"Layers": New Work by Mark Eanes

In the spring and summer of 2013, Mark Eanes spent three months traveling throughout France, Croatia, Italy and Spain - shooting over 3,000 photographs of time worn walls, portals and alleyways. As painter turned photographer,  Mark’s primary source of interest and inspiration was to be found in the oldest, medieval sections.... richly textured surfaces layered with paint and plaster, torn posters, graffiti, and children’s scrawls.

Upon returning to his painting studio, the impact of Mark’s journey is evident in his recent work, and the process itself. Eanes’ mixed media collages and paintings are a product of many layers of charcoal, paint, paper and glue. Beneath the surface one can see traces of a long process that is very physical, even restless, in its nature; drawing, painting, sanding, scraping, scrawling, tearing, building up and tearing down.

As an artist, Eanes’ goal is to arrive at a place in the work of equilibrium, a harmonious orchestration of events and decisions, time and material; much like those time worn walls in Europe that reached their ‘angle of repose’ over many, many years.

"Once you become a painter you can only see with eyes of the painter. You could say the same of the poet, the architect or the pilot. The language you learn takes hold of your dreams.