Frank Juarez visits

Frank sits down at the Zu to discuss bizNess although he might have just been playing solitaire?

Gallery Representation with Frank Juarez Gallery

 I am so excited to announce that I am now represented by Frank Juarez Gallery in Sheboygan, WI. Frank is one of the biggest advocates of the arts and artists in all of Southeastern Wisconsin. I am thrilled that he has asked me to be part of his gallery. You can read more about it here.

 

Thank you for your support and feedback. I greatly appreciate it.

Working with new materials...

As I continue to challenge my own vision and resources to express that vision, I was drawn to the process of Encaustic to enhance my narrative on the four pieces that I will be showing at the Greymatter Gallery opening on December 7. This exhibition is a collaboration between Greymatter Gallery and ArtBook MKE, showcasing ten artists who have graced the pages of ArtBook MKE magazine.

Here is a sneak peak of the work I'll be showing but if you want to see it in person, make sure you attend the opening reception on Friday, December 7 from 5-9pm. If you can't make the opening the exhibit runs through January 5th.

Book Passages: A Visual Journey revisited

Book Passages: A Visual Journey

Opening reception is this Thursday, October 18 from 5-8pm. Dramatic readings of passages at 5:30 and 6:30 with brief artist talk prior to readings.

Where: Main Gallery, Carroll University (120 N. East Avenue, Waukesha, WI. 53186)

Book Passages is a photographic journey of conceptual interpretations culminating from brief book passages that readers of my blog submitted to me for this project.

This journey began in February of 2009 with a blog post, "What Have You Read Lately". Shown in 2010 in Milwaukee and Madison, I have created four new additional passage interpretations for this Waukesha exhibition.

Dramatic readings of the interpreted book passages will be performed by Carroll University drama students Taylor Burzynki and Melissa Gall at 5:30pm and
again by Milwaukee spoken word artist Mario (the poet) Willis, beginning at 6:30pm at the opening reception.

Exhibition runs from October 18 through November 20, 2012.

Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 9am to 8pm, Saturday and Sunday 2pm-4pm. Admission to the gallery is free.

For more information contact William Zuback at 414-460-6408.

Elephant Boy, the story begins

Elephant Boy is a crazy character who really likes to open up after a few rounds of whiskey, about his very colorful life. I will try the best I can to share with you some of the conversations I have with EB during some of our late night drink sessions.

He speaks randomly and without much continuity so as these posts progress, I warn you that they may jump all over the place in the almost 70 year life lived by Elephant Boy. He has an interesting past to say the least and this is my best attempt to preserve my conversations with him since acquiring him a couple months ago.

Tell us a little bit about your childhood?

I was born on September 10, 1954 in NYC. My mother told me about the nervousness of the city that fine day since Hurricane Edna was bearing down on New York City.  An emergency standby for hospitals and subways was ordered since the New York Weather Bureau had predicted Edna to be one of the most severe hurricanes in the city's history. In the end, nine inches of rain fell that Friday but luckily for me, my mom made it to work and I was born. Despite the threatening weather, my mom trekked from the Bronx to the Flat Iron District as she did five day's a week for the past ten years at Bijou Toys, a jewel of a toy company. It wasn't an easy commute. Having to get to the terminal of the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad, taking the train into the city was a time consuming ordeal.

When mom left 16 W. 19^th Street in New York City that rainy and stormy evening she took me with her. She knows that it was wrong but it was her three year old, James birthday on Saturday, and making only .84 cents an hour she could barely keep up with the cost of food and rent. Her husband never made it home from his deployment to Korea and she was forced to manage on her own. She took off her sweater at the end of her shift and laid it on top of me. She then scooped me up and quickly put me into her handbag as we scurried out of the factory and into the damp dark rainy night. Despite getting home late because of the storm and late trains, mom worked energetically late into the evening preparing a cake and decorations for James big birthday the next day.

The next day around noon I waiting patiently in the colorfully wrapped and bow tied box as James ripped through the wrapping, as he opened the lid and saw my face, his face lit up and a smile spread from ear to ear.

To be continued….

