Zachary Portelli

About Zachary

Zachary is a committed and driven maker who strives to create objects that hold meaning through materials and innate stories. Whilst at NIDA, Zachary assisted with multiple events and shows alongside some of the students from other courses, including T-Rex, O-week event, and magic shows with the technical production students, Triple j with some of the design cohort, and the puppet show. Within NIDAproductions, she helped create the mechanical and bunraku human scale puppet from Ex Machina.

Zachary grew up in the Hawkesbury region of western Sydney; when she finished high school, studying mainly sciences. She made props in her parents’ garage for years, recreating favourite film, TV, and game paraphernalia for friends’ presents and short films . She decided, after her first application to NIDA was unsuccessful, to study Visual Arts at Nepean TAFE after which she was successful in her application.

NIDA has changed her focus from props to objects with material authenticity, wanting to create objects that will not negatively impact the environment by being ephemeral, having them live a long life as the intended object. With this practice, she is excited to continue growing her small business and other creative ventures whilst gaining experience in film and advertising.

Instagram: @tearlessarmoury
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/TearlessArmoury