Move over latte art: The latest edible creation to hit the scene is seriously mind-blowing. Hazel Zakariya of Auckland, New Zealand uses natural ingredients like blue matcha and butterfly pea flower powder to “paint” the tops of her smoothie bowls.
From nature scenes and animals to pop culture portraits like Hogwarts Houses and Breaking Bad characters, Zakariya’s detailed smoothie paintings are almost too pretty to eat.
To achieve the awe-inspiring art, Zakariya uses skewers and knives (no paint brushes! ) and works with a variety of fresh produce, powders, and milks to give the portrait a three-dimensional look. It’s hard to believe these dishes are entirely edible. Each bowl is finished with flowers and foliage.
“Since I started, I realized that this is a good mindfulness practice for myself,” she says. “It’s also a good outlet for expressing myself and challenging my art skills, as I’ve always been self-taught. Through this project, I’m also reminded that life is transitory, and we should appreciate every beauty, every moment. ”
Believe it or not, Zakariya was never an artist by trade. The 30-year-old market analyst said she stumbled on something special with this. Just over a year ago, she was attempting to garnish her soup with coconut cream swirls. When it didn’t work out as planned, she used it as an opportunity to create a tree design, using pesto as the leaves – and so began her hobby that sparked the interest of everyone on the internet. Her social media engagement spiked the more she posted her smoothie bowl art, and she began receiving attention from media outlets all over the globe.
Zakariya looks at the future as an endless plot of possibilities. “As for now, I truly enjoy the creation process and am constantly challenging myself with new and fun ideas,” she says. “I’ve always had a passion for food and am endlessly inspired by it. I just love coming up with new and playful ideas that combine food and art. ” Zakariya tells us that she is looking forward to exploring more, pursuing collaborations, and hopefully creating a book of her work.
Follow Hazel on Instagram for more museum-worthy smoothies.