My Heart Will Go On (Titanic) - VHS Limited Edition
£595.00
- Ok, so who hasn’t cried whilst watching the movie Titanic? Whilst you’re holding the truth stick, here’s another one for you, how many times will you admit to watching it?! The most I have heard is double figures! Celine has a lot to answer for too, that song still gets me. Do you remember when they first laid audio clips from the film over ‘My Heart Will Go On’? Even with it being played on loop on the local radio station, it got me every time. Whoever decided to start dubbing the instrumental version over clips of Leeds United clinching promotion has a lot to answer for!
The real-life events of the disaster has always struck a chord with me since school days, it is hard to choose the right word to describe it given the unimaginable loss involved but your mind was full trying to comprehend the events of that voyage. The movie is a truly stunning depiction and is one of the all-time greats, a movie that I have wanted to take on for many a year. I have had so many thoughts as to possible directions that I could take the piece, some much darker than others but maybe that is best suited to a commissioned piece. I wanted to create a piece of art that was really different, that focused on the love story and fortitude, whilst not forgetting the tragedy. For a movie to be adored by so many, I needed to deliver an image that would suit a wide audience and one that would look beautiful on a wall. I knew I could make the iconic scene of the sinking look stunning, but would that be right for your typical home setting? I can also see legs (almost a pun!) in a beautiful scene that focused on the grand staircase. With every piece, there is always so many possible directions and for this one I have gone with my incredibly popular VHS format as it allows you to create a striking image that is sized perfectly.
Ok, so not only was Jack a handsome little shit, he was also a bloody talent with his pencil, and I’m not referring to his back seat antics! His sketching experience with the beautiful English Rose must have been incredible, at least he wasn’t short of options to rest his sketchbook on! My experiences of life drawing classes were very, very different. Stinking rooms that were so hot from the heater to not just keep the fossilised model warm but alive! How could I possibly get the anatomical proportions right when I’m staring at the worst case of ‘long bollock’ that my innocent eyes had ever seen?!
Joking aside, what a wonderfully intimate and powerful scene that was, the movie not mine! For someone that has a phobia of jewellery, I loved the stunning ‘Heart of the Ocean’ necklace that Rose wore, to then see how it played such a special role in the narrative was really something. I have created a beautiful version in my piece that features Jack and Rose in their iconic pose. If you look closely, you can see water droplets cascading off the diamonds to suggest that it is rising back from the ocean floor, nothing is gone forever. The rose that drifts in the tranquil water is a detail that I really love whilst seeing how the ship works so successfully is a relief as it took so long to play around with how it could feature without distracting, it has an enchanting ghost-like quality that I feel is perfect.
Keep your memories close, never let go.
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- Released: 2022
- Collection: Lost In Hollywood 5
- Edition Size: 20 + 5AP
- Specification:
- Hand embellished
- Floated poster and double mount
- Custom spray-painted frame
- Sticker decals
- Hand signed by artist
- Image Size: 8.3” x 11.7"
- Framed Size (Approx): 13.5” x 16.75”
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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.
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
Free Spirit (Breakfast at Tiffanys) - VHS Limited Edition 1AP
- I have wanted to do ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s for an age. With each movie collection I always strive to create a piece that is pretty and beautiful to contrast with others that are much more dramatic and intense visually. With the 50th anniversary of the movie falling this year it was the perfect opportunity. What you see is very different for me, which is a good thing. There has been a move towards the introduction of characters when the piece warrants it and rather than seeing a scene that is absolutely littered with detail I wanted to make it all about the character, Holly.
I wanted to portray her as she was, rather than how she wasn’t as it suits my work and is authentic to my way of thinking. Without a genuine connection or reason there is always a risk of the image becoming hollow. The details that do exist help to tell the narrative but in a much more simplistic way that results in a much more powerful and poignant image. It’s called ‘Free Spirit’ based on Holly’s wish to not be caged but being told she puts herself in her own cage. It is her wish to be set free, she is such a complex character, high maintenance, but adorable and innocent. This sense of being trapped and needing to be set free is a concept that has ran through my work since day one, an emotion that is driven through personal emotions and one that resonates with so many.
