Juliana Zorka ~ Artist Statement and Bio
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I feel close to my unconscious, which is why my studio feels like home. There, I can focus on my thoughts, dreams, and spirit. Growing up surrounded by art, I was influenced by my parents, both artists. My mother taught me to draw early on. In high school, I thrived as an artist, earning several awards. I later earned my BFA at GSU, where I began my formal training and learned to view art as product-based. It wasn’t until I started teaching art that I recognized the value of process, something I hadn’t fully appreciated until the past 26 years.
Raising two children, I began exploring life’s mysteries—God, the psyche, and the importance of The Feminine. My work, influenced by Carl Jung, became more surrealistic, drawing from my unconscious world. Much of my imagery comes from dreams—woods, psychic spaces, roads, archetypes, and heroes. My art has been a collection of techniques, symbols, and spiritual exploration, with Spirit as a central theme. My God is universal, the source of all creativity.
Part of my self-discovery as a woman has been understanding my role in society—how women are seen, used, objectified, and expected to prove themselves. This awareness has deeply influenced my work and relationships. Society’s and cultures' views of the feminine are recurring themes in my art.
In my early work, I focused on ceramics, but more recently I’ve explored two-dimensional surfaces through collage, printmaking, and mixed media. My art is symbolic, drawing from Jung, theology, and divine geometry. I encourage viewers to find their own meaning in my work, though I’m happy to share my interpretations.
Creating brings me joy and growth. Through my journey as a life-long artist, I've realized the importance of feeding my soul through art, a gift many forget to give themselves. I hope to inspire other “sleeping” artists to wake up and embrace the creative process.
Education
Woodward Academy Class of 1988
Georgia State University Bachelor of Fine Arts - Art Ed./Photography/Art History 1994
Kennesaw State University - Master of Arts in Art and Design 2026
Gallery Shows and Exhibits
Juliana Zorka has shown throughout Atlanta's art scene since 1994
2025 Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, SHAPE II: artworks by Women Artist-Educators, Atlanta, GA
2024 The Foundry at Puritan Mill Chairish The Future Benefit Auction for the Atlanta Furniture Bank, Atlanta, GA
2023 Rek Gallery, Beyond The Seen, group show, Tucker, GA
2020 Paulding Fine Arts Association Historic Courthouse Gallery, Beauty Vs. Danger, solo show, Dallas, GA
2018 dk Gallery, Faith and Hope, group show, Marietta, GA
2018 Blu Rose Art Gallery, Eternal Bonds- A Mother-Daughter Retrospective, Juliana Zorka and her daughter, Isabella Thomas, Douglasville, GA
2016-2017 Paulding Fine Arts Association Historic Courthouse Gallery, Collaboration Pieces by Paulding High School Art Teachers, Dallas, GA
2015 Paulding Fine Arts Association Historic Courthouse Gallery, Annual Art- Faculty Exhibit, Dallas, GA
2011-2014 The Seen Gallery, Decatur, GA, various group shows
“Interpretations: Sculptural Works by Jim Bell, Melinda Crider, Angelika Domschke, Annie Evans, Michael Klapthor, and Juliana Zorka.
“Balanced” Mixed Media Works by Juliana Zorka, solo show
2009 Stillwell Art Gallery at the Performing Arts Center, Annual Art Faculty Exhibit. Clayton County Public Schools, Jonesboro, GA
2006 Lambert Gallery, various group shows, Atlanta, GA,
2004-2005 Elevation Gallery, various group shows, Atlanta, GA
2001-2003 Darius Gallery various group shows, Atlanta, GA
2000 Gallery 39, Equine Exhibition group show, Buford, GA
1999-2000 Lansdell Galleries, various group shows, Atlanta, GA
1998-2002 Telephone Factory Atlanta Studio Tour, group shows, Atlanta, GA
1994-1999 Ariel Gallery, Tula Art Complex, various group shows, Buckhead, GA – Co-Owner and Exhibiting Artist
1994 AIDS Atlanta Benefit Auction, group show, Atlanta, GA
1994 - Present Artworks by Juliana Zorka Thomas have been featured by Atlanta Designers in prestigious homes throughout Atlanta and are in private collections in Greater Atlanta and the Southeast.
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