Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Zamora.
Angela, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I honestly had no idea I was into art much less photography when I was younger. I was an honor student, athlete, and in marching and concert band in my teenage years. I always found myself drawing or painting, but it never crossed my mind that was something I could focus on. I ended up at The University of Texas at Austin after high school with a declared major in Advertising. Two years into the program I took a photojournalism course and immediately realized I wanted to pursue photography. My parents weren’t surprised and were fully supportive. My mother actually said it made sense and that I loved taking photos when I was younger (a memory I couldn’t recall until she brought up the photos I used to shoot on my disposable camera and plaster my bedroom walls with). I transferred to the Art Institute of Austin where I learned the technical side of photography and eventually ended up at Texas State University where I finished out with a BFA in Photography.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I capture photographs. My work began with my thesis in college which revolved around the concept of Jamais Vu (“Never Seen). It involves a sense of uneasiness of an observers impression of seeing a situation for the first time despite knowing they have been in that situation before and is often associated with aphasia, amnesia, and epilepsy. I mostly shoot film and polaroids of different objects, landscapes, and people. Analog is similar to memories in that you take an image of a moment but don’t actually see it until the film is processed. There is no immediate reviewing of the image and your memories of that time or place come back whenever you process your film which could be the next day or months later. My grandmother had Alzheimer’s Disease and to see such a great woman lose her memories greatly affected me. If anything I would hope my work helps create a connection of familiarity and trigger the observers own memories.
What do you know now that you wished you had learned earlier?
Just keep creating daily no matter what. The moment you start doubting your work and where you are as an artist is the moment you place yourself in a box that is hard to escape from. It’s easy to focus on another job because being a full-time artist is difficult but, I’ve found that you can easily lose focus on creating and place art on the bottom of things to do daily. I work two part-time jobs to support myself and my work. I have to remind myself to create something daily even if it isn’t a photograph. I truly am a believer of consciousness and creating your own reality.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I don’t have any exhibitions planned, but I am considering putting a small book together of my polaroid and film photographs. My work can be viewed on my website and my Instagram account. As far as supporting my work connecting to and sharing my images is the best support any artist could ask for. I also have some prints and a small zine I collaborated with Matthew Hodges and Zan de Parry (Artists you should check out) for purchase.
Contact Info:
- Website: angelazamora.com
- Email: adaniellezamora@gmail.com
- Instagram: _angelazamora_
Image Credit:
Angela Zamora
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
