Artist Spotlight Mark Noble

Independent Artists Showcase – Autumn 2019

Artist Spotlight - Autumn 2019 - Mark Noble

Every week I write a brand new article for members of our four wonderful art groups on Facebook, The Artists Exchange, The Artist Hangout, The Artists Directory, and the Artists Lounge. This week we look at yet another fantastic independent visual artist who has been producing exceptional work for two-decades despite having to overcome so many personal challenges, and you can find out how to be featured in future artist showcase features too!

Independent Artists...

Regular readers and followers of my page on Facebook will know that I have huge respect for the work of independent visual artists. Despite being a professional independent artist myself,  there was a time in the past when my own art collection was replicative of many gallery walls up and down the country. I collected what the mega-galleries suggested when what I really wanted was a collection of works full of passion that hadn't been sold to because they were on-trend. I needed my art collection to be more unique.

Whilst galleries or at least the good galleries can be life-changing  for some artists, they’re not for every artist and many of the best works I have come across over the past couple of decades haven’t come out of the doorways of galleries, but directly from the easels of independent visual artists who, just like me, create because they are hungry to produce art for the reasons of art rather than producing for art's sake.

So, for the past few decades, my interest in independent artists has grown into an almost obsession. You can feel the passion in their work, you know they are creating work because they are hungry to create it, and the result is that the work they produce appeals way more to me than some on-trend piece decided by a mega-gallery. Ever since I have not only been a collector solely of independent art, but I have done whatever I can to support independent artists such as creating this website to offer insights into my own experience of this often challenging world of art that we all love so much.

For the past few years I have been writing regular articles showcasing the work of independent visual artists, artists who create work that should be hung on the walls of galleries somewhere, art that should be celebrated, and art that is way more unique and visually appealing than some of the work that is created to meet some financial target or trending need. That might sound like I have a complete downer on galleries, I don’t. But I do have a downer on the mega-galleries that seem to take away the soul of an artist to meet some monetary goal. There are exceptionally good galleries still out there, but they are sadly becoming fewer.

Independent and local artists put money into local communities by attending local art shows that attract people from far and wide, and who then spend money at local businesses while they are visiting. Artists are often amongst the first to cast light on local issues and can very often be found as the cheerleaders of important causes. Art brings communities together, it can heal, and I have now lost count of the number of times where formal research has come to the conclusion that the arts really do matter in society. Yet in some sectors, and particularly around arts education,  this is an important area that remains woefully under-funded and often largely unrecognised for the good that the arts can bring to local populations.  

The only question I now have is why is it that more people haven’t yet found the joy of supporting independent artists and who instead spend on-trend or buy mass produced prints that are the exact same prints that hang on hundreds if not thousands of other walls?

The moment artwork is sold at a discount in one of the heavily discounted box stores where the artists receive only a fraction of their worth, it stops being at least in my eyes, original and authentic art and it doesn’t support artists or their communities. It’s not that the art from a local independent artist is significantly more expensive, often you can own an original work of art for not much more than a discount print, and even when you purchase prints of independent artists work, it is very unlikely that the piece will be hanging on thousands of other walls. If you want original and authentic, think independent first.

So this week I would love it if you would join me in celebrating another independent artist who has not only been producing outstanding work for years, but who has also overcome some significant personal battles to create some of the most Turneresque art I have seen in a very long time.

Mark Noble, Somerset, England.

Mark Noble, Painter of Light…

Mark Noble is a UK based artist who lives in a beautiful part of England, a place where I regularly visit to take time away from the hustle and bustle of mostly working in a city. That special place is Somerset, and regular readers will know that’s the exact area I spent a couple of weeks in over the summer enjoying local delicacies like authentic Cheddar Cheese and Farmhouse Scrumpy Cider from locally grown organic apples. The area is steeped in history and it also has a sterling history when it comes to the arts.

Mark Noble paints nature and light as many artists do, the exception here is that Mark’s works are also reminiscent of the works of Turner, yet there is an undeniable quality that remains unique. He’s not afraid to explore texture, he captures the essence of Somerset and the surrounding areas beautifully, every time and there is just something that excites the viewer whenever his work is viewed.

Mark Noble, Artist

Mark is no stranger to exhibiting his work and has shown across the UK and Europe, recently in Prague, and he has received interest in his work from as far afield as South America. But it is Mark’s personal story that makes his work even more compelling, not that his works need anything more than they already have, but his personal story is one of living with severe dyslexia.

Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that can cause problems with reading and writing, and spelling. It is a specific learning difficulty, which means that it can cause problems with certain abilities used for learning, such as reading and writing. Dyslexia is common too, with as many as one in ten people in the UK alone having a form of dyslexia.

Dyslexia whilst common isn’t something that ever goes away. It is a life-long issue that can affect people in many ways throughout their lives and to overcome many of the barriers to producing such stunning artwork is a testament to the determination that Mark has, and his works communicate in ways that words never can.

What makes Mark’s story even more amazing is that whilst he has dyslexia, he still managed to complete a degree in the arts in 2008, earning a 2:1 at Bath Spa University. That should be evidence enough that having learning difficulties does not have to restrict anyone from pursuing their creative dreams.

Mark Noble, Artist

Aside from earning a degree, Mark has set up his own business and has sold many of his original works, many of which show people what they don’t see. Mark’s story is one that has been filled with challenges but what makes him stand out is that his art has a significance even if those challenges had never been there, his work can without any doubt, stand on its own and that is difficult for any artist to truly achieve regardless of any ability or challenge.

