An esteemed artist and skilled lifeboat skipper from Tyneside are set to embark on a journey following the footsteps of renowned figures in the modern art world.
Their destination? A highly sought-after residency at a prestigious hotel in London.
Mark Taylor, a 43-year-old resident of North Shields, triumphed over the global competition to secure a prized wild card position at The Royal Society of Marine Artists annual exhibition last summer. Impressed by his remarkable talent, the discerning decision-makers at the luxurious London Marriott Hotel Canary Wharf appointed him as their artist in residence.
With his captivating depictions of the River Tyne and the North Sea, this devoted father of three has amassed a dedicated following, including notable figures such as Sam Fender, Andy Taylor of Duran Duran, and esteemed writer Ian le Frenais OBE.
Now, Taylor has redirected his focus from the Tyne to the Thames, embarking on the creation of 13 captivating mixed-media paintings. These exceptional artworks will mark the commencement of his London residency on June 13th.
The varying-sized canvasses explore the commercial landscape of Canary Wharf through a multi-point perspective and the way in which the buildings are reflected in the ever-changing surface of the Thames.
Using a vibrant colour palette collaged with historic maps of the Isle of Dogs, the artworks capture the energy and dynamism of the present financial district while also paying homage to the river-based industries which fuelled the area in times gone by.
“Rivers and water are in my blood,”
“Through my work with RNLI I spend a vast amount of my time on the water and it features in virtually all my paintings,”
“And while London and Tynemouth are very different in a lot of ways, they have one key point of similarity – they each have a river. And those rivers are as central to the lives of the people that live there now as they were hundreds of years ago.”
Mark, a coxswain with Tynemouth RNLI Lifeboat crew.
As part of his residency at the hotel, Mark will also give painting demonstrations and he is hopeful that it will introduce his work to an international audience.
“I know that artist Lincoln Townley had a residency here and it absolutely catapulted his career to the next level,” said Mark, “so if my residency is half as successful, I’ll be a very happy man.”
“His artistic perspective combines traditional techniques with contemporary themes and materials, which mirror the decades of change from the industrial docks of the 1800s, to a modern urban landscape, while retaining much of its original character.”
He said: “The London Marriott Canary Wharf takes great pride in playing a small part of this history and Mark Taylor’s work resonates with the Hotel’s efforts to tell the remarkable story of the London Docklands and Canary Wharf, through the ages and into the future.”
A spokesman for The London Marriott Hotel Canary Wharf
Mark’s residency launches on 13 June and his work, which is priced on the application, can be viewed or purchased either at the hotel or via http://www.marktaylorthecollection.com/. He also works to commission.
