early in life. I was born in 1971 in New York City and as a baby my mother often pushed my stroller through the galleries of the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum. I don’t remember a time when art was not a part of my life. I have always loved figurative painting and learned my technique earning a BFA at Syracuse University and through study in Florence, Italy.

My painting career truly came into focus after the birth of my first child. Ironically, at this time, I found it unthinkable that I would have the time or energy to take painting seriously. I found an escape in my studio and turned to self-portraiture in order to make sense of all the emotions that had arrived with this new phase of life. I created imagery that was honest and infused with a female perspective which I found difficult to find elsewhere in art.

My work tells the story of my experiences as a woman, focusing on the moments that cause an internal shift in my thoughts or emotions. At home as a new mother I painted about pregnancy and the early stages of motherhood, exposing all the uncertainty, isolation, and exhaustion as well as the tenderness. When it was rest I craved, my work became about restful moments and quiet relaxation. As my children grew older I found inspiration in the joy they discovered in each day and cherished our time together. Now I can focus on how my own personality, opinions, and relationships have developed over the years. A life makes a fascinating story and provides a wealth of subject matter. The future holds much to explore as I observe my attitudes shifting and growing and use my art to reflect my experiences.

– Daryl Zang

See more of Daryl Zang’s incredible work here.

Thank you for pointing me to Daryl Zang: The Sensual Starfish