Ambiguity

The Identity Project, Dismantlement & Rebirth

The idea of the Identity Project has been in my mind for well over six years. The work I finally created is much different than what I sketched so many years ago. Like any good story it must have a great beginning, middle, and end. This is the end for this stage of the project and it's ending is at a place and time that feels right.

A recent book I read called Dismantled by Jennifer McMahon has a powerful line, "Dismantlement equals freedom". That is where I'm at with this series. I created my first set of images for the Identity Project series in April and now four months later it is complete and ready to be dismantled. Another powerful passage that resonated as I was near completion of this project was this, "Suz smiled. "Don't you get it?" she asked. "It's the ultimate act of creativity. Destruction is transformation. In order to be reborn, you have to die."  Well, the series is just beginning a new life as I move from creation to exhibition. A rebirth for sure. During this process I've also found a couple additional series that can be pulled from the larger umbrella of the Identity Project. One of these additional series was what helped me get selected for the CoPA Scholarship which will allow me to create a book along with the exhibition, scheduled next year for the Identity Project.

So as the lights come down from the Identity Project I feel a sense of freedom as I begin some additional creative journeys. One liberating transformation of this symbolic destruction will be my exploration into painting. Something I haven't done since high school. I've been encouraged by some art friends that I can do it. We will see, but I'm sure the journey will be exciting none the less.

So as I leave the Identity Project behind until it's exhibition and accompanying book later next year, I will leave you with some interesting facts from this visual journey:

1. 14 men volunteered to be a part of the Identity Project
2. The median age of the male participants was 56.
3. 19 females volunteered to be a part of the Identity Project.
4. The median age of the female participants was 38.
5. Out of the 33 individuals who participated in this series, 21 volunteered unsolicited and 12 volunteered when asked to be a part of the project.
6. I took 1,750 digital captures in the creation of the images needed for the Identity Project.
7. Some AMAZING honest stories came out of this series from it's participants.
8. I grew as a person and an artist from my chance to work with so many beautiful human beings.
9. The "Suspicious Behavior" series was a by product of The Identity Project.
10. A series of encaustic nudes is another series that is a result of The Identity Project.

Aspect of Error and Illusion helps inspire GREAT words

This image, which I created for my series, Book Passages, inspired friend, writer, and editor/creator of Eye on Life magazine, Michelle Pg Richardson, to write and record this amazing poem.




You can read Michelle's terrific poem here at Eye on Life magazine.

I love collaborating with other artists. The combination of a shared yet distinctly separate and unique vision and style allows for such a dimensional perspective and point of view. These bonds create a sense of community, as well as, shared struggle and celebration when the work is generated and put out there to the public. Leaving us all vulnerable but somehow protected by the collaborative experience and support of one another. Such a beautiful and sensitively real poem. Thanks for your awesome talents Michelle.

The Identity Project, must it end?

As an artist you work on many projects through out your creative process/life. I like to think that they are all equal but they are not. You ebb and flow with your creativity, always striving for perfection but never achieving it. Some idea's resonate more than others. The Identity Project is one of those journeys that has resonated beyond my wildest imagination. I've been touched and changed by those I've photographed as well as those who have supported this journey from the sidelines. I will be wrapping the photography portion of this project up within the next two weeks. It is a bitter sweet end to an emotional and inspiring four months path of discovery for myself and those who have stood in front of my camera.

I couldn't let this personal and visual journey end without sharing at least one more touching email I received in regard to this project. Words like these both in conversation and written have fueled my visual exploration of who we are and how we are molded by perception.

I wanted to tell you how excited I am by your Identity Project. Your FB and blog postings are inspirational, and the project makes me remember a week of days posing for a talented, intense young photographer when I was in my twenties -- very daring in that time for a young Southern belle mother and former Catholic school girl. But it was a lovely, powerful experience. I very nearly got in touch with you for the Identity Project but managed to overthink the prospect of being brave enough -- and many fond and not-so-fond memories long buried of the intervening years came to the fore (see how affecting your project is already? -- the idea itself stirs things up). I believe you reach for the soul in your work and I cannot wait to see the final Identity Project; you’re an amazing artist.

