Photo by Kiron Ward
PROFILE
Zavala specialises in identity, publications, and environmental graphics for exhibitions and events. His lush illustrations are inspired by nature, surrealism, and scientific lithographs. He integrates GIS mapping to facilitate large-scale spatial narratives. Zavala works in the arts and cultural sector, particularly for underserved audiences, including the LGBTQ+ community and global majority. Concept and narrative are central to his practice. Interdisciplinary teamwork with businesses, cultural organisations, suppliers, and creatives is key. He’s partnered with small businesses, institutions, and international companies. In the wake of the climate emergency, his work encourages diverse perspectives in ecology and biodiversity.
Photo by Fikayo Adebajo
QUEER BOTANY
Zavala founded Queer Botany in 2020. Inspired by the theoretical lens of queer ecology, the project studies connections between queerness and plants through research, story-telling, design, and events. Queer Botany has worked with Barbican Centre, Chelsea Physic Garden, National Trust, The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, The V&A Museum, Wellcome Collection, and The Royal Parks. Zavala was interviewed by Ella Braidwood at The Guardian about queering botany.
Photo by Fabian Villa & Steven Casanova
ESSENTIALS CREATIVE
Zavala is a freelance Art Director at Essentials Creative, a collaborative group of applied artists who come together to work on art installations and special projects. They produce multi-media experiences, which often incorporate photography, fashion, graphics , video, lighting design, and projection. Zavala contributes research, narrative development, illustration, interpretive display design, identity design, and custom type design. Past clients include Austin Public Library, Chicago Botanic Garden, and Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival.
SERVICES
Art direction
DesignIllustration
Identity
Exhibition graphics
Environmental graphics
Publication design
GIS mapping
Research
TalksWorkshops
EDUCATION
MA in Narrative Environments, with distinction
UAL: Central Saint Martins
BFA in Communication Design, summa cum laude
Texas State University
SELECT RECOGNITION
Spatial Practices Program Prizes, London, UK / 2021
Spatial Cultural Equity Award Winner
Spatial Cultural Equity Award Winner
MullenLowe NOVA Awards, London, UK / 2021
Nominee
Nominee
Graphis, New York, USA / 2019
Gold Winner in the Poster Annual in collaboration with Shawn Meek
Communication Arts, CA, USA / 2015
Award of Excellence for Oddwood Ales Packaging in collaboration with Thuy Pham
PUBLICATIONS
SELECT PRESS
'Queer Ecology and the Arts', Fukt Magazine #22, The Nature Issue / 2024
by Faye Campbell
by Faye Campbell
‘Interview: Sixto-Juan Zavala, Designer and Illustrator, Texas/London’ by Sarah Elsie Baker
by Essentials Creative (Collaborative work with Essentials Creative Collective)
'‘Nature embraces queer people’: inside the Kew show about the LGBTQ+ side of plants', The Guardian / September 2023
by Ella Braidwood
'The Queer Side Of Botany', Botany.One / June 2023
by Michela Osnato
by George Hudson
by Kate Wyver
Graphis Poster Annual / 2019
Gold Winner in collaboration with Shawn Meek
Gold Winner in collaboration with Shawn Meek
Communication Arts Design Annual 56 / 2015
Oddwood Ales packaging with illustrations by Zavala and art direction by Thuy Pham
Oddwood Ales packaging with illustrations by Zavala and art direction by Thuy Pham
Plant Kingdom: Design with Plant Aesthetics / 2015
Five digital collages Floral Alchemy were included in this publication by Endpoints
Five digital collages Floral Alchemy were included in this publication by Endpoints
RECENT EXHIBITED WORK
Central Austin Public Library, Austin, USA
Oct 2025
Rhizomatic installation with Essentials Creative
Chicago Botanic Garden, Chicago, USA
Oct 2023–June 2024
Rhizomatic installation with Essentials Creative
Oct 2023–June 2024
Rhizomatic installation with Essentials Creative
Norman Rea Gallery, York, UK
Jan–Feb 2024
Perceiving Nature: Exploring Representations of the Natural World group exhibition
Jan–Feb 2024
Perceiving Nature: Exploring Representations of the Natural World group exhibition
Luminaria Art Festival, Hemisfair Park, San Antonio, USA
Oct 2023
Yanaguana Garden installation with Essentials Creative
Oct 2023
Yanaguana Garden installation with Essentials Creative
Raze Collective & Arts Admin
Toynbee Studio, London, UK / 6 July 2025
Botanical Illustration Drop-In
Victoria & Albert Museum South Kensington
The John Madejski Garden, London, UK / 27 June 2025
Friday Late: Queer Botany Guided Walk
Metropolitan State University Denver
Online / 26 Mar 2024
Communication Design Professional Practices
Online / 26 Mar 2024
Communication Design Professional Practices
Nonbinary Botany
Alice Austen House, Staten Island, New York, USA / 1 October 2023
Nonbinary Botany Round Table
Victoria & Albert Museum
Online, UK / 17 July 2023
Anthropocene Reading Group
Online, UK / 17 July 2023
Anthropocene Reading Group
Victoria & Albert Museum South Kensington
Lydia and Manfred Gorvy Lecture Theatre, London, UK / 1 Mar 2023
Make Good: Rethinking Material Futures Symposium, Session 6: Reaching out
Make Good: Rethinking Material Futures Symposium, Session 6: Reaching out
Chelsea Physic Garden
Chelsea Physic Garden Gallery, London, UK / 3 Feb 2023
Evening Botanist panel
Chelsea Physic Garden Gallery, London, UK / 3 Feb 2023
Evening Botanist panel
Cultivate: A TECHNE Student-Led Conference
Hybrid event: online & Cambridge Cottage, Kew, London, UK / 10 Nov 2022
Session 3: Cultivating Growth: Movement and Space
Institute for Postnatural Studies & The Institute of Queer Ecology
Online, USA / 25 Oct 2022
Mutability and Mutualism, Vol. II
National Trust
Sutton House, London, UK / 25 May 2022
Wellcome Collection
Wellcome Collection, London, UK / 25 Aug 2022
Rooted Beings: Perspective Tour
The Royal Parks
The LookOut, Hyde Park, London, UK / 16 July 2022
Queer Botany Cyanotype Workshop for Beginners
Barbican Centre
London, UK / 9 July 2022
Fierce (Birmingham)
Selfridges, Birmingham, UK / 2 July 2022
Healing Gardens of Bab: Queer Botanical Drawing
Kings College
London, UK / 17 June 2022
Queer@Kings: Queer Theory and the Environment
Walworth Garden
London, UK / 21 April 2022
London, UK / 21 April 2022
Queer Botany at Walworth Garden: Mapping Stories
