Interview
Mark Jeffrey Weiss
Mark Jeffrey Weiss, an outsider artist and geographer, draws from a diverse heritage rooted in Newport News, VA, to craft art that merges senses of space and place with geometric and color field abstraction. His work transcends reality, inviting viewers into an imaginative realm of space and time. Each piece reflects his dedication to exploring the human experience. Weiss's art defies conventions, embodying the profound power of expression. He seeks to create experiences for the observer, which tease the senses and aid in the establishment of forms in the void. While based in the Snoqualmie Valley, Weiss's art has reached global audiences through exhibitions in Seattle, Berlin, Rome, Madrid, New York City, and Miami.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I trained as a physical geographer, and have worked in a variety of technology related jobs since college. In high school, I spent a lot of time in the dark room, experimenting with light and composition. I also did some writing - mostly short stories and poetry. Over the past 3 decades, I have taken a variety of art classes in drawing, printmaking, glass blowing, ceramics, and woodwork. I started painting in 2019, and I have been doing this full time for the past 5 years.”
What inspires you?
“Diasporic experiences, the diversity of life found at boundaries/borders/coastlines, the way colors change where the sky touches the earth, and shifting shadows as the seasons change.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“Mostly themes concerning conflict, human-environment connections, and migration. I don’t often speak about a message in my work, but of course there is always something laying under the paint and that I am trying to express through the action of painting. I don’t particularly want to say this mark or color “is X,” but I’m always hopeful that the observer will find a connection as part of their experiences with the work. I don’t say that to be pretentious or obtuse, rather the process of creating art is deeply personal and fluid. Any sense of purpose in the work will ebb and flow depending on my mood, the light in the studio, or music in the background. I guess that is partly why I invest so much time planning a new project. I want to start with knowledge and intention, while staying open to new information and feedback, further connecting me with the work.”
How would you describe your work?
“My work is experimental, usually abstract, and at times nonrepresentational.”
Which artists influence you most?
“Mark Takamichi Miller has been a teacher, mentor, and friend for the past 5 years. I believe it is through this relationship that I have become a painter. Mark has always been supportive of my experimentation and helped me to become patient in my journey as an artist. I am and will always be deeply grateful for his support and the feedback he has shared with me. As historical and contemporary painters go, there are many that influence me. Miro, Munch, Picasso, Klee, Willem and Elaine de Koonings, Diebenkorn, Frankenthaler, Mitchell, Tuymans, Marden, Sillman, Stanley. As an outsider artist, I am always discovering new and historical artists whose methods or styles that have slipped into my own. Lastly, Jackson Pollock has had a significant influence in the way I practice painting. 10 or so years ago, I was visiting the National Gallery of Art in Australia. It wasn’t particularly crowded. I remember turning a corner and seeing Blue Poles. The family was rushing ahead. I stopped to sit on the bench and try to understand why this painting was important or even considered art. I sat there for almost an hour allowing myself to drift in and out of it. I still can’t say what that painting is about, but the way it made me feel changed me and this day directly contributed to me becoming an artist.”
“I don’t often speak about a message in my work, but of course there is always something laying under the paint and that I am trying to express through the action of painting.”
What is your creative process like?
“My process is influenced by my interest in the production of art and its materiality. When I started painting full-time in 2019, I took some advice from a teacher and decided the only way to get better at painting was to paint as much as I could. Everything I did was technically basic, but I had no intention of showing my work. I was primarily concerned with (1) killing my ego and (2) learning to apply paint to a structure. I would sketch old masterpieces, interior spaces, landscape photos, and figures. I was just producing as much as possible while learning how to mix and apply paint.
Within a few months, the world shifted and everything slowed to a crawl. I am fortunate to have had the space for a small studio at home and frequent contact with a mentor during the first couple years of my practice. This, combined with a slower pace for those of us that were non-essential during the pandemic, allowed me to re-prioritize and establish a practice of painting everyday. Starting from an idea, I will begin research into a topic and choose suitable subject(s). I try to spend time thinking about the idea’s etymology, context in art history, and its place in the present. This first phase is also a way to retain focus while procrastinating. When I feel like it’s time to get to work, I will assemble materials and stretch canvas. Once I start painting, things tend to happen fast and it’s important to have everything available to not introduce opportunities for distraction. With the panels prepared, I start with some rough charcoal sketches and apply paint using expressive brush strokes. The sketches evaporate and I take an autonomic approach to establishing the composition. I typically work with one color at a time or to mix from.
Once I have finished with a color on a panel I start working on another panel. The idea is to capture my experience of painting in the present. This also allows me to explore different perspectives and subjects without losing the thread of the collection. With the collection established, I start introducing layers of color and shape. This period involves a lot of observation as well. I will change lighting, music, and look at each piece with different emotions. Observation informs subsequent change and finishing stages for the collection; however, my intent is to “finish” a painting every time I work on it. There is always the risk that I will overwork the piece, but in practice it just means that every studio session ends with a piece that is simultaneously done and still in-progress. A final note about music: Music is always present in my life and heavily influences my process in ways I’d describe as simultaneously subconscious and kinetic. I am generally okay allowing the music to influence my work as much as any other factor and at times I imagine a process that’s like playing music with a brush and paint.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“I see art as a relatively safe means to dissociate. Artists create the escape. Technologies and mediums change, but the role of the artist will probably always be that of ‘enabler.’”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“December 2023, I participated in the Red Dot Art Fair with Galeria Azur, which takes place during Miami Art Week alongside a bunch of other shows. It was certainly the biggest event I’d participated in, and it was amazing to see so many contemporary artists. Later this month, on August 22nd, my inaugural NYC solo show will open with Galeria Azur at 157 Bowery. This show will present a new collection of works that pay homage to the New York School and broader histories of music and art established in lower Manhattan during the 20th century.”
Website: www.markjeffreyweiss.com
Instagram: @markjeffreyweiss