Whilst Mark has worked beyond hard to master his craft, his determination in overcoming the barriers he continues to face cannot be underestimated. No stranger to the spotlight, Mark has appeared on TV and has been interviewed many times, always with a positive attitude that demonstrates that the barriers can be broken down with determination. I often write about the determination and grit that any professional visual artist needs to have, just getting work out in front of people and being in that vulnerable position of exposing your heart through your work is more than enough for most professional artists.

Creating art can be challenging enough, yet here is someone who has spent a lifetime with challenges that would make many people not even want to try. The bravest thing an artist can ever do is to share their work with the world, opening them and it, up to critique, sometimes unwanted, sometimes unneeded. Art exposes the most vulnerable side of the artist, and there is nowhere to hide.

To Mark, his own personal story is nowhere nearly as important as the artwork he produces. He paints it to inspire, and it does, but taking the time to understand his story adds another dimension that the casual viewer might not always see. When I think back to treading the same geographic grounds on which Mark has based some of his works on, I can now see the detail that I missed when I walked them. The light that catches that certain angle of the tree that resides in the ancient woodlands of the area, those are details that are there in life, yet we are often too blinded to take notice. Mark notices, and it shines through in each and every one of his works.

When I look at Mark’s work such as Somerset In Summer which you can find right here, there is a depth of field across the open countryside that perfectly captures the beauty of this historic area. If you have never visited Somerset, this really is it.

Exmoor, is close by. Designated a National Park in 1954, Exmoor is home to an amazing array of wildlife. Spectacular moorland, rich oak woodland, crystal clear water running through rocky streams, and home to Red Deer, some of the UK's rarest butterflies and bats, and an elusive otter population amongst many other species. Such a wondrous place is hard to capture in a painting, the area is filled with peculiar angles of the ancient woodland, the narrow dirt paths trodden down by centuries of walkers and wildlife, and come winter, the echoey silence and creaks of the trees, it is a place where you can see the sounds of nature but not everyone notices.

When you look at Mark’s work entitled, Exmoor Snow, you suddenly get a sense of the area, a sense of the muted silence after the snow has fallen, and the textures add to the scene along with a careful choice around the colour palette.

Mark Noble, Artist from Street, Somerset

Following Mark…

Mark is on social media and also makes his work available not just through exhibitions both online and directly too.

You can check out Mark’s website here, http://marknobleart.co.uk

You can follow Mark on Facebook right here, https://www.facebook.com/MarkNoble.Artist/

Artwork by Mark Noble

Supporting Independent Artists…

As Mark's work demonstrates, independent artists have exceptional skillsets that you would be hard-pressed to always find in a gallery or any traditional are sale space. When you support an independent artist, you are not only helping them to earn a living but you are also acknowledging them in a way that you can’t when you don’t buy directly. It is the single most authentic way to purchase artwork and more often than not, allows you to have a relationship with the artist that you wouldn’t get by dealing only with a gallery or traditional art supplier. It's certainly not what you would get from buying from discounters.

Independent artists are responsible for everything that they do from producing the work to marketing, to organising any shows and exhibitions, and that’s in between all of the work that they do that is exactly the same as any other small business has to do, yet we all know the benefits of supporting local business, the same is true when supporting independent artists and that’s another reason why I have become a fan of only looking at the work of independent artists.

There are many independent visual artists around the world and the choice of art is never in short supply. With another New Year coming up in little over 8-weeks, why not make it your New Years resolution next year to look towards independent artists for all of your art needs. There will be a much bigger choice than you would ever find anywhere else.

If you would like to be featured in a future artist spotlight article, please do get in touch. All I need is an introduction to you and your work together with links to your sales sites (you must have a web presence in the form of a website or storefront), and you must give permission for me to use small images of your work on the site within your article.

I get many requests every year to be featured, so I will be picking out the ones that really do catch my eye. If you are a member of any of our four groups, tag Beechhouse Media into your post so that I definitely get to see any work you particularly want to show me. Whilst I can’t guarantee when you will be featured, I will be trying my best to create more of these artist spotlight posts over the coming year. Being featured is always something that helps with your artist CV and it provides you with another web presence you are able to link to. Please note that you do have to have been a member of at least one of our Facebook groups for a minimum of three months, or I have to have known you either personally or via Facebook for at least that long to be considered.

You can contact me by using the web contact form in the sidebar of this website, just click on the hamburger icon (three lines) in the top left of your browser if the sidebar doesn’t automatically appear.

If you would like to see even more of these artist spotlight features, let me know! If you or a friend is an independent artist, let me know that too! I am planning on increasing the frequency of artist spotlight articles and to be able to do that, I need to know who is producing the best work!

About Mark…

I am an artist and blogger and live in Staffordshire, England. You can purchase my art through my Fine Art America store or my Pixels site here: https://10-mark-taylor.pixels.com   

Any art sold through Fine Art America and Pixels contributes towards the ongoing costs of running and developing this website. You can also view my portfolio website at https://beechhousemedia.com

You can also follow me on Facebook at https://facebook.com/beechhousemedia where you will also find regular free reference photos of interesting subjects and places I visit. You can also follow me on Twitter @beechhouseart and on Pinterest at https://pinterest.com/beechhousemedia

If you would like to support the upkeep of this site or maybe just buy me a coffee, you can do so right here. My hope is that over the coming months I can move from 99% ad-free and remove ads completely from the website to give you an even better experience. This website is currently supported only through sales of my own work through my Pixels and Fine Art America stores and myself. I pride myself in making sure I can bring you independent practical advice, tips, support for independent artists, and reviews, week after week and without your support none of this would be possible! Thank you!