About the Artist
Biography
Born in Medina, Ohio, Kim Zarney attended Syracuse University and graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Art with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Painting and Printmaking. Following school, Zarney worked as an illustrator, graphic designer and advertising agency creative director. For the past fifteen years, he has pursued a fine arts career with a specific focus on monochromatic works-on-paper. Inspired by elements of the natural world, Zarney’s work has been seen in over 70 national and regional juried art exhibitions and is included in numerous public and private collections.
Statement
I enjoy the physical act of painting.
I also have an affinity for the unpretentious honesty found in preliminary sketches and studies. Simple, spontaneous gestures put down quickly to capture an idea, a feeling, the play of light, a shadow or a texture. Pieces not created as finished works of art or meant to be seen by anyone but the artist. These physical and unscripted works have an abstract quality void of details and extraneous colors. What’s left on the paper is the essence of an artist’s thoughts. To me, their aesthetic appeal is timeless.
That’s how I approach my monochrome pieces. Not as direct renditions of my selected subject matter but as abstract expressions of the natural world that leave room for interpretation. Using water-soluble oils on coated paper or high-density synthetic panels, I work quickly to develop the initial layers of line, texture and tone. The versatility of this medium gives me the opportunity to work back through sections of wet or drying paint with brushes, sharpened twigs, rags, sponges, palette knives and my fingers.
Seen at a distance or studied up close for the graphic details, each finished piece invites the viewer to participate in a creative process. Nothing is hidden.
Exhibitions & Publications
Interpretations of Our Natural World
Group Show | River Gallery | Rocky River, Ohio 44116
April 13 to June 1, 2024
2024 Artists Archives of the Western Reserve Members Exhibition
AAWR Gallery | Cleveland, Ohio 44106
March 11 to May 3, 2024
2024 Yellowstone Country Wild Bison Calendar
Two bison studies included in the 2024 Buffalo Field Campaign Calendar
BuffaloFieldCampaign.org
Artists Archives of the Western Reserve NewNow Exhibition
Tri-C Gallery | Eastern Campus | Highland Hills, Ohio 44122
September 14 to October 26, 2023
Monothon Santa Fe 2023
Monotype Printmaking and Gallery Exhibition
April 1 to April 8, 2023 Master Class Sessions | April 22 to May 26, 2023 Gallery Exhibition
Winter Woods | Solo Exhibition
Cleveland Metroparks
Rocky River Nature Center | North Olmsted, Ohio 44070
January 10 — February 26, 2022
2023 Yellowstone Country Wild Bison Calendar
Two bison studies included in the 2023 Buffalo Field Campaign calendar
BuffaloFieldCampaign.org
2022 Yellowstone Country Wild Bison Calendar
One bison study included in the 2022 Buffalo Field Campaign Calendar
BuffaloFieldCampaign.org
2021 Joshua Tree National Park Juried Art Exposition
Joshua Tree National Park Council for the Arts | Twentynine Palms, California 92277
November 4 – November 28, 2021
Solo Exhibition
TriPoint Medical Center | Painsville, Ohio 32084
March 19 – May 7, 2021
Solo Exhibition
Western Reserve Land Conservancy | Moreland Hills, Ohio 44022
April 3 – June 3, 2019
Artists Archives of the Western Reserve Members Exhibition
AAWR Gallery | Cleveland, Ohio 44106
March 29 – May 3, 2019
Natural Homes: Nests, Burrows, Caves & Trees
View Arts Center | Old Forge, New York 13420
October 27, 2018 – March 10, 2019
Places Juried Art Exhibition
Valley Art Center | Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44022
January 25 – March 6, 2019
61st Chautauqua Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Art
Chautauqua Institution | Chautauqua, New York 14722
June 24 – July 17, 2018
Artists Archives of the Western Reserve Members Exhibition
AAWR | Cleveland, Ohio 44106
March 15 – May 4, 2018
Cleveland Institute of Art 2018 Alumni Exhibition
CIA | Cleveland, Ohio 44106
March 2 – March 29, 2018
52nd Founders Juried Awards Exhibition
Naples Art Association | Naples, Florida 34102
March 2 – March 29, 2018
The Mandel JCC J-Show Juried Art Show & Sale
Mandel JCC | Beachwood, Ohio 44122
September 18 – November 11, 2017
Fin, Fur & Feather Juried Exhibition
