These recent Zachary Pryor paintings are dispersed between my current shows at the Observatory and Case Study Coffee in Portland, Oregon. All of the pieces above can also be purchased on my Etsy site. My favored subject matter in my work moved from slightly creepy surreal portraits to animals this summer and has since grown into my favorite incarnation that I like to think of as a delightful mix of detailed realism, classic comic book and street art. If you are in the Portland area, please check out either show running until February 1st. February brings another show, this one a collaboration with Tamara Goldsmith at Redux. Stay tuned and feel free to send me your comments.

This Winter Solstice finds me with a new love in my life and a brand new connection to the Oregon Coast. Since my trip to Seal Rock and Yachats a few weeks ago I feel that everything I have created has this sort of haunting sacredness. I thought it best to honor that by putting together a nice little photo collage. (above) In it I have featured my vintage glass and coral beaded wrapping necklace (bottom left), Corsican Breeze earrings (bottom middle), Gold & Turquoise Scarab beetle necklace (top left), Glory of Queen Esther painting (right) and my Gold & Turquoise draping chain necklace (top right) I have linked each piece for purchasing ease and be advised that all of my items on ETSY are 20% off all month. Simply enter the coupon code “holiday” when checking out to receive your discount just in time for the holidays!

Also pictured in the above collage is a gorgeous shot of the ocean at Seal Rock, Oregon (top left and middle), a frost-bitten morning near my house in Portland (bottom right) and my favorite moment from the recent coastal trip, a snowy mountain pass on Highway 26 just outside the Tillamook State Forest. (middle)

Hope this post finds you all well and remember: I make custom orders, so reach out to me and let me know!

xoxo

~zachary~

I took these photos with my roommate Kate B during one of our early morning dance parties. She pulled another creative all-nighter and had to get her shift covered at the Observatory (where the 2 of us and my other roommate Katie will be having an art show next month). I jumped on the opportunity to use her as a model before she passed out from exhaustion. The air is crisp and clean here in Portland with wet, colorful leaves speckling the greenery. It made for some great jewelry photos.

Enjoy and a very happy fall to you and yours.

xo ~zachary

The year is 1981 and I am living with my folks in Shenandoah Farms, VA. Stevie Nicks‘ Bella Donna album is on heavy rotation at my house. We live on a forested hilltop with no septic system. There are copperhead snakes and spiders everywhere, my parents seem happy together. I have cousins that live close-by. They know about sex already and talk about it, but I am 7 and mostly oblivious. My grade school (an hour away) is in Front Royal, VA and I hate it. Unlike my Ashland, Maine school I really feel that I am just a number here.

Splash comes out and Aaron Benson and I keep going to the movie theater. He has Calvin Klein jeans and I have brown corduroys. There is a girl in our class named Stacy Licklider and we are both convinced she is a mermaid like Darryl Hannah. We take turns pretending we are Tom Hanks. I hate being John Candy. I have no idea at this time that I am completely gay and become obsessed with Stacy, the gorgeous blond-headed potential mermaid. We hold hands one day during a class field trip. I vaguely remember us walking behind the group, making fun of everyone. Knowing both of us now I must say that this is entirely possible.

Years later I find Stacy on Facebook and to my surprise she remembers me as vividly as I her. We stay in touch here and there and I daydream about visiting her and her wonderful, fairly new family in the Florida Keys. Then, just weeks ago she purchases the “crystal shard” earrings below. I have had great success as an artist and jewelry designer in the last ten years, but nothing is as gratifying as when a dear old friend spends their hard-earned $ on your creativity. Thank you friends and thank you Stacy for coming back into my life.

In barely related news, Zachary Pryor now joins the ranks of Copious users this week. This site is an Etsy alternative and is getting a great deal of press. The format is gorgeous and the site is extremely user-friendly. Go ahead and check out the items ZP now has for sale on Copious.

The sale includes everything on my site, so >>>go get shopping<<<

But here we are, years later and I still rush home for Jem, but this time to paint her and her cohorts on enamel-like earrings or canvas cuffs. We’ve grown up but we don’t have to let go of our childhood obsessions. See all of the Jem items pictured below in my Etsy Store.

I paint both unicorns and zombies, but never cupcakes.

Sometimes I do make gluten-free cupcakes, but you won’t see those here. This week I choose to spotlight my delightful Zombie and Unicorn creations, all on sale on my Etsy site. The links are listed below each item and the Marilyn earrings are on sale, half off -this week only!

Blue Unicorn Glitter original Zachary Pryor painting, available here.

Zombie Elvis painted canvas cuff “I’m all Shook up…for brains” available here.

Mint Chocolate Chip Unicorn original Zachary Pryor painting

Zombie Marilyn Monroe earrings (below) are this week’s super sale item!  Purchase here.

This is “Martha’s ex-boyfriend” as he is a male and Martha was the last known Passenenger pigeon. She died in captivity in the late 1800′s. I painted this after reading the story of the passenger pigeon‘s extinction and crying for a good ten minutes. I put a lot more realism into it than I normally do, perhaps because I wanted to honor the spirit of the bird and it’s tragic tale. (purchase here)

Next up we have “Ode to a Crow.” This one really got me on a role and since it’s creation I have painted at least a piece a day. (Purchase here)

“Blue Morpho Okapi Butterfly” because the Okapi is my favorite animal. and he deserves beautiful butterfly wings. (Purchase here)

“Cleopatra Camel,” the first in a long line of historical figures painted as popular animals. The associations I make won’t always make sense. This one does. (Purchase here)

“Octopus Rave!”  I’ll be painting a ton of octopus paintings. Just you wait. (Purchase here)

“Not a meerkat but a MerCat” a cross between a Serval (a desert cat) and an African Cichlid. You get it.  (Purchase here)

“Doberman Anubis” or Dobernubis…I love the doberman. and they really do look like traditional statues of the Egyptian God Anubis, so I figured…why not? There will also be forthcoming paintings of Horus Falcon and Bestet Havana Brown Cat. (purchase here)

More to come soon! And if you live in the Portland area, please do check out my show with Katie Stem at the Tin Shed happening September 1st. happy dog days of summer everyone!