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Vanda Gallery is a contemporary art space on Huguenot Street in New Rochelle — founded by a physician-turned-painter to give bold work a generous home.
Our mission
At Vanda Gallery, our mission is to cultivate an inclusive space that celebrates diverse artistic voices. We aim to empower and support both mid career and established artists, fostering an environment that encourages creativity, collaboration, and growth. Beyond our physical walls, we aspire to inspire positive change through impactful exhibitions and community initiatives. Vanda Gallery is dedicated to creating lasting impressions, providing a haven where every visit invites exploration, reflection, and inspiration in the boundless world of artistic expression.
We envision Vanda Gallery as not just a destination for art appreciation but a thriving community hub where artists and art enthusiasts converge. Through curated events, workshops, and collaborative projects with the community we seek to foster meaningful connections, sparking a dialogue that transcends the traditional gallery experience. Together, we are shaping a space where creativity flourishes, relationships bloom, and the impact of art resonates far beyond our walls.
What we stand for
Artists first
We support mid-career and established artists with curated solo and group exhibitions, open calls and honest feedback.
A community hub
Receptions, workshops and collaborations with local organizations make the gallery a place to meet, not just to look.
Art with compassion
Our commitment extends beyond art. We are dedicated to supporting those in need, offering assistance wherever it is required around the world. Together, let's create positive change through both art and compassion.
Founder, Owner & Curator
Zahra Jlayer is a physician pathologist and former medical examiner based in New Rochelle, New York. She grew up in an artistic household; her father was a self-taught artist and poet whose creative spirit shaped her early love of painting. Though medical school limited her time in the studio, her passion for art never faded — during those years she stayed connected to the arts by curating exhibitions for her father.
After completing her pathology residency in New York, Zahra returned fully to her artistic practice. Her work at the microscope — studying the human body at the cellular level — became a powerful source of inspiration for her abstract visual language. The intricate patterns, organic structures, and luminous details observed in pathology inform her exploration of abstraction.
Drawn to the freedom of contemporary art, she found renewed purpose in painting after her father's passing. Returning to canvas and color became both a creative and emotional reconnection — a way to honor his legacy through her own evolving practice.
Zahra works primarily in fluid art and pour painting, exploring the interplay of color, movement, and chance. Each piece begins with an intentional palette and conceptual direction, then unfolds through a balance of control and spontaneity — revealing unexpected forms, textures, and emotional depth. She frequently incorporates resin, fluid acrylics, and gold leaf, drawn to their luminosity and expressive potential. Most recently she has begun exploring encaustic painting, expanding her practice into layered, tactile expression.
Her artwork has been featured in solo and group exhibitions and is held in private collections. As founder and curator of Vanda Gallery, she presents bold, thought-provoking contemporary art in the heart of New Rochelle.
- Affiliations
- Board member, New Rochelle Council on the Arts
- Member, New Rochelle Art Association
- Member, National Association of Women Artists (NAWA)
Visitors say
Vanda Gallery is a SoHo - level art space, both the physical layout as well as the quality of the art on display. The space is reached easily from anyplace in Westchester/Fairfield area, and worth the train ride from Manhattan. Tall ceilings, appealing lighting and music, big storefront windows all speak to the thoughtfulness that went into designing the gallery as well as the ongoing care the gallerists use in selecting the artwork. It’s a welcoming space— easy to roam around in. Zahra is putting a lot of effort into making the gallery a success. Ive been to several of her early shows, all successful. At any time she has the work of a handful of artists on display. The artists all have their stories, and Zahra knows them all. Likely something in the gallery that will catch your eye. With a range of price points that are accessible for such quality pieces. Zahra even has a few of her novel pieces on display. Roaming into an art gallery can sometimes be a bit intimidating, but not here. NYC quality space and artwork in a wonderfully gracious place. Visit often pleaseBob · Google
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