MY BIO:
Born in Austin, TX, grew up in and around Philadelphia. Went to Milton Hershey School (1986), a private boarding school in Hershey, PA, and not the kind for rich kids, graduated in 1995. Accepted to Drexel University, back home in Philadelphia...majoring in International Area Studies, with a concentration in Foreign Languages (Japanese, Spanish, Italian)...transferred out after a year and a half to pursue my dreams, at the Art Institute of Philadelphia, majoring in Fashion Design. Began modeling, freelance, as a way to express my ideas in Fashion, Make-Up & Hair, and Styling, basically doing all of my own styling...and starting to bring real VISION and DIRECTION to my work, all being, of and by me. Fashion really inspired my entire creative being and spirit and energy, and I began painting, drawing, making 2 & 3-dimensional mixed-media collages, shooting photography, while creating fashions.
I was so inspired and motivated by my experience at the Art Institute, that while still in school I started doing fashion shows in nite clubs in Philly and ZONK (my fashion label) and ZONK ARTS Productions just took off. Graduating from AIPH in 2000, the following year I opened ZONK ARTS Gallery (622 South 5th Street) and for 3.5 years created a space for local, emerging artists to collaborate, share and create community, through the Arts. In the 3.5 years I had ZONK ARTS Gallery I showed well over 100 artists in a wide array of media, hosted exhibitions for local non-profits, like Journey Home, ASIAC (AIDS Services In Asian Communities) and Community Cultural Exchange, a non-profit for the Arts with Natalie Felix-DiDonato. And hosted other events, such as Sunday Afternoon Poetry & Tea with Chaun Moye, local singer-songwriter, and Fringe events in collaboration with Sister Mary Rose, local female stand up comedian.
After closing ZONK ARTS Gallery, due to personal/health reasons I moved back home to South West Philly, started working at ASIAC (where I had done volunteer work for over 8 years) doing Internet Outreach, Graphic Design and Special Events: Fashion Show production and the organization's monthly outreach show, JADED Lounge at 12th Air Command. In late 2008 I threw caution to the wind and moved to the Windy City, Chicago, stayed with Radical Faeries at the Faerie Castle (aka the Leopard House) and gave new life to ZONK, the artist/performer. Working at BEATNIX Boutique in the heart of Boystown and meeting and connecting with Drag and Performance Artists of the most amazing caliber. Chicago embraced ZONK and ZONK embraced Chicago...they lived for my look, my energy and talent and made me feel more confident than I ever had, back in Philadelphia, with who I was/am and what I do. After 6 months at BEATNIX it was time to move on and I got a job at CUPID's Treasure and Leather Sport, adult toy/fetish shops on Halsted Street, still in Boystown. Thus began my foray into the fantastical and sexy world of adult toys, entertainment and fetish and fetish fashions.
A short year and a half later I was back in Philadelphia, semi-beat down, from not landing a good enough job to maintain a comfortable living in Chicago. I quickly got back to work, at my old haunt, at Pico De Gallo, a Mexican restaurant, slinging burritos and margaritas, and went to work for Kali Morgan at PASSIONAL Boutique and SEXPLORATORIUM. I learned more about sex toys, fetishes, and alternative fashions than I ever had and made my way up to department buyer for Male Sexuality Products and Mens Fetish/Alternative Fashions. As well as curating Aphrodite Gallery, Philadelphia's first Erotic Art Gallery.
After 3 years at PASSIONAL and SEXPLORATORIUM it was time to move on and do ME! It's funny how the Universe works and 2012 was a tough year that ended ugly-ish. But I dug deep and hit a creative well that had been stopped up for years and I am so happy and excited with 2013 and the awesome pouring in of creative inspiration that has gotten me back to Painting, Drawing and creating unique, one-of-a-kind fashionable art pieces.
Born in Austin, TX, grew up in and around Philadelphia. Went to Milton Hershey School (1986), a private boarding school in Hershey, PA, and not the kind for rich kids, graduated in 1995. Accepted to Drexel University, back home in Philadelphia...majoring in International Area Studies, with a concentration in Foreign Languages (Japanese, Spanish, Italian)...transferred out after a year and a half to pursue my dreams, at the Art Institute of Philadelphia, majoring in Fashion Design. Began modeling, freelance, as a way to express my ideas in Fashion, Make-Up & Hair, and Styling, basically doing all of my own styling...and starting to bring real VISION and DIRECTION to my work, all being, of and by me. Fashion really inspired my entire creative being and spirit and energy, and I began painting, drawing, making 2 & 3-dimensional mixed-media collages, shooting photography, while creating fashions.
