INSIDE THE STUDIO
To create the neon, Mark delicately bends the glass under a temperature of 500ºC and compresses gas within the tubes before using electric transformers to ignite it and create an organic glow. The true colour of neon is red, so Mark uses powder-coated neon tubes filled with argon (a chemical element) to produce a spectrum of colours. Jewels and gold leaf are added as finishing elements to create complexity and make each piece unique, while the ornate frames pay homage to the works of the Old Masters. He upscales his genuine vintage flags by mounting them to a modern board and sewing holes before preserving them with fabric conditioners and glazes. Mark says: “The art comes before the neon; I use the neon to express a statement and enhance the artwork beneath. I enjoy coming in, closing the door and creating beautiful artworks that are becoming increasingly complex. I keep supersizing pieces!”
This is my studio:
I’m surrounded by art, mess
and an explosion of neon colour.
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