Art With Meaning

'From a much earlier age throughout my years in education learning my craft I had always strived to create art with meaning, from the bizarre to the beautiful where regardless of subject or media the resultant image would always make you think and seek out the concept hidden within. On reflection I'm not quite sure what provoked me to create these dark and surreal pieces when I was lucky enough to enjoy a sheltered upbringing with no hurt or trauma. I guess it just comes down to acknowledging that it is simply how you are made up. I was never one to have much self-confidence outside of my love for art but through drawing and painting I felt like I had something to say. I was never one to look to create something controversial for reaction sake, the devil would always be hidden well within the detail.

A good ten years had passed before things started to unravel and being completely ill-prepared and not strong enough to deal with. Those storm clouds never really blew out with what seemed like wave after wave of stress, worry and hurt coming in. Each hint of a new dawn would blacken and it's sunrise quickly erased. It was then that I truly sought comfort and distraction within my art, within my own world - I needed it more than ever. It was learning how to latch onto each fragmented seed that was within my thoughts and piecing it together to form a concept to work from, to translate what I felt into an image that others could study.

My 'Storyteller' collection really kick-started a style of working where I would conceive an alterior narrative to the one that we all knew and loved and were comfortable with. In line with the original authors' versions that were more often than not so much darker and disturbing I would look to cloud the clear, to darken what was light and turn day into night. Inspired and excited by this new narrative I would often add in a good number of incredibly subtle references within the image that would expand on my concept but also suggest a much more personal emotion that I wanted to relay. So much of my work has been created with someone close to me playing a key character and acting as my inspiration for creating the piece from the start.

When you make that decision to throw so much emotion and thought into a piece and inject into it something very close to your heart and for it then to be so well received the feeling is one of immense pride and with it a genuine sense of accomplishment. What really has inspired me throughout is meeting so many collectors who have found such a personal connection to a piece for such a powerful reason it really is quite something. I love that I have established a solid reputation for creating art with meaning and for my narrative to appeal to so many for so many reasons. I am also more aware than ever of my changing mindset, where a piece can start out dark but you then shine light into that darkness or vice versa. I guess it is an ongoing battle with your demons, to not let them grow taller behind you, to remember that day will always follow night.'

Mark.