We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Zoe a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Zoe, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I am self-taught and have learned through a mixture of curiosity and obsession. I have always been drawn to the arts in every medium and particularly to the past.
A lot of it has come from a disposition which I believe draws me to figures and fashion of the past, a nostalgic and ponderous tendency. In terms of translating these interests into something tangible, much of it has to do with my ability to navigate and harness the power of social media for the purposes of expressing my passions. I love to learn, I love to research and I love to share. From a young age I’ve always been into curation of all sorts. From the walls of my bedroom to the cores of my journals, I wanted to show that these things were mine. I always enjoyed museums, particularly art and history museums, even better if both! I analysed exhibitions and the articles I absorbed, critiquing and admiring and then putting my own spin on it. I have a million inspirations.
This sort of love for learning as well as a need for a creative outlet (as I can’t draw so I was never artistically encouraged) manifested in the creation of multiple Instagram pages spanning from when I was aged 11 to probably 17. My first ever fan page, as a tweenage girl living in Hong Kong, was dedicated to my favourite Australian Football team, the Sydney Swans. It amassed over 6000 followers, unfortunately it is lost forever. Then, when I started high school in Australia I was introduced to editing (in sort of a digital collage/photoshop kind of way), and as an angsty teen I began to post edits of Nirvana. This Nirvana fan page had many transformations as my tastes developed and I grew up. There were many more successful pages between this, I’m sure. That account, @vintagelovrr, amassed over 100k followers. However, being in high school and the expectations from a large audience took a toll, and eventually I decided to retire it. However my passions never dissipated, but once I left high school, I had other outlets and I somewhat flourished.
From a young age I acquired the skills to source beautiful and rare images from online, now I am moving into physical media, and I plan on posting scans from my vast book and magazine collections (before I cut them into collages). I have always been described as curious, a descriptor I actually approve of. I am also a history major, and a daughter to two journalists, so research and sources are in my blood. This thirst for knowledge and context has allowed me to identify or obtain background information, one of my strengths is the ability to source and curate. I then attach a synopsis as seen in the captions of many of my posts. Sometimes I feel lazy, I just want to share a pretty photo. But the urge to know, and then to share usually overrides.
I also have a passion for photography of all sorts. My only positive memories from high school are my after school art classes. I participated in ceramics for a while, though my mum made me stop as I was bringing too many things home. The one thing I stuck to in high school was darkroom photography. I lacked consistency in my activities, I hated sport and my confidence was nil so public speaking was out of the question. The darkroom was a haven, a little secret, we were almost cultish. This class was also where I made my first collage.
However, my parents were never too supportive of my artistic endeavours. Though my dad encouraged my photography and took me on excursions to photograph. In their minds, if you don’t paint or draw ‘properly’ (I like to dabble in both), you’re not an artist. Thus I did not take art for my final exams, despite very much wanting to. This remains a point of contention for my mum and I.
Since high school I have refined my skills, reactivated an old Instagram page to keep my archive alive, and currently much of my interest lies in creating complex collages which incorporate my passions visually to produce thematically coherent pieces. I have just completed the last class of my Bachelor’s Degree, and after my final exam I plan to dedicate plently of time to crafting, creating and curating.

I think I could have sped up my learning process by being less precious about my work.
Being and remaining true to myself.
Trusting the process rather than temporising it.
Sooo cliché but ignoring what others think! And also acknowledging that cliches exist for a reason.
Just believed in myself honestly. Focus on me and what I want and what makes me feel good. Discard discouragement.

Essential skills include: the ability to be efficient and patient in sourcing and researching. As with any artistic endeavour, most of the essential skills lie in an intuition. I believe I have expressed my perception through my pursuits. Also being a young person in a media driven environment, as mentioned I come from a journalistic home, and maintaining literacy as well as acknowledging its importance (digitally, technologically but also LITERALLY!!) was vital. The urge to always know stuff. Some may say I’m nosey, I would say curious and inquisitive.
These are all things that have helped with my ability to express and curate in creative ways, also helping to reach and connect with people on social media, especially those who you share interests with.

In terms of obstacles in my creative learning journey, I think in the past few years it has mostly been the stage of life. Finishing high school and then going straight into university (which I will soon be graduating with two majors; history; international relations). In my second year of university, 2024, my father unexpectedly passed away. An experience and emotion that remains surreal. Since then I have been in and out of artistic slumps. Though I know he would encourage me.
I have held a casual job since age 13 (23 this year) and have constantly been studying. Although the future freaks me the eff out, I think I’ll be okay if I can dedicate time to my craft. Despite not engaging directly with education that aligned with my passions, university taught me skills which I have applied to my artistic pursuits but limited the time I was able to dedicate.
Finishing my degree I feel like I am really at a stage where I can develop these obtained skills and apply them for the purposes of projects.
I just published a website, a major work in progress, and still a free site so it requires a password (diva). I am excited to showcase my work, get everything in order, practice, learn, revive my passion, AND JUST CREATE.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I run an Instagram page titled @guideforthemoderndiva that I reactivated this year. I have always been interested in pop culture, particularly from the past. I am also lover of history and beautiful things. I enjoy researching and finding things out. Acquiring knowledge. Sharing facts. Hearing facts. Talking to people.

