Nancy Przygoda, known professionally as Zoda, is an artist from Missouri who now lives in Tucson, Arizona. Over her career, she has worked in interior design, hospitality design, furniture design, and painting. She spent 22 years living and working in Jamaica, where she designed the Bob Marley Museum. She has since returned to school to study fine arts while continuing her painting, which she considers her greatest passion.

3. BIO My name is Nancy Przygoda, though I am known professionally as “Zoda”. Born and raised in the Midwest, Missouri, I have been creating art for most of my life through painting and design. I currently live in Tucson, Arizona which is only one of the wonderful and unique places I have lived and from which I draw a different influence and inspiration. Over my years I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to create my art in so many different forms such as interior design, hospitality design for the hotel industry, furniture design and my ultimate passion and love painting. Chicago is where I landed when I leaped from a small town in Missouri to the big city design industry. I was blessed to be a head designer for several hotels in major American cities and through out the Caribbean. My extensive work in the Caribbean is credited for introducing me to my soul mate, Jamaica. Zoda’s Art is the name of the company I created after moving to Ocho Rios, Jamaica. During the 22 years I lived in paradise I continued to do thematic design for hotels and night clubs in the Caribbean. My art work was displayed in two gallery’s in Jamaica, Harmony Hall in St. Mary’s and HQ in Kingston. As my work became known and my name as an artist spread I was offered the absolute honor of designing the Bob Marley Museum in 9 Mile, Jamaica. Embracing the honest love of the Jamaican people I created an art program which allowed me to share and teach the love and appreciation of art to the most underprivileged children of my adopted country. Two years have passed since I made a very hard choice to leave Jamaica and move to Tucson to be close to my beautiful and very talented daughter. In doing so I began another chapter in a blessed life which starts with an experienced woman lucky enough to enter the world of academia. Today I am a full time student working towards a degree in Fine Arts and making a living through my paintings. Tucson has provided two opportunities to introduce my style and love to this diverse art community. Painting is the passion and driving force in my life and it is also my addiction; I always have numerous works in progress which can consume my days and nights. Working with oils is what I gravitate toward but I can work with any kind of medium. The growth and attitude in my work is completely connected to the changes in my life and my experiences. My passion has most recently been infused by the history of painting and the techniques of the old masters. The intrigue of how they used natural pigments, how they mixed their paints and their reasoning and abilities for layering their paintings are my most recent areas of personal and spiritual growth. I am beyond grateful to be offered yet another opportunity in this wonderful life to share the most cherished and spiritual part of my being with others.