About Me
"Your sculptures look like 3D paintings carved out of the air." - Professor Suzie Hannah - NUA
Artist's Statement
My current work has a hint of the tangible human form mixed with that of abstraction. My history has been one of a want to technically develop my portrayal of the human figure but in a very experimental way. Over the last few years I became interested in a purely reactionary process of mark making which has then developed into sculpture through my knowledge and experience of a vast array of manipulating and crafting of materials. It is evident that these works are an emotional representation of my love of the human form and its movement through, martial arts, sports, dance as well as the activities of everyday life. I am continuously working with athletes and dancers, understanding how their bodies work, but also their drive, their feelings and emotions, through a whole approach small changes can result in great improvements.
Throughout I have become aware of how I demonstrate contrast, and searching for that yin and yang balance, through tension, harmony, movement and calm within a form, but also how materials and colour working side by side themselves can provocatively stimulate those same feelings. I have found myself unconventionally finding ways to create work that identifies those qualities for the viewer to discover, potentially forging structure from apparent chaos.
"...tension and harmony..."
Its made me consider how individually and collectively we are continually in tension with all that’s around, sometimes seemingly uncontrollable forces, and yet ultimately wanting harmony, trying to find the balance in life, whether morally, politically, physically or holistically, but with the need for the extreme, to push and excel, and to be recognised. It is of course profoundly different for all. I have always needed my work to work on different levels, an instant attraction, beauty, tangible, but an unwrapping by the viewer and allowance to communicate, greater, deeper questions to be asked, thoughts, and inspiration to be felt and considered, enriching.
Biography
Mark has always drawn, painted and made stuff since he can remember. The positives of being the son of a teacher and a highly creative and inspirational upbringing. He puts his creative ability down to having developed the fundamental skills of drawing by constantly drawing, especially reproducing disney cartoon characters or perspective street scenes. As a kid he won a number of art competitions and had work displayed including at the age of 11 a piece of woodwork in an A level exhibition. The accolades continued with national awards and commendations. After grade A's in both O-levels and A-levels he went to Lincoln Art and Design College to do his foundation year. Here he was opened to other thoughts but he maintained an interest in furniture design which led to a direct entry to Buckinghamshire College's prestigious 3d design degree course. Sadly Mark found this not to be the course or environment for him and he found new interests in working as a chef in London and abroad.
After having travelled Mark found himself quite accidentally making bric a brac for pubs and clubs around the UK and Europe. He found this to satisfy his creativity and his need for variety in work. This developed enormously and the company he started became well known with designers and architects throughout the UK for designing, and making the unusual, from huge glass fibre dragons for nightclubs that shot lasers out of its mouth to design and building themed interior pirate rooms at Alton Towers Hotel. At its height the company was building historical displays for museums and heritage sites to furniture that was sold in Harrods. Marks ingenuity and creativity meant they could design and build what others couldn't for many different types of commercial and private clients around the world, for leisure venues, theme parks, visitor attraction, museums and heritages sites, retail, hotels, offices and many other individual site specific situations.
Now instead of working to other peoples briefs, Mark has carved out a direction as an Artist and a Sculptor developing his own ideas but using all that knowledge and experience of the 20 years in commercial art and design. Three years ago he returned to education and completed his MA in Fine Art winning the Vice Chancellors Award for his final exhibition piece.
Today, Mark marries his time as an artist with that of a Judo coach, a sport, martial art that he says has helped him in so many ways and subconsciously is reflected in his artwork today. He likes to consider his work with many layers, an immediate beauty or captivating presence that stands alone, but can then be delved deeper into the more layers you take away, depending on the viewers own ideas. But all the time Mark wants to make well made, creative and individual art that will help to inspire all that see it.
Mark has work in Commercial and Private collections across the world and has exhibited locally and nationally. He is open to a small number of commissions per year and particularly is interested in potential public space sculpture which he feels lends itself to his current ways of thinking.