Purple, Purple

PURPLE PURPLE /
Mixed Media and Acrylic on Canvas
March 30, 2022 Ongoing
Opening Reception Tuesday April 5
Mill Valley First Tuesday Art Walk 5:30-7:30pm

We are excited to welcome Brooklyn-born Miami-based artist Mark Cherry, considered one of the few authentic naive painters of Miami, to Poet and/the Bench.

Mark's signature style of artworks, at once graphic and spontaneous, express an idealized world view of varied possibilities. Essentially self-taught, with a career that spans decades of painting, his focus often deals with emotional realities, reflected through his fertile imagination where daring and intriguing visual narratives come to life.

An unconventional imprint of bold strokes, vibrant color palettes, found materials, repetitive imagery and painted over words, Mark is compared frequently to DuBuffet and Art Brut. Consistent themes and iconic symbols of faces, birds, flowers, shapes and symbols, however, are recognizable Mark Cherry.

Mark tells us that he first realized art fed his soul when encountering the works at MoMA. His style developed into a representation of archetypal subconscious–universal, primal symbols and images–both collected memories and imagination. When asked, "What’s the most inspiring thing you’ve seen, read, watched or listened to recently?" Mark responded: Human Spirit.

Preview and purchase Mark's work online and visit us in person beginning March 30 and for the Mill Valley First Tuesday Art Walk on April 4.