e x p o s e d

s o c i a l  m e d i a  a p p r o p r i a t e  v i d e o

"Two and a half years ago, I wandered into a room in an old-high-school-turned-art-studios, on the side of a mountain - Jerome, Arizona."

Wow, what a great beginning to a story!

Truth is, it's probably one of the best stories of my life. Not because it was easy, but because of its adversities.

I didn't know it in the winter of 2016, but I was headed for a meltdown, one of the biggest and longest I've experienced. It was like crashing in s l o w m o t i o n. And it couldn't have happened to a better person, or in a better place.

My studio provided a safe spot to land. I didn't have a plan, or a clue of what I was going to do. All I knew was, I was supposed to be there. Seriously, it was like one of those moments when you know - you just know that you belong. The studio, and the little town of Jerome itself, made me feel like I was okay.

And it couldn't have come at a better time. Four months later, I became homeless. I spent more and more time in my studio - working at my desk, sleeping on the couch, borrowing a tub from a local musician for baths - you know, the usual.

I spun out out of control, thank God! Control was my middle name, it was about time I lost it. What I gained was more than I could have ever imagined in my wildest dreams.

Today, I look back on the time I've spent in my studio, all of the projects, art shows, music performances, photo workshops, art classes and a whole lot of silliness. And I recognize how different I am now, thanks to all of it. (More on that later.)

What I love is this: the diversity and variety of artists I have been privileged to spend time with, has unexpectedly rubbed off on me - their art forms, their personalities, their lifestyles. I am in the company of greatness.

Here's the thing: Over time I dabbled in photography, specifically in the manipulation of digital images, creating what appear to be gritty, edgy, bizarre photographs. A weed growing through a crack in the steps, shadow and light playing across a blackboard, old paint peeling off a cement wall in a dark basement - odd angles in various stages.

That, combined with this: nude modeling. This was also my path during the meltdown years. What did it bring me? Empowerment, acceptance, badassery - and I'm not talking about the pretty parts.

Here's the deal:

* The glorious rage - raw, real, dirty.
* Being homeless - fear, displaced, broke.
* Total meltdown - surrender, loss, relief.
E v e r y t h i n g spilled out through photos, words, and images splattered with paint, glued onto magazine pages, and turned into animated pop art. And that's just the beginning.

Six months ago, I got focused. I stopped giving myself away. I stopped doing for others what I could be doing for myself. Something was stirring, and I knew I had to clear out all the junk in my life, and in my studio, to get ready. But this time, I did have a plan, I did have a clue.

*e x p o s e d* represents all that. An unveiling of growth, through an art-form I'm not even sure how to describe. Actually, I'm glad there are no words for it, because it is my personal journey, not anyone else's.

So let's have a party! DJ Louder and Boyz Club will be shaking down the building all night, starting with House Music and going into Techno Beats. Good food and good wine throughout the evening, loads of fun people, dancing, laughing, and.... oh yeah, live black-light body painting! All you photographers, bring your cameras.

Friday the 13th of September, 2019
Opening Reception:  6 p.m.
Not Your Typical Art Show:  6 - 11 p.m.
Techno & House Music by Boyz Club & DJ Louder:  8 p.m. - 12 a.m.
Food & Wine

Zushka, the artist:  Unusual, Uninhibited, Unorthodox, Unapologetic

#livebodypainting #photography #zushkabirosphotography #redbenchstudios #oldjeromehighschool #jeromeartcenter #jeromeaz #fridaythe13th #september2019 #zushkaexposed #popart @zushka.biros @modelzushka @photographyredbench #mixedmedia #collageart #analogart #psychedelicart #blacklight #supportlocalart

More To Come