Risk 1

Zach Bartz is a performer, producer, and painter in Chicago. He paints on recycled or found objects in order to relinquish himself from the pressure to make fine art on a blank canvas. By using expendable materials, he is able to take risks and make discoveries that he otherwise may have been hesitant to take. By reusing paintings from thrift stores, he is able focus on making discoveries between the original piece and his own work, often clashing context to tell a story. He paints faces in order to illustrate the audiences he sees from the stage, but also to give him a permanent jumping off point for his paintings. By always starting with a face, he is able to focus less on what he is going to make and more on technique, materials, and discovery. His work has been shown publicly in Illinois, Idaho, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Oklahoma, and is held in private collections around the world. He is also the co-creator of the underground arts network, The Shithole. He updates his Instagram with new paintings daily; find him at @ImZachBartz.

• Risk 1