Maverick Fine Arts

My favorite ketchup bottle 20x40

2010-09-19T13:28:00.001-04:00

Elizabeth Edwards

2010-08-28T21:05:00.003-04:00

Apple Trio
8x16 - oils on canvas

A painting I sold to Elizabeth Edwards was visible in the kitchen during Oprah's tour of the Edwards' home (partly visible behind Emma Claire's head)

Take the tour here

The Ruffled Feather Deli

2010-08-28T19:29:00.005-04:00

These paintings are going into a new restaurant called The Ruffled Feather Deli, in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

Classic TV Dinner
18x24 - acrylics on canvas - framed

Morrison's Restaurant Table Landscape
16x20 -acrylics on canvas - framed

Two More New Works

2010-06-10T18:30:00.004-04:00

Chocolate Dip Doughnut
16x16 Acrylics on canvas

Egg Yolk
12x16 Acrylics on canvas
SOLD

New Works

2010-06-10T18:15:00.007-04:00

Sorry for the lack of updates. I've been busy getting ready for an exhibition of my work, and I also landed a part-time job (working nights, sleeping days, yikes!)

Desk Bell

12x12 Acrylics on canvas

SOLD

TV Dinner with Shrimp and Crinkle-cut Fries

12x16 Acrylics on canvas

Facebook

2010-04-06T20:22:00.003-04:00

I have a new Facebook fan page. It might seem redundant to have a blog and a fan page, but most of the people following my blog are artists or involved in art related things. I thought some of my Facebook friends might like to follow what I'm doing through Facebook.

You can view the Facebook fan page through the badge on the right side of this page.

Heinz Ketchup III

2010-03-27T23:21:00.003-04:00

Heinz Ketchup III
8x16 Acrylics on canvas

This is my third version of the classic Heinz ketchup bottle. Each time I paint this bottle, I see more detail that I haven't noticed before. Light coming though my vertical blinds make for some pleasing reflections on the glass.

This is another one ready for my show.

I'm back!

2010-03-25T13:29:00.006-04:00

I can't believe it's been almost a year since my last post. I apologize for my absence, but I was dealing with some pretty heavy personal matters. Things are looking up, and I have moved into a loft apartment with lots of light and room to paint. I picked up my brushes again in early Februrary. I have much more time to paint now and I'd like to take things to the next level. I'm preparing for a show and I've approached a couple of galleries within walking distance of my studio.

Here is the first painting I completed. It's one of my favorite kettles sitting on my stove.

Stove

8x10 Acrylic on canvas

Quotations

2009-04-13T22:28:00.004-04:00

Artists tend to be people that look for sources of inspiration, whether or not they realize they're doing it. I notice that many artists have quotations on their web sites or in their signature lines on Internet discussion forums and blogs. I naturally placed a quote on my blog here from Leonardo Da Vinci that I found to be inspirational.

I was recently trying to remember a quote, but I only had a fragment or basic idea of it. Basically it was saying that the word "try" was a negative word that lacked the confidence to move forward. The word "try" implies that you are open to failure or may even expect it. Anyway, I thought I heard Cesar Millan (The Dog Wisperer) make a comment about not trying, but doing. He must have seen the movie Star Wars.

Here are two quotes that I find inspirational as an artist.

"Do or do not...there is no try." -Yoda

"I'm focused. I learned from my father not to hesitate.” - Cesar Millan

If you've been thinking about trying something, do it!

Stir Me (Coffee Cup and Spoon)

2009-04-12T20:22:00.004-04:00

Stir Me (Coffee Cup and Spoon)
12x16 Acrylics on canvas

Here is the next painting in my series of coffee cups. One of my purposes in painting the same subject many times over is to become very familiar with the anatomy of the objects involved.

I didn't follow the Flemish Technique this time, and the first thing I noticed was how there was a very definite "ugly stage" while I was blocking in the basic shapes. I didn't enjoy that stage of the painting, but I managed to smooth everything and I'm more than satisfied with the results.

