We recently connected with Jenna Zapata and have shared our conversation below.

Jenna, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I sold my first photograph in an art gallery in 7th grade. I came back to school and talked with some of my artist peers about it. I tried to convince them to enter in future shows and I realized people feel as though art is an exclusive community for collectors and elitists, but in reality, art galleries allow for a space that is tangible, creative, and diverse–allowing anyone to participate no matter their age or monetary status. After realizing the fallacy between art and everyday people, I made it my mission to help guide and inspire other artists. I wanted people to feel comfortable growing and promoting themselves as artists regardless of age or talent. I worked with middle and high school students in the Frisco Independent School District and helped them understand how art galleries function while also assisting students in entering shows. I was amazed at their individual transformations and from then on, changed my goal from being an artist featured in galleries to becoming a curator.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

In high school, I spent most of my time honing my photography and graphic design skills through my yearbook class. I also participated in an intern study and mentorship program where I studied for two years under local art gallery owners and curated shows for students in my school district. I attended Santa Fe University of Art and Design to pursue a degree in Business Art Administration, and unfortunately, the school closed unexpectedly in the fall of 2017. After learning about my school closure, I ended up finding a building in a small town that I fell in love with. We spent three years renovating and working on our building little by little and opened Zig Zag Galleries in May of 2020.

Zig Zag Galleries is a contemporary art gallery, gifts shop, and workshop space located in Downtown Denison, Texas. We normally have a lot of different things going on at once. From art gallery shows, art workshops, custom gift box bars, small business vendor markets, home decor, cards, and more there is something for everyone!

We are super proud of our events and the community we have created! We strive to create an inclusive and welcoming space where everyone can come hang out and enjoy.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson that I had to unlearn is that success is linear. A lot of our successes came out of situations that at the time were not optimal. When my school closed I lost a sense of self. That was my four-year plan before I had to begin my professional journey. I ended up finding my building at the time I was the most lost. It was absolutely wrecked from a roof leak and needed to be completely gutted, but it had so much potential. In a way, the building condition matched the way I felt. I spent three years renovating the building little by little along with “renovating” myself. I put all my energy into this business and then when I was finally ready to open, COVID happened. We still opened in May of 2020. Not many people came and I was really scared. I thought after all this hard work, this is what the world threw at us. I was determined to hold out and adapt to the current times, and we did! We will be celebrating our 2nd anniversary in May.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

One of the things I am super passionate is about positively changing the image surrounding artists and creatives. Take a look at what uses creativity the next time you look around. You don’t necessarily have to be a painter or sculptor but creativity is needed and used everywhere. Graphic design, marketing, innovation all need creativity. The person on your marketing team who made a successful campaign is an artist. The person who took your wedding photos is an artist. The person who made your clothes is an artist. Art and creativity are extremely needed and are undervalued. The next time you see an artist and their work, tell them how much you appreciate it. When you hear someone close to you going into a creative field don’t discourage them by saying “maybe you should look at some more stable fields of work”. It’s not about one career being valued more than another. It’s about equality and support.

Contact Info:

• Website: zigzaggalleries.com
• Instagram: @zigzaggalleries
• Facebook: facebook.com/zigzaggalleries
• Linkedin: Jenna Zapata

Image Credits
Brand Photos: Arc Creative Co Other Photos: Jenna Z Photography