I was born in 1971 in New York City and as a baby my mother often pushed my stroller through the galleries of the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum. I don’t remember a time when art was not a part of my life. I have always loved figurative painting and learned my technique earning a BFA at Syracuse University and through study in Florence, Italy. My painting career truly came into focus after the birth of my first child. Ironically, at this time, I found it unthinkable that I would have the time or energy to take painting seriously. I found an escape in my studio and turned to self-portraiture in order to make sense of all the emotions that had arrived with this new phase of life. I created imagery that was honest and infused with a female perspective which I found difficult to find elsewhere in art. “I create paintings that reflect my own situation but in doing so address the unique challenges that many women face. The emotional ups and downs of my life are the inspiration for my work. I know I have been successful when a viewer realizes they are not alone with these feelings. The stories of personal triumph and tragedy that my work often elicits validate my belief in my work. Those connections are incredibly gratifying and fuel my enthusiasm for painting.” - Daryl Zang