OUTAGAS (Back to the Future) - Custom Framed Canvas Limited Edition #1AP
£1,595.00
- Back in 2016, I created ‘Lost in Hollywood’, a collection of movie-inspired pieces that took my sales to a whole new level and I haven’t looked back since, well only in a nostalgic sense. That body of work gave me the opportunity to showcase my love for the ‘Back to the Future’ films as I created ‘OUTATIME’ that opened the doors into Doc Brown’s workshop in my own unique way. A ‘sold out’ piece that has since expanded to an array of artworks to showcase the three movies. ‘OUTAIDEAS?’ no chance, ever! Eight years on sees a brand-new piece ‘OUTAGAS’, and it is a belter! An edgy, gritty scene that is an absolute must for fans of the ultimate time machine!
I have been lucky enough to have a ride in an incredible replica of the DeLorean and seen the musical on Broadway, it’s a genuine love affair driven by vivid childhood memories that I hold so closely. Given by the reaction to each piece I create, it seems I am not on my own! Thank you. You guys know I love to place an iconic movie car into my work and the impact of the time machine is immense, it just looks epic from all angles. So, in contrast to ‘OUTATIME’ where I set it to just seeing the arse-end of the car, you now get to see it in its full glory, parked side on in front of a derelict gas station. It’s great to just create something that is ultra-cool and can be enjoyed for what it is without having to search too deep as to what is going on.
A previous piece ‘OUTAREACH’ featured Doc and Marty, riding high, not giving a cluck and it worked so well. I was tempted to introduce characters to this scene, and it would have looked great, however, there was this intriguing quality that radiated from this sense of abandonment that pushed me towards leaving them out. It just leaves it open to interpretation for you lot to decipher what is going on according to how your mind works. It’s a sense of teamwork that I’ve always enjoyed throughout the past decade. However, it didn’t stop me introducing the odd chicken, have you ever seen one fighting a vulture? Well now you have, who wins out though?
I’ve always embraced the qualities of derelict and disused buildings right from my first ‘Storyteller’ works, I find them fascinating and allows me to breathe new life and detail into them. This old gas station has turned out so well. Originally, I was heading down a different road with it as I was going to set it at night with a vibrant neon glow, but I felt that the desaturated palette was more in keeping with this current body of work. It has an aged and weathered quality, and I am really pleased with it. I do enjoy contrasting this static nature of the scene with dramatic movement as you see the vulture swoop in, met by the chicken who is trying to protect something that if fallen into the wrong hands can prove very dangerous – but is that the Plutonium or the Sports Almanac?
The DeLorean quite rightly steals the show, but I am so pleased how the supporting vehicles have turned out, I haven’t featured these before and they add a real quality to the scene. Marty McFly's 1985 Toyota Pickup SR5 is so damned cool, whilst the quirkiness of the VW camper is a nice contrast to the violent nature of its use by the Libyans. Did I stop there? Nope, there’s a third hiding somewhere! As well as the obvious, there are some cracking details to decipher and I won’t spoil it for you, most of those I meet who love the three films are proper die-hard fans (of the movies not me!) so I am sure you will get it! The glass bricks are a nice link back to ‘OUTATIME’ and the orange tones are a nod to the colours from the main logo. Ultimately, I guess the success of this latest instalment is probably what has been left out as much as what has gone in.
So does the title ‘OUTAGAS’ signal the end of the road for these pieces? Hell no! Where I’m going, we don’t need roads. I’m sure I’ve heard that somewhere before. Feel free to chip in with a possible new iteration of OUTA… as I have used a few so far! I’m sure we can get to eight, maybe not eighty-eight but let’s see! Over to you guys! Seriously though, the success of my Back to the Future pieces showcases the true power of love, for our shared love of these incredible movies. I couldn’t do it without the passion and commitment from you guys, people like you just fuel my fire.
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- Released: 2024
- Collection: Decadence
- Edition Size: 20 + 5AP
- Specification: Limited edition fine art print, hand signed by artist.
- Image Size: 36” x 27"
- Framed Size (Approx): 41.5” x 32"
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- Get in touch for overseas delivery
- Available for immediate despatch or collection from the Hive
Commissions
When workload allows Mark embraces client commissions and has enjoyed amazing success to date. If you have been inspired by the work that you have seen and have a specific idea or simply a seed then please do get in touch.
