BIO

Mark Zieff holds a degree in Industrial Design from Syracuse University and has practiced as an industrial designer, product innovator and consumer products marketer. He has created award winning products for some of the world’s most iconic consumer product brands including Disney, Tupperware, Nerf and Monopoly.

As both a designer and artist, Mark has always been fascinated with man-made objects and uses his artwork to explore the relationships between object and user; both the physical and emotional connection we have with inanimate objects. His drawings are characterized by a high level of detail, soft tonal transitions and dramatically lit compositions.  

He draws inspiration from the work of Albrecht Dürer, Edgar Degas, Jim Dine and Claudio Bravo. His work has been selected by juries for regional and national competitions and is regularly seen in museums, universities and galleries.

ARTIST STATEMENT

I create artistically realistic, still life drawings composed of commonplace man-made objects arranged to form a narrative.

I’ve always been interested in older, everyday household objects – the well-used, worn and imperfect. I use my artwork to look for meaning in the physical world through the things people interact with. As artifacts of human activity, objects hold symbolic meaning connected to history, culture, beliefs and the human experience. When placed within a context of a still life composition, the objects can take on a more complex meaning that allows me to examine a wide variety of emotions and ideas.

I strive for intimacy through detail and simplicity of materials, color and composition. I love working with charcoal, colored pencils and simple watercolor washes. Each of my still life’s consist of a focal object and secondary, supporting objects that help clarify and strengthen an emerging story. The final composition is traditionally lit to reveal form and character and rendered with charcoal and colored pencils on toned paper. The paper sets the middle tone and unifies the piece while the pencils help me achieve great detail as well add structure, tone, volume and richness to the drawing.

CV

Education

BID, Industrial Design, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

Recent Group and Solo Exhibitions

2021

  • Nineteenth ArtsWorcester Biennial, ArtsWorcester Gallery, Worcester, MA.

    Juror: Beth McLaughlin, Artistic Director and Chief Curator at Fuller Craft Museum.

  • 85th Regional Exhibition of Art and Craft, Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg, MA.

    Juror: Jamie Uretsky, Curator at New Bedford Art Museum/Artworks!

  • Faces. The Art Center Gallery, Dover, NH.

    Juror: Juleen Stacey, Resident Artist, The Art Center.

  • REAL! Arlington Center for the Arts, Arlington, MA.

    Juror: Phil Young.

  • The Little One: A Members’ Exhibition. ArtsWorcester Gallery, Worcester, MA.

2022

  • 2022 MassArt Auction, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston, MA.

  • Open. Colors of Humanity Art Gallery, Everett, PA

    Juror: Janelle Cogan

  • Material Matters: A Members’ Exhibition in Collaboration with the Fitchburg Art Museum, ArtsWorcester, Worcester,

  • Artrageous36!, Montserrat College of Art, Beverly, MA

  • 86th Regional Exhibition of Art and Craft, Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg, MA. *Juror Show Prize.

    Juror: Jameson Johnson, founder and editor-in-chief of Boston Art Review and communications and development manager at the MIT List Visual Arts Center.  

  • The Tenth Annual One: A Members Exhibition. ArtsWorcester Gallery, Worcester, MA.

  • Collections, George Marshall Store Gallery, York, Maine.

  • 2022 Mary Schein Salon: A Members Exhibition, Cambridge Art Association, Kathryn Schultz Gallery, Cambridge, MA.

  • Ghosts of Seasons Past, ArtsWorcester, Worcester, MA.

  • Compendium: a regional exhibition, George Marshall Store Gallery, York, Maine.

    Juror: Lauren Szumita, Curator, Fitchburg Art Museum.

  • Red 2022, Cambridge Art Association, Cambridge, MA.

    Juror: Dina Deitsch, Director and Chief Curator of the Tufts University Art Galleries.

2023

  • 2023 MassArt Auction, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston, MA.

  • Impact: An ArtsWorcester Members Exhibition in partnership with the Fitchburg Art Museum, Worcester, MA.

  • Works Unfolded, Conant Gallery, Lawrence Academy, Groton, MA.

  • 20th ArtsWorcester Biennial, ArtsWorcester, Worcester, MA.

    Juror: Conor Moynihan, Assistant Curator, Prints, Drawings, and Photographs at the RISD Museum.

  • USED: The Attleboro Arts Museum National Juried Exhibition, Attleboro, MA

    Juror: Russell LaMontagne, Founder and Owner, LaMontagne Gallery, SOWA, Boston.

  • 87th Regional Exhibition of Art and Craft, Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg, MA.

    Juror: Chenoa Baker, Associate Curator, Beacon Gallery, SOWA, Boston.

  • Galatea Fine Art Summer Salon, Galatea Fine Art, SOWA, Boston, MA.

  • Out of Office, Cambridge Art Association, Cambridge, MA.

  • The Eleventh Annual ONE, ArtsWorcester, Worcester, MA.

  • Blue 2023, Cambridge Art Association, Cambridge, MA.

    Juror: Abigail Ogilvy, Owner, Abigail Ogilvy Gallery (Boston + Los Angeles)

    2024

  • Harmony in Diversity: Uniting Artistic Expression All-Member Show, Galatea Fine Art, SOWA, Boston, MA.

  • New England Collective XIII, Galatea Fine Art, SOWA, Boston, MA.

    Juror: Lauren Szumita, Director of the Cantor Gallery, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA.

  • 2024 MassArt Auction, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston, MA.

  • 2024 Members Prize Show, Cambridge Art Association, Cambridge, MA.

    Juror: Mike Carroll, Schoolhouse Gallery, Provincetown, MA.

  • 2024 Danforth Annual Juried Exhibition, Danforth Museum, Framingham, MA.

    Jurors: Marie Craig, co-founder, Fountain Street Gallery, Boston, MA, Keri Straka, Professor of Art, Framingham State University, Framingham, MA and Noelle Fournier, Art School Director, Danforth Museum, Framingham, MA.