States of Immersion: Paintings by Eric Zener

Eric Zener is an American artist known for his oil on canvas paintings that explore the human figure in and around water. His creations focus on moments of immersion, movement and stillness, often captured just below the surface. Figures swim, dive or float through expansive fields of blue, framed by light, bubbles and shifting reflections.

Water plays a central role in Zener’s practice, both visually and conceptually. He uses it as an environment that removes everyday context, allowing the figure to exist in a quieter, more focused space. A recurring theme throughout the work is immersion itself. Plunges and splashes appear across the series, with rising bubbles suggesting release and transition. A restrained color palette helps reduce visual noise, keeping attention on form, motion and the interaction between body and water.

While grounded in realism, Eric’s work carries a strong symbolic undercurrent. His paintings highlight our ongoing relationship with the natural world, presenting water as a place of calm and intensity, familiarity and uncertainty.

You can view more of Eric Zener’s paintings on his website.

More art on the grid Eric Zener’s website