Zalman Berkowitz
Painter, Writer, Wine Geek

ZalMania

Websites:

• http://www.zalmania.com
• http://zalmania.wordpress.com

I paint, I write, I dance around.

my 'Mania? Original Works in Oil on Canvas, Giclee reproductions on paper or canvas, Limited Editions, and Interior/Exterior Residential Painting.

I learn, I grow, I adapt. I love challenging myself in new situations, in exciting projects. My main interest is in the evolving human culture. Thus far, my professional experience is in Food, Wine, and Art. I am a highly creative, playful collaborator. I have a passion for excellence in design. I work to appreciate beauty in all its forms.

1. An inexpensive but reliable vehicle (hatchback, light truck, light van) for transporting paintings/ paint gear. I am open for trade/barter (I have loads of oil on canvas, work art commissions, and I paint Interior/Exterior residential and commercial, as well as light construction, stone work (patios) and landscaping. I both love and guarantee all the work I do. My work is personable and professional. send me a message!)

2. art venues for a fundraising event/auction and exhibition featuring 10 award winning emerging Artists to benefit an established charity (Rise n' Shine and Artist Trust) more info: http://zalmania.wordpress.com "The Ladder Project"

I have been (and am) fortunate enough to study with a number of excellent teachers. Myron Barnstone at his Atelier in PA (http://www.TheBarnstoneStudios.com), Michael Green (http://www.liquidassetscg.com/who_we_are) in NYC, Master Aaron Kravetz in AZ, and SiFu Kim Ivy (http://www.embracethemoon.com) in Seattle, WA come immediately to mind. In Seattle, I count the folks at Heroics among my friends and mentors: http://www.heroicsusa.com

I was brought up by a single, strong, determined mom. Raised in a bohemian, jewish and natural tradition, and encouraged by a brilliant and musical father [farmer, merchant, airplane builder, union representative, piano and flute.]. As a product of a dynamic, constantly evolving environment, I inherit a relationship with structure, as well as a comfort within the fluidity of change.

I moved to Manhattan to study art and fell into the wine trade. I had the privilege of working with Michael Green, who inspired my passion for wine. I earned my Advanced Certification from the W.S.E.T. in 1999, and I have functioned as a consultant, buyer, sommelier and wine educator. I have worked with Gourmet Magazine and the Food Network, Food and Wines from France, and for many years as a sommelier in a Wine Spectator Grand Award Restaurant. I have designed proprietary wine programs and events with restaurants, companies, national trade organizations, charities and individuals. I am passionate about learning, and wine offers me the continued pleasure of discovery. My approach to wine is knowledge-based, casual and at times, poetic.

In my painting I work to reconcile ideas of economy and purpose with a hedonistic desire for luxurious color and dynamic hyper-solid forms that commingle with anthropomorphic squiggles and arabesque. The work is about change. I want my work to continue to be interesting over time, so I create organized structures that are open to multiple interpretations. View the work online at www.zalmania.com

Word. I love language. Saul Stacey Williams' movie Slam inspired me to speak my poems out loud, and I have done this off and on, with varying intensity since 1999. I am currently working on a spoken word recording project pairing spoken pieces with paintings, video and other new media as well as a collaborative artist's project to benefit Rise n' Shine (http://www.risenshine.org) as well as Artist Trust (http://www.artisttrust.org) called The Ladder Project. more on that in the fall. Thank you for reading this far!