FIRST BLOG POST:
I want to welcome you to my blog website: Although I have had a Facebook page for years I decided to try Blogging as a way to share my Historical fine artworks and paintings to a larger audience. It's always hard to know exactly where to start with these things but I'm going to begin with telling you all a little bit about myself. For years I have been fascinated with history, especially the American Civil War period. It all started when I was a teenager in high school. I knew that I had an affinity for drawing and art but I really had no direction to focus it. At that time in my life, I was having some difficulty staying on track as is the case whit many teenagers. I grew up in a single-parent household whit three younger siblings so needless to say it was difficult for my mother to keep food on the table and keep us all pointed in the right direction. In1990 at the age of 16 I watched a movie that basically changed my life and would spark an intense interest or obsession in history that even to this day influences and drives my work. The movie was Glory starring Mathew Broderick, Carey Elwes, Denzel Washington and Morgan Freedman and told the story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment during the American Civil War. The 54th was among the first of many black infantry regiments to be organized to fight for the Union Army in 1863. Although they were an all black unit - they were lead by white officers. The movie began with a moving narration by Broderick who portrays the Robert Gould Shaw (later Colonel of the 54th Mass.) reading a letter to his mother. The movie then transitions into the battle of Antietam sequence that was to me just absolutely unreal. The sequence showed long lines of blue-clad Union infantry walking up to the very muzzles of Confederate muskets and cannon to be cut to pieces in a very graphic sequence. As a young man of 16, I could not believe that this was the way wars were fought and it very much caught my attention. After watching the remainder of the movie I was hooked and had to learn more. I began searching for Civil War books in my local and school libraries and found many but one book in particular was most influential in helping me to gain a foothold into what would later become the vast world of Military History and material culture. The book was "Antietam A photographic legacy of America's Bloodiest Day" by William A. Frassanito. This book not only told the basic Story of the battle of Antietam but offered a fascinating study of Civil War Photography at Antietam in a series of "Then-and-Now" studies that was absolutely excellent. It was at this point in my life I began to draw Civil War subjects in earnest. I began painting scenes of Civil War battles that at the time I thought were masterpieces, but looking back at them now I have to chuckle at the naive and almost child-like renderings. I realize now that it was the spark of something that would come to consume my life and I am thankful for it. It basically got me out of the troubles I was having at that point in my life. The obsession that took hold of me with history gave my artistic ability a new focus and a richly fertile field that I eagerly study every chance I get. I was able to build a portfolio that got be into Pratt Institute, a four year Art college where I was able to get more formal training in drawing a painting. I have since branched my interest into other military Historical time periods such as the American Revolution and the 20th Century World wars etc. I am especially fascinated with uniforms and equipment artifacts and especially interested in anything rare related to Zouaves and Chasseurs. I consider myself fortunate to be able to now marry my two passions of history and fine art painting into a field of study for my artwork and I look forward to sharing with all of you. Please feel free to visit my website and contact me if you have any comments or inquires and don't forget to sign up for my email new letter!.
Mark M.
This is an amazing painting Mark. I love the way the soldiers and stalks are in half silhouette again the smoke and sky. And! That sky! Great work.
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