About the Artist

Meet Patty Sapere

Why a Zebra?

If you know, you know.

In the medical community, there's a saying: "When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras." It means doctors should look for common diagnoses first. But for people living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome — a rare connective tissue condition that affects everything from joints to skin to daily life — the zebra became a symbol. We are the zebras. The rare ones. The ones who don't fit the expected pattern.

I have EDS, and it shapes what I can and can't do on any given day. But creating art has never been something my body has taken from me. When I pick up a brush a marker or pencil, I'm not a patient or a diagnosis. I'm an artist. Zebra Artworks exists because of that — it's art born from resilience, named for a community that understands what it means to keep going.

The Art

I'm a mixed media artist, which is a fancy way of saying I never could pick just one thing.

Metalcraft and ceramics were my first love, followed by acrylic on canvas. As those mediums became more physically challenging, I tried my hand at watercolor and ink.

Watercolor is where I have settled. I find watercolor to be a more gentle and peaceful proccess. Which I find theraputic especially during these times.

My subjects come from the world around me — the seasons changing in upstate New York, backyard birds, wildflowers, autumn leaves, and bold abstract color studies. I'm drawn to color above everything else.

The Dragons

Some paintings come from a quiet whimsical place — nature, seasons and fantasy. Others come from somewhere fiercer.

My dragon series is about strength and self-protection. Some are guardians and some are villains. Each dragon is painted with watercolor and ink, and each one holds something personal — a feeling too big for words, put down in pigment instead.

If those paintings speak to you, they were made for you.

From Painting to Product

I started Zebra Artworks because I wanted my art to be part of people's everyday lives — not just framed on a wall, but wrapped around a morning coffee mug, keeping water cold on a hike, or making a statement as wearable art.

Every design you see in this store is printed directly from one of my original paintings. These aren't stock images, they aren't computer-generated, and they aren't mass-produced patterns. Each one started with paint, pigment, markers, pens and paper in my studio.

A Little About Me

Before I picked up the paintbrush, I spent years as an ASL interpreter and deaf education researcher at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at Rochester Institute of Technology. During my tenure a lot of my interpreting was in the College of Art and Design at RIT. 
These days, I create from my home studio in the Finger Lakes region of New York.

When I am not painting, I can be found creating culinary dishes in the kitchen or making art with my grandchildren.

Thank You

Every purchase from Zebra Artworks supports an independent artist, a small family business, and the belief that creativity is healing.

I put real time and care into every painting, and I hope that comes through when you hold one of these pieces in your hands. If you have questions about any product, are looking for something custom or interested in purchasing an original watercolor (not a print), don't hesitate to reach out through the Contact page.

Thank you for supporting original art — and for supporting this zebra.

— Patty