ZACHARY’S ARTIST PROFILE: RYAN PERA

The walls of our restaurants are filled with one-of-a-kind Zachary’s Pizza Art. We held our first art contest in the late 1980′s and the tradition has continued every couple of years since. We love our art and the artists. We are excited to be able to use our blog as a medium for our community to get to know our artists better. Meet Ryan Pera!

An adult and a child stand in a restaurant, each holding a certificate. The childs certificate reads, Congratulations Jalen Pera, Zacharys Art Contest Winner 2017, and the adults reads, Congratulations Ryan Pera, Zacharys Art Contest Winner 2017.My name is Ryan Pera and I was born and raised here in the Bay Area. I can say that I have been making art since a very young age, because that’s all that I remember doing growing up. I can honestly say that my first real toy was a pencil and the fat stack of white paper that my dad would bring home from work. Since my dad was an artist, I was always watching him either paint or draw. With time and practice, I got better. I was never a left-brained type of guy. No matter what it was that I did in life, I knew it had to be in the arts.

Today, I am finishing up my last year at California College of the Arts/CCA to get my bachelor’s degree in Illustration. To be able to create art through imagery, on a flat surface, and have someone asking questions and commenting on it, is what I live for. I love making art that can translate to the viewer even if it is as simple as this piece.

Illustrated image of four circular pizza diagrams against an orange gradient background, each showing a different portion of a pizza missing. Text reads, Zacharys Chicago Pizza. The progression suggests the stages of eating a pizza.

Ryan’s Piece, “Phases of Pizza”

It’s cool to know that I was able to enter a contest against someone I knew personally. Being much younger than I am, my nephew, Jalen, who is eight years old, was excited throughout the whole process of this contest. He focused more on sketching on pieces of napkin and paper at the restaurant rather than finishing his pizza.

For illustrations, making small thumbnail sketches is a quick and effective way to test out ideas for images, as well as ideas for the composition of the final piece, all of which my nephew was doing without me prompting him. He stayed up until 2 AM to work on the poster. He woke up early and continued to work until he got it done. I originally wanted him to enter the competition, because he was so excited. I didn’t care to enter with the little bit of time I had. With less than eight hours until the deadline, I decided to give it a shot, paint something and submit.

Illustrated logo for Zacharys Chicago Pizza featuring a stylized bridge and sun in the center, with various pizza slices surrounding the text on a blue background.

Jalen’s (Ryan’s nephew) Piece – “Golden Warriors”

To know that he (Jalen) was proud to enter his first art contest and get a feel for it was one thing, but to know how he felt when finding out he was a winner was another. It was most rewarding to know that I have a piece hanging next to my nephew’s piece in the same exact restaurant location in Pleasant Hill along with other great artists of all ages. Thank you Zachary’s!

CARNE PIZZA ALL DAY. BACON IS LIFE!

https://www.instagram.com/peranoid/

ZACHARY’S ARTIST PROFILE: STEW ELLINGTON

The walls of our restaurants are filled with one-of-a-kind Zachary’s Pizza Art. We held our first art contest in the late 1980′s and the tradition has continued every couple of years since. We love our art and the artists. We are excited to be able to use our blog as a medium for our community to get to know our artists better. Meet Stew Ellington!

A colorful artwork featuring a green scooter with a pepperoni pizza slice as a wheel. The background is yellow with vertical stripes in red and blue. Text reads, Not just a pizza... A lifestyle. A circled arrow points upwards.For the first 30 years of my life, art was hugely important to me. At one time I had wanted to be an artist for a living. I made art in all sorts of media and in 2001 earned a master of fine arts degree in painting. After earning my degree, however, I completely lost interest in painting and avoided it for about 15 years. In fact, the poster I made for the Zachary’s contest is the first painting I’ve done since grad school! In the meantime, I’ve filled in the creative gaps of my life with photography and writing; I’ve designed and published two cocktail recipe books, among other creative projects.

