Some artists begin with a clear vision. Others begin with a question. For architect and abstract artist Zara — a studio artist at ART150, 150 Bay Street in Jersey City — the answer is somewhere in between. In this episode of Tarik Talk, we explore how structure, spontaneity, and controlled chaos shape her creative process.
For architect and artist Zara, the creative process is often an exploration of what happens when structure meets spontaneity.
In this episode of Tarik Talk, I sat down with fellow ART150 artist Zara, whose studio is located at ART150, 150 Bay Street in Jersey City — one of the most vibrant creative communities in the New York metro area.
What followed was a fascinating conversation about creativity, architecture, artistic process, and the importance of having space to create.
From Architecture to Abstract Painting: How Zara Found Her Artistic Voice
While Zara works professionally as an architect, art has always been part of her life.
Like many artists, she spent years creating before setting her practice aside while pursuing education and career goals. Eventually, she returned to painting, hanging three blank canvases on the wall of her apartment and leaving them untouched for nearly two years while she searched for a process that felt authentic to her.
When the pandemic arrived, that experimentation finally evolved into a body of work.
Through layers of diluted paint, gravity-driven drips, geometric forms, and repeated observation, Zara discovered a visual language that continues to evolve today.
ART150 at 150 Bay Street: Finding a Studio in Jersey City
One of the strongest themes from our conversation was the importance of dedicated studio space.
Like many artists living in New York and New Jersey, Zara began working from home. Eventually, the limitations became impossible to ignore.
In 2021, she moved into ART150, located at 150 Bay Street in Jersey City, shortly after the studio spaces opened. Suddenly, there was room to think bigger, experiment more freely, and leave works in progress untouched between sessions.
A studio provides something many people outside the arts often overlook:
Mental space.
The ability to walk away from a piece and return later.
The freedom to leave materials out.
The opportunity to separate everyday life from creative work.
For artists, that separation can be transformative.
Painting on the Wall: Zara’s Vertical Studio Process at ART150
One of the most unique aspects of Zara’s process is how she physically works.
Rather than painting exclusively on tables or easels, many of her canvases are mounted directly on the wall. This vertical position allows gravity to become an active collaborator in the work. Paint drips, pools, and moves differently depending on its thickness, drying time, and placement.
The result is a process that balances intention and unpredictability.
Certain decisions are planned.
Others are discovered.
How Architecture Informs Zara’s Abstract Painting Practice
Although Zara doesn’t consciously attempt to merge architecture and painting, the influence is impossible to miss.
Geometric forms, layered compositions, structure, and spatial awareness all appear throughout her work.
Even some of her tools come directly from her architectural training. Drafting instruments, rulers, templates, and technical equipment have found new life inside her studio practice.
What was once used to create buildings is now being used to create paintings.
The precision remains.
The purpose changes.
Controlled Chaos: Finding Beauty in the Unexpected
One of my favorite moments from our conversation came when Zara described collecting accidental byproducts from her process.
Because she paints vertically and uses protective plastic surfaces, dried paint sometimes accumulates and peels away in unexpected forms. Rather than throwing these fragments away, she transfers them onto canvases and transforms them into new works.
These pieces weren’t planned.
They weren’t designed.
Yet they often become some of her most compelling works.
It’s a reminder that creativity isn’t always about controlling outcomes.
Sometimes it’s about recognizing possibilities.
Ghost Bodies and New Moons: Zara’s Current Art Projects
Among Zara’s current projects are two evolving series.
The first, which she calls “Ghost Bodies,” emerged during the pandemic and explores presence, absence, memory, and emotional traces through geometric forms suspended within layered compositions.
The second draws inspiration from the moon.
Beginning with the simple form of a circle, the series explores how endless variation can emerge from a single shape. Through color, layering, texture, and composition, Zara transforms a basic visual element into something far more complex.
What’s Next for Zara: Looking Forward from ART150 Jersey City
When asked where she sees herself in five or ten years, Zara didn’t offer a rigid plan.
Instead, she embraced uncertainty.
Like her paintings, the future remains open.
What is clear is that her work continues to evolve. Between architecture, painting, experimentation, and the possibilities of future sculpture, installation, and public art projects, the next chapter promises to be just as exciting as the first.
For now, she continues building—sometimes with buildings, sometimes with paint.
Both require imagination.
Both require structure.
And both begin with a blank space waiting to be transformed.
Listen to the full conversation with Zara on Tarik Talk, where we discuss architecture, painting, abstraction, studio practice, creativity, experimentation, and the importance of having a dedicated space to create.
About Tarik Talk — International Arts and Culture Podcast
Tarik Talk is an international arts and culture podcast hosted by Tarik Mendes — a Brazilian artist and cultural curator based in Jersey City, New Jersey. Each episode features intimate, in-depth conversations with artists, dealers, curators, and cross-industry guests from music, acting, and journalism.
Since its launch, Tarik Talk has recorded over 200 episodes across more than 50 seasons, with conversations captured live in over 10 countries. The podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major streaming platforms.
Inside museums, studios, and conversations with artists worldwide — Tarik Talk explores the magic of art and the human stories behind it. Follow @tariktalk for episode highlights and guest works, and @tarikmendes for Tarik’s latest adventures.