Zivana Art

My name is Zivana Pauling and I am an Equine and Wildlife artist from New Zealand. I have always been creative and from a young age could often be spotted with a pencil in hand. I was also quite the animal fanatic so one of my fave pictures to draw over and over again rather obsessively as a kid was an army of dogs and an army of lions fighting each other…??? 🤷🤷 The dogs would always win of course (I’ve been rooting for the underdog since ages ago 👊). As time went on, my subject choice evolved as my love for horses blossomed and before I knew it, my school books were covered in horse drawings..

When I finished school, my Nana told me I should pursue a career in art; she told me specifically that I should be a pet portrait artist (she must have thought the dogs in my dog and lion scenes were a bit of alright). But, like every young wide-eyed art enthusiast, I was advised against pursuing art by everyone else and was told to pursue a career in the sciences, so I did. I completed a BSc double major in Ecology and Zoology (I was in no way going to compromise my love for animals) and then went on to complete a Masters degree in Environmental Management. I hardly touched a brush during this time. After finishing Uni, I went though a phase of feeling a little lost and spent the next 3 years travelling and working casually in retail/hospitality/sales/whatever I could do to ensure the continuation of my commitment free lifestyle. It wasn’t until 2016 that I drew again…a horse of course! And in 2017 I started doing pet portraits just as my Nana so wisely suggested. Rest her soul.

Fast forward to now and I find myself a lot more grounded these days. As of 2020, I am 27, living in Whangarei, have a day job in local government doing environmental monitoring and I still love drawing horses! I have slightly expanded my subject portfolio to include wildlife as a means to avoid becoming a one trick pony (😉😅)…. Great puns aside, visual art will always be something that motivates my soul and an outlet where I can express my passion. I have a strong appreciation and deep sense of respect for all life on this planet which I hope to convey in my art by showcasing my subjects in a bold and empowering light.

Feel free to browse my work and please let me know what you think! As always, your feedback and opinions are very much appreciated 🙏✌️

FOR MORE INFO-: https://www.zivanaart.com/