Canvas: Mark George

By Paulette Perhach

His subjects are the slick-haired gentleman, the perky-nosed blond, the drama between them that the prim and proper culture of the early ‘60s hid behind suits and beehives. With no visible brushstrokes, Jacksonville native Mark George, 37, portrays the drama of his subjects on pieces of torn, polyvinyl chloride panels, giving them the feeling of pieces from a collapsed façade.

Drift: How did you get into art, and how did you discover your style?

Mark: Art as a whole is perspective. It’s how you view
the world around you. I’ve always been into illustrative art since I was old enough to look at 1960s era comics and cartoons. I quickly saw the noticeable difference in the style of illustration of that era. That was my big discovery at a young age. And from that point on reflected on the coolness of every thing mid century: Fashion, art, architecture, industrial design.

Optimistic, yet styled to perfection.

In my opinion that time developed a pinnacle in sleekness.

Drift: Why do you think you chose it/it chose you?

Mark: There is no other option. The modern minimalism that the mid-‘60s brought on made every thing else obsolete. The interest is obvious. The clean line work of the era reflects the beauty in design. Everything that happened prior to that time was built to make that happen. Japanese anime was greatly influenced from this time period. As a child, cartoons like Speed Racer and Johnny Quest really stood out. This perfection made a great impression on me.

Drift: Where can people see more of your pieces?

Mark: Putting this work in public places has been important to me as well in keeping with the pop mindset. For those not even interested in art. On display as a contribution. Beauty in our environment.

Drift: What are your biggest challenges as an artist?

Mark: Marketing. It can be a lot different from the creative side of painting. At the same time as equally important. Making this departure into the realm of exposure from the more reclusive world of painting has been a challenging and rewarding task. Promotion and the pop genre in which the work reflects greatly complement each other. It is truly a statement in itself.