MARK BOEDGES

About this artist

Mark Boedges has, in a short time, amassed numerous awards and showcased his work in many galleries. He attended the University of Kansas, where he received a degree in philosophy. The painting bug, and in particular, painting plein air, took hold of him. He went back to school to study Fine Art at the University of Colorado. Preferring a more traditional approach to painting, Mark left the program after two years to study exclusively from nature. Painting plein air had become his sole focus, and it would remain so for several years. Through this study, his skills quickly developed. His first show was in 2003, and it was a great success, nearly selling out. But all artists need mentoring, and realizing that to further progress, he needed guidance, Mark began to seek out other artists and attend workshops to learn everything he could about his craft, which he continues to do to this day.

Mark has recently received Best in Show at the following shows: American Impressionist Society, Wayne Plein Air, Vermont Plein Air, Door County Plein Air, and Scottsdale Salon of Fine Art. Additional accolades include the Joseph Hartley Memorial Award at the prestigious Salmagundi Club in New York City, the Bohnert Memorial Award with the Hudson Valley Art Association, the Artistic Excellence Award with Southwest Art magazine, and the Grand Prize for Landscape, as well as a feature article with International Artist magazine.

“While I paint many different kinds of subjects, the landscape is my first and greatest love. Like many artists, I strive to achieve a painterly realism in my work. I do this for a few reasons. As students, we are taught to focus on what is essential in our subject, but this can be a subjective judgment. For me, what is essential about nature is its complexity. Everywhere I look, I see the grittiness, cragginess, and fine-grained texture of the natural world. It is this essential ruggedness and complexity that I try to capture in paint. Experience has taught me that two aspects, more than any other, are crucial in this endeavor. The first is using multiple layers of paint, abstractly and randomly applied, to suggest the depth of nature’s complexity since I could never render this literally or convincingly. The second is to focus on and really capture the ambient light, as this is the source of all the subtle and remarkably beautiful shifts in color and value that give reality its presence and liveliness.” – Mark Boedges

SELECTED AWARDS

  • 2018 ARC Realism Award – OPA National Exhibition
  • 2015 Artists’ Choice – Easton Plein Air
  • 2015 Best in Show – Wayne Plein Air
  • 2015 2nd Place Overall – Plein Air Salon
  • 2015 Best In Show – Dec/Jan Plein Air Salon
  • 2014 Best In Show – American Impressionist Society
  • 2014 Artists’ Choice – Door County Plein Air
  • 2014 Best in Show – Wayne Plein Air
  • 2013 Best in Show – Scottsdale Salon of Fine Art
  • 2013 Best in Show – Vermont Plein Air
  • 2013 Artists’ Choice – Vermont Plein Air
  • 2013 Best in Show – Door County Plein Air
  • 2013 Artists’ Choice – Door County Plein Air
  • 2011 Joseph Hartley Memorial Award – Salmagundi Club
  • 2011 Bohnert Memorial Award – Hudson Valley Art Assoc