Today we’d like to introduce you to Joëlle Diane Zellman
Hi Joëlle Diane, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Growing up, I was fortunate to attend a visual and performing arts magnet program through middle school and into high school, which gave me a deep appreciation for the arts and showed me that a career in this field was possible.
I went on to study at Columbus College of Art & Design and abroad in Florence, Italy. After school, I moved around a bit, taking on various odd jobs across the country before eventually landing a role as a Creative Coordinator for a wall covering company. In that position, I was responsible for color matching, screen printing, and collaborating with other artists. It was a great experience, but when the company asked me to relocate again, I realized how much I enjoyed being back home in Akron, so I decided to stay.
That’s when I launched Monochrome Canvas, which at the time functioned as my freelance business, where most of my clients were seeking illustration and graphic design work. My favorite projects were ones that allowed me to draw and paint, and I found myself getting back into creating more fine artwork. As I expanded into that and looked for a local printer, I realized that there weren’t many local resources for high-quality printing. That gap led me to expand Monochrome Canvas into a giclée print shop that offers museum-quality prints, with my main clients being other local artists and creatives.
This last year has been really exciting as the business has steadily grown. We supply prints and have contracts with many of the leading art institutions in the area and well-known artists, which has been such a thrill to be a part of. We’ve partnered with Summit Artspace, Don Drumm Studios, and Rubber City Clothing, and I’ve had the pleasure of printing work for artists like Lizzi Aronhalt, Matt Miller, and Burrito Breath.
I’ve also partnered with Sabertooth Public Art through their art advocacy program, which has led to some amazing projects, like the Akron T-Shirt Club—an exclusive club that supplies shirts every month to local art enthusiasts and highlights 10 Akron-area artists.
A major highlight this year was seeing my solar eclipse t-shirt design on the front page of The Beacon Journal. It became a sought-after commemorative item for the event. I’ve also partnered with the Sojourner Truth Committee as a vendor for their unveiling event, selling merchandise to raise funds for their education efforts. Currently, I’m working on some exciting projects, including painting a portrait for Ashland University’s incoming president and creating artwork for Akron’s Bicentennial.
Looking ahead, my goal is to spend more time on my fine artwork while continuing to provide high-quality services through the print shop. I’m also working toward personal goals, like finding a dedicated studio space. I’m excited to see where this next chapter takes me, both in my art and in my business.
A slightly more in depth background can be found on my site in the About Me section: https://monochromecanvas.com/blogs/news/more-about-joelle
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I can’t say that it’s been a smooth road. Owning and operating your own business is hard enough as it is, but there have definitely been a few challenges along the way. One of the more frustrating experiences has been dealing with the perception that, as a woman, my business isn’t always taken as seriously as it should be. I’ve had men refer to it as a “hobby” or side thing on more than one occasion, which can feel so incredibly belittling, especially when you know how much work goes into running everything on your own.
On top of that, I’m a mom to two young children, which means I’m constantly balancing the demands of parenthood. It’s an incredible amount of work juggling childcare, homework, sick days, potty training, and everything else with all of the necessary operations of the business.
Additionally, I deal with autoimmune issues that can be debilitating at times. There are days when I physically can’t do what I need to, and that’s incredibly hard when you’re running a business where everything falls on you. Finding ways to manage my health while keeping the business moving forward can sometimes be difficult. But I’m really grateful to have a supportive family that helps with childcare and with business-related things they can manage. My mom, who retired last year, has even started working part-time for me as my administrative assistant.
Despite all of this, I’ve been able to grow and achieve some amazing things, but it has definitely been a lot of hard work.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My artwork is deeply rooted in themes of introspection, femininity, and the subtle power found in quiet moments. I’m particularly drawn to exploring innocence and inner strength, often through soft, reflective imagery. My pieces evoke a sense of quiet reflection, allowing viewers to find their own meaning within the layers while giving hints of the themes that reflect my core values and intention.
Recently, I’ve been experimenting with more traditional printmaking methods, which has been an exciting way to push my work in new directions. It’s given me the chance to collaborate with local printmakers, which is nice because I already share a bit of a kinship and synergy with them, also coming from a print background. And as someone with a fine art education, it’s been refreshing to get back to a more hands-on process. A recent ongoing series has me partnering with Ditto Riso at Bounce Innovation Hub, run by Micah Kraus, where I create risograph prints. I’ve also partnered with The 961 Collective, a letterpress studio in Cleveland. These forms of printing—unlike giclée, which allows for a wide range of colors and fine details—have their limitations. Colors are layered on top of one another, requiring more thought, planning, and intention behind the design. That’s what makes it so refreshing—each print reflects my vision while allowing for subtle variations in every run. The prints also have unique textures that are intrinsic to their process.
What sets my work apart is the balance between reflection and experimentation. I enjoy diving into different techniques and materials. I have classic training in fine art, with experience in sculpting—particularly woodworking, welding, and mold-making—as well as painting with watercolor, oils, and acrylic. More recently, I’ve been expanding my work digitally and incorporating A.I. into my creative processes. Even when the work is digital in nature, it’s always informed by traditional process. This blending of old and new methods allows my work to continually evolve.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
I was always really adventurous, and in high school, I kept an eye out for any program that would allow me to travel. I had the immense privilege of traveling around the US quite a bit and also going abroad to the UK and other countries.
What was really formative for me was realizing just how much people around the world have in common. We often have these preconceived notions about other cultures, but once you’re immersed in them, you quickly see that people everywhere are largely very similar. Some places, though, are simply more beautiful, with their historic structures, otherworldly scenery and rich history and it makes it so fun to see and experience different ways of living. Culture shapes some fun and quirky differences, but overall, the world feels much smaller and more connected the more you travel. Traveling really helped shape my understanding of how interconnected we all are, and it’s a perspective I’ve always carried with me.
A funny story from one of my trips—when I was a teen on a cruise ship out of Cyprus, our hosts knew that Americans love syrup with their pancakes and waffles. Trying to be really considerate, they served pancakes and waffles with chocolate syrup—the kind you’d use for ice cream! I thought it was sweet that they were trying to be so accommodating and also thought it was silly that our maple syrup was lost in translation along the way.
Pricing:
- We offer special pricing for expanded services to our fine art and creative clients – they must simply email us about their project.
- All giclée prints and select products are available for local pickup
- Free delivery (Thursday & Friday) on orders over $50
Contact Info:
- Website: https://monochromecanvas.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_monochromecanvas
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MonochromeCanvas
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/monochrome-canvas-akron
- Other: Google: https://shorturl.at/XWqGb