Are you a Da Vinci type?

2009-04-08T22:48:00.001-04:00

...or "Do you have the DRD4 exon III 7-repeat allele genetic polymorphism?"

1. Do you often try new things just for fun or thrills?

2. Do you often do things based on how you feel in the moment without worrying about how it was done in the past?

3. Are you a jack of all trades? Do you feel more capable than most in adapting yourself to new situtions, solving unexpected problems, and learning new tasks?

4. Do you have trouble wrapping up the final details of a project once the interesting & challenging problems have been solved?

5. When you have a task that requires a lot of thought [or is boring or unpleasant], do you avoid or delay getting started?

6. Do you feel compelled to overdo things just to feel more awake or alive or safe? [overkill]

7. Do you have difficulty staying organized?

8. Do you often feel half-asleep while going about your routine tasks? [sleepy while commuting, at your desk]

9. Do you crave adventure, new experiences and/or new ideas?

10. Do you have a short attention span -- that is, unless a particular subject has captured your imagination?

11. Do you act impulsively or dangerously more often than the average citizen?

12. Do you have a tendancy to allow your mind to drift away from boring conversation? [can't remember the name of someone you just met seconds ago and is now talking to you]

13. Do you have a tendancy toward compulsive behavior? [seeking mental stimulation...caffiene, popping candy, gambling, surfing the Internet]

14. Do you have difficulty feeling fully awake?

15. Do you have broad mood swings from very high to very low?

16. Do you frequently daydream or "space out" when you are not at the center of the action?

(the above self-assessment is an excerpt [with added comments by me] from The Da Vinci Method by Garret Laporto)

If you answered yes to 10 or more of these questions, then you are most likely in the same genetic group as Leonardo Da Vinci, Sir Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Richard Branson (the Rebel Billionaire), Howie Mandel (comedian), Bill Clinton, and other great artists, inventors and trailblazers.

Da Vinci "types" make up less than 10% of the population. Many people with this genetic polymorphism are diagnosed with ADHD, ADD, OCD, bipolar, anxiety, and other neuroses and disorders. They often struggle in school and at work (Einstein did poorly in math) but if they are encouranged and are given the right opportunities they can achieve great things. ADHD and ADD used to be called "Learning Disabled", but it really means "Learning Differently". Information on ADHD and ADD only really focuses on the negative side of the sufferer's coping strategies for fitting in or meeting "normal" society's expectations.

Many Da Vinci types believe they are lazy, stupid or forgetful, but they are actually creative thinkers who have the ability to tap into the state of mind where ideas are formed and problems are solved easily. Have you ever dreamt the solution to a problem? Do you get great ideas or think of solutions to problems while just winding down in bed before you fall asleep, or while just waking up in the shower? Do you sometimes find yourself in "The Zone" while performing a particular activity and lose track of time? Then you might be a "Da Vinci".

Check out www.AreYouaDaVinci.com. And find and read the book The Da Vinci Method by Garret Laporto if you're interested in learning more. Even if you don't think you have this personality type, but you are close to someone you think does, it will help you understand them better.

Glazing with Acrylics

2009-04-05T16:07:00.004-04:00

This is a simple painting of an apple that I did as a glazing demo a few years ago. I thought I would share it here as further proof that glazing with acrylics is not only possible, but a superior method for achieving depth and luminosity.

Many would argue that acrylics produce results that are flat and dull. I don't totally disagree. I've seen flat, dull acrylic paintings. But I've also seen flat, dull oil paintings. I believe the dullness is caused by a lack of medium in both cases. Only using thinner (terpentine for oils or water for acrylics) can give you very dull results.

But even a single layer of paint with some medium added can give better results because the pigment is suspended at various depths (microscopic as they may be). The light will interact with the pigment and bounce around to some degree, giving luminosity. Now if you glaze many layers with added medium, you can super-enhance the effect.

