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BIOGRAPHY
An
Artists’ Belle Époque
FIN
DE SIECLE – THE NEW MILENNIUM
 istorians
and social commentators have suggested that the “end of a
century – fin de siecle” is a time when artistic exuberance
and creativity appear to be dynamic and prevalent; perhaps instrumental
in ushering in a new cultural age. In the early 1990’s, events
and intuition prompted Mark King to begin to withdraw from the hectic
pace of constant travel, shows, signings and appearances that had
become routine and to begin an artistic renewal, seeking the solitude
of his studio.
This
self-imposed sensory deprivation period would serve to clarify and
distill his creative focus. Signifying his quiet resolve, King accepted
commissions to paint portraits in oil in the classical manner for
a prominent collector; a project he would not have attempted a few
years earlier. Working on these paintings, King re-studied, again
in awe, the tones and techniques of the great masters, and a new
inspiration began to develop under the influence of the past.
Upon
the successful completion of the portraits, King would begin works
of an Homage to the Masters nature and later defined these evocative
paintings as Homes of the Masters™ Series, which becomes his
signature series. In the past, he had naturally been drawn to Monet’s
home, and had visited Giverny a few times while living in Paris.
Some with a unifying theme, but also with a unifying schedule. King
finds that he is most vital when he paints a few to several works
of a certain subject motif that captivates him, stimulating an enormous
flow of his creative energies. When this singular focus subsides,
he moves to another motif and theme and the process begins anew.
So it becomes that he limits the subject matter of the works he
creates to those for which he has an enduring interest and passion,
and formulates the various Series that at once nurture, sustain
and challenge him.
Perhaps
there are some things that are best committed to memory only, and
serving to bolster this aphorism are the memorable works in King’s
Memories of Paris™ Series. The artist remembers his years
in Paris clearly, often and always fondly and his souvenir paintings
bespeak his artistic immersion in the City of Light. His premiere
bronze limited edition, Vendeuse de Fleurs, reflects the appealing
and unforgettable esteem felt for a familiar and fondly recalled
Parisian vignette.
As King
develops works in these Series and themes, and, as is often the
case, other motifs evolve. During his intense work on the commissioned
oils, an affinity for portraiture is felt and noted. In a preparatory
work for the bronze, with a lovely stepdaughter as model, King creates
a sensitive portrait for the bronze figure. He sets the symmetry
of the caring pose and contemplative gaze of a serene flower tender
to one lushly perfect bloom and tender bud in deep amber and honey
tones bathed in an ethereal golden morning light. Quite taken with
the effects of this work, King creates additional paintings in this
emerging theme that form theof Kings’ Giverny paintings are
published as limited edition serigraphs in the 1980’s, but
that was a different time. Now his renewed passion and growing mastery
over his media combine as never before and the paints flow onto
the canvas in a seemingly effortless manner. His palette is sophisticated,
subtle and elegant, his touch is light, deft and sure; the paintings
are radiant; glorious testimonials to King’s innate and intrinsic
fidelity to Impressionism and his interpretive brilliance. King
is imbuing his works with the quintessential quality of Impressionism,
which is to create a mood and sensation of radiance and shimmer.
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King
expands the Homes of the Masters™ Series;
including works of the homes and studios of Cézanne and Renoir.
His lifelong concentration on aesthetic pursuits fosters the regard
and appreciation that lead him to create sub-categories in this
Series; one of which is Homes of Composers. Villa Verdi and Stillness
of Summers – Jules Massenet’s home are two of the initial
works painted reflecting this theme. King, as an ardent classical
music and opera devotee, explores these past Masters homes and richly
composes lyrical paintings that gracefully and boldly epitomize
his strengths in the portrayal of architectural and botanical subjects.
Using these same strengths and interests, King, who has the soul
of a gardener as well as of an artist, magnificently and sensitively
portrays Villas & Gardens through an unerring eye, creating
compelling works that are thoughtfully conceived and passionately
painted.
A pattern
emerges and becomes noticeably more clear; that the works of this
period are being created, not only with a unifying theme, but also
with a unifying schedule. King finds that he is most vital when
he paints a few to several works of a certain subject motif that
captivates him, stimulating an enormous flow of his creative energies.
When this singular focus subsides, he moves to another motif and
theme and the process begins anew. So it becomes that he limits
the subject matter of the works he creates to those for which he
has an enduring interest and passion, and formulates the various
Series that at once nurture, sustain and challenge him.
Perhaps
there are some things that are best committed to memory only, and
serving to bolster this aphorism are the memorable works in King’s
Memories of Paris™ Series. The artist remembers his years
in Paris clearly, often and always fondly and his souvenir paintings
bespeak his artistic immersion in the City of Light. His premiere
bronze limited edition, Vendeuse de Fleurs, reflects the appealing
and unforgettable esteem felt for a familiar and fondly recalled
Parisian vignette.
As King
develops works in these Series and themes, and, as is often the
case, other motifs evolve. During his intense work on the commissioned
oils, an affinity for portraiture is felt and noted. In a preparatory
work for the bronze, with a lovely stepdaughter as model, King creates
a sensitive portrait for the bronze figure. He sets the symmetry
of the caring pose and contemplative gaze of a serene flower tender
to one lushly perfect bloom and tender bud in deep amber and honey
tones bathed in an ethereal golden morning light. Quite taken with
the effects of this work, King creates additional paintings in this
emerging theme that form the beginnings of the Jeunesse d’Oré
Series™; which will present sensitive Impressionist portraits
and vignettes.
In retrospect,
King’s withdrawal of the very early 1990’s corroborated
the conclusions of La Belle Époque historians in that this
period, one hundred years later, yielded very dynamic results in
the œuvre and mindset of one artist’s creative odyssey.
The inaugural limited editions, are firsts in more than one way;
they are the first editions produced after a ten year hiatus; they
are the first serigraphs produced on canvas and their subject matter
has never before been published as editions. The artist chose, for
his first releases of the New Millenium, his own La Belle Époque
Suite; artistically positing that works from the past are created
for the years to come. A break with the past, while embracing the
past to create lasting impressions of timeless themes….it
was a sumptuous fast indeed.
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