This is a classic example of how, when planning this piece you end up doing something so completely different to what you thought you would do all that time ago, and I love that. It is that pull that takes hold, resonates and takes you off on a much more honest direction. What you see is everything laid out around her, the open bird cage with the dove rising upwards that is really beautiful. In contrast you have the blackened thorns and withering roses that are twisting around the cage and the foot of her stool. It’s a very dark element that builds on the concept of needing to be set free from the negatives and darkness and it is this detail against such an iconic image that makes it mine and authentic. It is all about freedom and restriction. The piece features butterflies and birds that represent freedom and transition, expression and the ability to spread one’s wings. I absolutely love her expression, so innocent, confident yet fragile. There is a personal connection to this film that makes it authentic.
Audrey Hepburn was born in Ixelles - Belgium, my Grandmother, Mary was born in Ypres and met my Grandad, Geoff whilst he was a soldier in the second World War as he came into her Parent’s cake shop. After the war, my Mother, Anne-Marie was born in Ypres before they headed to England to start a new life which, given the circumstances must have been daunting and challenging to say the least. My wonderful Grandma was heavily restricted in her later years and my Mother has been incredibly restricted due to my Dad’s condition - so what this piece symbolises is absolutely massive.
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- Released: 2023
- Collection: VHS Collection
- Edition Size: 20 + 5AP
- Specification:
- Hand embellished
- Floated poster and double mount
- Custom spray-painted frame
- Diamond Dusted backboard
- Hand signed by artist
- Image Size: 8.3” x 11.7"
- Framed Size (Approx): 13.5” x 16.75”
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- Get in touch for overseas delivery
- Available for immediate despatch or collection from the Hive
In Pursuit Of Gold (James Bond) - VHS Limited Edition 4AP
£595.00
- The classic James Bond films offer great memories from my childhood, on reflection I started to lose interest in the more recent films as I have always preferred those where they aren’t dominated by over the top special effects.
Goldfinger was a particular favourite, it was classy yet had a real sinister undertone to it, the image of the lady dead on the bed covered in gold freaked me out as a kid! Have you spotted her within the scene?! ‘Oddjob’ was another that scared the hell out of me, that bloody hat! With names like ‘Pussy Galore’ and how my mind works, this piece could have gone in a very different direction but I was determined to create a scene with real class and focus on THE Bond car, the stunning and acclaimed Aston Martin DBS.
The presence of the car is more than enough, you can’t mess around with it. The film had so many great locations but my preferred setting was always the stunning Swiss mountains and the Furka Pass that twists and turns through the mountains. This piece was only ever going to be about the car, surrounded by iconic details to seek out and in front of a beautiful backdrop – it is perfect for you to use your imagination and invent your own narrative as to where Bond is and what is happening.
What I feel has worked really well is how the scene has been ‘photobombed’ by some of the native animals that live within the region. Bond could simply be out of shot stood admiring his car or looking out for others and a red stag just happens to walk into shot. That split second makes all of the difference, I love how it interacts with the gold bars on the ground – a nod to my ‘Love Knows No Bounds’ collection. I absolutely loved reconnecting to this film and this really has fueled my imagination for future pieces - do you expect me to talk?... Time to dust off the box set for now!
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- Released: 2021
- Collection: Lost In Hollywood VHS
- Edition Size: 20 + 5AP
- Specification:
- Hand embellished
- Floated poster and double mount
- Custom spray-painted frame
- Sticker decals
- Hand signed by artist
- Image Size: 8.3” x 11.7"
- Framed Size (Approx): 13.5” x 16.75”
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- Get in touch for overseas delivery
- Available for immediate despatch or collection from the Hive
 - VHS Limited Edition&media=https://markdaviesbritishartist.co.uk/cdn/shop/products/TIT-VHS-Frame_600x.jpg?v=1652994314){kind=link}
‘The Trilogy’ (Star Wars VHS Box Set) - The Original
£3,595.00
- Ok, I am so bloody excited about this piece! So excited that I’m trying to write the narrative ahead of its release and all I can get down is fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu********KKKKK! Only joking! The fact that it is being unveiled as a completely secret image has just amplified everything!