In the case of this apple, pay special attention to the red in the center, the transition areas between bright red and dark, and the swooshing light reflection. All of those areas have been built up by glazing several layers. The blending effects and depth achieved would be extremely difficult without glazing. I especially love the way reflections can be glazed to look so real. It's the only way I know to mimic the actual physics in real life where colors are mixed optically. It was this demo that really convinced me that this was the way to go forward.

Spud's Griddle: View from Table #1

2009-04-02T23:16:00.006-04:00

There's a local diner near where I live and I decided to take the opportunity to shoot my subject "in the wild" as it were. I've been preparing mock restaurant settings at home and was longing for something more natural looking. I think the window and strong backlighting in this view from Table #1 at Spud's helped achieve that, even though I did move things around a bit for a good composition.

This painting was completed entirely in Black & White following the Flemish Technique before glazing several thin layers of color. There are surprisingly few colors applied, but glazing produces additional colors optically by overlapping layers.

Spud's Griddle: View from Table #1
12x12 Acrylic on canvas
SOLD

Coffee Cup and Spoon

2009-03-25T19:13:00.007-04:00

How many coffee cup and spoon compositions are possible? I'm trying to find out, so here is my latest. The big question is what to do with the spoon...

Coffee Cup and Spoon

8x16 Acrylic on hardboard panel

Sunny Side Up

2009-03-23T19:23:00.003-04:00

Sunny Side Up
8x8 Acrylic on hardboard panel

Here are a couple of eggs, sunny side up. I actually prefer scrambled, but the egg yolk is such an interesting color and texture to paint.

This will be a gift for my aunt who is recuperating from surgery. I hope it helps brighten up her kitchen and lift her spirits.

Stainless Steel Tea Kettle - Final

2009-03-15T15:25:00.005-04:00

Stainless Steel Tea Kettle

8x8 Acrylic on birch plywood panel

SOLD

During my final step, I've reestablished some of the lighter areas in the background. And I've also made sure my brightest highlights and darkest darks are satisfactory.

Stainless Steel Tea Kettle - Color #2

2009-03-15T15:19:00.003-04:00

Here I've added Yellow Ochre, Burnt Umber and Cadmium Red to the background and reflections. I've also added some Ultramarine Blue to the reflections.

I usually keep working on the highlights and dark areas as I go along since I sometimes dull them accidentally, especially if I'm using a large brush.

Stainless Steel Tea Kettle - Color #1

2009-03-15T15:08:00.004-04:00

I've been fighting with the Blogger editor for days now. I can't seem to get it to format the way I'm accustomed to. It adds extra blank lines, doesn't put blank lines where I want them etc. Anyway, I'm trying it again. I'll try to keep it simple. One photo per post.

At this stage, I've started to glaze some Burnt Sienna into the background, and also in parts of the reflections. I'm beginning to see the potential of the color stage.

Stainless Steel Tea Kettle - WIP

2009-03-11T22:26:00.004-04:00

Stainless Steel Tea Kettle (Dead Layer)
8x8 Acrylics on birch plywood panel

Metal objects are a source of great fascination for me. How can mere paint take on the appearance of shiny metal? The trick to painting metal is to paint exactly what you see. You must get lost in the abstract shapes and patterns that are reflected in the object. You can't think about the object you are painting, just the shapes.

Once you step back and take a look at the entire painting, your brain will take over and make huge assumptions based on your past experiences with viewing and handling metal objects. The reflections in shiny objects follow the contours of the object's surface. The color hue will give you a sense of what kind of metal it is. You may subconsciously know that the object would feel smooth and cold if you could touch it. And I'm certain there are many more complex things going on in the brain that deal with perception and reality.

This painting is a WIP (Work in Progress) and is at the Dead Layer stage. It's painted on birch plywood panel. When I paint on panels, plywood or hardboard (Masonite), I like to build up texture when I apply gesso to make up for the lack of texture that canvas gives. I also apply matte gel medium between painting sessions to further build texture and seal the painting for further ease of glazing.

