We are thrilled to announce artist Mark Wilson's first exhibition with Art-Work Studios in nearly a decade.
‘Chasing Light’ marks Wilson's first solo exhibition in nearly a decade. Art-Work is thrilled to be presenting his new body of works, inspired by Wilson's travels around the world, his admiration for the Hudson River School and the Impressionist techniques of the French Masters. He has spent years chasing light and capturing its effects on the natural environment in his paintings. His latest works offer a unique perspective on the relationship between light, nature, and human perception.
What sets these new works apart is Wilson's unique approach to framing his works. Each frame has been molded and cast by hand, adapted from an 1800s original frame made in Paris. The frames are exquisite and are a testament to Wilson's attention to detail and craftsmanship.
"Chasing Light" features an expansive collection of paintings, each showcasing Wilson's exceptional skill and mastery of Impressionist techniques. In a celebration of light and its effects on the environment, the works offer a unique blend of realism and abstraction, capturing the beauty and essence of the natural world in a way that is both familiar and intriguing.
Art-Work Studios is excited to host Wilson and his new body of works, and invites you to visit and experience the wonder of Mark Wilson's "Chasing Light" collection. Works will be available for purchase.
Chasing Light is presented by Art-Work Agency and proudly supported by Gage Roads Brew Co, Lansdowne Wine and Altina Drinks.
Mark, we're so excited to show your work at Art-Work Gallery – congratulations on deciding to make each of these works and for sharing them with the world. For those who aren't familiar with your work, can you share more about who you are and why it is that you paint?
I was born in New Zealand but moved a lot when I was growing up in between New Zealand and Australia. My mum must have seen some sort of artistic ability in me when I was young, and would aways encourage me to draw and paint. She instilled in me from a young age that I was an artist and honestly without her encouragement and support I doubt I would have pursued art at all. So when I left school in 1994 I went straight to art school and have been an artist ever since.
With the ocean at the centre of your work and your life, what does it mean to capture and respond to something that is simultaneously consistent and in a state of flux?
I think the ever-changing mood of the Ocean is a fascinating subject for an artist. And I think impressionism is such a nice style to use when trying to capture the changing light and those transient moments of beauty.
The changing light forces you to work quickly, laying down rapid brush strokes onto your painting, Which give a painting a different feel to something done in the studio where you have more time to finesse your brushwork,
Do you normally paint plein air or in the studio?
I paint both, but probably more in the studio as plein air has a lot of challenges that I find quite annoying. But to get around this I have made a setup that allows me to just sit in the comfort and privacy of my car and do a little study from there. I find it actually really enjoyable, and always learn a lot in the process.
How has your relationship to the sea changed over time?
For me, the ocean has always been my happy place, where I can immerse myself in nature and just get that feeling of freedom from the hustle and bustle of the world. I’ve grown to appreciate it more over time as I’ve increased in knowledge and understanding of its very existence. For example, the fact that the Ocean is in a liquid state is nothing short of a miracle and no marine life would be possible unless that was the case.
The reason that it is liquid, is that the Earth is the perfect distance from the sun, If the earth was closer to the sun the oceans would boil and turn to steam and we would lose the ocean into the universe, but if the earth was further away from the sun, the oceans would just freeze up. And there are many other things that to me, point to the fact that this earth is not just an accident but has been designed to be a place where life can exist and thrive.
Beyond the ocean; who, what or where inspires you? In art-making or life more broadly.
My Christian faith is the thing that gives me hope and peace for the future, and honestly, the only thing that stops me from falling into a state of complete despair. My friends and family are always really supportive, especially my friend Tim who kindly allowed me to build a small art studio on his property near the beach which works really well for me, and has given me a small place where I can’t make my creative ideas possible. Obviously, Nature in all its forms is inspiring; trees, skies animals and people, and the whole universe. Especially when I see it as a gift bestowed upon us by a gracious, intelligent, and kind God. I tend to appreciate it much more.
We understand that an exhibition rarely means something is finished or resolved for good – where do you think the threads of this body of work lead you next? Is there something you've been dreaming about for the future?
I see art as a lifetime journey of improvement and development, always aiming to mix my colours closer to reality and improve the overall design and composition of each painting. With my plein air works I really want to focus on more immediacy and work on my ability to capture a scene with the least amount of unnecessary paint strokes, working with thicker light colours and keeping my darks thin and slightly transparent. With my studio pieces, I want to do more refined detailed painting, along the lines of artists like Eugene Von Guerard and the Hudson River school.
Why do you love living and making art on the Gold Coast? We're quite passionate about how special this place is – what is the one thing you'd like those who've never really experienced it to know?
I love the climate here we have a lot of sunny days and the light is amazing, the beach also has beautiful white sand and is like a giant park that everyone can enjoy. The Gold Coast city council also does such a great job of maintaining all the parks and beaches and it really just makes for a great place to live.
Please tell us what you're listening to or reading right now?
Honestly, I’m just reading the bible. I read it every day. I’m kind of addicted.
And finally, can you share a little about what led you to Art-Work Studios?
Really just my friendship with Claudio. He has seen my work developing and invited me to have a show focusing on plein air impressionism with white frames. We both agreed that that would be amazing if I could capture the Gold Coast beaches in oil paint. He’s been a great friend over the years and is always super positive, creative and fun; constantly encouraging all his friends to stay creative, and he loves the GC.
