Today we’d like to introduce you to Shanna Zentner.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Shanna. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I grew up in New York City and I always knew that I wanted to be an artist. I earned my undergraduate degree at The Cooper Union, where I was exposed to a wide range of mediums and talented peers and professors. I graduated with a love of painting and spent several years after school learning everything I could about paint. When I moved to Chicago a few years ago, I decided it would be a great city to get an MFA. I was lucky enough to be accepted to the University of Chicago’s Department of Visual Arts. There, I was able to really hone my ideas and experiment. Now I do a lot more writing and I have embraced story-telling as an integral part of my work.
Has it been a smooth road?
There have been smooth moments, but I would say it’s been a pretty rocky road. I’ve spent many years working a string of low-paying service jobs and getting rejection after rejection from exhibitions, grants, and residencies. There were times when I felt like giving up, but I never did because I knew that I wouldn’t forgive myself if I didn’t try the best I could to make it work.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I’m currently working on a graphic novel, titled Chrono-logical, about inter-dimensional travel and journalism. Inspired in part by the opioid crisis and other addictive prescription drugs, the story’s core is about love, trust, and paranoia. There’s also a religious cult that doesn’t believe in time and a nefarious virtual assistant á la Amazon’s Alexa. My paintings have started taking on the imagery of the story, as a more abstract and experimental space to riff on the characters and symbols used as devices in the graphic novel. My MFA program allowed me the opportunity to do more site-specific work and as a result, mural painting has become an increasingly important part of my art practice. I really like the idea that the graphic novel, the paintings, and the murals exist and move differently in the world while pointing back at each other.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I think Chicago is a great place to be an artist right now. There is a diverse and thriving arts community here, and because it’s more affordable than places like New York or Los Angeles, it feels like there is so much room for DIY practices and eccentricity.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shannazentner.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shannazentner/
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