I had wanted to enter the Zachary’s poster contest for years but could never think of an image I wanted to use. Plus, I was loath to pick up a paintbrush again for fear I would have lost my skills! Finally, it occurred to me I should just paint something I’m passionate about and make it work for the contest, and I happen to love vintage Italian Vespa scooters. The idea to create the front wheel out of a Zachary’s deep-dish pizza popped into my head and, eureka! I was on my way. I crossed my fingers and hoped I could still pull off a reasonably convincing painting after a 15-year hiatus.

I love how the Italian-ness of the scooter reflects the Italian(ish)-ness of pizza. I had a great time creating my poster in the style of vintage Vespa ads from Italy, with lots of bright, primary colors and cartoonish renderings. The official slogan of Vespa, “Not just a scooter… a lifestyle,” lent itself well to referencing Zachary’s pizza and providing a title for my piece. I’m really glad I was able to break my painting dry-spell with one that was so purely fun to do. Thanks, Zachary’s, for the opportunity and for years of awesome pizza! I’m so glad to finally be a part of this community event.

ZACHARY’S ARTIST PROFILE: ZOE BOSTON

 The walls of our restaurants are filled with one-of-a-kind Zachary’s Pizza Art. We held our first art contest in the late 1980′s and the tradition has continued every couple of years since. We love our art and the artists. Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Zoë Boston!

A vibrant painting of two exaggerated high-heeled shoes shaped like pizzas, with pepperoni and cheese. The text Zacharys appears twice, and Walking on Sunshine! is written in blue on a bright yellow background.

My name is Zoë Boston and I have been creating art of many forms since I was a little girl. Currently, I am a singer/songwriter/rapper/painter and am in a music group called “Team Zoe”. We perform down town every month at Oakland’s First Friday’s!
“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.
Close-up of a person wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, outdoors on a sunny day. They are lying on green grass with a slight smile, looking at the camera. The lighting highlights one side of their face.I was born in Los Angeles, CA, raised in upstate New York, and have lived in the Bay Area for about four years now. I love almost everything about the Bay Area. It’s beauty and diversity is something truly unmatched and the food, culture, and fashion are eclectic.
My favorite go-to Zachary’s pizza is a  medium deep dish with pineapples, sausage, and ricotta cheese. I always put ranch and extra parmesan cheese on top! So good! I enjoy treating my friends to some Zachary’s over a good conversation. I will continue to enjoy Zachary’s and plan to participate in the art contest for years to come.

ZACHARY’S ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: LORI AND MICHAEL WALLACE

Illustration of a bride and groom smiling and feeding each other pizza from a three-tiered stand labeled Zacharys. Text reads, Love is...3 tiers of Zacharys deep dish. A pizza slicer and roses are on the table. The walls of our restaurants are filled with one-of-a-kind Zachary’s Pizza Art. We held our first art contest in the late 1980′s and the tradition has continued every couple of years to this day. We love our art and the artists. Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Madison Zuniga!

“My son, William (13 yrs old) and I are deeply grateful to Zachary’s for the joy it brings to 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.
My family and I LOVE Zachary’s pizza for not only the great flavors, but for the feeling of being seen and appreciated in our community surrounding Solano Avenue.  My son, who is 13 years old, and I are creative and take up any chance we can to be expressive with our hands, and thanks to Zachary’s Art Contest, we spent hours together creating our design and perfecting it for submission. Creating the piece and then seeing it hanging on the wall near our favorite table every time we head into Zach’s on Saturday night for pizza and movie night, are memories we will cherish forever.  Thank you Zachary’s for being a source of nourishment to our bodies and souls!!”

ZACHARY’S ART CONTEST ON ABC7

Three people are smiling in a restaurant. The person in the center, wearing a suit, holds a large pizza on a wooden paddle. There are colorful posters on the wall behind them.

