About The Artist

Artist Statement

Hilary Zayed

Inspired by the process of healing and moving forward, both physically, emotionally and spiritually, my art is driven by colors, objects and belief systems, natural and made, that speak to this common human experience through art with writings that help move us forward. Piecing my own life together after surviving a brain injury, as if building a mosaic one shard at a time, I find meditative solace in hand cutting each tile, piece of glass, rock, and discarded item to alter its purpose into something that speaks to the process of reinventing not only my self, but that of the work of art it will eventually become.

Mixing the polar opposite worlds of organic and bling, creating with color, contrast, texture and eclectic tesserae and unusual objects, my art mirrors the inner core of our desire to tap into curative possibilities. I am drawn to the myriad forms of inspiration people find and the plentitude of possibilities the human experience utilizes and journey’s towards to grasp healing properties after life altering experiences and present them through art and writings.

It is my hope the viewer will then in turn, share their experience.

-Hilary Zayed, Artist

Links:
Meet the artist, Mosaic Mandalas, June 2011
Brain Injury Voices: Paying It Forward, Catching Health with Diane Atwood, March 20, 2012

Artist Biography

Hilary Zayed

Passionate about creating art that speaks to the process of healing physically, emotionally and spiritually; utilizing color, contrast and texture, Hilary Zayed’s art is a journey of salutary insights drawn from a recent life altering brain injury. Piecing life together one shard at a time, hand cutting tiles, utilizing eclectic tessera, discarded items, dottings from nature, then mixing them with shiny objects and bling, the combination makes joy arise not only with the artist but also the viewer.

Creativity and originality is the core essence of Hilary’s work as evidenced by awards: Most original: a mosaic titled: Guiding Light; Outstanding Art Glass Creativity Award: reverse painting and mosaic: Hidden in the Grass; Best in show: Reinventing Oneself Exhibit One; People’s Choice Award: a mosaic titled: Life Like A River and other accolades and awards. Her solo shows have been at Merrill Auditorium, Portland, Maine in January 2010 and November 2009; New England Rehab Hospital ongoing since Spring 2009; The Morrison Center in Scarborough, Maine; Reinventing Oneself: a traveling exhibit through the northeast carried by Prudential Insurance Company; Wells Library; L.B. Goodall Library; Springvale Library; Maine Women in the Arts Shows and the Sanford Springvale Art Gallery.

Along with creating fine art paintings and mosaics, this artist and writer has produced four multimedia displays of eclectic art utilizing the colors that evoke a sense of well being and writings that touch a common chord of human experience that are journeyed in the steps of recovery to becoming a mosaic artist and teacher. Reinventing Oneself After A Brain Injury, Exhibits: One-Recovery, Two-Rehab 10 months and 10 days, Three-Recalculating and Four-Repurposing - Mosaic Artist were designed to reach out and let other people know: share your story, you are not alone.

Through course work in composition, color theory, and illustration; fine arts painting with oils, watercolors, and acrylics; enhanced learning through classes in metalsmithing, jewelry making, and workshops in master mosaic methods to develop her skills and broaden her knowledge, Hilary’s diverse talents in many forms of art make her mosaics full of life. Obviously loving the activity of learning, she has an Instructors Degree from the American Horse Show Association, a B.S. in Elementary Education and Special Education along with 30 credits of Masters work in Special Education. Her art training started in 2006 after her previous life of teaching 3rd grade and avidly riding her horse Poppy came to an abrupt end with the head injury. Taking mosaic lessons and workshops in Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, and North Carolina and her fine art instruction occurring at Heartwood College of Art, private lessons, group workshops, Portland Museum of Art workshops and a weekly critique group, she now teaches art to people with developmental disabilities, private lessons and a group of wonderful, brave women with acquired brain injuries.

MOZAIC MAMA · P.O. BOX 841 · SANFORD, ME 04073 · (207)467-5638

m o z a i c m a m a @ g m a i l . c o m