OCTOBER
1
Sunday
Subscribe to our RSS feed!
Our Weblog
Post New | Our Blog:   
Search:   
Search only includes current and past blogs.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 200617 years ago
Edit entry
Red Glow

There is something to said for a straight brush drawing. I've tried with this composition to increase the width of view by exagerating perspective lines. I think it makes it a little bit more dynamic, just a directness and simplicity and power of a simple drawing.

This was done directly onto the wood surface without any preliminary pencil drawings.

I hung it in my studio last week and it makes the whole studio glow.

Nothing like a hot red glow to warm spirits on a cold winter day.

Mark

Outside Web Link:  Click here to follow the external link
Weblog Category:  Artwork

permalink | email to friend

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 24, 200617 years ago
Edit entry
Christmas Tidings

The angel Gabriel said unto Mary, "Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bare a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

Then said Mary unto the angel, "How can this be, seeing I know not a man?"

And the angel answered and said unto her "...with God, nothing shall be impossible."

And Mary said, "Behold the handmaiden of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word."

And the angel departed from her.

~~~~~

And so it was, that, while they were in Bethlehem to be counted, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and layed him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

~~~~~~

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone all about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, "Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign to you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."

~~~~~~ Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name  which is above every name: that at the name of JESUS every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in  earth and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, to the glory of God the Father. 

                              ~~Portions of Luke 1 & 2 & Philippians 2:3-11

"Thine be the Glory, Risen, Conquering Son. Endless is the victory; thou o'er death has won!"

Oh, come let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

Merry Christmas!

The Mulfingers

Outside Web Link:  Click here to follow the external link
Weblog Category:  General

permalink | email to friend

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 200617 years ago
Edit entry
Website How-To

I want to celebrate the true advent of my website! Until now it has been just a skeleton of information. My friend Steven Lee at Animotion Studios has done a superb job of creating a site to house my work.

My wife, Leah and Steven have spent countless hours assembling all of the information here. After seven years and over 2,000 pieces later, all the current work is here!!  

We recently completed a full inventory of all current work in my possession. You will find information about the medium, dimensions, complete edition numbers for my hand-pulled linocuts, etchings, and lithographs, along with how many are remaining in each edition. The dimensions, how many are remaining and the impact of a piece are a few factors in pricing the work. My longevity as a full-time artist and my resume play into that as well. Pricing adjustments have been set. And we thank you for your patience as we did all this.

You will notice on the front page of our  "Web Store" (storefront) a place to "search" my work. This gives you the ability to keyword search any piece on the site by using the added keywords such as interior, landscape, architecture, still life, figure, cityscape, floral, farmland, or ALL (to see every piece), etc., next to the description of each piece. You can also use a  word from the title or any word I use to describe the work to search a piece.

I hope you are uplifted by just being here. My art is meant to turn your eyes toward the all pervading essence of creation. Every good and perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of light. I'm just reflecting a little bit of that light. I hope you will join me to bask in it's glow.

Mark

Weblog Category:  Website

permalink | email to friend

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 200617 years ago
Edit entry
New Piece.

I think this piece will be resonant with my emphasis on Greenville. Of course, this is not West Greenville.

I was perched by the fountain in front of the Hyatt in downtown Greenville when I painted this earlier this Spring. No, Greenville does not have it's own "rainbow row." I doctored up the color a bit.

Outside Web Link:  Click here to follow the external link
Weblog Category:  Artwork

permalink | email to friend

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 200617 years ago
Edit entry
Greenville Skyline From the West

I'm calling attention to this view of Greenville because I'm preparing to do a new linocut of the Greenville Skyline. My last was done before the Carolina First building was built which is an excellent addition.

To anyone who has visitied our city over the past ten years will have to concur that it has only gotten better--radically better. A friend of mine and I used to drive to a place in Greenville that we called "The Hole." Now it's the epicenter of one of the best parks in the Southeast including the Coach Factory and an Amphitheater behind the Peace Center for the performing arts which is the center of a burdgeoning art revival in the West End of Greenville. 

 

Outside Web Link:  Click here to follow the external link
Weblog Category:  Artwork

permalink | email to friend

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 200617 years ago
Edit entry
Christmas Past

Poinsettia--featured work today.

This is a relic from Christmas past (over ten years ago). There is only one remaining in this edition. Perhaps the day of these ornate borders is over. I used gold ink and one could say the whole effect is overdone, but if one doesn't over-do Christmas a little he doesn't have the full spirit of the season--in my small thinking, at least.

