Unveiling the Colors of Culture: Zsudayka Nzinga Terrell's Journey in Mixed Media Portraiture and Advocating for Arts Education

Welcome to a world where colors, shapes, and emotions blend into art. This is 'The Truth in This Art' with Rob Lee. Today our guest is Zsudayka Nzinga Terrell, a multi-disciplinary fine artist, curator, and arts educator based in Washington, DC, with roots in Denver, Colorado. Her captivating work revolves around mixed media portraiture, delving into American life themes, particularly motherhood and culture. She skillfully combines acrylic, oil, decorative and hand-dyed paper, fabric, thread, linocut stamp, and ink on canvas, crafting intricate patterns and textures. Beyond her visual artistry, Zsudayka's talents extend to jewelry-making, incorporating silver, wood, resin, and precious stones. With a background as a spoken word artist and performer, she brings a unique perspective to her creations. Zsudayka's artistic journey has taken her to various galleries and museums across the country, earning international recognition through blogs and reviews. Additionally, she is an accomplished curator, having organized exhibitions for youth and professional artists, and recently securing a curatorial grant with the DC Commission of the Arts and Humanities. Zsudayka is actively involved in supporting the arts community, serving on the board of Freedom School Arts and Entrepreneurship, acting as Vice President of Black Artists of DC, and contributing as a member and curator with the Women's Caucus for Art. As a proud mother of three and wife to artist James Terrell, Zsudayka passionately manages their family business, showcasing and selling their art, overseeing their merchandise line, and offering arts-integrated education support to teachers and homeschool families.

For this insightful chat:

Get ready for a mind-blowing episode as Zsudayka discusses her journey as an artist and her focus on mixed media portraiture of American life. She shares how she started painting at a young age and eventually discovered her unique style of tearing paper, known as shigiri. Zsudayka emphasizes the importance of representing and celebrating black culture in her work, challenging the traditional narratives and stereotypes. She also highlights the significance of engaging young people in the arts and encouraging them to pursue their artistic passions.


Mentioned in this episode
Zsudayka's website 


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This program is supported (in part) by a grant from the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation.

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Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard.

Episode illustration by Alley Kid Art.

About "The Truth In This Art"

"The Truth In This Art," hosted by Rob Lee, is a podcast that explores the essence of creativity and its community impact, amplifying artists' voices and their profound stories.

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