Eric Zener
Encyclopedia
Eric Zener is an American photorealist
artist best known for figure painting
s of lone subjects, often in or about swimming pool
s.
father and a violin
ist mother who played for the San Francisco Symphony
. He grew up in the seaside community of Encinitas, California
. After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology
from the University of California, Santa Barbara
he worked briefly as a buyer for a department store, before backpacking around the world for nearly two years, bartering paintings for room and board. In 1991 he settled in San Francisco, where he was still living as of 2004.
Zener has three children, the first born in approximately 1998, the second in approximately 2002, and the 3rd in 2009. As of 2009 he lives with his wife, business partner, and frequent model, Julie, in Mill Valley, California
. He paints mostly out of a studio in San Francisco.
, are in a photorealist or "super-realist" style Zener describes as "Contemporary Renaissance".
region of Spain
, Zener became interested in watching bathers, and began a series of paintings of water, and of people interacting with water. Many paintings from this period depict women swimming underwater amidst air bubbles, or diving into the water, and have been described as reminiscent of Hudson River School
and Barbizon School
painters.
For a second, more "experimental" series of water images, Zener painted over photographic transparencies
that had been mounted on a wooden box covered with silver leaf, then covered with resin
. Other subjects for Zener have included beach scenes, and businessmen in various unexpected settings, such as by swimming pools or on tightropes.
Photorealism
Photorealism is the genre of painting based on using the camera and photographs to gather information and then from this information creating a painting that appears photographic...
artist best known for figure painting
Figure painting
Figure painting is a form of the visual arts in which the artist uses a live model as the subject of a two-dimensional piece of artwork using paint as the medium. The live model can be either nude or partly or fully clothed and the painting is a representation of the full body of the model...
s of lone subjects, often in or about swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
s.
Biography
Zener was born in 1968 in Astoria, Oregon, to a psychologistPsychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
father and a violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist mother who played for the San Francisco Symphony
San Francisco Symphony
The San Francisco Symphony is an orchestra based in San Francisco, California. Since 1980, the orchestra has performed at the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall. The San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony Chorus are part of the organization...
. He grew up in the seaside community of Encinitas, California
Encinitas, California
Encinitas is a coastal beach city in San Diego County, California. Located within Southern California, it is approximately north of San Diego in North County and about south of Los Angeles. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 59,518, up from 58,014 at the 2000 census. Encinitas is...
. After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
from the University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
he worked briefly as a buyer for a department store, before backpacking around the world for nearly two years, bartering paintings for room and board. In 1991 he settled in San Francisco, where he was still living as of 2004.
Zener has three children, the first born in approximately 1998, the second in approximately 2002, and the 3rd in 2009. As of 2009 he lives with his wife, business partner, and frequent model, Julie, in Mill Valley, California
Mill Valley, California
Mill Valley is a city in Marin County, California, United States located about north of San Francisco via the Golden Gate Bridge. The population was 13,903 at the 2010 census.Mill Valley is located on the western and northern shores of Richardson Bay...
. He paints mostly out of a studio in San Francisco.
Career
Zener's works have been exhibited and sold throughout the United States, and internationally, and are part of a number of prominent private and corporate art collections.Painting style and influences
Zener is a self-taught artist. As of 2004 he had created more than 600 works. His paintings, mostly in oilOil paint
Oil paint is a type of slow-drying paint that consists of particles of pigment suspended in a drying oil, commonly linseed oil. The viscosity of the paint may be modified by the addition of a solvent such as turpentine or white spirit, and varnish may be added to increase the glossiness of the...
, are in a photorealist or "super-realist" style Zener describes as "Contemporary Renaissance".
Water paintings
In 2003, while living in the Costa BravaCosta Brava
The Costa Brava is a coastal region of northeastern Catalonia, Spain, in the comarques of Alt Empordà, Baix Empordà and Selva, in the province of Girona. Costa is the Catalan and Spanish word for 'coast', and Brava means 'rugged' or 'wild'...
region of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Zener became interested in watching bathers, and began a series of paintings of water, and of people interacting with water. Many paintings from this period depict women swimming underwater amidst air bubbles, or diving into the water, and have been described as reminiscent of Hudson River School
Hudson River school
The Hudson River School was a mid-19th century American art movement embodied by a group of landscape painters whose aesthetic vision was influenced by romanticism...
and Barbizon School
Barbizon school
The Barbizon school of painters were part of a movement towards realism in art, which arose in the context of the dominant Romantic Movement of the time. The Barbizon school was active roughly from 1830 through 1870...
painters.
For a second, more "experimental" series of water images, Zener painted over photographic transparencies
Transparency (photography)
In photography, a reversal film is a type of photographic film that produces a positive image on a transparent base. Also known as dias or slide. The film is processed to produce transparencies or diapositives instead of negatives and prints...
that had been mounted on a wooden box covered with silver leaf, then covered with resin
Resin
Resin in the most specific use of the term is a hydrocarbon secretion of many plants, particularly coniferous trees. Resins are valued for their chemical properties and associated uses, such as the production of varnishes, adhesives, and food glazing agents; as an important source of raw materials...
. Other subjects for Zener have included beach scenes, and businessmen in various unexpected settings, such as by swimming pools or on tightropes.
External links
- ericzener.com - official artist site
- Eric Zener - page on artnetArtnetartnet is an online service provider for the international art market with headquarters in New York, Berlin and Paris. Additionally, artnet has regional offices in China, the UK and Russia.- Business model :...