Adopt a Buffalo. Help Save the Herd.
With the arrival of spring, the meadows of Yellowstone are dotted with countless orange bundles of energy exploring their new world. It’s calving season.
To celebrate this joyous event and raise additional funds for the Buffalo Field Campaign activities, we are offering a series of bison calf paintings created by Ohio artist Kim Zarney. One of his calf paintings is featured on the May spread of our 2024 calendar.
The paintings are 16 x 16 inches square. The medium is water soluble oil on a synthetic panel. Each piece is float-framed on the back.
We have six calf paintings available for purchase. Each piece is $1,200 plus $200 for sales tax, the shipping container and FedEx delivery. The total purchase price is $1,400. Each individual painting shown below has been linked to the purchase section of Kim’s website. Download Art for the Buffalo Purchase Instructions (PDF).
When you “adopt” one of the calf paintings, the Buffalo Field Campaign will receive half of the purchase price ($600). This is a unique opportunity to acquire an original piece of art for your home or office, while helping to save the last wild free-roaming buffalo herds.
Please contact Angela De Sapio at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions.
Little Larkspur $1,400 (KZ-0723)
Little Glacier Lily $1,400 (KZ-0724)
Little Bluebell$1,400 (KZ-0725)
Little Paintbrush $1,400 (KZ-0726)
Little Bitterroot $1,400 (KZ-0727)
Little Forget-Me-Not $1,400 (KZ-0728)
Artist Statement
The six bison calf paintings being offered were created in 2018 for the third annual Buffalo Field Campaign’s Wild ’n Free Gala fundraiser. Previously, I had several paintings included in the 2016 and 2017 Wild ’n Free Gala events. Two of them sold.
When I learned the 2018 gala was being put on hold, I decided to keep the bison calf paintings in storage at my studio in hopes of having another opportunity to support the activities of the Buffalo Field Campaign. Now, four years later, I’m delighted to have these special paintings available for purchase to kick off our new fine art partnership.
The inspiration for this series came from my observations and photographs of bison calves. Anyone who has had that opportunity, knows how much fun they are to be around. Like all young animals, their curiosity and zest for life is a joy to watch. Their beautiful tawny fur also happens to be a natural fit for my terra cotta monochromatic palette. In creating these paintings, I wanted the finished pieces to have a simple and more contemporary feel that might appeal to wider audience.
Using water soluble oils on 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.
The visual energy in each finished piece comes from the directness of my approach putting paint on the surface of the panel. There are no preliminary sketches or guides. After a painting is completely dry, I spray the surface with a protective archival matte varnish. Once the varnish has dried and the painting is safe to handle, I attach a wood float-frame on the back. This frameless format allows the painting to “float” off the surface where it’s being hung.
If the Buffalo Field Campaign is fortunate enough to have a few of these paintings sell, I’ve promised to make sure we always have six calves available. Knowing how much bison calves love to be together, we’re hopeful there may be a collector who would like to have a herd of their own!
Artist Biography
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.