The Identity Project, a touching back story.

When I embarked on this visual journey, documenting the courageous and yes, sometimes the extroverts, willing to bare all for this photographic series, I felt that I had a series that was special in a variety of ways that resonated personally with me. What I was less aware of, at least in the beginning, was how the process I've created for the individuals to express themselves would be such a personal exploration for them.

The last thing I ask of each of the participants for this project is to answer this specific question, "What is the single most important thing that you would like people to know about you that isn't necessarily apparent by your physical presence or a brief casual conversation?  About a month ago I photographed a woman for this project and she emailed me her answer to this question. The answer was short, had a bit of humor and revealed as expected something I wouldn't have guessed was an aspect of her personality. It was interesting but nothing earth shattering.

Jump forward about a month and I get another email from this same woman today. It isn't a redo on her original answer to the question but it was a very courageous and heartfelt email explaining her reason for doing the project. Upon reading the email I was instantly surprised, enlightened and humbled by her words.

Hey Bill-

I just wanted to drop you a line and let you know how you helped me change my life. I kind of used you, in a good way. See I had a raging eating disorder for 13 years and was at a cross roads where i knew i wanted to change but was too scared to tell anyone or ask for help. Right around that time the opportunity to do your shoot came up. I told myself that if i could 'bare' myself in that way, be brave enough to do it, that i could also expose my secret to my husband. It would be a way for me to practice bravery and remember that time when i needed to be brave again. In a way it was also a snub at the bulimic part of me that abused my body for so long, putting it out there like that was not something the bulimic XXXXX was happy about. Two days after your shoot i did talk to my husband, then my mother and sister, mother in law and others. I am now on the road to recovering from a 13 year prison sentence and looking forward to my future. Things are already SO much better. Its so difficult but i know that eventually i will be able to completely let it go. I just felt that you deserved to know that sometimes our art touches others in ways that they couldn't imagine. 

Thank you again for, unbeknownst to you, being the catalyst in my recovery.

Best,

XXXXX

 

This email was published with her permission and her final thought,

    Absolutely! There are so many people that suffer with anorexia/bulimia/binge eating and it's such a secretive thing. If one other person saw it and gets anything from what I've suffered that would be worth it. I even encouraged the other girls on my online eating disorder bulletin board to do something similar as a exercise in self esteem and acceptance. I felt very empowered by the shoot and in a way it helped me make peace with my body, whatever size it is.  Share away! And send me a link.

 

 

Sometimes you begin a journey that becomes so much more than what you expected or hoped for. This is one of those journeys.

The Identity Project!

It's a wrap. I have enough volunteers to complete this fabulous series. I've currently photographed 22 beautiful individuals and have 12 more scheduled through July/August.

Thanks to all 34 individuals who came forward to be a part of this visual discovery. If you have become interested in the progress of this series I will be exhibiting the work in fall of 2013. Venue to be announced in the near future.

Visually,
William Zuback

The Identity Project, nearing the end

I could tell you how much fun you will have doing this shoot and project but why listen to me.

"Thank you so much for the invitation, we really enjoyed ourselves! Thank you and I look forward to future collaborations!"

"Very awesome-tastic day sir! I would love to work with you again!"

"You were great to work with last night! Thanks for the opportunity!"

I'm still looking for a few willing participants. All interested individuals are invited to contact me. I am looking for male and female, large and small, old (80+) and young (18), all races welcome to apply. Nudity is required for a portion of the shooting process. If you yourself are not interested in posing but know of someone that could be interested, please make them aware of this project. For your participation you will get a signed and matted print of the image I will exhibit.

Contact me if interested, wmzuback@williamzubackphotographs.com

Thanks.

The Identity Project! Are you on the fence?

Bill, What an extremely fun shoot! Can't wait to be in your coffee table book! Thank you for letting me be involved! Selena

There is still time and I still need individuals to step forward and volunteer for this project. Booked every weekend in July but I still have weeknight evening appointments available as well as August. Taking sittings through August and then the series will come to an end.

