Mark often attends weekly figure drawing sessions and occasionally hires models at his studio to hone his drawing skills and keep them sharp. Mark believes the practice of painting en plein air, experiencing the elements and studying the scene with our eyes is essential to capturing an honest representation of that scene. The goal is not to copy the chosen scene, but to convey the artists emotions and feelings experienced on location to the viewer.
Since 2003, Mark has taken workshops with Skip Whitcomb, John Budicin, George Strickland, Kevin Macpherson, Joe Paquet, Kenn Backhaus, Ray Roberts and Kim English.
Born in Chicago. IL, Mark spent his childhood exploring the woods, lakes and farmlands of McHenry, Illinois, near the Wisconsin border. While having his hands in many forms of art over the years, Mark discovered oil painting in 1995 and began painting "en plein air" in 2002. Landscapes naturally became his preferred subject. After 23 years in the hospitality business Mark and his wife Donna relocated from Lake Tahoe, NV to Fort Collins, CO. When he's not on the road painting on location, Mark can be found in his Loveland, CO studio.
www.markrittorno.com
|
|