TITLE: AMONG THE VINES
ARTIST: MARK MERTENS

Mark was born and grew up in western Montana. His interest in art started at an early age, drawing images of the rugged landscape near his home. He moved to the Bay Area in 1971, enrolling in extension classes at California College of Arts and Crafts. He studied still life and figurative drawing and painting. In the last several years, he has focused on pastel, studying portraiture and landscapes.

His work is rooted in realist traditions: careful draftsmanship and observation are practiced. He seeks to capture the effects of light on color. He aims for variety in realism, which combines soft, diffused, even abstract images, with sharper, focused images, so that the viewer participates in the art.

Over the past ten years, he has shown in individual and group exhibitions and juried competitions, receiving many awards for pastel landscapes. His pastels are in collections in the Bay Area. In 2008, the Alameda County Arts Commission awarded him a commission to create three paintings for the new Castro Valley Library. He is a signature member of the Pastel Society of the West Coast and member of Group 95, California Art Club, Hayward Arts Council A.R.T. Inc. and the Livermore Art Association. He resides in Castro Valley with his wife.