Briana Zacarias On the central coast of California, you can find abstract realism artist Briana Zacarias loosely painting the story of her life. Every piece starts off with a source, a poem, and a set of acrylic inks that leads to a dance with the canvas. Through a technique she calls “kissing the canvas” she gives the inks a nudge in the right direction while allowing them to flow however they desire. Ultimately the end result is out of her control, but she works to shape something beautiful out of the chaotic state the paint begins in — a process that mimics the way she moves through life. The pieces symbolize strength, the characteristic she finds to be most admirable in a person.