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He who works with his hands is a laborer...
He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman...
He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.
—St. Francis of Assisi
ABOUT
Mark Montana creates museum-quality commissioned portraits in oil, watercolor, and graphite, grounded in traditions of academic draftsmanship and Old Master painting techniques. Each portrait is developed through sustained technical rigor and crafted to endure as a treasured family heirloom or legacy piece.
Through meticulous attention to composition, wardrobe, color harmonies, expression, and presence, his portraits move beyond merely capturing surface likeness. They depict the rich individual character of the sitter. Personal effects, complex backgrounds, and symbolic elements are included where appropriate, chosen to reflect what is specific and meaningful to the subject. The extraordinary level of detail and finish, characteristic of his work, invites viewers to pause and engage with a fully realized representation of someone which is honest, empathetic, and psychologically resonant.
Perfection is no small thing, but it is made up of small things.
I paint flowers so they will not die
—Frida Kahlo
Drawing contains everything found in painting except color
—(adapted) Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres
ARTIST STATEMENT
My drawings and paintings are the result of hundreds of hours of focused concentration. Returning to a portrait day after day, over weeks and often months, allows it to evolve toward its full potential.
My work employs the exactitude of Contemporary Hyperrealism while drawing upon the Classical Realist and Romantic traditions. Each piece reflects my commitment to truth, beauty, and craftsmanship.
While I primarily rely on photographs to aid in the portraits I create, I do not simply copy them.
I begin each portrait by capturing dozens of reference photographs, which I then study until I have achieved a sculptor’s grasp of volume, proportion, and spatial presence. This sustained focus on physical form gradually yields to a deeper understanding of the character that animates appearance, transforming the act of looking into one of seeing. I then have the privilege of expressing my insights in the language of graphite, watercolor, or oil paint.
For a more personal account of my working methods and aesthetic ethos, please see my essay,
A picture is nothing but a bridge between the soul of the artist and that of the spectator
—Eugene Delacroix
Look for Mark Montana Art on Facebook, Patreon, Instagram, and YouTube
Beauty perishes in life, but is immortal in art
—Leonardo da Vinci