Zachary’s VP Leandra, ABC7’s Reggie Aqui, Zachary’s Manager Jen

We had a blast with ABC7’s Reggie Aqui! Check out the clip:

https://abc7news.com/entertainment/bay-area-weekend-events-dogfest-zacharys-pizza-art-contest/1897521/

The Zachary’s Art Contest is happening now! The contest is open to all ages. The last day for submissions is Wednesday, May 31st. More details and a complete list of Art Contest guidelines can be found here.

Need some inspiration? Check out our gallery featuring winners from previous years on our Art Page.  Or, you could always swing by one of our restaurants. Pizza is pretty inspiring if you ask us!

ZACHARY’S ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: MADISON ZUNIGA

A drawing of a gray cat wearing sunglasses and holding a slice of pizza. The cat has a red collar with a Z pendant. Text reads, Zachary’s is the purr-fect pizza. A red circular logo says Zachary’s Chicago Pizza. Background is blue. The walls of our restaurants are filled with one-of-a-kind Zachary’s Pizza Art. We held our first art contest in the late 1980′s and the tradition has continued every couple of years to this day. We love our art and the artists. Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Madison Zuniga!
“Madison is an 11 year old born with a creative passion. She has always enjoyed all types of art! She is constantly working on new ideas.
Two additional favorites (ideas) are cats and Zachary’s pizza. Her art piece is an original idea, inspired by both.
Her family is also very important to her and she wants to thank them for all the art supplies and Zachary’s pizza.” – Submitted by Madison’s Mom, Elizabeth Zuniga
 
Thank YOU, Madison for your cat-tastically amazing Zachary’s art!

ZACHARY’S ART CONTEST: BRING THAT IMAGINATION!

The Bi-Annual Zachary’s Art Contest is in full swing! Throughout the years, we have received hundreds of fantastic pieces by some incredibly talented teen and kid artists! These artists are inspired by a wide variety of things and we LOVE seeing where their imaginations fly!

Entries can be submitted by individuals, siblings, groups of friends or classmates.

More information on the art contest can be found here.

A colorful underwater scene with a dolphin, fish, seahorse, and starfish surrounding a pink clam holding a red pearl. The words Precious as a Pearl - Zacharys are written around the clam. Bubbles and seaweed complete the oceanic design.

Naumi, Age 13

A painting of a rabbit wearing a straw hat, fishing on a rocky cliff. Below, a slice of pizza floats on swirling waves of steam. A red lantern hangs nearby. A circular red sign on the upper left reads Zacharys Chicago Pizza Inc.

Mary, Age 16

Retro-style illustration of three women in green uniforms enjoying slices of deep-dish pizza. One holds a whole pizza, another bites her slice, and the third eats with a fork. The word Zacharys appears above them in bold script.

April, Age 12

A handwritten note on lined paper reads: Dear Zachary, My heart beats for your Chicago style pizza. I wish I could be with you every day. Would you like to go out with me? with checkboxes for Yes and No. Signed love, Maia.

Maia, Age 9

A mermaid with flowing blond hair reaches up toward a floating slice of pizza, with the words Hooked on Zacharys? above. She has a shimmering blue tail and is set against a dark, underwater background.

Katia, Age 16

A cartoon cat wearing sunglasses and a red collar with a Z holds a slice of pizza against a blue background. Text reads Zacharys is the Purr-fect Pizza. The Zacharys Chicago Pizza logo is in the lower left corner.

Madison, Age 11

A large green dinosaur holding a stack of pizza boxes labeled Zacharys Pizza says, You look tasty, but not as tasty as Zacharys Chicago Pizza! A small purple dinosaur next to the stack says, Oh no! and help.

Cameron, Age 9

A leprechaun holds a pizza under a rainbow with a pot of gold beside him. The text reads, Lucky to have Zacharys delicious pizza! The background shows grass, and the image is signed by Katie Jones.