Commission EnquiriesRelated Items
Custom Framed Born To Lie (Pinocchio) - Large Limited Edition 1AC
£995.00
- No one likes a liar, no one.
This is a boy who hasn’t been scarred by lifes’ experiences too young, his first reaction to his creator was to laugh wildly in his face, what kind of freak does that? Geppetto was a true craftsman, a master of his trade who poured everything into creating Pinocchio only for things to turn very, very bad. Described by his father as wretched boy, this little blaggard caused havoc and turmoil and was cast out, ring-fenced and and abandoned. Can a child really be born ‘bad’? Surely not, it must be through inherited traits that clash and conflict with bad experiences and influences that they are exposed to? But how does that explain the above?
It is written that this rascal of a boy causes grief and frustration to his father and others but the fact that his first breath was a negative one means that maybe whilst creating his son, Geppetto unwittingly transferred some of his negative characteristics that had been dormant within, those that were a consequence of the pressures that he had been placed under through lifes’ struggles. The craftsman is undeniably good but no one is ‘perfect’ and stress mutates and breaks out in different ways. So who is actually the victim here?
This piece focuses on a frustrated and silently seething Pinocchio, sat slumped isolated and abandoned. His nose elongated and showing signs that he is still lying, the wooden limbs burn with the anger that is building within his body and mind. He knows what he is is doing is wrong, he can see the destruction and the hurt that radiates outwards but he can’t seem to stop it, is it his fault? Does he choose to lie, no, not in this case, he was simply made this way. On first look you see a crisp, beautiful scene before seeing the boys’ anger and frustration but as with so many of my pieces there are signs of hope.
Once a liar always a liar right? No.
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- Released: 2017
- Collection: Through Darkness & Light
- Edition Size: 10 + 1AP
- Specification: Deluxe limited edition fine art print, hand signed by artist.
- Image Size: 32” x 24"
- Framed Size (Approx): 47” x 35"
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- Free delivery to UK Mainland
- Get in touch for overseas delivery
- Available for immediate despatch or collection from the Hive
Custom Framed Bollocks to Bedtime! - Standard Limited Edition 45/45
£725.00
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Is there a more versatile or brilliant word that exists than ‘BOLLOCKS!’?! If there is then please share it. It’s funny, sometimes I feel choosing a title for a piece can be as hard as conceiving the concept for it. It’s the same for a song or movie title, it has to capture the mood and very essence of what has been created.
‘The Memory Remains’ was taken from a Metallica track that was on at the time yet was so perfect and has since been mentioned a few times! Sometimes the title becomes clear midway through the project, very rarely at the start. Yet this one was not until the very end, not that it was a bad thing.
The plan was always to create a nostalgia loaded image that pulled on the heart strings and was as cute as it was fun. The positioning of what you now see was always going to sit alongside ‘The Memory Remains’ series just like ‘Skool’s Out! 1 and 2 do, as they are all linked mainly through that initial day out to the toy shop, arcade, or cinema. However, the title couldn’t link to ‘The Memory Remains’ pieces as I wanted it to be able to viewed in its own right.
So, what started out as a challenge to find the perfect title moved away from something that could have been whimsical and warm to something so perfect as more and more toys were added to the bedroom. So, if those words were ever uttered by a child of that age, it without a doubt would have resulted in being sent straight to their room, but is that such a bad thing?! Just look at that room!
I know so many of you loved ‘The Memory Remains 2’ because of your affiliation with so many of the toys for sale within the toy shop and I hope you will fall in love with this piece just as much. So many of those toys have been bought and are laid out within the bedroom as well as so many cracking new additions that you may have forgotten about until now. ‘Bollocks to Bedtime’ is every big kids dream and is full to bursting with references that guarantees you will be saying ‘oh yeah I had one of those!’.
I wanted to capture that wonderful excitement that we had as a kid when we had so many toys that we truly loved, nothing compares to that era, our kids live in a very different world now. Not all bad of course but nothing will ever come close to the magic back then, amplified as I sit here with thoughts turning to Christmas and the utter brilliance of my memories as a kid around that time. You cherished every toy and immersed yourself in your imagination that grew from that interaction.
