Today we’d like to introduce you to Zoë Gelfant.
Hi Zoë, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have been creating art for as long as I can remember. From a very early age, my parents put me in all kinds of art classes, from painting to drawing, to ceramics, and more. The need to create has been something I’ve carried with me my whole life and has always been a source of comfort, especially when I felt like I wasn’t good at other things.
I moved to Montreal in 2014 to complete my Bachelor of Fine Arts. It was when I moved to Montreal that I saw murals as an art form for the first time and not just depictions of historical moments. We didn’t have many murals in Vancouver at the time (where I was born and raised), and seeing them all over Montreal blew me away.
After graduating, I rented a spot in a shared studio space, where I spent the next few years working on my paintings, honing my abstract style, and working alongside other artists.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, I decided to leave the studio and bring my work home to try to save some money. It was in May of that year that I took an online workshop from a designer duo in San Diego who were painting murals full-time to make their living. They spoke about how they could charge to create those murals, and up until that point, I honestly didn’t know you could be paid to paint murals. When I heard them speak about their successes, I was immediately inspired. It was the first time in my life I felt I had found something I truly had the skills for, and could make a real living doing it. It also made me realize that I had spent all these years in Montreal pining over blank walls, wishing so badly that I could paint something on them, but I just had no idea where to begin. It was like something was switched on inside me: I’d found my calling.
After that, I started practicing painting large-scale legal graffiti walls in town and assisting other artists with their murals. I sent cold emails to businesses and organizations around the city, asking if they wanted a mural in their spaces.
In 2021, I was invited to participate in Montreal’s MURAL festival, and my world was forever changed. I screamed and cried when I first received the email. I couldn’t believe that only a year into starting this practice, I was going to be painting at an internationally-recognized festival. It was absolutely a dream come true.
Since then, I have worked on projects with the city, and big-name clients like Stella Artois. I work with residential clients to beautify their homes, as well as working with organizations like MU (http://mumtl.org/) to create meaningful, community projects.
I have met an amazing community along the way, as Montreal is a city rich with artistic talent in all forms. I feel exceptionally lucky to be living entirely off my art and to have had this success in such a short period of time.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have been various moments of difficulty along the way, of course. Even when I was in art school, I felt I lacked a lot of the skills to create the images and narratives that I wanted to create. I was envious of my classmates and other artists who seemed to easily bring those ideas to life. I initially really wanted to paint portraits and figures, and had a very hard time making those images “look right”.
When I worked in my studio after graduating, I applied to many shows in galleries and was rejected from all of them.
I now know that rejection is part of the process of growing, but at the time it made me feel like no one wanted my art, and I would never be as good as my peers, who seemed to enter these spaces with ease.
Now, as a freelancer, my biggest struggle is interpreting a client’s needs into my art style. Art school really helped me work on expressing who I am as an artist, but I did not study illustration, so finding a happy medium between a client’s ideas and my own is something I’m currently working on. I am always learning, and when I overcome a challenge, I feel that much more empowered.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I consider myself first and foremost an abstract artist. My work is always filled with bright colors, and I am to spark joy in those who come across my work. I take inspiration from a range of ideas, such as the psychedelic concert posters of the 60s, textures found in nature that I grew up around in Vancouver, BC, and contemporary artists such as James Reka, Iker Muro, and Louis Lambert (also known as 3ttman).
I specialize in creating colorful murals, as well as illustrations for many different applications, such as beer labels, window vinyl, t-shirt designs, album art, and much more. I’m always looking for new places to put my art!
I am most proud of the fact that I have pushed hard to get my work out into the world, and have managed to make a living from it, especially as a woman.
What sets me apart from others is that I am very professional and friendly to work with. I aim to create an inviting environment to work within, whether that’s during the phone call discussions, the period of installing the mural, or the effect the mural has on its environment after I have finished. I always try to be upbeat and make people feel welcome!
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
I’ve learned that everyone needs their own time and methods to do things. The pandemic gave me a chance to have time to take care of myself: little things like having time to do the dishes and laundry, rather than squeezing them in when I’m exhausted from a 40-hour work week, as been a joy. Life is not one-size-fits-all, and we shouldn’t aim to live our lives that way.
I’ve also learned that I’m much happier and more empowered working for myself, rather than someone else haha!
Pricing:
- I charge by the square foot, starting at $19 and increasing from there. This depends on wall texture if there are objects in the way that make it difficult for me to paint, and the complexity of the art.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.zoegelfant.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/zoegelfant
- Facebook: Facebook.com/zoegelfantart
Image Credits
Olivier Bousquet for MU MTL
