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Dennis Ziemienski Biography

Dennis Ziemienski Biography

View Dennis Ziemienksi's available paintings

Dennis Ziemienski portrait

A native San Franciscan, Dennis graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the California College of the Arts. His knack for composition paired with his eye for color gave him a distinctive look and he was able to establish himself as an illustrator in San Francisco. Wanting to explore more opportunities as an illustrator, he moved to New York in 1980. While there, he flourished as an artist, which eventually led him to a successful career as one of the nation’s top illustrators. His compelling poster images include the NFL Super Bowl XXIX and the 2006 Kentucky Derby. His paintings were featured on many well-known book covers including, the Tales of the City series by Armisted Maupin, and several covers for authors Elmore Leonard and James Lee Burke. Dennis was the featured cover artist for Hemispheres, United Airlines in-flight magazine, the National Lampoon and, more recently, Western Art Collector, American Art Collector, Southwest Art, and the Jackson Hole Traveler.

Dennis Ziemienski, Tucson Diver, Oil on Canvas, 30

Dennis Ziemienski, Tucson Diver, Oil on Canvas, 30" x 24"

Dennis’ strong and richly colored images borrow much of their inspiration from early 20th century paintings and posters. His early influences, J.C. Leyendecker, N.C. Wyeth, Ludwig Hohlwein and Tom Purvis, were all master designers in composition. The demands of illustration and poster design, with its simplified, sculpturally rendered images gave Dennis the discipline and draftsmanship that gives strength to his paintings today. Dennis is not only an artist, but has taught at the California College of the Arts, the Academy of Art in San Francisco, as well as Syracuse University in New York.

In 1986 he returned to his roots in California, bought property, and settled in the Sonoma wine country. About this time, Dennis turned his attention to fine art, when continuous requests of his original images were made and private paintings were commissioned. For the last 30 years, Dennis has been painting in oils for his galleries and private clients.

Dennis’ work is in the permanent collections of the Tucson Museum of Art, Bakersfield Museum of Art, the Booth Western Art Museum, Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West, and the Whitney Western Art Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.

Dennis Ziemienski, Moonlight over Tumacacori, Oil on Canvas, 36" x 36"

Dennis Ziemienski, Cloudburst Amid the Monuments, Oil on Canvas, 32

Dennis Ziemienski, Cloudburst Amid the Monuments, Oil on Canvas, 32" x 60"

Dennis Ziemienski, Shepherd at the Window, Oil on Canvas, 32" x 32"

Born:

1947 San Francisco, CA

Education:

1972 California College of Arts and Crafts, Oakland, CA BFA

Teaching and Lectures:

1998-2003 Sonoma Community Center, Sonoma, CA painting & composition
1988-1990 Academy of Art College, San Francisco, CA painting & illustration
1977-1980 California College of Arts and Crafts, Oakland, CA illustration and design
1975-1977 Foothill College, Los Altos, CA composition & design
1998-2004 Syracuse University, NY guest lecturer

Exhibitions and Awards:

2021 - "Grand Canyon State" Solo Show, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2020 - "Cowboys and Cowgirls," Solo show, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2019 - "New Works" Group Show, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2019 - "Along the Distant Mesa: An Homage to Maynard Dixon" Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2019 - "All Aboard! Trains in the Southwest" Solo show, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2017 - "25th Anniversary Celebration" Group show, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2017 - "Cactus, Clouds, and Diving Girls" Solo Exhibition Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2015 - William E. Weiss Purchase Award, Buffalo Bill Show and Sale, Whitney Western Art Museum
2015 - "Beneath Southwestern Skies" Solo Exhibition Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2014 - "The Grand Canyon State" Solo Exhibition Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2014 - Jesse Arms Botke Award, California Art Club 103rd Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition, Autry Museum, Los Angeles, CA
2013 - "Fred Harvey and the American Southwest," solo exhibition, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2012 - "Landscapes of the West", Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2012 - 4th Annual Small Works Show and Sale, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2011 - Sonoma Treasure Artist, Sonoma, CA
2011 - "West Along the Mother Road, Route 66," solo exhibition, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2010 - "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2010 - The 99th Annual California Art Club Gold Medal Juried Exhibition, Pasadena Museum of California Art, CA
2009 - Historic Trading Posts of the West, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2009 - Geronimo Remembered, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2008 - Solo Exhibition, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, NM
2007 - Santa Fe Fall Small Works Show and Sale by Gallery Artists, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, NM
2007 - Santa Lucia Preserve, Invitational En Plein Air, Carmel, CA
2007 - Fred Harvey to Route 66 and Everything Inbetween, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2007 - Arizona: A Millennium of Arizona Art, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ, featured cover artist
2006-2007 Grand Canyon: From Dream to Icon, Tucson Museum of Art, AZ
2006 First Place at Point Reyes Plein Air Show, CA
2006 Artist for the Kentucky Derby
2004 - 11th Annual Carmel Art Festival, Plein Air Competition, Carmel, CA
Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, Wet Paint Event, Sonoma, CA
19th Annual Salute to the Arts Exhibition, Sonoma, CA
2004 Sonoma Plein Air, Sonoma, CA
The American Heart Association Gala, San Francisco, CA
2003 - California Art Club with the Women's City Club Artist's Choice Exhibition, Pasadena, CA
18th Annual Salute to the Arts Exhibition, Sonoma, CA
2003 - Sonoma Plein Air, Sonoma, CA
2002 - 17th Annual Salute to the Arts Exhibition, Sonoma, CA
2002 - Sonoma Plein Air, Sonoma, CA
2001 - 16th Annual Salute to the Arts Exhibition, Sonoma, CA

