I was raised in an extended family in southern Virginia, in a small town named Phoebus that is adjacent to Hampton University. I grew up on the brink of a new era where a community of elders was passing, just as a younger generation raised on Atari and fast food emerged from the depths of shot gun houses where screenless porches stuck out like proud chests.

When I was little, adults with names as metaphorical as characters in Zora Neale Hurston novels, were cognizant of my artistic abilities. My Great Aunt whom I call "Mama", had a restaurant named Langley Cut Rate that was locally known as "The Place". Mama's customers and friends brought canvas, paints, and coloring books to me, and they encouraged me to become an artist. I scribbled away in a play area set aside within Mama's restaurant, completely unaware of any special talent that might distinguish me as different from other children.

During High School, I worked as a portrait and caricature artist at the local amusement park, Busch Gardens Williamsburg. I used income from this job to enter Howard University in Washington, DC, where I was accepted by Dr. Flyod Coleman in 1993 as an art student. During this time, I developed mentors such as Professor Sorrells-Adewale (art), Dr. Sybil Roberts (playwriting), and Renee Raymond (life mentor). In 1998, I received a BFA in Theater Technology with a minor in Art. Besides waiting tables to make a living, I also did Make-Up for theater and opera. At the time, I believe I dreamed of becoming a Make-Up Artist for Star Trek.

After pursuing Make-Up art for a little while, I decided that I wanted to become a writer because I always loved literature and wanted to write my own stories. I was awarded an Allen Lee Hughes Fellowship in Dramaturgy/Literary Management and trained under Cathy Madison at Arena Stage Theater, Washington, DC. After working with a couple more theater companies such as Young Playwrites Theater and Living Stage, I began working as an Assistant to Producers in the News Department at BET (Black Entertainment Television). Lead Story, a weekly news analysis program, and the Tavis Smiley Show were the two main shows on which I worked. My favorite tasks while working on these shows were searching for news stories, finding video for news reporters to use in the shows, and meeting the celebrity guests and journalists.

Attracted to narrative, I left BET and drove across country to Los Angeles to become a Story Development Executive, Writer, or Producer. Really, I just wanted to do what I was doing in theater but make more money for this same type of work. So, I did various jobs and interned at several companies including Nickelodeon, de Passe Entertainment/Essence Awards 2002, The NAACP Image Awards, HBO Films, and Innovative Artists Talent Agency.

While enrolled at UCLA's Graduate Film School, I took a painting class for non-majors and was delighted to find that after many years of searching and trying to become a writer, I had finally developed a voice that put depth behind my nominal artistic abilities. I found that my voice came to me as narrative art. I developed a preference for telling stories and revealing daily life moments through painting.

I left film school before graduating, and for two years after, worked as an Art Consultant/Salesperson in two boutique galleries in Los Angeles. During that time, I worked on developing an art portfolio that gained my admission into the Graduate School at Otis College of Art & Design. Going to art school was extremely challenging socially and spiritually. Despite the difficulties, I received an MFA in Studio Art in 2007. As a further example of my art education, Row Dowell, Chair of the Grad Program at Otis, awarded me a scholarship to attend a Narrative Painting class taught by Melissa Miller at Anderson Ranch in the summer of 2007. While in was in the program, Roy also assisted me in taking my first art research trip – a trip to explore and investigate the state of New Orleans Post Katrina, a trip which was like a life rite for me. A trip that I am still processing and trying to figure out how I will make a series of art!

Currently, I count Carole Caroompas, Dr. Flores – Pena, Holly Tempo, Kori Newkirk, Dominique Moody, and Synthia Saint James as my most evident artistic mentors. Visual artists whose work influences me strongly, although I do not know them personally are; Jacob Lawrence, Archibald Motley, Faith Ringgold, Lamar Petersen, Carmen Lomas Garza, Alfredo Ceibal, and Xiomara de Oliver.

Please feel free to browse through http://zealharris.blogspot.com and http://www.myspace.com/zealsart for more biographical information about me.