GBP
An Eye For An Eye (Wizard of Oz) - Original
- This piece depicts the scene that involves the Wicked Witch of the West melting after having water thrown on he by young Dorothy. The piece is set within the witches castle with an open window (from where the witch spies for intruders - in this case Dorothy, Toto, the lion, tin man and scarecrow.) The window has a striking view across the landscape and towards the emerald city in the distance.
My intention was to construct a stone pillared room that creates two opposing sides to the room and allows for a good vs evil set up to the piece where the two meet in the middle and ultimately is where the witch melts away.
I have explored the witches character within the piece, referencing her evil traits contrasted with childlike fears of darkness and water, although we learn that the real fear of water is the fact that being so rotten and old her blood has dried up causing her body to melt when coming into contact with a liquid so pure as water. Where does this fear of the dark come from? Could it be brought from past experiences as a child, is this why she is so full of hate and determined to inflict pain and obtain control through her winged slaves and terrifying killer black bees, wolves and crows? Through subtle objects and scrawled detail within the scene it make you question this, is she rotten it the core or just damaged?
The title for the piece 'An Eye For An Eye' represents the little known detail that the witch actually only had one eye (and wasn't green!) whilst also representing the fact that Dorothy accidentally killed the witch in retaliation for having her dog hit by the witch and having her beautiful shoes stolen by the witch (another attempt to gain more power and control).
The scene shows the scenario once all characters have gone, where fires still burn but light fills the room. When I am creating such pieces I prefer to leave enough open to change and adapt to how it evolves and build in new additions that come to me from being immersed in the concept and the scene itself.
There are intriguing details such as Dorothy's shoe, discarded tin, burnt straw, bucket, telescope (the witches eyesight was so strong it was like a telescope - perfect for spotting her prey), fire, shadows and an umbrella that she favoured to protect from water).
In summary this was a great opportunity to create a really striking piece that embraces the interaction between good and evil and the blurred lines that exist there, Dorothy's personality comes across as adorably innocent but still waters run deep...
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- Released: 2018
- Collection: Storyteller
- Specification: 1 of 1 original framed embellished canvas, hand signed by artist.
- Image Size: 48” x 36"
- Framed Size: 54” x 41"
If you fancy something truly unique instead of the black or white frame choices, you can upgrade to a stunning hand painted frame by Mark. You can either specify your choice of style and colours or leave it to Mark to work his magic. Simply add your comments at point of ordering.
A global collector base has seen hundreds of original works sold, making him a respected and successful artist within the contemporary art world.
Mixed Media British Artist Mark Davies was born in Bedfordshire in 1978 and studied Fine Art within the region with his early works being inspired by the compositional qualities of Piero Della Francesca and Giuseppe Arcimboldo whilst finding inspiration in the surrealism of Salvador Dali. Now living in St Neots Mark works full-time as a professional artist as part of the MD Studios set up from his beautiful, converted brick barn studio within the Cambridgeshire countryside.
Mark’s signature ‘Storyteller’ and 'Lost in Hollywood' collections showcase his ability to conceive and implement his own narrative to cherished fairy tales, classic fictional stories, and iconic movies to stunning effect. Inspired by the eloquence of Hans Christian Andersen and ingenuity of the Grimm Brothers, a whole host of much-loved stories have been turned on their head with each chapter being re-written as Mark embraces the often much more sinister plot and motives of the original authors that most don’t know exists as these classics are re-told to generation after generation.
As well as creating mesmerizing imagery full of detail there has always been a subtle and genuine moral quality to the work created to make you think a little deeper. Mark’s original works have created such a wonderful interaction between artist and audience as each searches out the detail and pieces together the plot with the hope that they can get an insight into Mark’s thinking whilst being encouraged to offer their own interpretation of what they see or often don’t see within the image. This genuine engagement has played a significant part in Mark’s gallery shows and appearances being so successful and truly special events.
As the body of work has grown so has Mark’s reputation for creating art with genuine meaning, art that stands on its own and that is driven by a fascinating multi-layered narrative like no other. His skill of storytelling has expanded across other areas including stage and screen as he delivers his signature style across a broad range of subjects and genres that continue to pull on the heart strings and embrace nostalgia and the memories that we all hold so fondly. In addition to building a solid gallery presence, Mark’s success has seen his work proudly displayed and selling within iconic venues that include the London Playhouse and Fortune Theatre within the iconic West End along with the highly respected Mall Galleries in London.
2023 has been another incredible year for Mark as his career continues to evolve. Most noticeably has seen the creation of 'The Hive' - a stunning creative gallery space within his studio that now proudly displays his artwork in a striking and engaging environment that allows his collectors to get up close to a diverse range of artworks. In addition to this, Mark's presence in America has strengthened as the result of a wonderful charity event that saw him create a special original piece that sold for more than $16,000, raising much needed funds and awareness in the fight against Alzheimer's.
With an incredible work ethic and a genuine respect and appreciation for his collectors, combined with a solid platform that the MD Studios brand offers, the future continues to look exciting for Mark. A growing list of celebrity clients and commercial projects along with an established gallery presence has led to Mark being a highly collectable and hugely respected British artist.
