“ As we stand on the threshold of a new millennium the tapestry of our culture is tied to the fabric of our past experiences. Art has always played an important role in visually documenting man’s culture and society. ”
Mark Buck’s early Artist life
Mark was born and raised in Toronto. His creative talents were recognized at a very young age. While at summer camp in 1965 Mark won an Award of Merit for his mosaic of a Tropical Island. Art was always a part of his life. While in high school, he won second prize for Canada in the 1970 UNESCO International Creative Arts Contest with his piece, “Mushroom of Knowledge.”
A curiosity and appreciation of Renaissance Art led him to the city of Siena, Italy with the 1973 summer course Trecento Art in Tuscany sponsored by the University of Toronto. His art education continued with Canadian, American, and European Art History courses from York University: Canadian & American Art History from 1700-1945 and European Art History During the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries.
Heavily influenced by the Bauhaus Shape Principles, Mark’s painting style consistently features circles, squares, and triangles. As a graphic design student at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn (NY), he learned about the Bauhaus Colour Theories of Wassily Kandinsky, Johannes Itten and Josef Alber.
First Impressions Gallery (1982-1991)
After two years operating as a private dealer, Mark opened First Impressions Gallery across from the Art Gallery of Ontario. Owned and curated by Mark, the gallery specialized in international works on paper (original graphics, watercolour paintings, and mixed media artwork) by artists from Canada, China, England, France, Italy, Spain, the United States, and Venezuela. In 1987, the Gallery moved to Yonge Street north of Lawrence (pictured on left side).
Artalog (1993-1995)
Artalog was developed by Mark as Canada’s first CD-ROM Virtual Reality Art Gallery. Groundbreaking at the time, Artalog allowed either the seller or purchaser to search for artwork using selections like Colour, Medium, Subject Matter, and Price. Artalog received media recognition in Art Business News, Toronto Life, the Financial Post Magazine, CityTV, and Global TV. After 2018, Mark’s “Artalog” refers to his art portfolio.
Recent works
As an abstract artist, Mark continues to be prolific. Since 1999, he has been a volunteer at the Royal Ontario Museum, first in the Reproduction Shop and now as a Gallery Interpreter.
In 2009, Mark created his first “combo painting”, combining two famous artists’ works (Rene Magritte and Georges Seurat) into one acrylic painting.
From February 2001 to September 2020, he was a supply/substitute teacher with the Toronto and York Region School Boards. In this role, he regularly taught Visual Arts and Photography (film and digital) as well as Photoshop to Grade 9-12 students. Moreover, he also taught History and Civics to students.
Mark at his Premier Artspace Youngplace Art Exhibition in June 2018.
Mark is a studio artist member of the Akin Collective and of the Canadian Artists Representation (CARFAC). His work is displayed in private collections in Canada, Israel, Germany, and the United States. To see his paintings for purchase and other works, check out his Artalog.