Valley Art Center | Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44022
September 2 – October 11, 2017
2017 Joshua Tree National Park Juried Art Exposition
Joshua Tree National Park Council for the Arts | Twentynine Palms, California 92277
September 1 – October 1, 2017
Laumeister Fine Art National Juried Exhibition
The Bennington Center for the Arts | Bennington, Vermont 05201
July 29 – October 8, 2017
8th Annual Nature & Wildlife Juried Exhibition
St. Augustine Art Association | St. Augustine, Florida 32084
July 22 – August 27, 2017
8th Annual May Show Juried Art Exhibition
Lakeland Community College | Kirtland, Ohio 44094
May 18 – July 14, 2017
BAYarts Juried Show
BAYarts Center | Bay Village, Ohio 44140
March 10 – April 1, 2017
Group Show
Beachwood Arts Council | Beachwood, Ohio 44122
March 11 – April 2, 2017
Solo Exhibition
IOIO Studio Gallery | Woodmere, Ohio 44122
January 17 – March 6, 2017
2016 Wild ’n Free Fundraising Gala & Art Auction
Buffalo Field Campaign
Rembrandt Yard | Boulder, Colorado 80204302
Saturday, October 22, 2016
2016 Water Works National Juried Show
Maryland Federation of Art | Annapolis, Maryland 21401
The Annapolis Maritime Museum
September 22 – October 29, 2016
31st Annual Bosque Art Classic National Juried Show
Bosque Arts Center and Arts Council | Clifton, Texas 76634
September 10 – September 29, 2016
2016 Joshua Tree National Park Juried Art Exposition
Joshua Tree National Park Council for the Arts | Twentynine Palms, California 92277
September 2 – October 29, 2016
En Plein Air Juried Exhibition
Valley Art Center | Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44022
September 9 – October 12, 2016
Laumeister Fine Art National Juried Exhibition
The Bennington Center for the Arts | Bennington, Vermont 05201
August 6 – September 11, 2016
7th Annual Nature & Wildlife Juried Exhibition
St. Augustine Art Association | St. Augustine, Florida 32084
July 23 – August 28, 2016
Solo Exhibition
TriPoint Medical Center | Painsville, Ohio 32084
July 23 – August 28, 2016
A Day In The Valley | Plein Air Juried Art Exhibition
The Peninsula Art Academy | Peninsula, Ohio 44264
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
June 22 – July 24, 2016
Wildscapes National Juried Exhibition
The Bennington Center for the Arts | Bennington, Vermont 05201
June 11 – July 31, 2016
7th Annual May Show Juried Art Exhibition
Lakeland Community College | Kirtland, Ohio 44094
May 19 – July 15, 2016
Small Works National Juried Exhibition
The Bennington Center for the Arts | Bennington, Vermont 05201
May 7 – December 18, 2016
51st Founders Juried Awards Exhibition
Naples Art Association | Naples, Florida 33401
March 12 – April 16, 2016
It’s Elemental: Earth & Air Juried Art Exhibition
Valley Art Center | Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44022
January 22 – March 2, 2016
31st Annual International Juried Art Exposition
Department of Art & Art History | University of Texas at Tyler
January 19 – February 26, 2016
Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation Solo Exhibition
Leonard Krieger CanalWay Center | Cuyahoga Heights, Ohio 44125
November 1, 2015 – January 3, 2016
44th Annual Juried Art Exhibit
Awarded Best of Show
Valley Art Center | Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44022
November 6, 2015 – December 23, 2015
Union Club of Cleveland
Visiting Artist Demonstration | Cleveland, Ohio 44115
December 17, 2015
2015 Joshua Tree National Park Juried Art Exposition
Joshua Tree National Park Council for the Arts | Twentynine Palms, California 92277
November 6 – November 29, 2015
2015 Salon Show Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils
Oil Painters of America | Beverly McNeil Gallery, Birmingham, Alabama 35233
October 8 – November 5, 2015
Buffalo Field Campaign Benefit Art Auction
Art Network Gallery | Denver, Colorado 80204
October 23, 2015
ReTree National Juried Exhibition
Steamboat Springs Arts Council | Steamboat Springs, Colorado 80487
October 2 – November 30, 2015
Western Trappings on The Llano National Juried Exhibition
The Llano County Historical Museum | Llano, Texas 78643
September 18 – November 15, 2015
For the Birds | National Juried Art Exposition
View Arts Center | Old Forge, New York 13420
June 27 – August 2, 2015
22nd Annual National Watermedia Exposition
Red River Watercolor Society | Moorhead, Minnesota 56560
June 21 – July 31, 2015
Art by America | National Juried Art Exposition
