Mark Stephenson

Artist Statement

The natural beauty of the Desert Southwest and the iconic specimens and artifacts I find here inform and inspire my current photographic work.

I personally perform all the creative aspects involved in my work, which include: photographing my subjects on high resolution color transparency film with large, medium and 35mm format cameras; digitizing the film on a high end drum scanner; editing the image files; printing the images large (up to 58 x 120 + inches) on canvas, often over metallic acrylic under-paint with state of the art, 7 and 8-color, wide format pigmented (for archival longevity) ink jet printers; applying multiple coats of high quality artist varnish or clear acrylic polymers to which I add small amounts of iridescent metallic pigment for depth and sparkle; museum wrapping the canvas around custom made stretcher bars; and framing the finished art in floater frames I make myself.

The materials and processes I use produce an image of great archival stability; images will not fade or shift in color noticeable to the human eye for 100+ years* under normal indoor lighting conditions.

I do all this work personally, without the use of any apprentices or assistants.

* Color fastness estimate based on rigorous scientific lab testing by Wilhelm Imaging Research

Biography

As a youngster I was drawn to writing, even in elementary school. I earned a BA in English with an emphasis on poetry and modern American literature at Colorado College, a terrific small liberal arts college nestled at the foot of Pikes Peak in the Rocky Mountains.

While working on a MA in film at the University of Texas, in Austin, I developed a passion for still photography, shifted gears and enrolled at Brooks Institute of Photographic Arts and Sciences, the rigorous technical school in Santa Barbara, California, where I earned a second BA (Commercial Photography) in 1984.

I’ve worked as a professional photographer ever since. In 2003 I surrendered to my passion and became a full time fine artist, creating photographic artwork I show and sell at the best fine art festivals and in select galleries nation wide, collaborate with several art consultancy firms on corporate, public and institutional art projects and by leading photography and digital printmaking workshops out of my studio.

In 1994 I moved from downtown Los Angeles’ artist district to the small rural community of Sky Valley, California (not far from Palm Springs). My home and studio sit on six acres of pristine desert with lots of wildlife (quail, dove, coyote, fox, hawk, owl, snake, squirrel) and stunning views of San Gorgonio and San Jacinto, the first and second tallest peaks in southern California.

Mark Stephenson Gallery