Today we’d like to introduce you to Izziria “Zee” Ber.
Hi Izziria “Zee”, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in Queens NYC to two loving and creative parents. In my mid-20’s I decided to move to Austin, TX where I’ve resided for the last 11 years. My parents encouraged me to express myself through art and instilled in me from a young age the importance of using what you have around you to articulate something tangible with your hands.
I’ve carried this concept through my life and my art practice, Through a commitment to sustainability and a passion for re-purposing materials, my art is focused on breathing new life into discarded items and trash, transforming them into captivating works of art.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Navigating the art world has definitely been challenging, and rocky at times – there’s not one way to go about it! Not to mention, there’s a lot of work that goes into creating a piece you’re satisfied with, on top of being your own sales, PR and social media representatives. It took me a while to feel comfortable putting myself out there in a new city, thankfully I met some welcoming people who I’m proud to call close friends now. Going to studio tours, gallery openings and networking has proven a wonderful way to meet people who appreciate and support art.
Community building is important to me, in my mind there’s no way to successfully create a community without being open minded and welcoming to people from all walks of life.
Through the people I’ve met and the actions I’ve taken, my community has grown. For instance, in 2025 I was able to curate and organize a successful salon show at the gallery in Art Hub ATX which featured over 85 artists and I’ve been able to assist hosting a weekly figure drawing session at Highland Collective with my partner Kyle Saldaña for the past two years.
From what I’ve learned, there will always be struggles. Finding good people you can rely on makes them more bearable to overcome.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in what’s lovingly referred to as “Trash Art”. I repurposed discarded items with skills I’ve honed through years of apprenticeship and personal trial and error.
In collaboration with assisting a wide range of sculpture artists, I enjoy bringing a diversity of influences to my creative process. This allows me to have a multifaceted approach, exploring various mediums within the realm of sculpture.
The focus of my practice is to create a powerful message about environmental consciousness. Each creation tells a story of renewal, the profound beauty that can emerge from the most unexpected sources–inviting viewers to reconsider the potential within what others might discard.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
While I don’t have a magic ball to gaze into the future, I’d imagine there will be a larger focus on what some now call ‘Artivisim’, the intersectionality between art, activism towards our environment. While this has been a long standing topic, over time the importance and focus on it has increased.
In my opinion, art is essential for life–so is a functioning, healthy ecosystem.
I’m sure you’ve seen an uptick of gallery shows, art pop-ups, community events, and even re-use stores focusing on our environmental impact and what communities can do to assist.
Social media (for better or for worse) allows that community to cultivate and grow faster due to the sheer amount of audience reach possible. More and more artists are sharing their practices and the items they’re re-purposing to create, participating and sharing events focused around this practice. It’s great to see.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @izziria.co
