An Inspired Chat with Zushka Biros of Old Bisbee

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Zushka Biros. Check out our conversation below.

Zushka, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What is a normal day like for you right now?
I don’t know if I’d call my days “normal,” but they do have a rhythm. I’m usually up around 5:30 a.m.—coffee first, of course—then I feed my three cats, spend a little time meditating and journaling, and have some breakfast. After that, I head to my studio at the old Central School Project here in Bisbee.

Lately, my art has been shifting in ways I didn’t expect. A piece I made a few months ago for the “Art + Action” show really opened something up for me—it was a mannequin torso covered in words, hung from wire hangers on a big tripod. Since then, I’ve been letting myself follow wherever my mind and heart want to go, without overthinking it. Right now, it feels less about making “perfect” art and more about letting the work show me what’s real for me in the moment.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Zushka. I’m an artist living and working in Bisbee, Arizona, where I split my time between painting, photographing, modeling, and creativing projects out of my studio at the Central School Project. My work is always shifting, but I’ve always been really inspired by Frida Kahlo—her honesty, her boldness, her way of turning life into art. That’s led me into a whole new body of work that feels both deeply personal and very alive. Some of my body of work is currently being shown at Chimera 27 Gallery in Bisbee, AZ; VinoZona Winery in Jerome, AZ; and at Mimi’s Open Studio & Gallery in Jerome, AZ.

At the same time, I’ve started a collection of abstract, feminine-empowerment pieces—paintings of vaginas, reimagined as vibrant, unapologetic forms. It’s work that makes people pause, sometimes get a little uncomfortable, but always think—and that’s exactly what I love about it.

For me, art isn’t just about making something pretty to hang on the wall. It’s about telling the truth, cracking things open, and maybe even shifting the way someone sees themselves or the world. That’s the heartbeat of everything I do.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
The relationship that’s shaped me most is the one I have with myself. And let me be clear, it hasn’t been soft or easy. It’s been a fight at times, and art has been the weapon. Since I was a kid, I’ve used it to drag what was buried inside me into the light. It saved me then, and it keeps saving me now.

Art has forced me to face myself, to see the ways I tried to disappear, and to choose, again and again, not to vanish. It’s taught me to own my body, my voice, my anger, my gentleness, all of it. It’s how I came to see myself as a woman who doesn’t ask for permission, as a feminist who refuses to water down her truth just to make it easier to swallow.

If my work makes you pause, makes you squirm, makes you look again—good. That’s the point. My relationship with myself has made me unafraid of discomfort, because that’s where the real transformation lives.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me things success never could. Success feels good, it validates you, makes you visible. But, suffering strips you down to the bone. It shows you what you’re really made of when there’s nothing shiny to hide behind.

For me, suffering taught resilience, strength, and truth. It taught me to stop pretending, to stop shrinking, to stop apologizing for taking up space in this world. It forced me to dig into parts of myself I would’ve ignored if life had always been easy. That pain, those battles—self-doubt, loss, trauma—they carved out a space inside me where art could live and breathe.

Success never gave me that. Suffering taught me how to stand in my own skin without flinching, how to create from a place that’s raw and real. And honestly? That’s where the power is.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
The public version of me is real, it’s just the polished version. On social media or at an art show, you’ll see the best photos, the outgoing, extroverted side of me. But at home, with my daughter or my boyfriend, I’m in pajamas half the day, cooking, hanging out with my cats, living quietly. I’m an introvert who loves solitude and a cozy, simple life. Both sides are me, the public version is just me at my best, and the private is me at my most real. At sixty, I’ve learned to embrace and love both.

My foundation is easy: I keep everything about my life as uncomplicated as possible. I am somewhat of a minimalist at heart – my space is uncluttered and clean. Keeping things simple and getting plenty of rest, eating well, taking long walks, reading, creating, meditating, journaling – this is my personal philosophy that has kept me going and living a balanced life.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I’m at home, in my comfort zone, my sanctuary, stress-free, just being myself. It’s cooking hearty meals with my boyfriend, snuggling with him, hanging out with my cats, or wandering through Old Bisbee, the farmer’s market, and the galleries. I feel it in my studio too, when I’m making something new and bright just for the joy of it.

Some of my favorite peaceful moments are early mornings—coffee in hand, stepping outside to feed the feral cats, breathing in the air, hearing the birds and the ducks next door. That’s when I feel completely grounded. Peace for me isn’t about escape; it’s about being in a safe, simple, expressive life where I’m accepted exactly as I am.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.zushkabiros.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artbyzushka
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artbyzushka

Image Credits
David Day of Bisbee AZ @bisbeedave (Featured photo)