Mark Friday ///
Born ///
Milwaukee, WI
Blue Silo Artist ///
2006 - 2019
Education ///
• BA, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO
• Metropolitan State College, Denver, CO
Medium ///
Assemblage, Mixed Media, Collage, Painting, Print-making, Drawing, Collector of things
Mark’s who left for greener pastures around the end of 2019, has a studio that was sort of famous at Blue Silo. Not only for his whimsical work but also for what he collected. He was the guy that had collected just about any and everything. Stacks and stacks of what appeared at first glance to be junk were in fact material with a story behind it. To him, these found objects and collected items had as much potential to be a significant element in his work as anything else on the planet. You get the feeling when you enter Mark’s former studio, that it indeed was his world that you were witnessing. Mark utilized every inch of his studio with collected things hanging freely from the ceiling, walls, and stacks of trinkets all around. Nothing seems off-limits to be a potential element in combination with another seemingly unrelated item to create Mark’s signature whimsical work. In the months before Mark completely cleaned out and left his studio, he had what was like an art-garage-studio-estate sale. So many unique pieces of random things along with his older work were offered up to any taker. At the very end, Mark was literally giving some of his things away to mostly his Blue Silo art friends. We here will always cherish the crowded open studios we had in the past. Toward the end of an evening converging in Mark's space, we all would finish the night sharing what wine and snacks might be leftover. There are few artists in any community that leaves such a big mark (maybe a pun) as Mark did here at Blue Silo. How could he not, with so much miscellany to rummage through for the taking? Mark currently makes his assemblages in his home studio with his partner Deborah Jang, who also is a seasoned artist and maker of things found. They both are staples in the deep Denver art community.
Sparky ///
Medium: /// Found objects and a mix of house-paint and acrylic. 15 x 11 in
Collection: /// The Artist
Links /// Niza Knoll Gallery