Location: Cumbria
Art Medium: Sculpture and Painting
Education:
Foundation Course, Chelsea School of Art
First Class BA Fine Art, University of Cumbria
Mark Gibbs is a talented sculptor and painter based in North Cumbria, whose work explores our connection to animals, landscapes and history. His work has been exhibited widely nationally and internationally, and we are delighted to have a selection of Mark’s forest paintings here in the gallery, followed by some of his intriguing sculpture works later in 2024.
Mark’s work is deeply rooted in a love of nature and animals, along with an interest in current themes of environmentalism and climate change. His paintings evoke beautiful northern landscapes of forests, trees and tundra, using complex colour harmonies and delicate detail. Mark has a strong connection to landscape, the home for his beloved animals, and site of so much of our shared history. He works mostly in acrylic and mixed media.
Mark’s sculpture work includes intricate horses woven from recycled wire, or modeled in clay. His birds are meticulously created feather by feather from newspaper articles, or even bank notes. Wolves, bison and deer are other common subjects, often intertwined with their landscape, and exploring their close relationship with humanity. Mark’s love and respect for wild creatures is evident in his pieces, “they are a meditation on the fragility of life, and these animals as our ancient companions.”
“ I bring materials to life, to create original, thought provoking and beautiful art.”
Mark’s work has featured in a number of renowned international exhibitions, including the 2018, 2020 and current New Lights Prize Exhibition tours. He has undertaken numerous commissions for both private and public clients, including a stunning collection of work inspired by the First World War for the ‘Art of Remembering’ at Rheged, Cumbria. He has been shortlisted for the David Shepard Wildlife Artist of the Year prize 5 times.
Mark is a prominent figure in the local arts community. He was elected as a member of the Lake Artist’s society in 2017 and contributes to local art education, by managing the arts program at the Carlisle Youth Zone.
Notable Recent Exhibitions:
2024
Ciclos Artly Mix Cultural Space, São Paulo, Brazil.
2023
New Light Prize Exhibition and Tour.
2022
Elected an Associate of the Royal Birmingham Association of Artists (ARBSA).
Members and Associates Exhibition RBSA Gallery.
Matisse and Contemporary Paper Artists Rheged Gallery Cumbria.
2020
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Prize Show - winner.
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Open.
Being with Trees. Gustavo Bacarisas Gallery, Casemates Square, Gibraltar.
New Light Prize Exhibition and Tour. Celebrating Art from the North of England. Four venues.
‘Form’ - Saul Hay Gallery, Manchester. Group Show
2019
West Walls Now wins Best Cultural Initiative in the 2019 Cumbria Living Awards. Upfront Gallery.
Technique - Saul Hay Gallery, Manchester. Group Show
Manchester Art Fair 2019. Saul Hay Gallery.
“My art explores our connection to animals, landscapes and history.”
Follow the link below to see further work represented by us:
Paintings: Mark Gibbs
www.markgibbs.co.uk Instagram:@markgibbsartist