As a young kid I remember days of asking my mother; "what can I make today, I want to create something."  From an early age I worked with my uncle who was a skilled craftsman where I picked up knowledge and many skills using tools, materials and their applications. I graduated from FMCC in 2013 and during my last semester there I began working with additive sculpture and it allowed me to create and build artwork in a way that was good for me. Over the last few years I have worked with Jon Swartwout at Fisher of the Berry Studio learning all about woodworking, traditional Adirondack furniture building and the harvesting and uses of natural materials. Organic elements and trees have always been an interest and choice material for me so learning these skills has allowed me to take my work in the right direction. My influences come from all over, ranging from non-western art history and culture, everyday life, music, the Adirondacks and the natural world. I have deep admiration for the aesthetics and conceptual ideas of the; arts and crafts, art nouveau, art deco and surrealism movements.      

Currently I build abstract contemporary rustic sculpture and with focus on lighting. My lamps are sculptural and made on a contemporary-rustic spectrum, so some are very "Adirondack rustic" while are others are more clean and contemporary. I incorporate various hardwoods and natural materials, stained glass panels and lampshade mica.

“Everything that I have done has led me to where I am, everything I’m doing will take me where I’m going.”

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See more of Mark's work by visiting him on FaceBook here: MarkWoodArts