Mark E. Flowers
Artist’s Bio
Mark E. Flowers earned his BFA in Studio Arts from The University of South Carolina in 1977 and his MFA in Painting from Western Michigan University in1979. Following his academic career, he has exhibited his work throughout the United States and in Europe, and in the spring of 2010, exhibited his sixth one-person show with Hodges/Taylor Gallery in Charlotte, North Carolina. His relationship with that gallery now spans more then 29 years. Mark’s work can be found in 26 public collections and distinguished private collections worldwide. Throughout his career, Mark has competed in regional and national art competitions, often winning first prize. Recently he was named one of the 100 Art Alumni for the Centennial Celebration at Western Michigan University, where he received his MFA in painting.
His art teaching career parallels his art making. He has taught art at the Prep-school and postsecondary levels for more than 33 years. While he has been a teacher of art, he has also chaired two fine arts departments and one painting department. His most recent teaching accomplishment is the Allen Zearn Distinguished Teaching Award at Mercersburg Academy.
While pursuing dual careers, he has served as a town councilman, volunteer firefighter, Little League baseball coach and president of a community recreational board. Along with his artist/wife, Kristy Higby, they have raised two sons, Carson and Morgan, who are now off learning to be artists themselves. Examples of Mark and Kristy’s work can be found on their website at www.mountainteastudios.com.
Mark has spent his adult life pursuing his art, teaching what he knows, and serving his community well. He maintains a strong exhibition record and is now more committed to making art than ever before. In 2004, he and his wife purchased a hand-made log cabin just north of Asheville, NC in the community of Alexander. They have spent the last five years renovating the cabin and just recently built a 1650 sq. ft. studio on the property. They are now “commuting” between their teaching jobs in Pennsylvania and their new home. Soon they hope to be full time residents of the creative community of Western North Carolina.
Artist’s Statement
At the beginning of my career, my life, my stories and my paintings were simple in content: images of palm trees in my yard, river rocks from mountain streams, applied saturated Southern colors and simple compositions served as primitive memory keepers.
As my life evolves my work evolves. Now, I visually report my experiences as an artist, teacher, husband, and father. My paintings serve as journals where I think, reflect, and react. Currently, I am intrigued by the relationship of images and how they can read as a poetic narrative. When images as single thoughts are connected, they have more depth.
Years ago, work was simple in form, and now the panels are shaped, the content layered, and more complex as in my life.