ARTIST BIO

Mark Wall is an encaustic painter based on the remote island of Decatur in the Salish Sea of Washington State and Yuma, Arizona nestled in the Sonoran Desert.

Mark attended Parson’s School of Design and Cornish College of the Arts that led to a profession of corporate visual design. After 20 years in this field, Mark is now focused on his personal creative work, working with encaustic in recent years.

His inspiration comes from experiences and perspectives; growing up in the Pacific Northwest, traveling along the Pacific Coastlines to Mexico on a sailboat, homesteading on a small remote island surrounded by the Salish Sea, and in the recent few years, setting new roots in the desert of Arizona - all of these places inform and inspire his work.

His work depicts the varied landscapes and seascapes that surround him along with the ones engrained in his mind. He explores the simplicity and complexity of the surrounding environment in abstract paintings through color, texture, transparency and pattern that evoke a grounded sense of time and place.

His most recent collection created for Scott Milo Gallery, explores the water environment that not only surrounds him, but also grounds him and is part of his DNA. The ebb and flow, the transparency and opacity, the depth and surface, the parts that make the whole. Lost and rooted in the sea.

Mark is a member of the International Encaustic Artists Organization, Mountain Shadow Artists Association, and the North End Artists Co-Op. His work is included in private collections throughout the US, Canada, and Europe.

ARTIST STATEMENT

With molten wax and a fiery torch, I create abstract encaustic paintings inspired by the natural world around me; how I see it and how I experience it. Through the relationships of opacity and transparency, of the smooth and textured, of clarity and the blurred, spontaneity and chance- my work is the exploration of the complexity beyond the surface.

Through observation and examination, I discover and construct insights of time, place and of self.

“HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS” : SHORT VIDEO

Learn more about me and my work. I was honored when the Schack Art Center invited me to contribute to their series, “Home is Where the Art is; a small film series that gives you a peek inside the home studios and work of some of your favorite local artists.” 

WHAT IS ENCAUSTIC?

Encaustic medium is a combination of beeswax and damar resin (tree sap). The resin is added to raise the melting temperature of the wax and to give it hardness. This makes it more durable and able to take a higher polish. The word encaustic means to burn in, which refers to the process of fusing. 

Encaustic painting has a long history, dating back to 4th Century BC, where Greek shipbuilders combined beeswax and damar resin to waterproof the ship’s hull which evolved later into adding pigments to decorate ships, ceramic, architecture and paintings on panel. Painted in the 1st and 2nd centuries A.D. by Greek painters in Egypt, some of the oldest paintings that exist are Egyptian Funeral Paintings, painted either in the prime of life or after death, these works were placed over the person's mummy as a memorial.

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR PAINTING

Encaustic is a very durable medium, but just as any piece of fine art, it also needs careful treatment.  Use care when hanging, transporting or storing.

  • Hang and store at normal room temperatures. Avoid extremely hot temperatures; the wax may soften at 120°F and will melt at 158°-166°F.

  • Also avoid extreme cold conditions, as this could cause the medium to crack.

  • Keep artwork out of prolonged direct sunlight; exposure to direct sunlight for a period of time can soften the paintings surface and potentially lead to damage.

  • Do not install near fireplaces, wood stoves or other areas where radiant heat may affect the painting.

  • Beeswax Encaustic is extremely archival, but take care not to scratch the surface and be sure to be careful not to damage the edges or corners.

  • When packing encaustic art for transport, cover the face of the painting with household wax paper. Do not use bubble wrap directly on the front of the painting as it may leave an imprint on the surface. Once the face is protected, wrap entire painting in bubble wrap to protect surface and edges. Ensure the flat side down of bubble wrap is against the painting with bubbles on the exterior.

  • Encaustic does not need to be protected by glass. If you would like to frame your piece of art, a floater frame is an attractive option.

  • Curing: during the first 6-12 months, as the wax cures, an encaustic painting may develop “bloom”. Bloom is a naturally occurring hazy white residue. It may also occur if a painting is exposed to cold. Bloom can easily be removed by softly buffing the surface of the painting with a very soft lint free cloth. This will add a gloss finish to the painting as well.

  • The finish on most of my work is mixed with areas of gloss, satin and flat finishes, so don’t rub on an area too much if you don’t see a gloss.

  • Cleaning: Once an encaustic painting has fully cured and hardened, it will shed dust and dirt more readily. Encaustic paintings can easily be cleaned by gently wiping the surface with a soft, lint-free cloth. This will also bring the shine back to your painting- much like a car when waxed.

Please contact me if you have any questions.

COMMISSIONS

I am frequently asked if I do commissions- the short answer is yes!

My work is naturally fluid in nature being molten wax and using a fiery torch to paint. Though I start out with a strong intention, my paintings evolve and become their own during the creative process. Because of the nature of the medium and my creative process, I do not accept commissions when the request is to replicate a specific painting that has sold or if the client is wanting a very specific scene.

I do commissions based on the customers size, color palette and artistic expression found in my work. Most commission clients have one or two specific paintings they connect with and are inspired by that we use as a base line. Through thorough communication, I ensure to have a clear understanding of these requests and capturing the essence of the referenced work.

If you are interested in a commissioned piece of art, please email at markwallcreative@gmail.com for us to begin chatting about your custom piece of art.