Bio/Gallery

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Mark Roland is a fine art printmaker, a member of the West Coast Visionary Art movement, and an illustrator who specializes in the themes of fantasy and mythology. He began his career exhibiting his work at Science Fiction/Fantasy conventions in 1975, receiving over a hundred awards in the four decades since. He has had numerous oneman and group shows of his oil and acrylic paintings at the Illuminarium and Isis Galleries in the 1980’s and 1990’s, the preeminent showplace of Visionary Art at that time. Paintings from this period were included in two museum shows of West Coast Visionary Art in 1981 and 2008. He worked as art director and staff artist at Magical Blend Magazine— a pioneering New Age publication— and has contributed to Witches and Pagans, Realms of Fantasy, The Cosmic Circus, The Dead and other publications. The renowned poet and critic Jack Foley used Roland’s mixed media paintings for his monumental 2 volume history of California poetry and cultural timeline. Mark produced 2 music CD art packages for psychedelic legends,The Pillbugs. He collaborated with Alan M. Clark on a series of acrylic paintings, “Fallen Giants,” and has also worked as a muralist and film pre-production designer.

Biography continues below the slideshow

Biography continues below the slideshow

Mark Roland’s unique style incorporates the imaginary realms. It is the synthesis of mythology, dreams and mysticism, with his careful observation of nature. His primary subject matter has been landscape, interpreted in an imaginary and idealized manner. He is profoundly influenced by the Symbolist and Decadent artists of the fin de siecle, the dynamic work of JWM Turner, and the graphic work of artists such as Gustave Doré, Franklin Booth, and John Martin. 

Best known for his intaglio etchings, he uses centuries-old traditional techniques to make his copper plates, and then prints the editions by hand on rag paper. The printing process itself allows for further expression, like the performance of a piece of music. His series “The Enchanted Forest” was began in 1981 and continues to the present. He has explored multiple color printing in hard ground, soft ground and aquatint techniques.

He lives in Eugene Oregon with his wife Patricia.

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