Featured Artist Marcus Goldson

Marcus Goldson’s African-themed watercolor and mixed media paintings use visually striking patterns and motifs. Enjoy more of his memorable portfolio by visiting his website.

 

 

I studied art history and trained as a sculptor working in steel. However, soon after graduating from Winchester School of Art in the United Kingdom I moved to Budapest, Hungary, and turned to painting. Apart from producing my own works I have also been creating illustrations for a variety of newspapers and magazines, such as Time Out Budapest, ADAC Reisemagazin, Forbes Hungary and various online publications.

 

 

Watercolour is my medium of choice, although occasionally I also produce work in oil, print and mixed media. I use watercolour for sketching and also for my large finished pieces. It’s great for light, quick sketches and for building up layers of colour and tone on my larger works.

 

 

I was born and spent my childhood in Kenya. Growing up in Africa has most probably initiated my love of pattern and influenced my sense of colour. It also inspired me to incorporate humour and playfulness into my work.

 

 

I’m fascinated with the patterns and forms of African wildlife and natural phenomena. I love to create works that manipulate the decorative features in these subjects. I have, for example, used patterns found in woven baskets, forest vines, traditional woven cloth wraps and carpets to re-interpret landscapes, forms and settings. My works are textural, insinuate a narrative, and are visually striking.

 

 

With a lot of my animal pictures, I create a design using the inherent physical and decorative attributes of the animal. Then I put it into a setting either different from its usual habitat, or done in a way that contrasts with its markings.

 

 

I have lived in Hungary for a long time. As in my African-themed pictures, I use Hungarian motifs and traditional patterns in works relating to Budapest or Hungary.

 

 

Watercolour is an unbelievably versatile medium. It offers endless possibilities for creating different effects as well as combinations with mixed media. I sometimes combine it with collage and different printing techniques to create a more graphic effect.

 

 

I sometimes use aluminium cans, old subway tickets or anything I can find to add to the decorative or symbolic effect of the picture. I like the effect of using different media in a picture.

 

 

Watercolour is a portable medium, which is important for me because I often paint on my travels. I’ve taken my watercolours with me to many parts of Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

 

 

I have a wide range of interests and working styles but pattern is everywhere. I use it either blatantly or more subtly in most of my work. Alongside this I like using strong, bold colours and some humour or irony to create what are, essentially, positive observations of the visual world.

 

Artist Marcus Goldson invites you to follow him on Instagram and Facebook.

 

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