Espíritu: The Beginning of Amanda Zirzow’s Juried Exhibition Journey

Espíritu was the first painting Amanda Zirzow entered in a juried exhibition. Selected for the Alliance for the Arts’ Día de los Muertos show, it was displayed from October 4 through November 2, 2019, and acquired for a private collection.

The 24 × 36 × 1.5-inch acrylic painting grew from Amanda’s reflections on companionship, memory, and the bonds that remain after loss. Animals that had shared her life, including her childhood cat, were part of its inspiration.

Within the exhibition’s theme of remembrance, Espíritu explored the continuing presence of those connections through color and imagery.

That first juried selection became an important beginning in Amanda’s exhibition history. Looking back from Zirzow Gallery, the painting holds a special place as an early expression of the relationship between nature, memory, and imagination that continues to shape her work.