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Back Room Gallery

ALASKA LANDSCAPES IN WATERCOLOR

By
Mark McDermott

July 6 – August 1, 2012

First Friday Opening on July 6 from 5 to 7 pm
“Meet the Artist” Reception on July 13 from 5 to 7:30 pm

Mark McDermott will present over 20 of his recent realistic landscapes from all over the state of Alaska. Rugged mountains and glaciers are one of his favorite subjects: “Landscapes are my first love, and rugged, sculpted mountains are my particular favorite. I am fascinated and intrigued by visualizing earth processes at work and how they create natural landforms and patterns.” Combined with the infinite variations of light and shadow, landscapes are a subject for a lifetime of work and study.

If you are interested in delving into this subject of painting landscapes, Mark will be teaching a workshop across the bay from August 17-19 titled: “Watercolor Landscape: Tips & Techniques”. They have space for more participants, so please check out the link for further information.

Mark has degrees in Geology and Geophysics and worked for twelve years in remote, mountainous areas of Alaska. This is the basis for his love of the northern landscape. It is not simply an aesthetic pursuit, it is an appreciation and fascination with the Earth's natural processes at work and on display. He views his understanding of geologic processes and their control of the landscape much as portrait painters view anatomy: it is the structural framework that leads to a fuller understanding of the surface form. Alaska is well suited to his interests and approach: it boasts some of the most stunning landscapes in North America and the relative lack of vegetative cover allows straightforward visualization of earth processes. “Communication of the aesthetic and geologic interpretations of the landscape allow me to express my enjoyment of these natural areas with others. I paint in a realistic style; it is what I enjoy and viewers often find this style approachable.” Hopefully the viewer will share Mark's sense of excitement and wonder of the natural world in general, and Alaska in particular.

ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Mark's Photo Mark grew up in New Jersey and migrated to Alaska in 1977 after completing his Master’s Degree in Geophysics at Stanford. He spent 10 years as a geophysicist in remote Alaska and then 25 years as an Information Technology Manager for Conoco Phillips in Anchorage.

Mark has been painting from his home studio since 1980. His favorite subjects are Alaskan landscapes and images captured from his travel and nature photography. He has taken awards in numerous juried shows, including the 2004 and 2005 Arts for the Parks 'Top 100'. He was the 2011 artist-in-residence for Rocky Mountain National Park, CO, and participates in Theme Media's Polar Arts Program artist-in-residence program.

Mark paints full time and travels extensively, visiting the countries of South Africa, Iceland, Bhutan, and China recently. His outdoor activities include plein air painting, photography, and hiking.

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