Marc Zaref began his formal training at the Art Students League of NY. This shaped his belief in a strong academic foundation and sparked his joy of process and experimentation. His early years of devotion led him to the Rhode Island School of Design, where he earned his BFA in 1983. Upon

graduation, Marc was selected by the design department chair to work in his firm, supporting museum clients. From this experience, in 1987, he

formed a successful design practice in NYC and maintained a studio space for his fine art.

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The breadth of Marc’s work led him to expand to larger studio and workshop spaces in 1995. His most prolific period of drawing and painting

was from 1995 through 2006. Toward the end of this time period, he began to shift his focus to sculpture, initially working with wire and found objects. This led him to his desire to understand the medium of metal. He trained in forging, welding, fabrication and patination between 2008 and 2012.

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By 2015, Marc’s work began to be recognized by curators and galleries. He was elected into the Silvermine Art Guild in 2022 where he installed his first public site-specific piece. Later that year, in response to world events, Marc created a sculpture installation series honoring Ukrainian solidarity. Exhibited throughout the country, Defiance has become part of several permanent collections. Between 2022-25, Marc earned commissions for several outdoor public sculptures, and continues to exhibit his work in

galleries to the present day.