Katie, Age 8

ZACHARY’S ART CONTEST: INSPIRED BY THE BAY

The Zachary’s Pizza Art Contest is ON!

Submissions are due May 31, 2017. For details, click here.

What inspires you? Nature? Love? Food? Pizza? Hint, there is a right answer to that question. 😉

For many past winners of the Zachary’s Art Contest, the San Francisco Bay Area serves as the most perfect source of inspiration! We’ve  seen lots of entries that applaud our world-famous bridges, sights in the Bay Area, and Northern California icons. Are you feeling inspired?!

Stylized cityscape merging San Francisco icons, including the Golden Gate Bridge and Transamerica Pyramid, with Zacharys in bold text over a red circular design and 30 Years beneath it. A vibrant poster depicting a sunset over a bay, with a pizza embellished to look like the sun setting behind a bridge. The text reads, The Sun Never Sets Without the Best in the Bay and Zacharys Pizza. Two women point at flying blimps advertising pizza above the Golden Gate Bridge. One blimp features a pizza, and the scene is set against a vibrant sky with cityscape in the background. Illustration with a heart-shaped pizza and a slice missing. Text reads I Left My Heart at Zacharys. A small red plane and the Golden Gate Bridge are in the background against a blue sky with clouds. A colorful painting features the Golden Gate Bridge under a swirling starry sky, resembling Van Goghs style. UFOs with aliens hover above. Red orbs float on water, and a cactus with writing is in the foreground.

Illustration of the Golden Gate Bridge with a large pizza hovering above the water. Text reads, Huge Zachary’s pizza clears Golden Gate Bridge by 5 feet on trip to Oakland. Zacharys logo is in the top right corner.Artistic poster of Zacharys Pizza featuring a person draped in white, holding a large pizza against a starry night sky. A bridge is silhouetted in the background, with red borders framing the scene.

Retro-style poster for Zacharys Chicago Pizza. Features a giant pizza slice towering over a city skyline. Text includes The Rise of the Dough, Mind-Altering, Mouth-Watering, and Conquering the World!.Graphic poster featuring Zacharys Pizza in bright yellow letters at the top. Below is a stylized yellow piano with a pizza slice as the lid inside a red circle. Since 1983 is written in yellow at the bottom on a dark blue background. A colorful mural featuring a bicycle with pizza wheels and the text Zacharys Chicago Pizza. The background includes greenery and a clock tower. The words Berkeley California are displayed at the bottom. Illustration of a tower resembling the Leaning Tower of Pisa with a Zacharys Chicago Pizza logo. The sky is bright blue with a small green tree at the bottom. Speech bubble reads, You know what time it is...

A stylized illustration of Half Dome set against a dark sky with a red sun. Below the image, text reads: Zacharys Pizza and Half Dome. The artwork uses shades of gray, black, and white. Map showing Zacharys Pizza locations in the East Bay area, including Berkeley, Oakland, Pleasant Hill, and San Ramon, with lines connecting them. Parking locations are marked with a P. The year 2015 is noted.

A colorful illustration of a pizza styled as a basketball going through a hoop. Above it is the word Warriors with a basketball and a player. The word GO is on the right, all set against a bright yellow background.Childs painting of a football game with a bear kicking a football through goalposts. The scoreboard reads Zacharys 30, Stanford 0. Bright, colorful speckled background with player wearing a yellow shirt and blue pants. Signed by Zach.

MEET A ZACHARY’S ARTIST: HANNAH DE VRIES

The walls of our restaurants are filled with one-of-a-kind Zachary’s Pizza Art. We held our first art contest in the late 1980′s and the tradition has continued every couple of years to this day. We love our art and the artists. Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Hannah de Vries!

