Local embraces her passion for painting

East Meadow resident Theodora Zavala always had a passion for painting and majored in this artistic medium at Queens College. After graduating in 1974, she continued on to earn an advanced degree in education and has been sharing her skills with students in first to fifth grade ever since. However, she didn’t pursue her passion as a hobby until ten years ago when she joined a class taught by Dan Slapo, Master Pastelist with the Pastel Society of America, which she still attends every Wednesday.

Zavala, who currently has portraits featured at the Shelter Rock Library, explained that working with pastels is similar to drawing with a pencil. “It’s really very close to drawing and I always loved drawing,” she said.

Each Wednesday, Zavala and other students head to Slapo’s home in Westbury and create portraits based on models who pose for the class. Unlike some artists, Zavala develops an environment to place her models in, creating drama in her work. “It is not just a portrait, but a complete composition that creates mood, mystery and tension,” she said.

Slapo, who has instructed Zavala for years, said she is a talented artist. “She’s very good, but everybody has a different technique. You let your personality guide you,” he said. “You look at a face and see how one face is different than another. I just like really looking closely at the face to see how the eyes coordinate with the nose, the mouth.” The 35-year teacher added that he aims to educate students on ways to blend colors using pressure, create three-dimensional portraits using shadows and soft edges and develop perfect proportion to create a likeness between the model and finished product.

Painting is a long process, said Zavala, and it can be challenging, but it’s something she thoroughly enjoys. “It’s satisfying and you never know how it’s going to turn out,” she said. “Everyone should find something they enjoy like that.” She added that painting class has become an escape and she leaves in a state of contentment with a smile on her face.

The Shelter Rock Library show, “Viewpoints: Art of the Portrait,” features a contemporary realist exhibit with works in oil, pastels and acrylic paint by Slapo and numerous students including Zavala. “This show is a tribute to Dan Slapo,” said Suzie Alvey, a fellow student who organized the 16-person show. “The artists spent many hours creating these beautiful portraits and the newly-renovated gallery is a lovely place for our work to be displayed.”

The show runs until June 26. The library is located at 165 Searingtown Rd., Albertson. Artists interested in taking classes with Slapo can contact him at (516) 997-2268.