ART RETREATS WITH MARK MCKENNA

MARK MCKENNA

Wildlife & Animal Painter

Mark was born in Logan, UT in 1984 and has lived in the West most of his life. His work is inspired by what he loves, the beauty of the West. He grew up hunting, fishing, hiking, backpacking, and site seeing, and has  personally experienced much of what the West has to offer.
 

Art has been apart of Mark’s life from very early on, but he started to show real promise as early as 9th grade when he began receiving commissions for his pencil portraits. After high school, he studied art at Brigham Young University – Idaho, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Art in Illustration as well as a Bachelor of Science in Art Education. Mark pursued illustration for a few years and worked with several publishing houses across the US.

Mark taught art at the high school level from 2010 to 2018, and has transitioned out of teaching to be a full-time artist. -- Mark has been fortunate to study under and be personally tutored by some great artists including: Dan Burr, Leon Parson, Gerald Griffin, Jim Wilcox, Grant Redden, and Greg Beecham. -- Subsequently, he has spent thousands of hours at the easel practicing and implementing the techniques and skills gained throughout his education. -- Mark has had his work included in shows across the U.S. & Canada and is currently represented by Astoria Fine Art in Jackson, WY, and Mountain Trails Fine Art in Santa Fe, NM.