Meet Lauren Zavala | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lauren Zavala and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lauren, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
When I started Zavala Bespoke, I had no idea what I was really getting myself into. Truly. I loved art growing up but never took it seriously as a business option. I have an undergrad in Art History and to graduate you have to take a certain number of studio art classes. I had played around with art growing up, but it wasn’t until I was creating it for college level classes that I really sat down to take it seriously. I started really critically thinking about art and working with tons of new mediums and it completely opened up my mind to what creating art could be.

After I graduated, I moved to London to work on my Masters in Decorative Arts and Historic Interiors. As I was there, I started painting more and more for fun and as a stress reliever. I ended up using leather paints to paint a full leather jacket – to which Zavala Bespoke was born. Looking back now, I completely see how I ended up an artist. I spent countless hours crafting as a kid. I have tons of leftover art from little art contests I joined in school. I would see something out and about and always try and recreate it myself. My friends would always ask me for help with anything artistic. The signs were all there! I just didn’t put it all together until I was in college. So whether by accident or by lifelong aspiration, pursuing an artistic creator finds you one way or another if you let it.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As an artist, I am constantly striving to evolve and push myself to new heights of creativity. Over the years, my art has been influenced by various artistic movements, including Impressionism, Pop Art, and Mexican Folk Art, which form the core of my artistic style. I love incorporating these influences into my leather pieces, and now, with my latest large canvas series, I am exploring new ways to express my artistic vision.

My leather pieces have always been the driving force behind Zavala Bespoke, and they will continue to be a central part of my work. However, in recent months, I’ve been working on my first large-scale canvas series, which I started while living in London. I was captivated by a portrait of Elizabeth I and all the hidden meanings behind its iconography, colors, and tones. This inspired me to create a new series that incorporates butterflies and skulls to reflect various historical figures. By using the naturalism of the skull to humanize and strip back these figures, I aim to portray their metamorphosis and fragility through the use of butterfly wings. To add depth to the series, I incorporate motifs and iconography that allude to the figure being portrayed.

For this interview, I am sharing a photo of my portrait of Elizabeth I, which includes gems and a crown, just like in her coronation portraits. The orange wing tops allude to her notorious orange hair, while the white wing bottoms pay homage to the neck ruffs that she made famous. But there are many more allusions in the piece that I’ll leave up to the viewer to discover.

In my leather work, I try to do the same deep dive into research, exploring art history and incorporating it into my designs. I believe this is what sets me apart from other artists in my field. In every work, there is some layer of art history that I’ve tried to compile into the design.

Of course, getting to where I am today has been a journey of trial and error. I’ve tried some things that have worked and some that haven’t. But as clichéd as it may sound, the knowledge I’ve gained from the things that didn’t work has been invaluable to my growth as an artist.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My studio is currently located in Boulder, Colorado, which is outside of Denver. If I was showing someone around my area, they’d be in for a treat!

In Boulder, I’d obviously do some outdoor activities. Options are:
– Hiking along the Flatirons
– Mini Golf at Gateway
– Walking the outdoor Pearl Street Mall

Shops to Check out:
– Jacque Michelle (Womens)
– Two Hands Paperie (Books and Gifts Galore)
– Peace Love and Chocolate for (Chocolate Gifts and Classes)

Food Options:
– Mustards Last Stand for hotdogs
– Brasserie Ten Ten for fabulous French
– Nopalitos for Mexican
– Torchys for Mexican (a chain but this one is great)

Denver has equally great options! Here’s a few activities:
– A show at the Denver Center for Performing Arts
– Head over to the art museum for new exhibitions
– Antiquing on South Broadway

Food Options:
– Chicken at Music City Hot Chicken (it’s the best)
– Desserts at Gateaux
– Brown Palace for Afternoon Tea (John the piano player is awesome)

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Credit should be given where credit is due. For my experience painting, it has been due to friends and family pushing me to keep pursuing art that has pushed me to where I am. Special thanks, as always, goes to my fiancé, Brayden, who asked me to paint that first leather jacket in the first place. And to my mom, who has handed out more business cards than I’d care to admit.

If you hear a voice within you saying, ”You are not a painter,” then by all means paint… and that voice will be silenced.
― Vincent van Gogh

Website: www.ZavalaBespoke.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zavalabespoke

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenzavala/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zavalabespoke/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@zavalabespoke3779

Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/zavalabespoke/

Image Credits
All photos by Lauren Zavala.