With his oil paintings, artist Mark Pugh captures compelling stories, but also leaves plenty of room for the viewer to unfold them in a direction they see fit and form their own narratives.
Pugh’s works, skillfully created and full of captivating details, mainly feature children as main subjects and see them placed in the center of complex themes. Often having a dark undertone, these paintings capture the innocence and curiosity of children while facing them with a world and emotions they don’t have a full grasp of.
According to Pugh, he is attracted to art that tells compelling stories and aims for his paintings to be created in the same manner. He identifies strong narrative, technical mastery, and aesthetic harmony as three elements that his work must meet in order for him to feel satisfied with it.
“It is my belief that a certain level of skill and creativity can elevate a work to professional excellence, but that it shouldn’t end there. Art should move the soul of the viewer, and if I don’t find myself similarly moved while creating it, I can hardly expect that of the viewer,” Pugh explains in his artist statement.
Continue scrolling to check out more of Pugh’s captivating works.
