Art From the Soul

Marty Mack, a native of Baltimore, Maryland has returned to America with an Artistic repertoire and charismatic presence that says, “I’m Back.” People of Baltimore remember Mack fondly as the man on the skates, but few know him as the artist he has become. Mack’s art has been carefully nurtured over the past thirteen years in Geneva, Switzerland, the place he now calls home. Despite being an expatriate, Mack returns as often as possible to connect with his family and close friends. His Earlier works, primarily watercolors, are distinguishable by their almost surrealist portrayal of anatomy, specifically, the male anatomy. His most recent works are done with acrylic paint which posed a challenge at first. The common thread between his earlier works and his present pieces are the bursts of rhythm they all exude.

Although Mack knew that his passion lied in the arts, it wasn’t until his early twenties that he actually took painting seriously. Sometime before his 24th birthday, Mack received the answer to a question he’d posed to God; ‘If I had the time to create something great and memorable, what would it be?’ Fortunately, the inspiration came, and the time to create soon followed. It seemed to Mack, that as soon as he put his heart to it, the images he would paint would appear before him. Mack is a rare example of raw talent, through the grace of God. Having no formal training in the arts, he is consistently able to produce original works within two weeks of being inspired. About his process, Mack states, “Lord, work through me, is all I have to say and I just do the work. All of my work says freedom, love, and joy, because that is what God brings out of me.”

This same freedom which is successfully conveyed in his outgoing nature and his paintings could not exist had he not chosen to stay in America. In Geneva, Mack lives across from a lake (lake name), and spends his early mornings skating around the lake before returning to his work. He never shies away from calling Geneva his little heaven, but he will remember his place of origin. In America, Mack didn’t find freedom American mores and values, especially pertaining to art were so limiting, he is stricken with veritable artists block whenever he visits.

Since he has been semi-reclusive over the past 13 years, Mack has only recently discovered the Internet. This discovery has led him to consider different forms of marketing his work – originals, prints, and the clothing line which is constantly expanding. His complete collection ( He stopped counting after 3 years ) will never be displayed in its entirety, but Mack promises to exhibit a few for the public domain.