This series is about personal identity and how we are protected yet vulnerable based on our surroundings, clothes, etc. as well as how we are prejudged, compartmentalized and labeled based on the outside superficial aspects of our identity while not knowing the individual. 

Those who are willing to be photographed, it appears, go through their own process of discovery by their act of participation. 

I'm still looking for willing participants. All interested individuals are invited to contact me. I am looking for male and female, large and small, old (80+) and young (18), all races welcome to apply. Nudity is required for a portion of the shooting process. If you yourself are not interested in posing but know of someone that could be interested, please make them aware of this project. For your participation you will get a signed and matted print of the image I will exhibit.

Contact me if interested, wmzuback@williamzubackphotographs.com

Thanks.

The Identity Project, update

What a great week meeting and photographing four more people for this project. I continue to be amazed and humbled by the level and honesty of conversation that takes place during these sessions. What are people saying about this experience and project?
 "Thanks for letting me part of your project. You are a pro at what you do and I felt very comfortable doing the "shoot". Talk to you soon."


"Have a grooovy day friend William....you made my week ya know."


Looking forward to five more great experiences this week. There is still time and I still need individuals to step forward and volunteer for this project.

This series is about personal identity and how we are protected yet vulnerable based on our surroundings, clothes, etc. as well as how we are prejudged, compartmentalized and labeled based on the outside superficial aspects of our identity while not knowing the individual. 

Those who are willing to be photographed, it appears, go through their own process of discovery by their act of participation. 

I'm still looking for willing participants. All interested individuals are invited to contact me. I am in need of more male subjects especially in the mid to late age range and of different levels of fitness. But in general, I still need male and female, large and small, old (80+) and young (18), all races welcome to apply. Nudity is required for a portion of the shooting process. If you yourself are not interested in posing but know of someone that could be interested, please make them aware of this project. For your participation you will get a signed and matted print of the image I will exhibit.

Contact me if interested, wmzuback@williamzubackphotographs.com

Thanks.

What She Said: Wisconsin Photography Now

You still have two weeks to get to Sheboygan and Effjay Projekts to see the current exhibition, "What She Said: Wisconsin Photography Now". I co-curated this exhibition with Jessica Z Schafer for Frank Juarez, owner of Effjay Projekts. Represented in this exhibition are four outstanding artists, Jessica Kaminski, Jessie Eisner-Klyle, Nicole Malena Peaslee and Jenaille Northey.

Click below to read an insightful and honest review of this exhibition. Then head to Sheboygan, see the show and formulate your own thoughtful idea's.

Review of "What She Said: Wisconsin Photography Now"

The Identity Project

This is an example of one of the four processes that my subjects go through during their participation in this new series on Identity. If you are interested in participating or would like more information before committing to participating in this project, please feel free to contact me.

This series is about personal identity and how we are protected yet vulnerable based on our surroundings, clothes, etc. as well as how we are prejudged, compartmentalized and labeled based on the outside superficial aspects of our identity while not knowing the individual. 

Those who are willing to be photographed, it appears, go through their own process of discovery by their act of participation. 

I'm still looking for willing participants. All interested individuals are invited to contact me. I am in need of more male subjects especially in the mid to late age range and of different levels of fitness. But in general, I still need male and female, large and small, old (80+) and young (18), all races welcome to apply. Nudity is required for a portion of the shooting process. If you yourself are not interested in posing but know of someone that could be interested, please make them aware of this project. For your participation you will get a signed and matted print of the image I will exhibit.

Contact me if interested, wmzuback@williamzubackphotographs.com

Thanks.

Do you like me now? Who are You part IV.

This series is about personal identity and how we are protected yet vulnerable based on our surroundings, clothes, etc. as well as how we are prejudged, compartmentalized and labeled based on the outside superficial aspects of our identity while not knowing the individual. 

Those who are willing to be photographed, it appears, go through their own process of discovery by their act of participation. 


I'm still looking for willing participants.All interested individuals are invited to contact me. I am in need of more male subjects especially in the mid to late age range and of different levels of fitness. But in general, I still need male and female, large and small, old (80+) and young (18), all races welcome to apply. If you yourself are not interested in posing but know of someone that could be interested, please make them aware of this project.

