Zivana Gojanovic received her fine art training in her native Croatia at the School of Fine Arts in Split and at the University of Art & Design in Zagreb. She worked as an assistant in the Dubrovnik studio of Milovan Stanic for seven years, while also designing costumes and sets for the the Theater Jazavac in Zagreb. Since her arrival in the United States in 1987, she has had numerous solo exhibitions throughout the Western United States. In 2000 she earned the Individual Artist Award from the Arts Fund of Santa Barbara, California, followed by a William Colville Foundation Grant in 2006. In 2009 she received the Award of Excellence at Artoteque London, England.