About Mark Payne

Mark Payne began painting in his twenties. Many and varied experiences while travelling internationally, found Payne ‘s painting style paying homage to the genre of Art Naive. This is now considered to be his earlier work. (see previous work in album gallery)

An increasing yearning ( “…the slow opening doorway to my soul”) led Payne to a transition in technique and content within his painting. The love of colour, sensuality of form and design were the bridge between the old and the new.

Today Mark Payne’s paintings are imbued with a highly recognizable romantic style that possess an underlying visionary or philosophical narrative.

At a closer scrutiny, the detail of his painting technique, reveals an indeterminable number of finely woven interlocking brushstrokes that interplay between light and mass. The images ripple and shimmer before the eye.

The dominating presence of wild billowing skies are a signature of Payne’s landscapes. His oceans are emotionally charged and both are symbolic of the wistful spiritual connection he sees lying between the natural and supernatural worlds.

“His patterned cloudscapes recall time-lapse photography and pointillism. All hard-edged forms are overlaid with soft tendrils of mist and stylised tree forms are so soft they fade into a haze of tone and colour.The paintings have an innocent quality, resonant of childhood daydreams.”……….. Spotlight, Sydney Morning Herald, Australia.

Payne’s inner world vision could be representative of the psycho-spiritual landscape that nurtures open heartedness. It seems to ask of us a return to a moment in timelessness, in which we can rediscover divinity in our personal relationship with nature and beyond.

“The world could be a better place if every politician had a painting by Mark Payne.” ……. Judith Salmon, Director Salmon Galleries Sydney Australia.

The many underlying ‘messages’ within his work range from,the emotional journey of ‘The Leap of Faith’ or ‘Into the the light’ and the reflective ‘Digging Deeper’,to the powerful eco- political statement of ‘Fissures of Men’ and ‘Twisters’. The artist refuses to be locked in thematically, insisting upon maintaining universal imagery to reach out to willing hearts and minds.

“I share with many other artists the mutual desire to germinate seeds of vision and hope for the new Millennium.” ……….. Mark Payne 2006.