Landscape artist Mark Boedges painting in plein air.

 

Scottsdale Artists’ School: Is it true that your passion for painting landscapes runs in the family?

Mark Boedges: Yes! The artistic inspiration came from my grandfather (on my dad’s side) and has been passed down. Some of earliest memories are of the times my dad and I would watch Bob Ross together.

SAS: What inspired you to be a landscape artist?

MB: Landscapes have always been my passion. I grew up in Saint Louis, Missouri, where I was known as the kid who could draw and paint.

I stumbled into what most people would call a “real job” in IT web application during the Y2K era. I relocated to Dallas, Texas, for work, and in my free time I would go outside and paint my surroundings. Two years later, I moved to Denver where I got involved with the Art Students League. The beauty and painting possibilities in the Colorado area were unlimited. As an artist you want your subject right in front of you…I was surrounded by the splendor of unlimited subject potential.

SAS: Tell us about when you sold your first painting.

MB: My first painting that was sold was at the Art Students League in Denver in 2003. My wife signed me up for the show without me even knowing it and my art sold out. That was a very cool moment.

Mark Boedges, Hidden Lake, oil on canvas, 40 x 54" (101 x 137 cm)

 

SAS: Was there a pivotal moment when you transitioned into a full-time career as a painter?

MB: After I sold out my first show, I gave myself a five-year grace period to transition to painting full time. The evolution actually took more like 11 years. In 2014 I knew that I needed to take the plunge. My wife was my biggest cheerleader and encouraged me to take a leap of faith. It paid off!

SAS: Tell us how your teaching career began at SAS.

MB: I started showing at Legacy Gallery, and I was approached about teaching at SAS. I taught a workshop that February, and I loved it. I’ve been teaching for the school ever since.

Mark Boedges, End of a Good Day, oil on canvas, 36 x 48" (91 x 121 cm)

 

SAS: What is it like teaching at SAS?

MB: Being an instructor at SAS is a valuable and sought-after position. The students are great and they want to learn. I teach two workshops each year, one takes place at the school in Scottsdale (February 20 to 24) and one is a destination workshop in Boulder, Colorado (June 12 to 16).

My curriculum is based on mastering value and color temperature as a means to creating an authentic sense of light. I pay special attention to ambient light which gives objects their presence—it’s the feeling of reaching out and touching a subject.

Mark Boedges, Swiftcurrent Inlet, oil on canvas, 30 x 40" (76 x 101 cm)

 

SAS: If there’s one element of wisdom you wish to pass down to your students during your upcoming workshops, what would that be?

MB: There are actually two takeaways for my students: 1. Take drawing seriously. Become really good at it. Most mistakes are made in the drawing. 2. Have a real cheerleader! I’m very lucky to have my wife by my side. She is and always has been my advocate and the drive behind my decision to be an artist. —

Visit www.scottsdaleartschool.org for more information on the school and its upcoming workshops.