The Art House | Chicago, Illinois 60618
June 1 – June 30, 2015
Icons of the West National Juried Exposition
Dana Gallery | Missoula, Montana 59802
May 15 – August 15, 2015
Orcas Island Bird Fest National Juried Show
Orcas Island Historical Society | Eastsound, Washington 98245
April 30 – May 3, 2015
Arte de Avian: A National Juried Art Exposition
Tubac Center of the Arts | Tubac, Arizona 85646
March 13 – April 26, 2015
2015 EAFA Open Juried Abstract Show
Evergreen Association of Fine Arts | Bellevue, Washington 98015
March 2 – May 1, 2015
Celebrating Southern California National Juried Art Exposition
Location 1980 | Costa Mesa, California 92627
March 1 – March 28, 2015
Representing the West: A National Juried Art Exposition
Sangre de Cristo Arts Center | Pueblo, Colorado 81003
February 6 – March 15, 2015
Arizona Aqueous: A National Juried Art Exposition
Tubac Center of the Arts | Tubac, Arizona 85646
January 23 – March 8, 2015
Works on Paper National Juried Art Exposition
Northwest Art Center | Minot State University | Minot, North Dakota 58707
January 13 – February 26, 2015
Fantastic Florida! National Juried Exhibition
St. Augustine Art Association | St. Augustine, Florida 32084
January 2 – February 1, 2015
2014 Joshua Tree National Park Juried Art Exposition
Minerva Hoyt Award Winner
Joshua Tree National Park Council for the Arts | Twentynine Palms, California 92277
December 5 – 28, 2014
Ohio Plein Air Society Juried Exhibition | Ohio Prairies: A Year in the Life
Springfield Museum of Art | Springfield, Ohio 45504
December 6, 2014 – February 21, 2015
Works On Paper National Juried Art Exhibition
South Shore Art Center | Cohasset, Massachusetts 02025
October 24 – December 21, 2014
Blanche Ames National Juried Art Exhibition
Borderland State Park | North Easton, Massachusetts 02067
September 16 – October 4, 2014
27th Annual September National Juried Exhibition
Alexandria Museum of Art | Alexandria, Louisiana 71301
September 5 – November 22, 2014
2014 VACI Partners Members Exhibition | Fowler-Kellogg Art Center
Visual Arts at Chautauqua Institution | Chautauqua, New York 14722
August 5 – August 21, 2014
2014 All Media National Juried Exhibition | Minot State University
Northwest Art Center | Minot, North Dakota 58707
August 18 – September 26, 2014
5th Annual Nature & Wildlife National Juried Exhibition
St. Augustine Art Association | St. Augustine, Florida 32084
July 26 – August 31, 2014
Along the Crooked River Plein Air Competition
Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park | Peninsula, Ohio 44264
June 29 – August 8, 2014
Monochromes | Solo Exhibition
South Franklin Circle | Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44264
May 22 – July 22, 2014
Altered Scapes | Group Exhibition
The Bonfoey Gallery | Cleveland, Ohio 44115
May 9 – June 28, 2014
Icons of the West National Juried Exhibition
Awarded Best of Show
Dana Gallery | Missoula, Montana 59802
May 1 – July 15, 2014
Society of Illustrators 56 Annual Exhibition
128 East 63rd Street | New York, New York 14701
January 7 – February 1, 2014
Habitats | Solo Exhibition
Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History | Jamestown, New York 14701
November 5 – December 29, 2013
The Retreat Juried Art Competition and Show
Richard J. Demato Gallery| Sag Harbor, New York 11963
November 9 – December 29, 2013
The Quiet Time | Solo Exhibition
Rocky River Nature Center | North Olmsted, Ohio 44070
November 1, 2013 – January 3, 2014
Monochrome Abstracts | Solo Exhibition
The Intown Club 1375 Euclid Avenue | Cleveland, Ohio 44115
February 8 – April 30, 2013
The Quiet Time | Solo Exhibition
Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation | Leonard Krieger CanalWay Center
Cuyahoga Heights, Ohio 44125
January 2 – February 28, 2013
Shadows & Snow | Solo Exhibition
Cleveland Botanical Garden | Guren Art Gallery
11030 East Boulevard | Cleveland, Ohio 44106
November 30, 2012 – January 27, 2013
The Quiet Time | Solo Exhibition
University Hospitals | Humphrey Atrium Gallery
11100 Euclid Avenue | Cleveland, Ohio 44106
March 9 – May 3, 2012
Absolute Art Auction | Group Exhibition
Harris Stanton Gallery
2301 West Market Street | Akron, Ohio 44313
February 26 – March 5, 2010
The Quiet Time | Solo Exhibition
Cleveland Botanical Garden | Guren Art Gallery
11030 East Boulevard | Cleveland, Ohio 44106
November 27, 2009 – January 8, 2010
