Hello & Welcome to my site.
My name is Zara Der Arakelian Kemp and I am a freelance illustrator & graphic designer based in Nicosia.
My design background began in 1997 when I began my studies in Graphic and Advertising at Frederick Institute of Technology. I received my MA in Visual Communication from UCE University of Central England Birmingham in 2002. After my studies I started teaching part time at Frederick Institute of Technology in the Art Design & Communication department. Since then I have worked in advertising, web design & social media companies, as well as working as a freelancer, giving me over 20 years of experience with print and digital design.
I have worked under the name 'Whale & Fish' creating collages, some of which are here on this website. With collage I get to combine my love for three things - vintage magazines, anthropomorphic characters and photos that I take of old spaces downtown in Nicosia and around the island.
The Zarburst concept began in 2020 while I was exploring nostalgic themes inspired by growing up in Cyprus, I drew retro products and buildings around town. Next came my research into a logo design for 'Enjoy Cyprus', where I illustrated touristic elements that developed into my Cyprus print, creating products such as greeting cards, postcards, and tote bags under the name Zarburst. This theme of combining the elements of the island, memories of childhood, whimsy, humour and everyday life had become my main subject.
Current projects that I enjoy working on with my clients are illustrations, logo design, and book layouts - as well as creating prints for my online shop, designing greeting cards and products for shops around the island.
If you would like to request a commission or work with me on a project, please contact me here - https://www.zarburst.com/contact
To view more of my photos that I take around Cyprus, you can check out my Flickr account here.
To view more detail of my projects, you can check out my Behance page here.
Thank you for visiting :)