I was so inspired and motivated by my experience at the Art Institute, that while still in school I started doing fashion shows in nite clubs in Philly and ZONK (my fashion label) and ZONK ARTS Productions just took off. Graduating from AIPH in 2000, the following year I opened ZONK ARTS Gallery (622 South 5th Street) and for 3.5 years created a space for local, emerging artists to collaborate, share and create community, through the Arts. In the 3.5 years I had ZONK ARTS Gallery I showed well over 100 artists in a wide array of media, hosted exhibitions for local non-profits, like Journey Home, ASIAC (AIDS Services In Asian Communities) and Community Cultural Exchange, a non-profit for the Arts with Natalie Felix-DiDonato. And hosted other events, such as Sunday Afternoon Poetry & Tea with Chaun Moye, local singer-songwriter, and Fringe events in collaboration with Sister Mary Rose, local female stand up comedian.
After closing ZONK ARTS Gallery, due to personal/health reasons I moved back home to South West Philly, started working at ASIAC (where I had done volunteer work for over 8 years) doing Internet Outreach, Graphic Design and Special Events: Fashion Show production and the organization's monthly outreach show, JADED Lounge at 12th Air Command. In late 2008 I threw caution to the wind and moved to the Windy City, Chicago, stayed with Radical Faeries at the Faerie Castle (aka the Leopard House) and gave new life to ZONK, the artist/performer. Working at BEATNIX Boutique in the heart of Boystown and meeting and connecting with Drag and Performance Artists of the most amazing caliber. Chicago embraced ZONK and ZONK embraced Chicago...they lived for my look, my energy and talent and made me feel more confident than I ever had, back in Philadelphia, with who I was/am and what I do. After 6 months at BEATNIX it was time to move on and I got a job at CUPID's Treasure and Leather Sport, adult toy/fetish shops on Halsted Street, still in Boystown. Thus began my foray into the fantastical and sexy world of adult toys, entertainment and fetish and fetish fashions.
A short year and a half later I was back in Philadelphia, semi-beat down, from not landing a good enough job to maintain a comfortable living in Chicago. I quickly got back to work, at my old haunt, at Pico De Gallo, a Mexican restaurant, slinging burritos and margaritas, and went to work for Kali Morgan at PASSIONAL Boutique and SEXPLORATORIUM. I learned more about sex toys, fetishes, and alternative fashions than I ever had and made my way up to department buyer for Male Sexuality Products and Mens Fetish/Alternative Fashions. As well as curating Aphrodite Gallery, Philadelphia's first Erotic Art Gallery.
After 3 years at PASSIONAL and SEXPLORATORIUM it was time to move on and do ME! It's funny how the Universe works and 2012 was a tough year that ended ugly-ish. But I dug deep and hit a creative well that had been stopped up for years and I am so happy and excited with 2013 and the awesome pouring in of creative inspiration that has gotten me back to Painting, Drawing and creating unique, one-of-a-kind fashionable art pieces.
date of birth: June 15, 1976
astrological sign: Gemini
chinese astrological sign: Dragon
hometown: Philadelphia
favorite color: Blue
fashion influences: most Japanese designers, most old world European designers, Thierry Mugler, Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Fetish (leather and latex) designers
art influences: Matisse, Picasso, Rothko, Calder, Seurat, Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Japanese art, Chinese art, Sci-Fi Fantasy art
hobbies (when not creating art or designing fashions): cooking (cookies, cakes, most international cuisine) shopping, listening to music, learning new languages, meeting new people...sharing ideas, helping others, exploring spirituality, challenging myself...
astrological sign: Gemini
chinese astrological sign: Dragon
hometown: Philadelphia
favorite color: Blue
fashion influences: most Japanese designers, most old world European designers, Thierry Mugler, Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Fetish (leather and latex) designers
art influences: Matisse, Picasso, Rothko, Calder, Seurat, Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Japanese art, Chinese art, Sci-Fi Fantasy art
hobbies (when not creating art or designing fashions): cooking (cookies, cakes, most international cuisine) shopping, listening to music, learning new languages, meeting new people...sharing ideas, helping others, exploring spirituality, challenging myself...
ABOUT
© ZONK ARTS Productions - 2013 | another original design by Eric Scott Kephart.
