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Over 30 years of painting tropical landscapes for ‘The Tropical Artist’

By Bryan Gray
Published  February 19, 2025 6:35pm EST
What's Right with Tampa Bay
FOX 13 News

Meet the 'Tropical Artist'

Mark Wilson reports.

The Brief

    • A man known as ‘The Tropical Artist,’ has spent more than 30 years turning his passion for painting into a lifestyle through his tropical landscapes.
    • Alan Zawacki says the act of painting helps him relax, and he hopes his work has the same effect on those who see it.
    • Zawacki has a collection of more than 300 paintings.

TAMPA, Fla. - A man known as ‘The Tropical Artist,’ has spent more than 30 years turning his passion for painting into a lifestyle.

For Alan Zawacki, painting isn't just a hobby, it’s a way of life.

"I always had an affinity for art, said Zawacki. "My brother's an artist, too, so it's in the family."

A man known as ‘The Tropical Artist,’ has spent more than 30 years turning his passion for painting into a lifestyle.

The backstory:

The former adult education professional has always had a brush in his hand, but over the years, his focus turned to the beauty of the tropics.

"It's almost a calling," said Zawacki. "It's something that is therapy for me when I'm painting a seascape, of the ocean with the turquoise water and everything. It's very soothing to me."

His canvases burst with vibrant ocean scenes, lush landscapes and serene island getaways.

Art created by Alan Zawacki.

"I just really loved art and also loved the beach and the ocean," said Zawacki. "And putting those two things together has been my retirement career." 

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Zawacki believes his art doesn't just bring beauty, it brings health benefits too.

He says the act of painting helps him relax, and he hopes his work has the same effect on those who see it.

"I've done a lot of research in the science of tropical paintings and looking at nature, and it actually does produce brain chemicals that calm you down and soothe you," Zawacki explained. 

He says his favorite piece is a sunset escape that captures everything he loves about tropical art: peace, beauty and the feeling of escape.

"Secret Harbor in St. Thomas, and that's a six-foot-long, three feet high painting," said Zawacki. "And I snorkeled a lot in that, in that harbor. So it's a very special painting to me. That one is not for sale. That's mine."

Zawacki has a collection of more than 300 paintings. 

What you can do:

If you’d like to see more of Alan’s work, you can visit his website.

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The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Bryan Gray.

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