"Beyond Reason: Paintings and Monoprints by Mark Spencer"
2002-05-03 until 2002-07-21
Frye Art Museum
Seattle, WA, USA

Mark Spencer’s dream-like paintings and monotypes are seductive in their rich suggestiveness. His evocations of the passionate forces of nature and culture often take the form of surrealistic tableaux. The artist comments that his art is “…about rites of passage. It’s about the Divine in the mundane.” The enigmatic scenes spring from the artist’s rich imagination, informed by his extensive knowledge of history and mythology.

Spencer’s painting skills allow him to draw from an eclectic mix of pictorial modes, including the strategies of Flemish nature morte, German Romanticism, and realism. What is common to Spencer’s art is his meticulous brushwork, carefully balanced compositions, vibrant palette, extraordinary command of materials, and mastery of the human form. The combination of Spencer’s technical virtuosity and his surreal aesthetic result in a visceral beauty that confronts and challenges the viewer.

Spencer received his training at the school of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and currently lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His work has been exhibited widely in New England, the Southwest, and on both coasts. Spencer’s paintings can be found in numerous private and public collections including the Museum of Fine Arts in Santa Fe, the Boston Public Library, and the Williams College Museum. An illustrated catalogue including an interview with artist Mark Spencer by curator Debra Byrne will be available.

Related Links:

Indepth Arts Resources for the State of Washington

Other Important Exhibitions in Seattle