Shall We Begin? (Mary Poppins) - Original
- Horseplay behind closed doors? Impossible! Not within these four walls! Sorry Mr Banks but ‘anything can happen if you let it’.
We open a door to a room where strict rules are laid out and enforced, toys littered the floor, naive minds are educated and naughtiness is scalded. This is a room where Mary takes control, what she says goes, you do what she says or face the consequences. Welcome to Mary’s room.
This piece shows how Mary likes to enjoy herself after lights out. There is something there between Mary and Bert, that is blatant - the pair have history for sure. Sexual tension runs freely throughout the original narrative so let’s embrace it. Mary is a dominatrice, a disciplinarian whereas Bert is the complete opposite - they say opposites attract and these two take it to another level.
My other piece - The Beast From The East showed how the pair met for liaisons up on the rooftop, under the stars, how beautiful but how dangerous - constantly having to avoid canon balls for one. Time to move indoors. How could Bert possibly be smuggled past the drawing room and up into Mary’s boudoir? Bert’s a chimneysweep right and Mary’s got a roaring fire in her grate!
The piece gives a deeper insight into the couples relationship. A striking black (carousel) horse dominates the room, wearing the suffragette sash (stuffed with cash). Cracks exist all over the body, showing a fire that burns within, evoking a real sense of passion that is close to bursting out. But why would a horse be within a bedroom? The lap dancing style pole exists, Mary had that fitted, but the horse, no that does not. It is a symbol that represents Mary’s character, powerful and intimidating yet beautiful and open to being tamed. So the dominant part of the piece doesn’t actually exist, yet it allows us to see Mary take centre stage in the piece like she does in her room.
Surrounding the horse are objects that you will at first associate with horse riding - leather boots and whips but peer a little deeper, through the beautifully lit room and you will see that they are in fact there to allow the rider to take the reins in a completely different way. The room showcases indulgence in drugs and booze and various forms of naughtiness yet masked by beautiful details within the room, both physical objects that prove that she has a softer side and through beautiful lighting detail that adds drama to the piece through semi-transparent butterflies and coloured bokeh, blurred through a subtle smokey haze. As with The Beast From The East, the intention here is to mask the detail deemed bad and make it look beautiful, which in their eyes is what they have.
Mary is constantly having to correct Bert as he isn’t the brightest but she intends to teach him. This lends perfectly to the clients’ education background so there isa blackboard where scrawled messages and repeated lines sit. This also features one of Berts chalk drawings, sadly only for Mary to mock and scald his attempts - further reinforcing the battle for control within the relationship and within the room.
Marys umbrella is present, burning within the corner of the room, this was her ticket out of here when things got too much, maybe Bert wants something more long-term and has grown tired of the set up. The talking head of the umbrella is broken off and taped up, after all he’s seen way too much! Her carpet bag is there, stuffed (mainly) with objects from her white outfit - isn’t white meant to signify purity and innocence? Come on Mary, really?! Only a fool could fall for that, oh hang on...Bert?! -
- Released: 2016
- Collection: Storyteller
- Specification: 1 of 1 original framed embellished canvas, hand signed by artist.
- Image Size: 48” x 36"
- Framed Size: 54” x 41"
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
'Freddy's Coming For You!' - Freddy Krueger Claw Statement Piece
£795.00
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Gepetto he is not, but this carved wooden plinth displays the stuff of nightmares!
This intoxicating piece is the first offering to sit within his 'Against The Grain' series, a body of work that will grow over time and represents Mark's intention to continue to do things differently. Mark has built up an incredible reputation for the level of craft that shines through his unique frames, and it is these details that you now see in this piece.
Everything about this is unique, from Mark hand selecting the piece of Elm at a local timber mill through to carving the claw marks that are soaked in blood red resin. No two will, or can be the same. What starts with a beautiful (and innocent!) piece of Elm, is then stained, blackened, bashed and burnt. The haunting Freddy Claw glove has it's metal blades set into the blood resin channels and is then subjected to the same level of customisation as the plinth.
Limited to what will be just 20 original variations and priced incredibly well considering the level of craftsmanship and hours needed to create each piece. This is something that needs to be seen close up to be truly appreciated, but how close do you dare get to that glove?!
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- Released: 2022
- Collection: Lost In Hollywood
- Edition Size: 20 Original Variations
- Specification:
- Hand selected locally sourced Elm (obviously!)
- Hand carved claw marks filled with blood red resin
- Blackened and burned
- Metal bladed claw glove
- Title and number plaque
- Hand signed by artist - Plinth Size (Approx): 19” x 9.5”
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- Get in touch for overseas delivery
- Please allow approximately 21 days for delivery, should you need delivery sooner please let us know.
'Grab Your Stick!' - Proton Wand Statement Piece
£995.00
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Now this is for the true obsessive GB fans! Whether you call it a Particle Thrower, Proton Blaster, Proton Gun, Positron Collider, Neutrona Wand, or Proton Wand, the result is the same! This piece looks like it’s been in a real battle and got slimed and fried AF!
I’m always striving to mix things up and look at ways of introducing my art in new formats and connecting with my collectors. Halloween 2022 saw me release something very different, and bloody dark! My Nightmare on Elm Street Claw plinth was the first piece that I have done that broke away from the traditional print editions and I loved every moment of it, and it has been so well received. It was a signal of my intentions to keep pushing and to deliver pieces that were true to my style but working with movie props to create something unique and special, whilst remaining true to my style of work. The aim was to offer a supporting piece that would complement a traditional print edition.So, my ‘RETROPLASM’ series has given me the opportunity to build on this and do something much less dark, although I couldn’t resist getting the blow torch out! ‘Grab Your Stick’ has transformed one of the coolest movie props that there has even been and made it, well I guess, funkier, and that’s before you turn the lights off – yep, the resin base glows in the dark whilst the neon paint also comes alive under lairy coloured light.
You are free to grab your stick, flick the switches and fire the sucker up! It will slam you right back to your childhood, just don’t cross the streams! Why not? Put simply, coz it’s bad, very bad! If you’re fuzzy on the whole good/bad thing, then maybe this will help. Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light.
Oh, but don’t stress too much, batteries are included!
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- Released: 2023
- Collection: RETROPLASM
- Edition Size: 20 Original Variations
- Specification:
- Light up LED, sound effects and vibrations
- Blackened and burned
- Small parts to connect the stand to the wand - fragile - handle with care.
- Hand signed by artist - Baseh Size (Approx): 23.5” x 8”
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- Get in touch for overseas delivery
- Please allow approximately 21 days for delivery, should you need delivery sooner please let us know.
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88 & Out - Original
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- Released: 2019
- Collection: Lost In Hollywood 2
- Specification: 1 of 1 original framed embellished canvas, hand signed by artist.
- Image Size: 48” x 36"
- Framed Size: 54” x 41"