Zena Gurbo: Facing Forward

July 19, 2025 | August 30, 2025

Exploring emotions, states of being, as well as the the various facets of Self. These works are a playful process where I bring to life the character that’s being revealed to me. I am trying to practice painting what the art tells me to do. In the empty field I see eyes and mouth and nose and I do my best to paint that.

Zena Gurbo is a Brooklyn/Upstate NY based artist using acrylic paint on various surfaces including recycled brown paper bags, found canvases and wood. Gurbo has taught art and creative expression for over twenty years with an emphasis on individuals with developmental disabilities. “Encouraging creative expression in others has given me access to unfettered insight and inspiration and allowed me to stay curious and full of wonder for the artistic process.” 

Gurbo’s work is full of force and humor. The current series of paintings experiments with making faces while exploring color, composition and the collective subconscious. “I make art as a way to investigate and regulate my parts and their emotions as well as the expressions and moods of those around me.”

“Both of my parents were/are artists - my mother made crosses from found objects among other things and my father is an illustrator and artist who is always making work and experimenting with new materials. It took me a long time to call myself an artist with any conviction but I rely on my art making to process, define and enliven this experience of life, which is art in and of itself.”