Contact me if interested, wmzuback@williamzubackphotographs.com

Thanks.

Who Are You? Pt. III

 I'm beginning to know you a little better now...

This series is about personal identity and how we are protected yet vulnerable based on our surroundings, clothes, etc. as well as how we are prejudged, compartmentalized and labeled based on the outside superficial aspects of our identity while not knowing the individual.


Those who are willing to be photographed, it appears, go through their own process of discovery by their act of participation. This is turning out to be one of the most fascinating and rewarding series I've worked on. For those who are willing to donate your time to this project, I thank you.

I have commitments from 20 individuals willing to explore this theme but I'm still looking for 5-10 more. Male or female, large or small, old (80+) or young (18), all races welcome to apply. If you yourself are not interested in posing but know of someone that could be interested, please make them aware of this project.

Contact me if interested, wmzuback@williamzubackphotographs.com

Thanks.

Who Are You, pt. 2?

I'm only in the early stages of this new series I am working on about Identity, perception and labels. What is so fascinating having only photographed three individuals so far, are the back stories. The behind the scenes dialog and discussion on this very subject is amazing. The dialog with those who came close to agreeing to participate and then can't, is equally important and says so much about the entire narrative of this series.

Those who are willing to be photographed, it appears, go through their own process of discovery by their act of participation. This is turning out to be one of the most challenging and rewarding series I've worked on. For those who are willing to donate your time to this project, I thank you.

I am still looking for approximately ten more individuals. Male or female, large or small, old (80+) or young (18), all races welcome to apply. If you yourself are not interested in posing but know of someone that could be interested, please let make them aware of this project.

Contact me if interested, wmzuback@williamzubackphotographs.com

Thanks.

Who Are You?

I am looking for open minded people to participate in my next photo series exploring our sense of identity, both internal and external, as well as societies labels placed upon us all. This series will require nudity but the treatment of the photographs create a large amount of anonymity.

If you are interested in exploring this theme through the process of the lens and your own journey of discovery and awareness,  please contact me at: wmzuback@williamzubackphotographs.com

I am looking for male and female subjects from the ages of 18-80. All races and body types are needed. I can provide interested individuals with more details and a sample of the actual project.

Effjay Projekts Indiana Green exhibition

Madonna & Child Interpreted, closing reception

If you have already seen the exhibit or are seeing it for the first time, you will not want to miss the closing reception of Madonna & Child Interpreted. Along with the great interpretations by 31 incredible artists and essays by three outstanding writers the closing will host spoken word/poetry performances by five of Milwaukee's best. Soups On, 221 N. Water Street, Milwaukee, 6-10pm January 20.

In a unique twist on Gallery Night, the Madonna and Child Interpreted Show at the Soups On Gallery will combine visual with the spoken arts.  Five of Milwaukee’s best writers will recite from their own work in what promises to be a powerful and often funny program of language performed at its best.

Darlin’ Nikki Janzen (http://www.wix.com/nicolejanzen/poetry) and Mario the Poet (www.facebook.com/mariothepoet) are poetry slam masters, and have taken Milwaukee Slam teams to national competitions.  Many of Milwaukee’s new generation of poets have been inspired through Darlin’ Nikki’s youth writing workshops, as well as her dazzling performances from stages to street corners.  Mario has performed at dozens of venues around Milwaukee, always leaving the audiences with a solid impression of his sharp humor, sharp political voice, and sharp narrative style.

Timothy Kloss and JoAnn Chang are songwriters as well as poets, so don’t be surprised if you are treated to some singing.  Kloss has produced and emceed about 1,000 poetry readings in Milwaukee since 1991, and both he and Chang run the long-running and popular Poet’s Monday series at Linneman’s in Riverwest.

David Press (http://languageliberationfront.blogspot.com/,) who writes strange one-act plays and tells even stranger, innovative stories, will host the event.

Here are three great links to give you an idea of the talent and impressions of this ambitious exhibit.

Shepherd Express Review

Exhibit artist Debbie Callahan selected for Journal Sentinel Christmas front page

Arts Without Borders Review