We started an art contest in the mid-1980s and have continued the tradition every few years or so since then. We now have over 300 pieces of Zachary’s pizza art from the past three decades! The winning artwork decorates the walls in all five of our restaurants. We love the art and the artists and are excited and honored to be able to share some of the art on our website!
Lauren Ari
2009
“Lauren’s art roars out of the deepest part of her psyche and arrives with great tenderness into the world… Fiercely honest, playful, erotic and provocative, she speaks directly to what is still unfettered in all of us, our wild, free, animal selves.” – Alison Luterman, poet
When I’m lucky -when I trust the processes- I experience a flow and receive what feels like a gift. Although my work is personal, I believe it taps into the universal, and I am looking to connect with others and myself more deeply. These are words I associate with my work: intuitive, awake, unstuffed, humorous, rhythmic, disturbing, engrossing, sexual, figurative, colorful, unique and complex. It is my hope that you will enjoy experiencing the work as much as I enjoy making it. – Lauren Ari
Party in a Box
2009
Lauren Ari
Elena S, age 9
2012
My name is Elena and I am currently 10 years old. I was born in Tokyo, Japan, but moved to America when I was 4. I now live in San Ramon, and am about to graduate from Coyote Creek Elementary School.
Martial arts, drawing, and painting are my favorite hobbies. I also like singing and music and will keep continuing it until I am too busy. In martial arts ( karate),I am a brown white stripe belt. If I have any free time I would love to read, draw, or play video games (until my parents stop me).
I entered the Zachary’s art contest in 2008 and again in 2010 because I love drawing, painting and eating Zachary’s pizza. I was so happy when my school received the $1,500 for the award in 2008. That money was spent on the art program at Coyote Creek, and helped make the art very exciting all through out Coyote Creek.
Thank You Zachary’s!
Stephanie Kwan
2007
Chris Papa
2001
Mayan Calendar
1990’s
Artist Unknown
Gaytha Watley
2005
This poster was inspired by Betty Page, Sci-Fi movies & pizza. Gaytha is a tattooer at Sacred Rose Tattoo in Berkeley. She also paints in oils and watercolors, and enjoys ceramics and sewing. “This piece was made with pen & ink. I sketch out the shapes in a light pencil, and build up an outline from there. I color it from light to dark, to keep the light colors from smudging.”
Ian Ransley
2015
Berkeley-born and raised designer Ian Ransley loves Zachary’s Pizza!! Who in Berkeley doesn’t? But Ian has found a way to graphically express his admiration for the famous deep-dish, Chicago-style pies — not once, but a dozen times.
Ian grew up in the Thousand Oaks neighborhood (near the Solano Zachary’s). His mom still lives in the neighborhood house he grew up. Ian did spend some time away from his beloved Berkeley getting a design degree from UC Davis. In the years since he has designed for Chevron, HP, Cisco and of course, Zachary’s! For the past decade Ian has designed the stadium graphics for the Super Bowl, Fiesta Bowl and currently for the NHL Winter Classic in Foxboro.
Even though Ian has designed the stadium graphics for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Denver Broncos he is known as the guy who won the Zachary’s Pizza poster contest. Ian is a single Dad with two Zachary’s-loving boys, Dylan and Fabien.
SOLD in our 2018 Art Sale and Fundraiser!
Pete Davis
2001
Lori and William Wallace
2015
My son, William (13 yrs old) and I are deeply grateful to Zachary’s for the joy it brings our lives. Not only the DELICIOUS gluten free pizza (thank you, thank you!), but also the connection it weaves through community. We have monitored the art contest for years and have waited for the opening where time and creative spark would coincide and bring us to this moment of participation. And here we are! The inspiration behind this piece was to weave in the theme of “shared love”. What better depiction of shared love than a wedding day and the site of a loving groom feeding his delighted bride a slice of Zachary’s deep dish?! Love IS Zachary’s Pizza xo
Hannah de Vries
2015
My name is Hannah de Vries and art has been my passion from a very young age. My entry was inspired by a famous Norman Rockwell painting called “The Connoisseur.” I alluded to the uniqueness of Zachary’s Pizza by making comparisons to the historical context behind Abstract Expressionism of the 1940’s, a subject that I have studied in school. I worked tirelessly for about three days at a wonderful art gallery called ArtU4ia in downtown Martinez to complete this piece. The most fun I had working on it was by far doing the drip pizza; I loved getting messy and wild with the house paint!
I always loved seeing the art that hung on the walls at the Zachary’s College location, and I aspired to enter their art competition for years! Once the Pleasant Hill location opened up closer to my home town, I finally took the opportunity to create something that I was proud to call my own.
Vitamin Z
2001
Danny Hauck
Lisa Hayle
2005
“I heard about Zachary’s Pizza through friends who also mentioned the awesome annual poster contest, which they had won in the past with an entry featuring their two adorable poodles. Soon after, I tasted the deep-dish yumminess for the first time…. I first saw Harry in 2002, while working briefly at the East Bay SPCA in Oakland. It was love at first sight.” – Lisa Hayle
Naumi Emoto, 13 years old
2012
Rianne Myers
2015
Leo Gould, 11 years old
2009
Lynn Smull
2005
Zoe Boston
2017
“Walking on Sunshine” was inspired by my passion for food, visual art, and fashion. I love the challenge of combining the three to make tasty looking masterpieces. I believe Great food, great art and, great fashion have the power to uplift your spirits and truly make you feel like you’re walking on sunshine! I’m so pleased in knowing that my art was chosen to grace the walls of one of the best pizza places in the Bay Area.
Maia VuMinnich, 9 years old
2011
Ernst
1990’s
Artist Unknown
