Mark — Artist Statement
I paint oil landscapes inspired by the many places I’ve walked, lived, and quietly observed throughout Michigan. Water often finds its way into my paintings—whether as a Great Lake, a pond in a clearing, or a winding swamp trail—because it’s as much a part of Michigan as it is a part of my memory. I work realistically without being hyper-detailed, aiming to create not a record of what I saw, but a distilled experience—like a memory told in paint.
Having painted for over fifty years, I draw on my time spent outdoors, the mentorship I received as a young artist, and a lifetime of study through books, observation, and teaching others. I approach composition like storytelling, guiding the viewer with color, line, and shape to create a particular feeling—calm, presence, or nostalgia. My goal is not just to paint a scene, but to help others feel the quiet poetry of that moment in nature.
Selected methods: plein air studies • oil layering & glazing • oil on linen • studio finishes
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© Michigan Artist Studio — Mark Szymanski
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Mark has painted Michigan for over fifty years—working from life and teaching others along the way. His work seeks a balance between truthful observation and the distilled memory of a place.