We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mark Wilson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Mark, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I am a self-taught artist, so my skills are developed through life. Once I became conscious of my artistic gift subconsciously, I can develop my craft without making art. It could be as simple as conversations, spending time in other studios, and repetition in my own practice. Learning what I do comes with curiosity as a self-taught artist, which then cultivates new skills with the DIY approach. I do not believe I could have sped up my learning. Because certain life lessons had to happen to direct me to want to explore new skills. My opinion of a skill that is highly important is patience. Not rushing the art and taking your time is very important. That can mean a lot for different people. My personal experience with patience is going from completing artwork in one day, to a week, now months. Understanding that it is better to experience life in between projects to capsulate an extended period vs a moment. I would consider myself as an obstacle that could have stood in the way of me learning. Using myself as the obstacle due to how personal an artist development is individualized. A reoccurring obstacle for myself is wanting to receive help, in moments when the only solution is me actually doing it myself. The sooner I embark on completing the task myself the sooner I will learn and get it done.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Mark Anthony Wilson Jr (b. 1995, Hampton, Virginia) is a self-taught artist whose practice marries the unveiling of African American heritage with Afrofuturism through sculpture and painting. A background in football, playing at the University of Cincinnati. Earning his master’s degree (2018) in Applied Behavior Analysis. Mark found his passion for art during his career as a therapist. Inspired by the Indigenous Totem Poles in Washington, he developed an identity in masquerade. Mark’s art was recognized by the Black Artist Fund in 2020. Encouraged by the relationship between Black and Indigenous cultures. He uses an assortment of influential materials creating a dystopian nature. Mark’s work is now used to navigate how Black and Brown people imagine themselves in the future? While also reimagining our past through Afrofuturism? Mark Wilson’s art has been exhibited in multiple group exhibitions and public installations in the United States. In 2022 he completed an international residency in Oakville, Canada (The Contemporary Arts Network) and first international group exhibition in Abuja, Nigeria (Thought Pyramid Art Centre).

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

My story is one of resilience, perseverance, and the unrelenting pursuit of my passion. I made the bold decision to leave my job and become a full-time artist, and although it was a difficult journey, I never gave up. From hustling my favorite pieces on the streets to showcasing my work in galleries and selling for thousands, my art has taken me on an incredible journey. Even now, as I continue to push myself to create the highest quality work possible without any guarantees, I am reminded that success comes to those who show up and give it their all. Through hard work, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of my dreams, I have proven that anything is possible.

Can you share your view on NFTs? (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

It is a way for artist to make money. So, I believe artist should educate themselves on how to take advantage.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.markwilsonjr.studio/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markwilson.jr/

Image Credits
Standing sculpture by Nalan Smart All other pictures by Rashida Zagon