Mark’s primary field is visual arts where he cites such disparate influences as early Kandinsky, Rothko, Redon, Munch, conceptual art and primary Chinese and Japanese landscape painting. He was recognized early on for his precocious artistic ability, and would constantly draw, often during school classes and in lieu of doing his homework!
With one of his paintings
In grade school, he won an art contest by rendering a greyhound in colored paper mosaic. He also wrote and illustrated a children’s book, and later wrote and illustrated his own comic books. In high school, he took a summer course in painting at the Cleveland Institute of Art, and went on to major in art at college, focusing on painting, drawing, and art history beginning at the University of Miami, and later earning a B.F.A. at Kent State University where he took honors in a show juried by noted critic, author and editor of “Arts Magazine,” Gregory Battcock. He followed that with a show of conceptual art, and a one-man show at Van Deusan Gallery in Kent. In the late 70’s, after several shows in New York City, he was given a professorship at the Cooper School of Art in Cleveland, lecturing and teaching drawing. He also wrote scholarly articles and essays on art, and was published in “Art in America.”
Chugging wine at his painting exhibition, SoHo, NYC, 1978Mr. Jones has worked in a variety of painting media including oil, acrylic, latex, watercolor, ink, mixed media, as well as sculpture, photography, and conceptual art. In addition, he has worked in interdisciplinary settings with dance companies and performed music with his paintings. At the Axis in Soho Gallery, his diptych painting served as a backdrop for such musical artists as Sun Ra, Paul Bley and Paul McCandless. After a three year involvement in the mid-70’s doing design work for a new restaurant/nightclub project, including logos, costume design, interior design, and murals, including a whole building exterior mural, he moved to New York to further his artistic career. It was in New York where he also added photography to his repertoire of visual art pursuits where he worked extensively not only in the States but also in Southeast Asia and South America. Although Mr. Jones is a multidisciplinary artist working in poetry, music and as a writer, his creative visions all stem from the spirit of his approach to painting, drawing and photography.
Select Exhibitions
One Man Show — South Houston Gallery, SoHo, NYC
Group Show — Virginia Barrett Gallery, Chappaqua, NY
Group Show — South Houston Gallery, SoHo, NYC
One Man Show (Collaboration with the Constantina Petkova Dance Theater Group, Paintings) — Rawspace Gallery, SoHo, NYC
Group Show — M. Elson Gallery / Axis in Soho, SoHo, NYC
Group Show — "Non-Objective Paintings" juried by Holland Cotter, Alnico Gallery, SoHo, NYC
Group Show — The Cooper School of Art Faculty Show, Cleveland, OH
Group Show — National Art Center, SoHo, NYC
One Man Show — "Graphic Conceptual Documentation: A Multimedia Retrospective Exhibit and Collection of Subjectively Existential Process Art 1972–1980 Documented in Xerox." W.I.P. (Works in Progress) Gallery, Dowling College, Oakdale, NY
One Man Show — "Inner Odyssey," Spaces Gallery, Cleveland, OH
Group Show — Inuit Gallery, Cleveland Hts., OH
Group Show — New World Art Center, SoHo, NYC
Various Private Commissions and Works in Private Collections
Design / Graphic Work
Heaven, Inc — interior and exterior murals, interior design, advertising logos, artwork, copy, and costume design of staff as angels and devils.
PlayLofts, Inc — brochures, catalogues, swingset and large commercial playground designs, logos, print advertising, copy, photography.
