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The Seattle Prize · 2025–26 fellows

Posts

147 posts from the studios this year, newest first. Scroll back in time; tap a post to open it.

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July 20261 post

Studio post by Daniel Zalla

Daniel Zalla2025–26 fellow · Jul 9, 2026

Nice weekend up in Bellingham with the fellows- painting some beautiful landscapes. A cat slept on my chest all night and I got no sleep, did a backflip, learned 10% of a song on piano. Back in the studio now with progress coming on the newest painting too

June 20261 post

Studio post by Daniel Zalla

Daniel Zalla2025–26 fellow · Jun 17, 2026

Spending some time on this small study this week to work out background for my new composition. This will be the third portrait in my homelessness series, and one that I am very excited about. John, the subject, is a fixture here in pioneer square and known by many of the…

May 20262 posts

Progress on Self Portrait with the Promise of a Blue Sky

Daniel Zalla2025–26 fellow · May 21, 2026

Self Portrait with the Promise of a Blue Sky Self Portrait with the Promise of a Blue Sky · the making →

Studio post by Daniel Zalla

Daniel Zalla2025–26 fellow · May 1, 2026

This is a William appreciation post. Good Ol’ William as we call him. A wee Scottish lad with a big heart. A friend and rock solid painter with whom I was honored to spend some time this weekend painting in the Olympic Peninsula. He’s also a ravenous billiards player, religious…

April 20263 posts

Progress on Sean

Daniel Zalla2025–26 fellow · Apr 24, 2026

Nearing the finish line on this portrait. My first in a series of homeless portraits- people of Seattle. I felt good about this painting, making some interesting changes to my usual technique which seemed to pay off. My studio mates have been using psychological methods to peer…Sean · the making →

Progress on Sean

Daniel Zalla2025–26 fellow · Apr 18, 2026

A few photos from the start of a series that I am doing on homelessness and addiction in Seattle. I have started with this portrait of Sean, a homeless man who I have gotten to know a bit over the months and who was willing to pose for me. Between painting on this portrait, I am…Sean · the making →

Studio post by Daniel Zalla

Daniel Zalla2025–26 fellow · Apr 3, 2026

Well this past week, my idea of Death Playing Fetch with Cerberus has been buried. Andrew has suggested that I do a series on homeless dignity. I am desperate to get painting after so long away from the easel. I have made some connections with the organizers of different…

March 20264 posts

Studio post by Daniel Zalla

Daniel Zalla2025–26 fellow · Mar 26, 2026

I feel like a follow-up post is warranted after my previous declaration that I was in “hot pursuit” of a new large-scale canvas. At the time of that post I felt that I was smooth sailing with clear skies and the wind billowing in my sails- my vision as a North Star to guide me…

Studio post by Daniel Zalla

Daniel Zalla2025–26 fellow · Mar 26, 2026

I felt extremely blessed last weekend to have the free opportunity to learn from Gustavo Ramos during his 3 day workshop here at Occidental. I had been following his work for some time and it was wonderful to get an insight into his process, materials and techniques. His whole…

Studio post by Daniel Zalla

Daniel Zalla2025–26 fellow · Mar 13, 2026

I am in hot pursuit of a new big canvas- reference material is coming together and studies are piling up! I am extremely excited about the prospect of this new work- “Death Playing Fetch with Cerberus” -a meditation on the threshold between life and death and that leap into the…

Studio post by Daniel Zalla

Daniel Zalla2025–26 fellow · Mar 6, 2026

The most challenging part of this program so far has been the ambition to paint stories that are therapeutic to the public. Over the past couple of weeks, in addition to my master copy, I have been developing concepts for my next paintings. Internally, it has been a rather tense…

February 20261 post

Studio post by Daniel Zalla

Daniel Zalla2025–26 fellow · Feb 26, 2026

Had a very nice time at the David Cheifetz workshop this weekend. The painting process was very new to me, starting from a complete abstract composition and then using only imagination to create something representational from it. Swipe to see the initial abstract composition…

