David Zinn

LEAVING HIS MARK ON BERKLEY

By Sara E. Teller

A FORMER FREELANCE COMMERCIAL ARTIST, DAVID ZINN NOW SPENDS MOST OF HIS TIME EMBEDDING UNASSUMING ART INTO THE STREETS AND EXTERIOR STRUC-TURES OF COMMUNITIES HE ENJOYS.

Zinn mainly works with a favorite childhood tool – chalk. However, he has also left a permanent mark with acrylic pieces here and there. Zinn has been a chalk artist for the past 15 years. He says he enjoys chalk because it is “such a childish tool that tends to be the opposite of intimidation.” And he encourages others do the same, using this tool to connect with their inner child.

Zinn says, “I started using chalk ironically to avoid doing my real job. It was just an excuse to be outside on a nice day.” Since that time, he has traveled all over the country and around the world sharing his works, which Zinn calls “micro murals.”

Residents of Berkley can try to spot three of Zinn’s permanent micro mural installations, two of which he says are “literally the size of a mouse.” The third is a larger piece and likely easier to spot. “They’re fairly small; something you’d need to be searching for,” he explained. “Or, how I like to view it, something you’d stumble across.”

AS FAR AS HIS CREATIVE PROCESS, Zinn likes to view it as “adding my imaginary friends” to real-world inspiration. He may see a crack in the street and transform it into a crack in the earth from which an animal emerges. Or Zinn might start with a line of small bushes, adding a head and some legs to create a fluffy caterpillar. He has even worked debris left on the streets, transforming what is essentially litter into art.

“Utility covers and faucets or even a piece of gum” might become the inspiration for his next piece, Zinn said.

He views his process as an “augmented” version of the psychological concept of “pareidolia,” which is the brain’s tendency to see meaningful shapes in random objects.

“It’s the same as seeing bunnies in clouds or faces in wallpaper,” explained Zinn. “I simply add to what’s already there.”

ZINN HAS BEEN PARTICIPATING in the Berkley Street Art Fest since 2017. He typically does chalk art demonstrations and leaves behind masterpieces “that have long since washed away,” he said. However, he was inspired to leave the permanent pieces because “chalk art doesn’t last more than a few hours or a few days. But the permanent pieces can be found even in the middle of winter.”

When Zinn isn’t participating in Berkley events, he can be found sharing his passion in the heart of his hometown of Ann Arbor. He is usually at both the Ann Arbor Art Fair and the city’s Summer Festival. He also travels to local schools, libraries, and other festivals when invited.

“If you’re looking for a good, day-long scavenger hunt, I have hidden dozens of animals in the University of Michigan Natural History Museum,” Zinn offers. “Some are easier to find than others. A few, the staff haven’t even discovered yet!”

Zinn calls his work “eccentric enough to be almost award-proof,” adding this is some-thing he “strangely enjoys.” However, he has picked up a few awards along the way, winning the Ann Arbor Golden Paintbrush Award on two occasions, once for his chalk art and once for what he refers to as his “only actual mural” titled Laughing at Clouds. He was also Current magazine’s Reader’s Choice Artist of the Year in 2014.

When Zinn visits Berkley, he makes sure to spend some time wandering around the library or stopping by Pinspiration, which has a splatter room he’s been dreaming of booking. He is incredibly thankful that his parents valued personal happiness over achievement and that his personal happiness and achievements are now one in the same.

Zinn has published many books, some coffee table editions of his works and others how-to handbooks for budding artists. “The Chalk Art Handbook” (2021) and “Chance Encounters” (2022) are his two most recent titles. Both books can be found on Amazon as well as on his website.

For more information about David Zinn and his art, visit zinnart.com. He offers a variety of products on his site, including calendars, prints, postcards and more. Follow Zinn on Instgram, Instagram.com/davidzinn,, Twitter, Twitter.com/davidzinn_art, and Facebook, Facebook.com/DavidZinnIllustrationwitter.com/davidzinn_