Biography
Raised in central Wisconsin among the woods and bluffs, Mark was afforded ample opportunity to explore, observe and interact with wildlife, nurturing what has become a lifelong fascination with, and connection to animals. His favorite childhood memories involved animals of one kind or another. He was inspired by encounters with the fawn he bottle-fed at a wildlife rescue, the rabbits he raised, even the cougar cub he was allowed to hold. Even the books he read as a boy were those told by and about animals.
Mark was fortunate to have parents and an older brother who nurtured his talent and interest from the time he could first hold a pencil and brush. It wasn’t until he was completing my MFA in painting that he began a serious pursuit of sculpting which opened a whole new world. He found that he could bring depth to his subjects through sculpture that he missed when creating two-dimensional art.
In addition to creating art, Mark has a passion for teaching art. He finds excitement in fostering the talents of college art students and feels it’s one way he can help ensure that arts will continue for generations to come. Being an adjunct professor allows him to have the best of both worlds; by helping aspiring artists to master their craft, he has become stronger in his own.
Mark has participated in Sculpture in the Park in Loveland, CO, the Bronze Only Art Show at Broadmoor Galleries in Colorado Springs, CO, and most recently in the Mountain Oyster Club Art Show. His work has been commissioned for the K9 War Memorial, Fort Atkinson, WI, U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC, Historic Monroe Building, Chicago, IL, Dixon Historical Society, Dixon, IL, St. Joseph School, Fort Atkinson, WI.