My name is Sara Zunda and I am an Independent Illustrator and Professional Creative. I am interested in dark fantasy style storytelling, graphic portraiture, and narrative comics. My current portfolio revolves around high detailed backgrounds and scenes, including things like folklore and story driven works, designed tabletop characters, and the writing and illustration of a few fantasy indie webcomics.
Fantasy narratives have always drawn my admiration. The concepts that are brought to this genre tend to be direct human issues, including woes and tribulations that every person faces daily. Adding a little dash of whimsy, a little wonder, and a touch of mystery, it becomes something breathtaking and larger than ourselves. With my work I try to add my own flavor of style as I share my world, as well as making a point to add more inclusive characters, colors, sizes, and creeds, than the majority of more traditional fantasy art that paved the way before I could even hold a pen.
Outside of artmaking, I enjoy dice making, camping and adventuring, tending to my plants, playing mandolin and singing, playing Dungeons and Dragons, and getting into shenanigans with friends!
Since 2019, I have been working as an Independent Freelance Illustrator from my home studio in Connecticut, and are available for personal and commercial work.
Looking to contact me? Email me direct at ZUNDAILLUSTRATIONS@GMAIL.COM
SHORT HISTORY
I am a young American Fantasy Illustrator and Graphic Designer in the Greater New Haven and Greater New York areas.
Really blooming into art in the mid 2000’s, I began to delve into mastering the digital medium. Starting by mixing and combining graphite portraits and narrative illustrations on paper with digital coloring methods, later moving strictly to all digital artworks in the same style. In 2014, I started studying for my Bachelor's Degree in Illustration. In that time I have received multiple awards and scholarships, notably from the Connecticut Art Directors Club, Connecticut’s Association of Schools, as well as being featured in gallery shows and installations across CT, NY, and International Festivals.
In the same time of study, I worked as an In-House graphic designer in South Norwalk, designing packaging for food and beauty products, developing everything from logos, branding, social media assets, marketing promotions, and more. In 2018 I was welcomed with open arms into graduation with honors from Paier College of Art. Just over a year later I jumped into full time freelance work, offering art and design services direct to customer. In this time I’ve received artist grants from The Westville Village Renaissance Alliance, City of New Haven's Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Arts Council of Greater New Haven in 2020.
2021 has been dedicated to illustrating indie comics as well as self publishing my own art books and stories.
Past and Current Clients Include:
Found Familiar Coffee, Chestnut Street Playhouse, Yale University, Shubert Theatre, The Westville Village Renaissance Alliance, Jon Sideriadis and the Astromythos Series, The ART ORDER, Toto Kisaku’s Requiem for An Electric Chair, Utopia Science Fiction Magazine, Design Monsters, Akira AK’s We The Hero’s Ball, 415 Market, Connecticut Hurricanes Drum & Bugle Corps, Newman’s Own, and Newman’s Own Organics, and Project 7
SHOWS AND GALLERIES
Exhibitions & Shows
2021 - To be Announced
Bail Out Gallery – Bailoutgallery.com, Curated by Amira Brown, New Haven, CT
2020
Bail Out Gallery – Bailoutgallery.com, Curated by Amira Brown, New Haven, CT
Witchy – Group show, Ely Center of Contemporary Art, New Haven, CT
Art All Night – Artallnighttrenton.org, Online event, 19 Everett Alley, Trenton, NJ
2019
Hartford Open Studios at the Colt Building – City Wide Open Studios, Colt Building, Hartford, CT
Alternative Space Weekend – Who Governs, City Wide Open Studios, Yale West Campus, New Haven, CT
Pod Storage Crate Installation, Westville Weekend – City Wide Open Studios, Central Ave, New Haven, CT
Artspace Opening Reception/New Haven Night Market - City Wide Open Studios, Orange Street, New Haven, CT
2018
Hartford Open Studios at the Colt Building – City Wide Open Studios, Colt Building, Hartford, CT
Alternative Space Weekend – Wellbeing, City Wide Open Studios, Yale West Campus, New Haven, CT
Pod Storage Crate Installation, Westville Weekend – City Wide Open Studios, Central Ave, New Haven, CT
Artspace Opening Reception - City Wide Open Studios, Orange Street, New Haven, CT
World Premier of Toto Kisaku's Requiem for an Electric Chair – International Festival of Arts and Ideas, Iseman Theater, New Haven, CT
The Leonardo Project - Capturing Time, Eli Whitney Museum, Whitney Ave, Hamden, CT
Illustration Show at Madison Art Cinemas – Madison Art Cinemas, Boston Post Road, Madison, CT
2017
Hartford Open Studios at Capewell Lofts – City Wide Open Studios, Capewell Lofts, Hartford, CT
Armory Weekend – F[r]act or Fiction?, City Wide Open Studios, Goffe Street Armory, New Haven, CT
Westville Weekend – City Wide Open Studios, Westville Artists Studios, New Haven, CT
Artspace Opening Reception - City Wide Open Studios, Orange Street, New Haven, CT
Emerging Artists at Madison Art Cinemas, Madison Art Cinemas, Boston Post Road, Madison, CT
The Leonardo Project - Leonardo in Bloom, Eli Whitney Museum, Whitney Ave, Hamden, CT
2016
The Leonardo Project - Imagination in Focus, Eli Whitney Museum, Whitney Ave, Hamden, CT
Artspace Opening Reception - City Wide Open Studios, Orange Street, New Haven, CT
Armory Weekend– Game On!, City Wide Open Studios, Goffe Street Armory, New Haven, CT
2015
Armory Weekend – Dwelling, City Wide Open Studios, Goffe Street Armory, New Haven, CT
Milford Arts Council, Student Exhibit, Center for the Arts, Eastbound Railroad Station Milford, CT
2014
Private Studio Weekend – Illuminate, City Wide Open Studios, Alternative Space New Haven, CT