Mark Boatwright can remember being drawn to painting even at four years old, growing up in Brooklyn, NY. He was raised in a Buddhist home, was baptized a Catholic, and later studied Islam.

 

Mark uses portraiture to inspire connection to others and their stories in a way that is personal, emotional and dynamic. Mark expands on how spirituality allows us to understand that we are all more connected than we know; an interconnection that is essential in fighting against the climate crisis.

 

He creates his pieces on recycled materials like cardboard and tape cassettes, historically working with limited supplies. Often depicting environmental leaders, his realistic technique expresses the truth they tell with their faces, while a graphic style helps them pop forward from the non-traditional surfaces.

 

Mark’s hope and urgency about preserving nature stems in part from being a parent and wanting his 3 sons to have the chance to live healthy, happy and long lives.