Born in Medina, Ohio, Kim Zarney attended Syracuse University and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Printmaking from the Cleveland Institute of Art. Zarney has worked as an illustrator, graphic designer and advertising agency creative director. Recently renewing his fine arts career, he is actively building a body of work with a specific focus on contemporary monochromes inspired by elements of the natural world. His work is included in numerous public and private collections.

I enjoy the physical act of painting. I also have an affinity for the unpretentious honesty reflected 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 that were not created as finished works of art. In many cases, these studies were never meant to be seen by anyone but the artist. They’re intuitive and very personal.

These physical and unscripted works have an abstract quality that’s void of details and extraneous colors. What’s left on the paper is the essence of the 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 close up for the graphic details, each finished painting invites the viewer to participate in the creative process. Nothing is hidden.