Through the eyes of Zaya

You work across tattooing, painting and music. How do these areas influence each other?

Different mediums serve different purposes in my life. Tattooing taps into my perfectionist side, I love everything to be clean, precise, and intentional. Painting is where I feel more free and in the moment. I've realised how important it is for me to create with my hands, it’s my therapy, my healing.

Music is a bit of a side hustle at the moment. Most of the singers I listen to are women, and I’ve always aspired to feel more embodied in my femininity and sexuality. I see that in the musicians I follow. It’s lovely to express that in my paintings too, where the art can speak for itself rather than it being me on camera.

Botanical forms and the female figure often appear in your work. What draws you to these motifs?

I work a lot with the female form, and since becoming a mum, I’m in even more awe of the female body, how strong, soft, resilient and beautiful it is. Seeing my body change, and watching my friends become mothers too, has only deepened that inspiration.

How has becoming a mother influenced the way you work or think about your practice?

You can see the growth in the painting, and I can feel the growth in me, as a mother and as a woman.

How did pregnancy influence your creative process?

When I was pregnant with my first baby during lockdown, I had so much time on my hands because I couldn’t tattoo. My ex-partner cleared out the attic and told me to start painting again, it had been so long. I sat up there and creativity just flowed. There was something about pregnancy, about creating life, that inspired me to create art. I think I became a professional painter during that time, about five years ago now. It’s a bit of a dream come true.

What first drew you to tattooing, and how has it changed your relationship with drawing?

Tattooing has given me so much confidence in my drawing, especially now that I do more freehand work. I’m much more comfortable sketching directly onto the body, or onto canvas, because of that experience.

What have you learned from working on skin that has influenced how you work on paper or canvas?

Tattooing is precise and permanent, while painting, especially on raw canvas with watered-down paint, feels more fluid and ephemeral. I can lay something down, then splash it off or bleed it out with water. I love the contrast between the two, perfection in tattooing and freedom in painting.

How do you approach organic forms in your tattoo work?

It feels really good to tattoo something organic and flowing. If the lines aren’t exact, it still works, like the natural curves of the body or of leaves. Nature is the essence of life, and most of my colour choices are inspired by it.

How do seasons and your environment affect your creativity?

Spring and summer are my most creative times. Living in Brighton, with its colour, freedom, art and music, makes it hard not to feel inspired. The sunsets over the sea, that orange sun against the iridescent blue, are just so perfect.

How do you approach colour in your work?

I’m generally drawn to pastel and earthy tones. When I was in Portugal, I fell in love with terracotta. I renovated my house there using handmade terracotta tiles, and it gave me a new appreciation for earthy, stone colours.

Do you prefer to plan a piece or let it unfold as you go?

I'm not a planner. I’m super spontaneous. I never know what’s going to happen on the canvas until I make that first mark, then I just respond and build from there.

What Winsor & Newton tools or materials do you return to again and again?

I love Winsor & Newton Galeria Acrylic, especially for its fluidity and fast drying time. I’m pretty impatient, so being able to lay something down and add to it ten minutes later suits me perfectly.

Have you ever used a tool or method in an unexpected way that became part of your process?

I’ve always used Galeria Acrylic and recently I’ve started mixing it with flow improver and water to create a kind of pouring paint. I love the tie-dye, watery effect it gives, especially on raw canvas.

What are some of your favourite colours to work with?

Lately, I’ve been loving the Winsor & Newton Galeria Pastel Set. I could make an entire painting without mixing anything, it just made painting feel so joyful and easy. I especially love the Pale Terracotta and Sky Blue. I first used them in spring, which felt like the perfect timing.

What non-art interest or activity keeps you grounded or inspired?

I have loads of hobbies, but yoga is essential, especially as a tattoo artist, where your body can get really tense. Coming back to my body after having kids has been empowering. I hadn’t done a handstand in five years, and now I feel stronger and more balanced than I did before. It’s a lovely feeling, realising you’re still capable, still alive and strong.