This month, we’ll be putting our Artist Spotlight on John Zenc. Zenc supplied JAC with a collection of his own thoughts, excerpts of his artistic process, as well as various copies of his artwork. But first, an introduction to his life and work, (Human Mask of Life;) (Hidden Fears.), in Zenc’s own words:

JZ: A little history of myself. Born Feb. 3, 1957 — Honolulu, Hawaii. Been married two times. No kids, now divorced. I enlisted in the United States Army at age 15. I made a birth certificate, later my age was discovered. But when I turned 17, I re-enlisted. Both honorable discharges. I know and secretly went out with Natalie Wood, the famous actress.

Several [of my] pieces were sold to John Lennon and Johnny Carson, T.V. Personality.

My art work is now all around the world. Many people have my kids. My art is my kids. I gave life to each piece.

JZ (continued): Enclosed a prison news article about me. . . a public document written by inmates for the prison news paper.

A piece by Baron Scott on Zenc, published in The Scorpion

A piece by Baron Scott on Zenc, published in The Scorpion

“Untitled,” John Zenc

“Untitled,” John Zenc

“Untitled,” John Zenc

“Untitled,” John Zenc

“Untitled,” John Zenc

“Untitled,” John Zenc

“Untitled,” John Zenc

More recent work by Zenc:

“The Man Who Would Become a Woman – 1983,” John Zenc

“Young Lovers – 2012,” John Zenc

“Insanity – 1981,” John Zenc

“The Neverending Blame – 2009,” John Zenc

“Two Lucky Fish – 1989,” John Zenc

JZ: In the years, I threw hundreds of my drawings away, because I was unhappy [with] the way they turned out.

JZ: Elsa, a survivor of the WWII concentration camps. Spent 3 years there. When she got out she was ashamed. So she would hide behind the pretty flowers. But she had nothing to be ashamed of.

JZ: Too many school shootings. Like shooting fish in a barrel.

“Insanity – 1981,” John Zenc

“Young Lovers – 2012,” John Zenc

“Two Lucky Fish – 1989,” John Zenc

“The WWII Survivor – 2011,” John Zenc

“Experimental Drawing #1 – 2009 – “Zenc X-1″,” John Zenc

“The Man Who Would Become a Woman – 1983,” John Zenc

“The Neverending Blame – 2009,” John Zenc

“Old Man Smoking Pipe,” John Zenc

“Trapped in Net, the School – 2009,” John Zenc

“1970 – From Within,” John Zenc

“The Working Girl, Smoking Cigarette – 1982,” John Zenc

JZ: I did so much in the 1970s. Hitchhiked three times across the U.S.A. This piece is kind of a 1970s flashback. Good memories. I loved the song in the 1970s called Let’s Get It On by Marvin Gaye. I loved my first girl friend, then Debby.

JZ: The working girl has to survive, make a living, her broken body is her only way to make money, so she carries on. No woman is perfect. I love this piece. Distorted body, fair. I love it.

JZ: Preachers in general lie, all musical notes, the time. . . The ones who beg for money all the time. Dig deep in your pockets. Wow, these preachers should be ashamed of themselves.

JZ: (On “Old Man Smoking Pipe”) I can’t stop thinking. Only 2 hours at a time I can sleep. The other 22 hours, I think, and think, never any real rest. I think of many things, times and space. God?

JZ: You will be my designated person, because I have nobody left in life. . . I am very lonely in here. I have no one left. The feeling of loneliness is a painful, horrible feeling, a pain like no other. I have broken many bones in my body during my life, but the pain of loneliness is the most painful. Sometimes I wonder if God ever cares for me.

JZ: The man juggled his life long enough. Now he’s free.

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