Today we’d like to introduce you to Zoe Violett

Hi Zoe, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?

I hear the phrase, “You’re so talented” often when I am at a venue displaying my artwork, or posting works in progress online. I don’t want anyone getting the wrong idea, I am incredibly grateful for these compliments. However, there is a part of me who wants to tell everyone who uses the word “talent” that, actually, you are seeing the result of 10+ years of hard work, dedication, and patience. I did not pick up a pencil or paintbrush and automatically know how to draw a human skull, or a proportionally correct figure. I did not know what I was doing for the first year of oil painting, in fact I still learn new things every time I finish a painting. There is really no such thing as talent, unless you’re a child prodigy, which I am not. I liked drawing and painting, and I decided I wanted to hone these skills and create works because it makes me happy and fills my soul. It is a HUGE added bonus that other people actually like my work too and even want to purchase it! So, I started out like so many other artists. Drawing gave me an outlet to express myself, which was not an easy thing to do in my younger years. I loved it, and eventually wanted to learn how to DO more with it and even expand to a variety of mediums. Through my schooling, high school and then college, I dedicated my time to honing these crafts and figuring out what I wanted to do with it, because I knew I could not go through life without creating and continuing to express myself through my works. I am able to create the pieces I do today because I didn’t give up when I thought, “I couldn’t possibly learn oil paints, those are so intimidating”, or throw in the towel because it took me a year to learn how to draw a proportionally correct person. I kept on because, though challenging, and at times makes me want to pull my hair out, creating brings me joy. As simple as that.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

Life will always be filled with bumps along the way. However, every struggle, whether it’s personal, career oriented, or relationships, can be used as opportunities to learn and adapt. I try my best to keep this in mind while going through the game of life, because there has been my fair share of bumps.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?

Most people tend to be able to identify my work from a mile away. Whether illustrations or oil paintings, I keep an overture of beauty, gothic, and slight macabre elements. With the use of oil paint, I love to create dark and moody atmospheres, with the over arching subject, life and death.
I love to hear people say, “wow this is beautiful, and also terrifying!”. I think that explains a lot of what I do. I am proud of my portraiture work, my favorite thing to paint is people. It’s been my experience that if you have a figure in a painting, the viewers mentally insert themselves into the position of the figure. It makes the viewer question, “what are they thinking about?” or, “How would I feel if I were in that situation?”. This is always my goal throughout my artwork. I want the viewers to stop and think, question, feel. I believe this underlying theme, paired with my classical baroque painting style, sets my work apart from other artists in the field today.

What are your plans for the future?

My biggest goal for the future ahead, is to own my own space to display my artwork, and feature other local artists. A gallery. This is a certainly down the road plan, but I think about it everyday, planning slowly but surely. Other than that, just keep creating on!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.zoeviolettart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theviolettstudio_/