Next stage is color...

Toy Blocks

2009-03-07T20:08:00.004-05:00

Toy Blocks

6x8 Acrylic on canvas

I was looking at these toy blocks that my father had and a block with a really cool dog stamped on it caught my eye. I decided to see if I could find enough blocks to spell the word dog and I eventually came up with this setup.

This painting is all about shadow and light, and some memories of happy childhood days.

The Flemish Technique

2009-03-02T20:24:00.015-05:00

After "rediscovering" the Flemish Technique a few years ago, I realized that in my quest to become a better painter, I had unwittingly incorporated some of the technique's steps into my painting process. I was drawing or transferring a drawing onto my canvas, toning the canvas, completing a rough underpainting, and layering color. I realize now that this very successful technique had made it's way down through the centuries in various modified forms, and I had picked up on some of these methods indirectly from other artists.

The Flemish Technique originated from a process used by egg tempera painters to overcome limitations with that medium. Egg tempera dries very quickly and cannot be painted thickly like oil paint. Painting in layers was necessary to build depth and color saturation. Although it was practiced by master painters in 16th century Flanders and became the prefered technique for the new medium of oil paint, it can be easily adapted to modern acrylics, and is probably the best way to avoid the flat dull appearance that many beginning acrylic painters commonly complain about in their first painting attempts.

As the Old Masters discovered, the Flemish Technique is very useful for building color depth, ensures that you have a full range of values and helps with accuracy in realism. When I was just starting out as a painter, I was often told that I didn't use enough colors. Now I glaze many colors in my paintings, and color glazing is part of the Flemish Technique. Another common mistake I made when I began to paint was failing to use a full range of values (shadow and light). Interesting paintings are all about light, and light and shadow work together. The Flemish Technique makes sure you take care of these important aspects of a successful painting early on in the painting process, so it's an excellent technique for beginners.

Apparently there are 7 layers in the Flemish Technique, but it depends on how you break them down. I prefer to use the term steps or stages rather than layers, to avoid confusion when talking about the layering of color glazes involved in one of the steps. While doing my research I had a great deal of difficulty finding a definitive example or explanation of the steps, so the exact number isn't really important as long as you follow the basic ones.

Below are the steps I've been able to piece together. I've only really discovered 6 steps in total.

1. Drawing
2. Imprimatura (neutral mid-tone wash)
3. Umber painting (shadows).
4. Dead layer or Penumbra (values)
5-6. Color layers
7. Highlights and details

Drawing
Sometimes called a cartoon. Of course this is the drawing of the subject to be painted.

Transfer Drawing to the Support
Traditionally, a rigid wooden panel was used as a support since egg tempera wasn't flexible. It was prepared with some kind of white paint, probably lead. As far as I know, rabbit glue sizing and lead white primer on canvas was used in the Venetian Technique as a later development. Acrylic Gesso is the contemporary priming medium used by many oil painters and acrylic painters today and it can be used on panels as well as on canvas.

To transfer the drawing, the Old Masters poked pin holes around the major lines they wished to transfer. Then they placed the drawing onto the support and knocked charcoal dust into the holes. Another method is to apply charcoal to the underside of the drawing and trace the image using a hard pencil.

Freehand Drawing Refinements
Once the major lines are transfered, the drawing is refined and detail added. I've found that a sharp pencil is best used for this purpose because the detail is not easily washed away in the next step. Oil painters might protest the use of the graphite "lead" used in modern pencils since it reportedly works it's way through the layers of oxidized linseed oil to the surface of the painting. Acrylics are not known to have the same problem.

Imprimatura
This is a mid-tone wash that seals the drawing and helps to better judge values in the next step. Values tend to appear darker on a plain white surface and this will cause one to compensate by making the values lighter than they should be. Pastel artists like to use tinted papers for this same reason. For the wash, oil painters use a thin mixture of terpentine and Burnt Umber or Yellow Ochre. For acrylics, I basically do the same with the equivalent acrylic colors and water.

