Mark Hobson’s acrylic painting Sun Rays In The Forest was featured in the June/July issue of International Artist. The painting perfectly distills the intensity of golden light pouring through a forest canopy. Since the early ’80s, the artist has lived and painted in Tofino, British Columbia, drawn to the dramatic beauty and diverse landscape of this outer coast community. And these nature scenes are reflected strongly in Hobson’s artwork. Originally a biologist and high school teacher, Hobson is a self-taught painter working in acrylic, watercolor and oil.
Sea Star: As The Tide Comes In, acrylic, 24 x 30"
“I am best known for my use of light in the portrayals of Canada’s remote west coast and especially for my accurate underwater scenes inspired by scuba diving,” he says. His piece Sea Star: As the Tide Comes In depicts an aquatic wonderland teeming with marine life. “Vancouver Island hosts a variety of brilliantly colored creatures that might look more at home in the tropics. Depicted here are three color versions of the common ochre sea star and giant green anemones. The return of the tide brings fresh tidbits to the anemones and gooseneck barnacles that rely on the surge of waves to bring them food…Trying to portray the dynamic back and forth flow of the waves from below was accomplished by adding bubbles, surf grass and fronds of kelp. The shadows created by these seaweeds help give the scene a sense of movement,” the artist explains.
American Dipper, acrylic, 40 x 30"
Hobson has won numerous awards and participated in exhibitions on a global scale. In 2017, he was awarded the prestigious Simon Combes Conservation Award, the highest honor Artists for Conservation presents to artists who have shown a lifelong commitment to art, conservation and environmental causes. Hobson is also a signature member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and a founding member of Artists for Conservation. —
Mark Hobson
British Columbia, Canada • art@markhobson.com • www.markhobson.com
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