January 20263 posts

Progress on Dead Wood

Daniel ZallaJan 21, 2026

Each painting seems to have its emotional peaks and troughs. The beginning of a new painting is full of energy and potential, the middle is a brutal wrestling match, and the finishing touches during the last 10% are glorious. This painting has been fighting with me the past couple weeks as I try and get closer to a resolve. I was relieved to get the feet put in at a satisfactory level, because these little successes are anchors that keep you motivated to pursue the success of the whole. I still have much to figure out before setting the brushes down on this painting. Particularly the background and how it relates to the figure will require the most work in the coming weeks.Dead Wood · the making →

Progress on Dead Wood

Daniel ZallaJan 9, 2026

This weeks efforts have been focused on giving a second layer to the figure in my painting. I like to start each layer from the area of highest contrast, in this case the shoulder, so that I can use it to set my key for the painting. As I work my way down the figure I am always comparing the local values back to that area of highway contrast to make sure that I am achieving a proper and convincing fall of light. This is particularly important when working from photographs, where it is easy to observe only one section of the composition at a time.Dead Wood · the making →

Progress on Dead Wood

Daniel ZallaJan 2, 2026

Happy New Year! After our holiday break, the fellows have reunited back in Seattle ready to start 2026 off right. A few of my early January ambitions have been stifled by the appearance of what can only be called the flu, but the anticipation to get back in the studio has grown even more. The first layer on my larger painting has been blocked in and this month will be all about refining details while making sure things still work together as a whole!Dead Wood · the making →

December 20252 posts

Progress on Dead Wood

Daniel ZallaDec 12, 2025

This week I’ve been thinking a lot about what Ives Gammel used to say about a painter being like a Shepherd. Each part of the painting is a sheep that you are in charge of and if you let any of your flock fall behind, it is likely to get eaten by the wolves. Therefore, on this first real layer of my painting, I am trying not to let any one area get too far ahead, but to bring everything up together. I am content with the progress so far, but there is surely quite a long way to go yet on a painting like this. I am looking forward to an upcoming weekend of painting in the Oregon countryside with the fellows.Dead Wood · the making →

Progress on Dead Wood

Daniel ZallaDec 2, 2025

My current process involves a mix of photo reference and life sessions. At the beginning of the process, it is important to reference the live figure often in order to study true proportions and color vibrations Dead Wood · the making →

November 20254 posts

Progress on Dead Wood

Daniel ZallaNov 25, 2025

The first marks on the canvas. I learned a new word recently thanks to Nick Eisele- “Ebauche” - It is a thin, preliminary, washy pass of color over the canvas to map things in before applying thicker layers of paint. Swipe to see an example of an ebauche by Bouguereau. I wanted to try this method in order to keep things flexible on the canvas while still getting a sense of the values.Dead Wood · the making →

Progress on Dead Wood

Daniel ZallaNov 20, 2025

A glimpse inside my studio at the very first marks of blocking in an almost life-size figure. This painting will balance photo reference with live sessions—the photos offering a slowness impossible when the model is present, and the live sittings providing essential checks on color and proportion to keep the work on course. As I begin these early days from a photo, I have to avoid becoming attached to any drawing decision; everything is subject to change once the model comes in early next week.Dead Wood · the making →

Progress on Dead Wood

Daniel ZallaNov 18, 2025

Colour study in progress for my upcoming painting Dead Wood · the making →

Progress on Dead Wood

Daniel ZallaNov 4, 2025

Yesterday I had the chance to bring my ideation into the physical world. Over the past weeks I have been developing a few larger concepts to paint. My imagination drawing skills don't often stretch far beyond a standing contrapposto, so it was refreshing get a model in and see how nature would solve some problems. With this simple step of gathering reference, I believe some nice compositions are just around the corner!Dead Wood · the making →

Showing 21 posts by Daniel ZallaSee everyone's →

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