Umber Painting (Shadows)
With the same basic color used during the Imprimatura step, which is typically Burnt Umber, the shadows are glazed. You can do a considerable amount of shading using glazes of one color.

Opaque Highlights
Sometimes White is used to block in some of the highlights during the Umber Painting stage. White paint is typically opaque, but it can be glazed if desired. White will be the third or fourth tone in the painting.

Dead Layer or Penumbra
I'm sure this is the step that is questioned the most by contemporary painters because it seems like a lot of work for a questionable amount of benefit. This is typically the complete painting down to the last detail, excluding all color. This grayscale or monochrome painting tradionally appears in a gray-green color, resembling the color of the moon and it's shadows. At this point, all decisions about tone have been made with a complete range of values. It's much easier to keep tonal decisions separate from color decisions, so this is a huge benefit to beginners who have trouble discerning value among color. As for the extra work, the saying "no pain, no gain" seems appropriate. But I've been known to skip this step if my Umber Painting is detailed and I've added White to build my complete range of values. In that case, the Umber Painting and Dead Layer steps have been combined, albeit with an earthier toned result.

Color Layers
During this step, many color glazes are applied as necessary to complete the painting. Multiple layers will give more depth. The effect of many layers is that the light will bounce off each layer slightly differently giving it a unique glow which helps give a more realistic result. I've found that it helps if I seal the color with a coat of medium to further separate the layers and to protect the layers underneath from being accidentally lifted up while glazing.

Highlights and Details
The last step is to complete the final highlights and details. This is an important step because it often gives the painting that extra "something" that gives it life. Once the tiny catchlights are added to shiny objects, they are perceived as metal or reflective glass to our brains.

Restaurant Table

2009-02-28T20:02:00.006-05:00

Here are some progress photos showing the stages that I normally follow to produce a painting. It's a modified version of the Flemish Technique. When I get around to it I'll put together a short article on the subject to describe it further.

For now, I can tell you that it involves a series of stages that build upon each other to produce a realistic result. It might appear that there is a lot of extra work in this process, but once you get accustomed to it, it goes relatively quickly.

Dixon No. 2 HB Pencil

2009-02-19T20:19:00.007-05:00

Dixon No. 2 HB Pencil

6x6 Golden Open acrylics on canvas

SOLD

I haven't had much time to paint this week since I'm in the middle of a chaotic move. This pencil was lying around and I thought why not? In the spirit of daily painting and objective realism, here is my pencil, no more and no less.

The detail of the metal fastener that holds the eraser was a pleasant challenge.

Light Bulb

2009-02-12T14:20:00.006-05:00

Light Bulb
6x6 Golden Open Acrylics on canvas
Bid on this painting

This light bulb was surprisingly simple since it was 98% grayscale with only a hint of color. The blending went so much easier with the Open acrylics.

Anyway, there isn't much I can say about a simple light bulb, so I won't try to stick bunch of meaningless filler here.

Oh, I finally got my Internet connection. No more exciting capers in the library parking lot.

Heinz Ketchup Mini

2009-02-11T18:01:00.006-05:00

Heinz Ketchup Mini
6x8 Golden Open Acrylics on canvas
SOLD

Here's a new take on the classic Heinz ketchup bottle--the mini! I picked up this novelty item at a restaurant in Las Vegas. My son puts ketchup on everything, so I grabbed this as a souvenir for him. He also has a t-shirt with a rip-off of the Heinz label which says I PUT KETCHUP ON MY KETCHUP, which is so true.

You might think this painting would be quicker to produce compared to the larger bottle, but not so. A ketchup bottle of any size has a similar anatomy and all parts need equal attention to detail. The label of course is the most difficult.

