Artist Statement
I am an abstract expressionist painter working at the intersection of emotion, nature, and improvisation. Drawing inspiration from deconstructed florals and landscapes, my work reflects a spontaneous, intuitive process—similar to how I improvise as a musician. I paint without a predetermined outcome, allowing rhythm, tempo, and feeling to shape each piece.
Using acrylics and a richly varied palette, I build layered textures by veiling and revealing color, often scraping back the surface to uncover earlier moments in the painting. This dynamic interplay invites viewers to engage in a shared emotional and visual experience.
Whether creating personal or commissioned work, I approach each piece with mindfulness and openness. I see my art as a living process that continues to evolve as it moves into the world, and I welcome collaborative opportunities that push the boundaries between artist, artwork, and audience.
Biography
Arthur Zorn is a self-taught abstract impressionist who largely works with acrylic paint, found objects, and interdisciplinary mediums including music and film. His small and large-scale paintings depict deconstructed landscapes, abstracted natural objects, and emotions transcribed on the canvas. Although he was interested in the visual arts as a child (b. 1954) in the Bronx, it wasn’t until he was established in his career in music education and performance in Vermont (Lyndon State College, B.S.) that he began to experiment with artistic expression outside of the music he composed. Zorn’s first solo visual art show, aptly named “Improvisations,” took place in 2004 at the Bundy Gallery in Waitsfield, VT.
Capitalizing on his interdisciplinary background, Zorn participated in multiple programs at the Mayapple Center for the Arts and Humanities, and studied most notably with John Jerome O’Connor. At Mayapple, artists are encouraged to “cultivate imagination through artistic and intellectual cross-pollination in a distinctly twenty-first century climate.” There, Zorn experimented with the intersection between visual arts and music as he contemplated art activism, protest, and themes of climate change. His recent paintings reflect his concern with climate change and the increasingly warming planet.
Zorn’s paintings have appeared in multiple shows, venues, and art walks throughout Vermont. He was selected twice as the featured artist for the “Governor’s Art Exhibit” in Montpelier. The State of Vermont’s Supreme Court and Pavilion State Office house semi-permanent collections of Zorn’s work with forty-five paintings on display.
Zorn collaborates with private collectors who have commissioned original paintings and murals, and his paintings are housed in private collections throughout the United States including California, Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, New York, Texas, and Vermont. Zorn resides at his art studio in Barre, VT.