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Studio bathroom
Whether you're an enthusiast, a collector, or a patron, art connects us in ways we may never fully understand. Take this visual journey with me to discover the magic of transforming hype-consumer byproducts into stimulating and imaginative forms.
My first art teacherMy mother was my first art teacher. Mama indulged our home with her own oil paintings hanging in every room and encouraged me with supplies and an easel when I decided to commit to studies in the arts at the Canal Zone College in the Republic of Panama where I completed my AA. My studies then continued at the National University of Panama with Graphic Design followed by a year at Panama’s National Fine Arts School located in the city’s “Casco Viejo” district where I was mentored by several outstanding artists. Throughout this period, I produced hundreds of watercolor studies and oil paintings which my mother sold for me to her medical colleagues and social network. I seized upon many exhibition opportunities as well connecting with the art scene in Panama City. Similarly, my skills broadened under the mentorship of live community theater where I designed, built, and painted for several years. Even when I left Panama as a transfer student to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, my mother continued to promote my work in Panama, selling many works that offset my cost-of-living expenses in Chicago. To this day I still see friends in Panama posting on social media on early works of mine they may encounter in their travels throughout Panama. Eventually my mother returned to painting in her final years while struggling with dementia and blindness from macular degeneration. The ApprenticeIn 1984 I left Panama to continue my studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago completing a BFA followed by an MFA at the University of Illinois in Chicago. After 5 years of conducting artist residencies at over 40 CPS schools while moonlighting as an adjunct at several universities, colleges and non-profit organizations, I made a commitment to Stone Academy CPS in the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago where I designed and implemented an award-winning model art program that I managed for 20 years and then five years at Schurz Highschool CPS teaching Darkroom Photography, Digital Media (Adobe CC) and Art 1. During this period, I would complete 45 post-graduate credit hours at SAIC, complete a Master Teacher Nationally Board Certification, be awarded a Teacher of Distinction twice by the Golden Apple Foundation and receive the 2013 Teacher OPPY award from the Oppenheimer Family Foundation recognizing the impact I made on generations of students over my 30 year with the Chicago Public Schools K-12. My moonlighting as an adjunct for Triton College, Saint Augustine College, Northeastern Univ of Illinois, CCAP, Gallery 37, Marwen, A.R.T. and others allowed me to remain in touch and learn from students that ranged in ages from 18 to 89. My own studio work post MFA began with interdisciplinary public interior and exterior installations for several decades to physically and conceptually engage audiences as opposed to commodities. My work can be described as socially conscious and satirical. Many of my theatrical project byproducts, constructions and paintings can be found in private and public collections, including a canvas mural at the US Embassy/Consulate, Republic of Panama. With a passion for public engagement, I’ve also participated in a variety of outdoor projects such as the 1999 Cows on Parade, Lighthouses on the Mag Mile, assorted murals and the embellishment/painting of sculptural forms in Chicago’s Greektown. My gallery/museum exhibition has been consistent from 1982-2026 resulting in relationships and networking across the country and overseas. Additionally, I’ve been fortunate enough to have received numerous grants and fellowships as an artist and educator from the Chicago department of Cultural Affairs-Office of Fine Arts, Illinois Arts Council, the Golden Apple Foundation, and the Oppenheimer Family Foundation. As a permanent resident of Chicago's historic Pilsen neighborhood my existence as a recognized individual has been through my community where my Gringolandia Studio and home may be visited publicly once a year in participation with the 18th Street Pilsen Open Studios.Passing the torchMy philosophy on teaching has been quite simple in principle, with the purpose of deconstructing media processes into sequential overlapping events and lessons that build towards a holistic understanding of media and motor skill/conceptual development. My main objectives have been to empower students with enough confidence by methods of engaging media in uncomfortable and awkward challenges to explore, discover and expand their “toolbox.” For this Triton College painting 1 class, exercises were introduced to experiment with different approaches to oil painting while reinforcing compositional choices, color manipulation and the testing plasticity of oil painting as a medium. I appreciate very much the opportunity by Aponte Art Gallery to have offered us an opportunity to share these works outside of a school setting and it is my hope this opportunity will lead to committed art students to independently seek out more opportunities to showcase their projects in the public eye throughout their studies and beyond Mark Nelson
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Paintings 2025 to 2026