What we see is a room that is full to bursting with fun at that point where the kids have scarpered into their hiding places as the door opens, shining a warm light onto their toys and games. Can you really blame them? It’s impossible to sleep when you are wide awake with excitement. The longer that I worked on this piece, the more references that I added from being consumed with my memories as well as wanting to create the connection for you guys. It was about twelve hours into a very long day here and my bulldog George was sending me evils, when at the point of thinking I was finished, the title popped into my head. I was so pleased that it was so perfect, but it then amplified the concept of it being impossible to go to sleep and they were determined to stay up all night. This is where I then thought of the final random addition, a flat out ‘Alf’ soft toy being carried to bed by ‘Big Trak’! Random yes, fuelled by delirium in the studio and their bedroom but just demonstrates the annoying staying power of kids!
Have the batteries run out? Have they bollocks!
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- Released: 2022
- Collection: Retrospective 4
- Edition Size: 45 +5AP
- Specification: Limited edition fine art print, hand signed by artist.
- Image Size: 25” x 18.5"
- Framed Size (Approx): 32.5” x 26"
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- Get in touch for overseas delivery
- Available for immediate despatch or collection from the Hive
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Custom Framed Petrolheads 007 - Standard Limited Edition 26/45
£725.00
- As I write this, the completed original piece sits to my right, sparkling in the studio lights on what is a real ‘pea soup’ of an Autumn Day. I am so proud and excited about this piece. It isn’t just the final image, but more the process of how it came to be that I love. I like to engage with people to get their thoughts on possible pieces, often laying about in the studio over a tea and way too many bloody custard creams and I remember the idea for how to follow up on the first two Petrolheads pieces. Feedback and interaction are so important, naturally you must go with your gut feeling but I pride myself on keeping my ego locked away and listening to people that can make a difference and have passion in my work.
Back in 2018 when the first ‘Petrolheads’ was released, I had no idea that the reaction would be that strong. I loved the image and knew that it looked superb, but it was simply one from my ‘A New Chapter’ release. Yet, now it is without doubt the most enquired about piece and has sold out in every possible form. 2020 saw the follow up be released and has gotten a cracking reaction, I love the energy and drama on that piece as a contrast to its’ predecessor. ‘PH2’ followed on perfectly as it told the story about what happened when the film had finished, and they still had gas in the tank. There are more chapters to write on that group of cars, all in good time!
However, I wanted to do something different this time around. The idea was born from discussing possible James Bond pieces back in 2020 when I was brainstorming for what is now ‘Q Division’. The idea of having a stunning backdrop like Monte Carlo behind a selection of iconic Bond vehicles really excited me but I knew that it had more of a ‘Petrolheads’ quality to it, so that was parked (excuse the pun). I have held it back and back until the timing was right and what we see now is the culmination of so much planning and hours in the studio. So, what do you think?!
There aren’t many more spectacular backdrops than the Casino in Monte Carlo, if there are then feel free to suggest them and I will take the credit for any future piece! Joking aside, I love the splendour and intrigue of the building and with the beautiful tones of the fading light it comes to life, as do the cars! Good and evil are parked up side by side, a nod to how close darkness and light reside with each other.
For obvious reasons, Casino Royale is the base for this piece but it, like ‘Q-Division’ and the more recent ‘Underwater Love’ was created to celebrate the end of Daniel Craigs’ time as Bond, slightly delayed due to Covid but we got there eventually! As a kid watching the earlier Bond films it was always the cars and gadgets that excited me, Ok and maybe the Bond girls! There are so many of the classic vehicles that we all love, apologies if your favourite is missing but anymore and it risked looking like grid lock on the M25!
There is so much detail that surrounds the two cars in the foreground, details that hint at unrest and dark forces at work. It’s funny actually, as the iconic Lotus that went underwater was originally surrounded by a pool of water to link to its other use but with how my mind works it all went a bit dark after ‘Oddjobs’ hat pierced the car (that used to freak me out as a kid). Can you smell Petrol?
If you love the first ‘Petrolheads’ piece, then this 007 edition should get your engine revving as there is a sense of calm and mystery to the composition. What I love is there is a ‘Storyteller’ quality to the scene, a stunning building that clearly has so much going on within, yet we can’t see from looking. Yet, open your mind and your imagination and you’re up the stairs and through the doors.
The question is, what car would you pull up in?
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- Released: 2021
- Collection: Retrospective 3
- Edition Size: 45 + 5AP
- Specification: Limited edition fine art print, hand signed by artist.
- Image Size: 25” x 18.5"
- Framed Size (Approx): 32.5” x 26"
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- Get in touch for overseas delivery
- Available for immediate despatch or collection from the Hive