Zuriñe was born in South East England in 1984 to a Basque mother and English father. She spent her childhood between the picturesque hills of the North Downs and the mountains of Northern Spain. It was here she was first exposed to the intoxicating sights and smells of an artists’ studio. As a young child she would sneak into her grandfather's studio to poke around the jars and stand in awe of the large, half-finished canvases.

 

At age 14 Zuriñe received an award for first prize in her age category for a charity art competition. It was then that she realised she had a natural ability for portrait painting and spent the following two decades honing her skills and painting commissions. Over the years her style became much more refined and photo realistic as she practiced the traditional techniques of the old masters.

 

Zuriñe's interest in people led to a bachelors degree in Social Anthropology and International Development from the University of London in 2008. A successful career as a humanitarian aid worker followed, allowing Zuriñe to travel extensively. Her time living and working in Asia, Africa and Latin America is reflected in her paintings of people from around the world.

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By 2017 Zuriñe was itching to swap her desk for an easel and get back to nature after many years in the bustle of London. Her love of the great outdoors brought her to Canada and to a change in artistic direction. With a new focus on landscapes, Zuriñe returns to an expressive style and limited colour palettes to capture her evocative scenes. Influenced by the work of JMW Turner and the impressionists she explores light versus dark, colour and atmosphere through her paintings. 

 

Since moving to Canada Zuriñe has made her first series of landscapes and is planning a series of skyscapes. She currently resides in Kitslano, Vancouver and explores as often as she can.