When I created my VHS editions a few years back I knew that they offered something unique and authentic. The format and my determination to go the extra mile, created editions that had an original quality to them with the hand finished detail and customisation, whilst the size allowed for collectors to either fill that awkward space or create a cracking collection of their favourite movies from the pieces that I created. They have been so popular and have led to several other formats that have evolved my brand as well as my portfolio.
In truth, I have been wanting to create a box set edition for what seems like an age. As with so much, it is all a question of timing and I guess the best things come to those who wait eh! 2016 was the year when I launched my now sought after ‘Lost in Hollywood’ series of iconic movies. Each film has so many possible interpretations, the possibilities are vast! When you then have the opportunity to embrace follow up editions through sequels then it really does open the door to truly embrace the collectability nature of my art and movie box sets that so many of us loved to own. I guess it was my destiny!
I am so proud of my Star Wars pieces that I have created to date, I have always strived to produce respectful works that amplify all that is amazing with the earlier films, embracing the very essence of darkness and light and the battle between good and bad! In line with these works, I have always been honest to acknowledge that I am not a Star Wars obsessive, but I respect those that are. So, I have continually strived to create exciting and powerful pieces of art that amplify all that we know and love from growing up as kids whilst not trying to make them be something that they shouldn’t. I am so pleased to see these continually be so collectible. Thank you.
So, with 2024 marking a decade in this ridiculous industry, I saw it as the perfect time to deliver a new format that opens the opportunity to create others on movies that are acclaimed for their multiples. I already know what I will take on next! For now, though, I need to block that out of my mind, not an easy task. Some VHS editions lend themselves perfectly to adapting an earlier piece into the format and that is cool, however for The Trilogy box set I wanted it to be all new, and wow! I am so bloody pleased with the results!
Ok so my thinking was this. I wanted to showcase the three original movies, ‘A New Hope’, ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ and ‘The Return of The Jedi’ and whilst ensuring that each image was dramatic in its own right, I wanted them to flow from one to another and not to jolt as you looked from left to right. They had to work as one. I knew that the key factor to the success of this piece would be the choice of scene to depict. I know everyone has their own and you can’t please everyone, but I did so much research into what was deemed to be the most iconic moments from each and then if I could get them to work and to resonate, not just with my audience but with myself to remain authentic.
So, let’s start with ‘A New Hope’ – the scene that I have based my artwork on is so incredibly powerful and full of emotion. The colours are beautiful and draw parallels with my 2019 piece ‘Shifting Sands’. The isolated figure of Luke stood watching the horror that he came back to, that sense of helplessness is so strong. The detail that I then injected into the scene had to be subtle but play a part and acknowledge that this was the moment when he would ultimately choose his destiny and channel that hurt that would fuel his fire.
Second was ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ and wow, what a moment. In 2016 I created a unique piece entitled ‘Teach You I Will’ that depicted Yoda through smoked outlines. The background hinted at being the swamps of Dagobah, an environment that always fascinated me as a kid watching the movie. So, for me, this had to be the scene, when Luke is being trained and guided by Yoda and set on his path. That moment when the X-Wing was lifted out from the swamp was so damned good!
Finally, if you know my work then you know that I love to work within forest scenes and ‘The Return of The Jedi’ gave me a cracking opportunity to do just that. A much earlier piece ‘Battles Passed’ took you to the forests of Endor and was such a wonderfully subtle scene where key details were hidden and obscured. This time however, I wanted to go big and showcase the battle that raged amongst the beautiful fauna, such a contrast! One powerful detail that is so serene is the puddle that shows the reflection of a very special trio. I love how this has turned out.
I am so pleased with the result, not just how 3 VHS’s work alongside each other but with how the three images complement and contrast. Each is a very different movie, yet the overriding narrative is one of choosing your destiny, being set on the right path by those who inspire and guide you, even through spirit. It’s the importance of acknowledging the destructive force of the dark side despite its appeal when you are vulnerable and embracing the good around you and within. Oh, and being prepared to fight for everything that you deserve with everything that you have.
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- Released: 2024
- Collection: Decadence
- Edition Size: 1 of 1 Original
- Specification: Hand embellished heavyweight artist canvas, custom frame, hand signed by artist.
- Image Size: 46” x 24"
- Framed Size (Approx): 52” x 29"
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- Get in touch for overseas delivery
- Please allow approximately 14 days for delivery, should you need delivery sooner please let us know.