From acclaimed-authors to WWE wrestlers, Mark Hoffmann illustrates a few of the world’s greatest. Always charming, Mark's folksy style shines a light on each with wit and whimsy. Painterly strokes and subtle textures add depth to these disarmingly unconventional portraits. Thoughtful details and expressions highlight the personality and quirks of these famous folks. At his best when playful, it’s clear that Mark enjoys painting people.
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Talya Baldwin illustrates Not the End of the World
Illustrator Talya Baldwin takes us to St. Kilda, Scotland in her recent book, Not the End of the World. Ethereal landscapes and evocative portraits paint a picture of the history, environment and wildlife in a place often referred to as ‘the end of the world’. Signature to her style, Talya’s stunning watercolour technique combined with her unpretentious writing reveals an important story of the land and the uniqueness of a community that once was.
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Phil illustrates 'Maddy Moose' for Bell Box Murals Project
Inspired by the great outdoors, illustrator Phil put paint to action in a collaboration with Bell Box Murals Project, a Community Matters initiative. Tasked with brightening up the corner of Tyrell Ave. and Turner Rd., Phil, in hopes of bringing a more natural element to the city, decided that a large graphic moose would do the trick. The textured layers of paint and distressed finish are signature to Phil’s style, making it feel like ‘Maddy Moose’ has always been part of the neighbourhood.
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Talya Baldwin illustrates St. Kilda
Illustrator Talya Baldwin’s recent trip to St. Kilda proved to be an inspiring one and she took to her sketchbook to record the awe-inspiring details. Each brush stroke tells a story; from the island’s natural history to its unique community, sharing the ecological history of the land. Almost surreal, Talya’s watercolour paints a magical picture, bringing a sense of hope and beauty to this remote island which seems as though it has stood still in time.
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TM - the Non-Violence Project Foundation and www.nonviolence.com
Illustrator Greg Stevenson finds inspiration in NYC
If you are looking for inspiration than New York City is the place to go and illustrator Greg Stevenson knows just that! The art world has a long history of one medium offering inspiration to another and this series is a great example of that.
Read MoreMark Hoffmann's Mural at the Montserrat Gallery
The exhibition SEVEN: A Peformative Drawing Project at the Montserrat Gallery was a perfect opportunity for illustrator Mark Hoffmann to spread his creative wings even further. Mark, along with six other artists, put their creative process on display by executing a large mural on one of the gallery's walls in an open studio environment. The mural itself was meant to be the "residue of an artistic performance." We found both the process and the final product pretty spectacular.
Mark Hoffmann's 'Men of Mountains' Mural
Close up of Mark Hoffmann's lettering
We chatted with Mark Hoffmann after the show...
i2i Art: How were you approached with this project?
Mark: Leonie Bradbury (the gallery director at Montserrat College of Art, where I teach) contacted me in the fall to see if I had any interest. They usually try to get one faculty member involved and thought I would be a good fit with the other artists.
i2i Art: Was this your first mural?
Mark: Yes, and it was quite overwhelming.
i2i Art: Tell us about the piece. What was your inspiration?
Mark: I really wanted to paint a giant horse and started to research. Somehow I ended up reading about the early exploration of what would later become the first national park of the U.S., Yellowstone. In my research I found the story of the Cook, Folsom, Peterson expedition to explore and survey the land. I thought this might make a fun image with them, a horse, and geysers. I also had a previous color palette worked out that I wanted to apply to the piece.
i2i Art: What was it like working on that scale?
Mark: Difficult. It's hard to get a sense of the scale until it is right in front of you. I found that I had to stand back and look at it a lot, otherwise I wouldn't take the scale into full consideration.
i2i Art: The gallery was open while you were working on the piece, tell us about the atmosphere.
Mark: As I was working, quite a few folks stopped in to look, but very few chatted with me. They later told me they were afraid to interrupt. I must look deep in thought when I paint. It was nice to have the freedom to paint and explore at that scale and really knock people over with an image.
i2i Art: Do you have any tips, tricks or lessons learned you want to share?
Mark: I realized that some of the techniques I planned to use are hard on that scale and surface. Use a paint with primer in it (I used house paints) so you don't have to apply it twice to get good coverage. Bring plenty of Aleve and Tylenol, the work can be a little back breaking.
Hyperlapse: Watch Mark Hoffmann's mural come to life
http://youtu.be/RNxRIeZmY-Y
On view through March 28, 2015 at the Montserrat Gallery.
Mark Hoffmann offers a playfulness to his americana, folk art style. View Mark's entire portfolio.
©Mark Hoffmann_MH411_i2iArt
Mark Hoffmann: Re-Styles the Bouffant
This sample puts me in mind of summer weddings and bridesmaids. It's all about the 'Do'! With all the usual softness and subtlety in his patterning and palette Mark Hoffmann shares one of his usual delightfully fun observations. To see more of Mark's witty art check out his updated portfolio here.