I hope you're not having a black & blue Monday from all your injuries accrued while scrambling for your iPods and what-have-yous. I think internet shopping is far superior and safer for the 21st century--the domain of the "enlightened ones."  Let's leave conventional shopping to the ruffians.

A vision of poinsettias can still the savage heart of any wild beast. Would that they had consulted my site before they made that rash decision of camping outside Best Buy in the bitter cold for 36 hours whilst the canker...

OK, OK. We beat that dead, wild horse long enough!

Have a "seeing red & green" brawl-free-Christmas-shopping-Monday-on-the- internet day!!!!! 

Mark

Outside Web Link:  Click here to follow the external link
Weblog Category:  Artwork

permalink | email to friend

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 200617 years ago
Edit entry
Shop Girl

Lauren Hutton and her friends stumbled upon an artist playing her banjo in her own art gallery in Brevard, NC.  Intrigued they went inside. Lauren was so taken with the idea of an artist playing a banjo in her shop that she snapped a picture with her camera phone to send to her good friend Steve Martin "who loves to play the banjo!"

The banjo playing artist is none other than fellow artist Drew Deane! She related this story when we went to visit her recently. Lauren's friends mentioned they were collectors of my work causing Lauren (a Charlestonian) to take note of my Charleston Rooftop series which was displayed in the gallery at the time.

Rumor has it that two weeks later Steve Martin (The Pink Panther himself!) was sited in Brevard eating lunch and depositing nose grease all over Drew Deane's gallery windows trying desparately to see my work!!!

Just kidding.

No doubt he was just trying to catch a glimpse of the "shop girl" & her banjo. But, alas, she was out that day and missed her once in a lifetime opportunity to meet her favorite author. 

Now she sits and quietly plays her banjo hoping he will come again.

 

Weblog Category:  Travel

permalink | email to friend

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 200617 years ago
Edit entry
Going for Baroque!

Yesterday, while concert goers ate their lunch in the Barrett Room at the Headquarters Library of Spartanburg, SC., Mark "performed" alongside the Carolina Chamber Ensemble as they played an educational mini-concert.

CCE played works by Italian, French and German Baroque composers and gave biographical information including the artists' financial circumstances (who was broke and who wasn't). They also described the Baroque style of music while Mark silently demonstrated with strong, spinning lines and with ornamental highlights here and there in his piece.          

To see a visual artist working live along with another art genre in a cafe` setting was enjoyable and relaxing as well as entertaining and educational.

We were so honored to take part in it. We hope more opportunies like this will arise. We love the energy of "live" work. Peoples' reactions to the work is what makes the pieces come alive.

I'm posting some pictures of the performance so you can have a sneak peek.

I hope your day is phenomenal!

Leah

Art Alive

Painting Live

permalink | email to friend

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 200617 years ago
Edit entry
Winter as it Should Be

I take regular pilgramages to New York. Some of them conspire to restore my faith in winter. To live in Greenville, SC, is to experience yearly disappointment if you desire real snow.

This picture was taken in Central Park as I walked with a friend on his way to perform at a church nearby. The blues cool my spirit quickly everytime I snatch a peek at it in this land of heat, humidity and flurries of winter disappointment.

Have a day like no other...because it's a new one.

Mark

Quote of the Day: "Tolerance is the crowning virtue of a man with no convictions."

                                                                     ~~ G. K. Chesterton

Outside Web Link:  Click here to follow the external link
Weblog Category:  Artwork

permalink | email to friend

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 200617 years ago
Edit entry
New Discovery

I discovered another print that should have been posted already, but was overlooked!

This particular print is a different color version of  Ansonborough Rooftops--a black and white version. However, unlike some of the other "alternative" color versions I've done--eg., blue or brown versions layered on monochromatically alongside the regular reduction printing method, with this piece I waited until I had cut away every place in the linoluem and printed an "outline" print of  what was left of the plate.  The "black" of this piece corresponds with the second to last and the last darkest color I printed in the the color version.

This is a fortuitous print because I was able to get several shades of gray resulting from the fine cutting that was required for the optical mixing of color in the color version. Usually by the time I print the last layer of color the surface area of the plate is so depleted there is just a fine tracery of contour lines leaving no really attractive image.

I wish I had printed more. I have only one print of this version because once the final cutting occured the plate was useless for producing the same image. This is why my method radically limits the edition numbers and makes my linocuts rare.

Not "limited" nor "scarce," but RARE.

As I post the pictures for the linocutting demonstration you will see exactly what I mean. I've posted the very first step and will continue to post every step of the processs as I'm actually working on the print.

I hope you have a great Fall Friday!

Mark

Outside Web Link:  Click here to follow the external link
Weblog Category:  Linocuts

permalink | email to friend

   PG 1 | Page 5 ·  53 entries · Jump:  1 2 3 4 [5] 6

    Quick Site Links  

•  Home Page
•  Our Weblog
 
•  Upcoming Events
•  Artist Biography
•  Our Guestbook
 
•  Sites of Interest
•  Contact Information
•  Photo Albums
•  Our Web Store
 
©2005 Animotion Studios
All rights reserved.
POWERED BY
STUDIO SITE 1.7