Meet Jan Downey of ZolioArts in North Phoenix

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jan Downey.

Jan, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
As a young person, my parents tolerated–in fact, encouraged–artistic engagement and experimentation. I regularly took over the kitchen table for my projects. One day I would boil down vegetables to make batik; another day I’d play with my father’s soldering iron, creating shapes and patterns of splashed solder; still another day I would paint or weave hand-dyed fabrics. These early experiences taught me to not fear “failures,” but to learn from them and refine my approach to the next projects.

As much as my parents loved art and loved MY art, they did not encourage me to pursue a career in the discipline. Instead, I followed my curiosity about how different people all over the world lived, and I became a cultural anthropologist. My work took me to many different places where I observed the creativity of people who approached art from diverse perspectives and cultural grounding. Art, through all time and in all places, is a cultural universal: humans everywhere have the need to modify and enhance themselves, their objects, and their environment, and are driven to create.

Although I always played with art materials, I wasn’t able to consider myself a full-time artist until retirement. I’m fascinated by detail, negative space, and the natural world, and I continue to be influenced by the many ways I’ve seen people interpret their world through art. Currently, my favorite media are gourds, and scratchboard, each
presenting their own challenges, and pleasures.

My gourds can be seen at On the Edge Gallery ( 7050 E. 5th Ave, Scottsdale, AZ 85251). I participate in the Camelback Studio Tour (2018: November 2,-4, Studio #1), showing both gourds, and scratch art. For the 4th year, I will be in Hidden in the Hills Studio Tour, Studio #40, 6061 E Cave Creek Rd, Cave Creek, AZ. February 1-2, I will participate in the AZ Sage Art Market, Foothills Community Foundation, Holland Center, 34250 N 60th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85266. I maintain a website, ZolioArts.com, where my work can also be seen.

Has it been a smooth road?
My formal art instruction was sporadic. Mostly, I learned a lot from some wonderful teachers, and after choosing to work with gourds, from online tutorials, books, workshops, and fellow artists. Sometimes I feel that getting a late start is an obstacle–there is so little time to learn and perfect my art! Gourds are challenging due to their round, slippery shape, their gold tone that sometimes fights applied colors, and their unpredictable cleaning requirements. It’s not till I open a gourd that I find out how difficult and time-consuming the cleaning will be.

Scratch art is not as popular as other forms of 2-D art, and therefore, offers fewer opportunities for collaboration, sharing resources, and tutorials. Still, this artform presents one set of challenges I thoroughly enjoy.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
My studio, ZolioArts, is located at my home in the desert and is a sanctuary. I have a great many ideas and rarely have periods of searching for inspiration. Some of the most satisfying work I’ve done have been commissions, where I work with a client to create just the art piece that fits their collection.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Our city is great for the arts! There are many opportunities to engage with other artists, art venues, and events. Newcomers will find a generous number of museums with art holdings, as well as art organizations to guide their interests. One can spend lots of time in the many galleries that also provide inspiration and a connection to other artists.

Contact Info:

• Address: 512 E Tanya Trail
• Website: ZolioArts.com
• Phone: 602-373-9511
• Email: jdowney89@gmail.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/jan.downey
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/jan.downey.89

Image Credit:
Photos by Jean Anderson

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