Still no Internet connection, so I'm back at the library. This time my kids and I got nabbed by the librarian for not having library cards. We were let off with a warning, but we were stopped again on the second floor by the assistant librarian. Security is tight everywhere it seems.

Heinz Ketchup 2

2009-02-10T20:12:00.003-05:00

Heinz Ketchup 2
5 x 10 Golden Open Acrylics on canvas
SOLD

I painted for most of the day today. This is a Heinz ketchup bottle that I've painted before, except larger with a different background. Red is one of my favorite paint colors, probably from painting so many apples when I began painting still life.

I'm still trying out my Golden Open Acrylics. I'm really enjoying them. One thing that I appreciate about them is the slow drying time on the palette. Even if I haven't used a color for an hour and there's only a small dab remaining, I can scoop it up with my brush and use it as is.

The blending capability with these acrylics is noticable in the background where I've done almost no glazing which I typically do. And there's a small amount of glazing on the bottle.

Tomorrow I should have my Internet connection set up, so that will be nice. I'm typing this on my laptop in the parking lot of the local library. It's past closing time, but they don't turn off their WiFi, which is great for a freeloader like me.

Fat kids? Sissy kids?

2009-02-08T08:37:00.005-05:00

Sometimes when I'm driving in the car with my own kids, I find myself humming and trying to remember the lyrics to some of the food commercials I was brain-washed with when I was growing up. I had to look up the lyrics on the Internet to fill in some of the blanks. Now my kids will be impressed during my next impromtu performance.

Armour Hot Dog Jingle

Hotdogs, Armour hotdogs.
What kinds of kids eat Armour hot dogs?
Fat kids, skinny kids, kids who climb on rocks.
Tough kids, sissy kids,
Even kids with chicken pox
Love hotdogs, Armour hot dogs
The dogs kids love to bite!

Not exactly politically correct anymore. And anyone who's had shingles will tell you, chicken pox is something they wish they'd never had.

Beefaroni Jingle

We're having Beefaroni!
It's made from macroni!
Beefaroni's full of meat. Beefaroni's fun to eat. Beefaroni's really neat.
Hooray! Whee! For Chef Boy-ar-dee!
(I think we used to substitute Hooray! For Beefaroni! at the end)

My brother used to come bounding down the stairs singing this jingle every time he heard it on TV. I also have visions of one of the commericals showing kids playing in an old world village. The bell would ring and the kids would drop their skipping ropes or whatever else they were doing and run through the narrow streets to a town square set up with tables laden with Beefaroni or one of the other Chef-boy-ar-dee products. Sadly, I wasn't as enthusiastic as those kids. My babysitter once force fed me Beefaroni until I vomited.

Alrighty then...I'm moving today, so no painting activities will be taking place. I'm thinking about a retro food series though...

Open Acrylics - Onion

2009-02-06T22:35:00.009-05:00

Onion 2009
by artist Mark T. Woodland

6x8 Golden Open Acrylics on canvas

Here is my first painting using Golden Open Acrylics. They definitely blend much better than regular acrylics, and similar to oils. They don't flow as well as oils, but that's where the thinner and medium help, somewhat like terps and linseed oil for oil paints. The colors in the onion skin and the gray area around the onion blended very nicely and effortlessly. Normally I would be scrubbing my regular acrylics with a bristle brush or glazing much more to get the effect of blending. It may take some time to take full advantage of this paint's blending property since I am not accustomed to having it.

Golden Open Acrylics

2009-02-05T21:56:00.003-05:00

I don't know where I was when this new product from Golden came out, but I just had to try them. I can't give a fair review yet, but I can tell you that these paints are very interesting to work with and I can see lots of potential for using them in my work. They are not buttery like quality oil paints, but they do stay wet long enough to blend like oils. They get tacky a bit faster than Liquin and oils, so you do have to blend right away. The gloss medium and thinner that I purchased with the paints seem to have the ability to soften tacky paint on the palette to make them usable again. I haven't tried the thinner on the canvas yet. I've completed one small painting with these, and it does appear like an oil painting. I can mix my normal acrylics with them, but it's not adviseable to use normal acrylics over wet Open Acrylics. I expect you'll get a nice crackle effect. Golden Open Acrylics.