Smiling woman with long brown hair sits at an orange table outdoors. She wears a headband and is surrounded by colorful artwork displayed on a wall behind her.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!
     The first time I bit into a Zachary’s pizza was at my Uncle Bob and Tante Judi’s house near the Solano location. We used to have pizza dinners with my cousins, while our parents would enjoy their wine. There were several nights that our parents had a glass too many, which, to our child knowledge of things meant pizza AND surprise sleepovers!A man in a gray suit and hat, viewed from behind, stands on a checkered floor in front of a large abstract painting with swirling red and white patterns. The text reads Zacharys at the top and Its a matter of taste at the bottom. Since then, Zachary’s has been an ongoing favorite family outing. My favorite Zachary’s go-to will forever be the spinach and mushroom deep dish with pesto on the top. My Dad and I usually end up fighting for the last slice.
    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. I am grateful to the Zachary’s staff for their amazing years of service and pizza.
We are incredibly grateful that Hannah took the time to create such an amazing piece of art for our Pleasant Hill location. We LOVE her piece and we are excited to be able to spread the word about this amazing artist!

ZACHARY’S PIZZA ART CONTEST: SPOTLIGHT ON ANIMAL LOVERS

Over the past two decades, our artists have been inspired by a wide range of topics. History? Fictional characters? Popular Culture? Pizza (duh!)? You name it. One theme that consistently shows up in the contests every year is our artists’ love of animals.

A painting of a black and white dog sitting on a pink armchair, holding a slice of pizza in its mouth. The background is green with the text: Harrys a lucky dog he gets Zacharys!.Our first example of animal-inspired art is this piece by Lisa Hayle. Hayle has been inspired by her dog Harry for years. Lisa writes, “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.”

Illustrated poster of a dog with sunglasses and a mohawk, sitting inside a red circle. Text reads: Paws for Pizza with locations: Oakland, Berkeley, San Ramon, Pleasant Hill. Top text celebrates 4.25 dog years of pizza.

Another canine-inspired piece is “Dog Years” by artist Ian Ransley has submitted eleven winning pieces in Zachary’s art contests over the years. In addition to putting animals front and center, this piece celebrated our 30th anniversary!

A blue background with the name Zacharys in large white letters at the top. A cartoon character on a ladder reaches for a pizza slice among many red and orange pizza slices and circles hanging down.If cats are your furry friend of choice, you have something in common with artist Nikola Bachman. Bachman writes about her winning piece, “I’m a cat lover at heart therefore the kitty in the painting that I drew for Zachary’s was inspired by my own cat Jackson.”

And don’t think that creature-inspired art stops at cats and dogs! Our artists have been inspired by reptiles (Amy Neil, 2005 winner) and insects (Emma Ruth 2012) too!Cartoon of an elderly man with a white beard, wearing a blue coat labeled Darwin, pointing up. A large turtle with a red, spiral-patterned shell stands beside him. A speech bubble says, Zacharys Pizza Highly Evolved!.A colorful painting of a butterfly with yellow and red wings. Above it is a sun with Zacharys written inside. Below, flowers in red, white, and blue, a bee hovering, and a brown rabbit are set against a blue sky background.

Animals make their way into the art in big and small ways. We will leave you with several more animal-inspired pieces. The deadline for submissions this year is May 16! Pick up your paper canvas at any Zachary’s location today!

A drawing of a bear sitting by a tree, holding a pizza box labeled Zacharys Chicago Pizza Inc. The bear has a happy expression, surrounded by colorful flowers. Text reads Hmmm Beary Yummy with small hearts.A black and white dog with a collar labeled Bella sits on green grass. A hand offers a slice of pizza, with the words Will Do Tricks For Zacharys above. Red streaks suggest the pizzas enticing aroma.

A painting of a girl in a red dress eating pizza, surrounded by three cats, who are looking at the pizza. The text reads Pizza de la Zacharys Délicieux and Mackenzie. The image has a playful, vintage style.

Cartoon pandas surrounding a large pizza with mushrooms and pepperoni, with the text Zacharys Chicago Pizza Inc. above in a handwritten style. A panda is reaching for a slice with a long cheese pull.

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