Mark’s reflection on the past twenty years in business brought to his mind many memories of his early career: his first commission, being up all night sculpting a piece he just couldn’t walk away from, making his first successful mold, melting and pouring his first bronze. He said of these past 20 years, “It’s been an unpredictable journey full of challenges - I’ve loved every minute of it”
“If you are one of the few that are blessed enough to establish a successful career, you might start to feel confident that you’ve done it - you have arrived. People love your work and are
willing to spend their hard-earned money to bring it into their homes. You build a network of collectors who continue to purchase your work year after year. You find a balance that allows you to stay in business while also maintaining your personal and artistic integrity. You have the financial stability to spend your mental and emotional energy exploring different techniques and approaches to your work. That’s a great place to be.
“But in reality, the struggle is never over. There are always some new projects or ideas that must be explored. As a company, we have been through wars and recessions and market fluctuations that have given us a real run for the money.
"Every challenge we experience makes us smarter and more resilient, and we come out of it better in some way. And I think my art does, too. I’ve never felt more inspired to try new approaches than I feel right now. I am more driven to create fun and exciting art than I’ve ever felt in my life. It’s fantastic!
"Even with the current high cost of bronze, our sculpture becomes even more valuable, so that’s a good aspect to what could be a challenge. And when we see how loyal our collectors are, it makes us feel grateful for each and every one of them."
As Mark always says when meeting collectors at shows, “I couldn’t do it without you, thank you”.