Creamsicle

2009-01-31T14:25:00.008-05:00

Creamsicle 2009
by artist Mark T. Woodland
8x10 Oil on canvas
SOLD

My daughter calls these "pocks-a-lows" (translated = popsicles), and it doesn't matter what time of the year it is, it's always a good time to enjoy one. We can't make a trip to the supermarket without picking up a box. Did I mention it's the dead of winter?

Silver Teapot

2009-01-28T14:40:00.012-05:00

Silver Teapot 2009
by artist Mark T. Woodland
12x12 Acrylic on canvas
SOLD

Here is the final result. It might require some tweaking as usual, but nothing major. It's amazing what a little color can do to bring an essentially black and white image to life.

One side effect of painting something in such detail is that you become very familiar with the object. I'm sure this teapot will be featured in more paintings. I think some oranges would have been nice...

Today's Work in Progress

2009-01-27T08:40:00.005-05:00

I found this teapot at a flea market antique dealer. It's probably from a common inexpensive silver-plated set from my grandparent's era. I've seen pieces of it around at other flea markets and garage sales. One of my favorite things to do is to browse through someone else's stuff. You never know what you might find or learn about the people that collected it.

It's funny how artists try to fight their natural tendencies. I've always wanted to be an impressionist because I feel it's much more expressive and creative. But I always ended up refining the details. This teapot is the epitome of where my style of painting is heading. It's becoming a contest with myself to see how realistic I can get, and what kinds of objects work best to achieve that. Metal, glass, ceramics, water, shadow and light are some of the key ingredients so far.

About Me

2000-01-01T20:43:00.009-05:00

Coffee and Chocolate
8x10 Oil on plywood panel
SOLD

Mark T. Woodland is a Canadian artist, writer, photographer, and Information Technology professional, living and working in historic Kingston, Ontario.

Mark has been keenly interested in art from a young age when he would watch his maternal grandmother producing oil paintings in her kitchen. Mark was accepted into a fine arts high school, but the programme was cancelled before he could attend. Although Mark eventually followed a career in software development, his work in technology crossed paths with his art interests on more than one occasion. At Colorization Inc., Mark was involved in developing digital painting and animation systems, making a key contribution to the Emmy Award winning technology for adding color to black and white movies. More recently he assisted his sister with her Bachelor of Fine Arts thesis by developing video motion tracking software for a new media art installation.

Mark's work expresses his personality, sense of humor and life experiences. He has an appreciation for classic and retro design that is rooted in his earliest memories from childhood. As a youngster, Mark's teenaged babysitter toted him to the local fair, drive-in hamburger stands and diners with Seeburg jukeboxes. He is still fascinated by a properly set restaurant table.

Mark's style of realism, which includes high contrast and rich colors, is ironically unreal. He relies on depicting shiny objects, metal and glass to give the illusion of reality. The question he is trying to answer is, what is it about our perception that makes this happen? Our brains delight in this paradox, and this is why Mark believes his paintings are interesting to look at.

Mark works primarily in acrylics and oils, but is continually experimenting with different media, techniques, and genres.

Artists who have influenced Mark's work are Phyllis Nelles (his late maternal grandmother), old masters Johannes Vermeer and Leonardo Da Vinci, his mentors Rita Monaco and Arlene Steinberg, and contemporary masters Jelaine Faunce, Emily Zasada, and Dianna Ponting to name a few.

Mark occasionally offers his artwork for sale on Ebay, and has sold to many prominent collectors in Canada, the United States and abroad, including Elizabeth Edwards. Several of Mark's photographs and articles have been published in Digital Camera Magazine, and he is a contributing photographer to istockphoto.com, an online stock photo agency.