Known for their healing and uplifting floral artwork, Andrea de Kerpely-Zak and her daughter Andrea Zakrzewski celebrate 20 years of owning and operating their shared art studio in Scottsdale’s art district.
“It feels like yesterday,” de Kerpely-Zak said of the last 20 years working alongside her daughter and artistic partner.
Floral paintings in a historical context
Filled with watercolor and acrylic paintings of flower bouquets and desert landscapes along with wearable floral art, one item visitors will not see in the gallery are paintings of flowers within a vase.
“Her flowers are a symbol of freedom,” Zakrzewski said of her mother’s work, who paints free-flowing bouquets to represent her flight from Hungary during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.
Internationally recognized for her work, de Kerpely-Zak was commissioned by the Polish Congress to complete two floral paintings for Pope John Paul II, who was instrumental in denouncing communism in Catholic Eastern Europe.
De Kerpely-Zak met with Pope John Paul II during his visit to America in 1987 and a copy of one of her commissioned paintings for him hangs in the gallery.
Known for her bright impressionist style, de Kerpely-Zak studied with the scenic and still-life painter Janos Nagy in Hungary before moving to Canada to study with landscape artist and member of the famed Group of Seven, Arthur Lismer.
Her work on wildflowers was also featured alongside Georgie O’Keefe’s work in an edition of Arizona Highways.
Many of Andrea de Kerpely-Zak’s floral work represent her flight from Hungary during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. (Independent Newsmedia/Cyrus Guccione)
Andrea de Kerpely-Zak with a recent painting of roses for Mother’s Day. (Independent Newsmedia/Cyrus Guccione)
Andrea de Kerpely-Zak’s passion for art led her daughter to pursue art as well, specializing in fashion and textiles and transforming their floral art pieces into wearable art. (Independent Newsmedia/Cyrus Guccione)
De Kerpely-Zak’s passion for art led her daughter to pursue art as well, specializing in fashion and textiles and transforming their floral art pieces into wearable art and accessories including scarfs, dresses, Italian leather purses and custom-tailored menswear.
While Gallery Andrea offers several original pieces from de-Kerpely-Zak and Zakrzewski, all of their work can be reproduced in Giclée, a fine art print far less expensive than the original work.
“I don’t want people to not be able to collect art because they can’t afford it,” Zakrzewski said. “Art can be a big investment so high-end Giclée offers art lovers a reproduction at a fraction of the cost.”
Gallery Andrea also showcases landscape, abstract and figurative artwork from local, national and international artists.
De Kerpely-Zak’s husband Tadeusz Zakrzewski was a source of positivity for his wife and daughter, constantly encouraging them to paint.
“My dad has always been our muse,” Zakrzewski said. “He always encouraged both of us to do our art, pushing mom to set up the canvas and paint.”
Tadeusz was himself a painter and enjoyed classical music. He often held benefit concerts to raise money for Polish blind children studying piano.
One of de Kerpely-Zak’s earlier works entitled “Hungarian Meadow Flowers” is of a bouquet of handpicked flowers from the Hungarian roadside.
Idling in their vehicle as they awaited passage through a security checkpoint, de Kerpely-Zak entered the nearby field to pick a few flowers. Her husband urged her to pick an entire bouquet to paint.
“At that time when you went through (checkpoints), they searched everything,” de Kerpely-Zak said. “I put the bouquet on the dash and as we entered the checkpoint they asked us, ‘What are you going to do with the flowers?’ and I said, ‘I’m going to paint them.’ And they let us go.”
Later, de Kerpely-Zak painted the bouquet with a distinct symbolism that represented the two sides of the Hungarian border.
Some of de Kerpely-Zak’s work is of her husband, but those are not for sale.
“Certain pieces you just can’t sell because they are too sentimental,” Zakrzewski said, who plans to preserve some of her mother’s earliest work for a Hungarian Museum collection.
As Gallery Andrea celebrates its 20th anniversary, de-Kerpely-Zak and Zakrzewski invite the community to view their summer floral art pieces and custom-made fashion wearable art.
“I try to continue her legacy because I’ve learned from the master,” Zakrzewski said. “If you do what you love, you don’t work a day in your life.”
Gallery Andrea is located at 7019 E Main St. in Scottsdale.
For more information, visit artandrea.com or call 480-481-2530.
We invite our readers to submit their civil comments on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org. Cyrus Guccione can be reached at cguccione@iniusa.org.
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