“Puffer,” synthetic polymer and oil paint on 32 x 28 inch canvas framed
“Chrysanthemum,” synthetic polymer and oil paint on 24 x 36 inch stretched canvas.
Messaging synthetic polymer and oil paint on 35 x 23 inch unframedcanvas.
The Mural that Never Was 59 x 28 inches unframed synthetic polymer and oil paint on canvas.
Green Dove synthetic polymer and oil paint on 58 x 68 inch canvas
Mirror16 x 20 inchessynthetic polymer on canvas
"Stalactites"16 x 20 inchessynthetic polymer on canvas
"Shades of Blue"20 x 24 inches unframedsynthetic polymer on canvas.
"Warp" 20 x 24 inches unframed synthetic polymer on canvas.
"Biodegradable"24 x 30 inches unframedsynthetic polymer on canvas.
"Wheel Barrel"48 x 24 inches unframedsynthetic polymer on canvas.
"Desk job"24 x 30 inches unframedsynthetic polymer on canvas.
"Nest"30 x 24 inches unframedsynthetic polymer on canvas.
"Shadows"11 x 44 inches unframedsynthetic polymer on canvas.
"Minotaur"48 x 48 inches unframedsynthetic polymer on canvas.
Comp_optional36 x 60 inches synthetic polymer and oil on stretched canvasn
Kinesis 46 x 46 inches synthetic polymer and oil on stretched canvas
Ambiguous Narrative 30 x 30 inches Synthetic polymer and oil on stretched canvas.
Solar panel 6 x 5 feet Synthetic polymer and oil on stretched canvas.
Birdseed 59 x 59 inchessynthetic polymer and oil on canvas
  • Trails of Conquest 8 x 4 foot diptych synthetic polymer and oil on canvas
Alchemy 56 x 52 inches diptych Synthetic polymer and oil on canvas
Piñata 4 x 5 feet synthetic polymer and oil on canvas
Old Silk Road 6 x 4 foot Triptych synthetic polymer and oil on canvas (Private Collection)
Pareidolia #20 24 x 48 inches synthetic polymer on plexi-glass
Pareidolia #1 26 x 27 inches synthetic polymer on plexi-glass
Pareidolia #4 24 x 48 inches synthetic polymer on plexi-glass
Pareidolia #16 24 x 36 inches synthetic polymer on plexi-glass
Pareidolia #12 20 x 48 inches synthetic polymer on plexi-glass
Pareidolia #3 24 x 48 inches synthetic polymer on plexi-glass
Pareidolia #6 20 x 40 inches synthetic polymer on plexi-glass
Pareidolia #5 24 x 48 inches synthetic polymer on plexi-glass
Pareidolia #13 24 x 48 inches synthetic polymer on plexi-glass
Pareidolia #21 24 x 48 inches synthetic polymer on plexi-glass
Stolen16 x 20 inchessynthetic polymer on canvas
"Orange Dinosaur," 16 x 20 inch synthetic polymer and oil paint on stretched canvas
Unwarranted16 x 20 inches synthetic polymer and oil on stretched canvas
Pink Line synthetic polymer and oil painting on triptych of 18 x 24 inch canvases (total 54 x 24 inches)
Deportment of Souls59 x 60 inches framedsynthetic polymer on plexi-glass.c
Mint synthetic polymer and oil paint on a 19 x 25 inch stretched canvas
Putting on the Ritz synthetic polymer and oil painting on canvas is 33 x 45 inches framed.
Nectar synthetic polymer and oil paint on 4x5 foot canvas.

Selective Exhibitions

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Sites-specific Projects

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Mark Nelson's personal experiences are rooted from his travels and residencies overseas. His creative journey as an artist has been to carry a burden of empathy and commitment to cathartically address issues that continue to plague humanity.

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Most of Nelson's public projects are cultural in nature and have been financed through grants and a professional career in arts education. These projects have included indoor/outdoor painting, installations, sculptural forms and video production. Additionally Nelson has been a resource to local artists in his community to promote their endeavors and professional goals through digital media services.
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