Publications:

2021, Western Art and Architecture, February-March
2021, Western Art Collector, March
2020/2021, Western Art and Architecture, December/January
2020, Western Art and Architecture, August/September
2020, Western Art Collector, April
2020, Western Art and Architecture, February-March
2020, Western Art Collector, February
2019, Western Art Collector, June, "Meeting the Riding Sun" by John O'Hern
2019, Western Art Collector, November
2019, Western Art Collector, June, "Meeting the Rising Sun" by John O'Hern
2019, ArtNet Gallery Network, April 17th
2019, Western Art Collector, February
2019 Western Art Collector, January, feature article "On the Rails"
2019 Southwest Art, January
2018 "Maynard Dixon's American West: Along the Distant Mesa" by Mark Sublette
2018 Western Art Collector, July
2018 Western Art Collector, March
2016 "Dennis Ziemienski: National Parks" Western Art Collector, August
2015 "Dennis Ziemienski: Beneath Southwestern Skies" Western Art Collector, July
2015 "Dennis Ziemienski and Billy Schenck: Duel in the Sun" Western Art Collector, March
2014 "Dennis Ziemienski: The Grand Canyon State" Western Art Collector, November
2014 "Dennis Ziemienski: Yellowstone and Beyond" Western Art Collector, June
2014 "Dennis Ziemienski: Nostalgic Design" American Art Collector, May
2014 Fine Art Connoisseur
2013 "Dennis Ziemienski" Southwest Art, June
2013 "Cocktails" American Art Collector, June
2013 "Historical References" Western Art Collector, January
2012 "California Vernacular" American Art Collector, February
2011 feature article, American Art Collector, August issue
2011 feature article, Southwest Art magazine, June issue
2010 feature article, Southwest Art magazine, April issue
2010 feature article, Western Art Collector, November issue
2009 feature article, Western Art Collector, May issue
2008 Western Art Collector, cover and featured article, January
2007 feature article, Western Art Collector
2007 Sonoma Magazine, featured article, Winter
2007 Santa Fe Trend
2007 Art of the Four Corners, cover and article, Summer
2007 Canyon Road Arts, vol. 3, pages 104 -110
2006 Southwest Art, Best of the West, May
2006 Southwest Art, Best of the West, March
1999 Sonoma Valley Magazine, Sept.
1997 United Airlines "Hemispheres" Magazine - cover

Organizations:

California Art Club - Artist Member since 2003
New York Society of Illustrators - Full Member since 1982

Selected Public Collections:

Axiom Wines (makers of Red Truck Wine), CA
Breakaway Cafe, CA
Conley Museum of the West, AZ
Infineon Raceway collection, CA
Kentucky Derby, KY
Manka’s Inverness Lodge, Point Reyes National Seashore, CA
National Football League
Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, CA
Thunderbird Foundation for the Arts, Maynard Dixon museum, UT
Time Life, Inc. collection, NY
Tucson Museum of Art, Weavings of the Dine’, AZ (Cover painting)
United Airlines / Hemispheres collection, IL
The University of Arizona Museum of Art, AZ

Selected Private Collections:

His Royal Highness Charles Prince of Wales
Cline collection, CA (Cline Cellars)
John Dixon collection, CA (Maynard Dixon’s son)
Lasseter collection, CA (chief creative officer at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation)
Tom Smothers collection, CA (comedian)
Drs. Mark and Kathleen Sublette, AZ
Vadasz collection, CA (Executive VP, Intel Corp.)

Dennis Ziemienski, Navajo Sandstone, Oil on Canvas, 48

Dennis Ziemienski, Navajo Sandstone, Oil on Canvas, 48" x 60"