I may have overdone it in the last section but here is some more.
My name is Zoe, I was born in Hong Kong to a second generation-Greek Australian dad and a first-generation Romanian mother. Journalists who met in Sydney. I moved to Sydney at age 12 which I kind of attribute many of my issues to. I never felt Sydney was my home until I started university and I met people ‘like me’ (there is plenty of them). The first two years of university were awesome. Three months after my dad died in 2024 I went to Amsterdam on exchange. A torturous and transformational time.
Despite just completing my undergrad, I don’t think I will go straight to the 9-5. I want to enjoy my job, and currently I enjoy waitressing. I am also hopeful that when I go down the path of profession it will follow a passion. My dream job is probably an archivist or curator of some sort. History, art, fashion…
I am also considering doing a masters of secondary education, academia is another admirable path in which passions can most definitely be considered.
I am lucky, my parents are curious like me. We got to travel a lot. It was especially easy from HK. Travel is another one of my many passions, and when I eventually get a career, that is nonnegotiable. These family holidays as well as my escapist tendencies most definitely ignited and awakened my desire for knowledge and ability to wonder.

I am working on my portfolio currently: http://silver-bluebird-fwjn.squarespace.com
Password is diva
On Instagram I share things that inspire me, with details and context if I can locate it. It is a combination of pop culture in the broadest sense. I don’t want to narrow it down too much because it may change, as interests do, and another obstacle for me is caring too much what people think. This is my page! But it encompasses an eclectic mix of fashion, history, art, film and music. Things I like, things that catch my eye, things I think are cool.
This website will focus more on my personal creations, which I plan on finally allowing people to see. Perhaps even sell a few prints one day. Oh, and I’d really like to publish a zine.
I love fashion as an art form, perhaps the easiest way to express yourself. Accessorising is one of my favourite activities, and I love to colour coordinate. It’s so fun when things match.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Art should be embraced and encouraged. I’m definitely guilty of saying “I could have done that”, but the point is that I didn’t. I still really dislike Rothko though.
Engagement is crucial. With the world, with the media, with old media, with education and most importantly with community!! People!!!
For creativity and the arts to flourish I believe there are things that can be done on an individual level and an institutional level.
Institutionally, there needs to be more funding for the arts. This is a major issue in Australia, where arts students are racking up incredible student debts to cover the same topics in every discipline or class, while science students (who are equally as important!) cut up cadavers in three-hour lab sessions for a fraction of the price. The arts need to be nurtured and protected, with acknowledgement that they are equally as imperative, albeit differently, as STEM subjects. An increase in youth engagement with the arts is also vital, and a variety of options should be promoted. Basically, the government should provide more incentives for artists.
Individually, people need to engage and explore. When consuming media it is great, and vital, to exit your comfort zone as well as to become insatiable for knowledge. Watch that black and white movie, stare at that weird painting, research the reason for that thing that came to mind, read a goddamn book! Go to the event on the flyer, engage with your community. There truly is something for everyone.
In the non-mainstream art world, especially as it currently exists, its ability to thrive lies with the initiative of the artists. I encourage collaboration, whether it be in real life or virtually/online. I think collaboration across disciplines is another essential factor. The ability for individuals to expand their sphere of influence and knowledge is dependent on this. For example, my outreach online is not limited to one genre of account. I engage with anything and everything that interests me and that I admire. Hopefully this will allow for more complex projects to cultivate an environment that excels in creativity.
Also, AI stay out of the arts.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I feel like I rambled earlier, so there may be some stuff there but happy to answer any other questions.
As a tween-teen, whenever I had an interest or fascination this used to manifest in the creation of an Instagram page. The account I currently run, @guideforthemoderndiva was an offshoot of a larger page I started when I was around 12 called @vintagelovrr. The success of both these accounts can be attributed to, what I believe is, genuine passion. I post what I want, when I want. My audience is not the most engaged, and I would like to change this as I believe I have much to share that may be interesting or valuable to someone out there. But for now I am just enjoying posting what in inspires me, what comes to mind. I would like to have more of a relationship with people in these communities. I like knowing what others have to say.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://silver-bluebird-fwjn.squarespace.com
• Instagram: guideforthemoderndiva
• Other: password for website: diva
  email: vintageelovrr@gmail.com

Image Credits

All by me with no editing (apart from the face cover)