Heart themed art works
are often the result of Mackenzie Thorpe listening to the fabulous melancholic music of Johnny Cash, Patsy Clyne, Frank Sinatra et al. Mackenzie talks about his process.
He paints to music, and film soundtracks in particular. “I go to my studio and make sure the music I want to listen to is on. Sometimes I know already what I am going to draw, but other times I just have to stand in front of the paper and let the energy flow through me and trust that I have enough within me to allow the creativity its own energy; at those times I feel like I am just the conduit for the art, I don’t have to do much thinking. The art takes its own shape almost independently from my conscious intervention.” And when, I ask, does this process end? “The piece itself always tells me when it is finished, you know when it is complete, there is nothing else to add, nothing more to say, it is done.”
are often the result of Mackenzie Thorpe listening to the fabulous melancholic music of Johnny Cash, Patsy Clyne, Frank Sinatra et al. Mackenzie talks about his process.
He paints to music, and film soundtracks in particular. “I go to my studio and make sure the music I want to listen to is on. Sometimes I know already what I am going to draw, but other times I just have to stand in front of the paper and let the energy flow through me and trust that I have enough within me to allow the creativity its own energy; at those times I feel like I am just the conduit for the art, I don’t have to do much thinking. The art takes its own shape almost independently from my conscious intervention.” And when, I ask, does this process end? “The piece itself always tells me when it is finished, you know when it is complete, there is nothing else to add, nothing more to say, it is done.”
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GO FOR YOUR GUN
MIXED MEDIA OVER SIZE PRINT
MACKENZIE'S PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE IS CLEAR. HE DOESN’T HIDE THE FACT THAT OFTEN LIFE IS A STRUGGLE, A DARK TUNNEL WHICH CAN SEEM ENDLESS. HOWEVER, HE PASSIONATELY BELIEVES THAT OUR FRAIL DREAMS ARE WORTH NURTURING AND THAT LOVE AND HONESTY WILL TRIUMPH OVER ADVERSITY.
MACKENZIE THORPE - ABOUT - ARTWORK - MEDIA
BORN AND RAISED IN THE INDUSTRIAL TOWN OF MIDDLESBROUGH ENGLAND IN THE LATE 1950'S, THE NEED TO DRAW WAS OBVIOUS FROM AN EARLY AGE, AS A CHILD MACKENZIE WOULD SEEK OUT WHATEVER RAW MATERIALS HE COULD FIND TO CREATE WITH.
GROWING UP WITH DYSLEXIA MACKENZIE FOUND CONFIDENCE IN ART. HE LEFT SCHOOL WITHOUT ANY FORMAL QUALIFICATIONS TAKING ON A VARIETY OF UNSKILLED JOBS WHILE CONTINUING TO DRAW AND PAINT. HE EVENTUALLY GOT THE COURAGE TO APPLY TO THE LOCAL ART COLLEGE.
HIS LACK OF EDUCATION AND BARELY READABLE APPLICATION DID NOTHING TO WARRANT SUPPORT, BUT THE STRENGTH AND VOLUME OF HIS WORK COUPLED WITH HIS ENTHUSIASM AND COMMITMENT WON HIM A PLACE AT MIDDLESBROUGH SCHOOL OF ART AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE BYAM SHAW SCHOOL OF ART IN LONDON.
HE'S GONE ON TO OBTAIN A DOCTORATE IN RECOGNITION OF BOTH HIS ARTISTIC AND CHARITABLE ENDEAVOURS IN THE UK; HAS BEEN AWARDED A PROFESSORSHIP IN JAPAN AND AWARDED THE FREEDOM OF THE CITY IN HIS HOMETOWN OF MIDDLESBROUGH.
WITH OVER 3O YEAR'S EXPERIENCE AS A PROFESSIONAL ARTIST HIS WORK TRANSCENDS LANGUAGE BARRIERS, MACKENZIE CONTINUES TO CREATE ORIGINALS, LIMITED EDITIONS AND SCULPTURE ALL BY HAND WITH WORK THAT CONTRASTS UNIVERSAL EXTREMES OF EMOTION, RANGING FROM LOVE, HOPE AND JOY AT ONE EXTREME TO ISSUE SUCH AS ISOLATION AND STRUGGLE, AT THE OTHER.
MARRIED WITH TWO GROWN UP CHILDREN AND FOUR GRANDCHILDREN, MACKENZIE HAS SPENT TIME LIVING IN THE USA BUT NOW LIVES IN THE BRITISH SEASIDE TOWN OF BRIGHTON WHERE HE WORKS FROM HIS OWN STUDIO.
MEDIA AND PRESS
INTERNATIONAL PRESS SPEAKS OUT ON MACKENZIE THORPE
"Despite leaving school without any qualifications (he was later diagnosed with dyslexia) and struggling to enter art school as a result of his learning difficulties, Mackenzie Thorpe has beaten all the odds to become one of England's best-loved artists"
Society Magazine London
"The British artist's indomitable spirit has helped him become a worldwide phenomenon in the art world, despite a severe learning disability, a hardscrabble childhood and almost no encouragement of his talent- "Chicago Tribune
"His life would make an arresting screenplay" Picture Business London
"His art is a tool that he uses to encourage awareness in all children of their ability to fulfil their dreams" The Japan Times
"Today Mackenzie Thorpe is an internationally acclaimed artist whose works are in demand by collectors throughout the world" - The Indianapolis Star
"His highly popular works convey the pathos, tenderness, passion, and humour that lie at the heart of the human condition" United Airlines Hemisphere
INTERNATIONAL PRESS SPEAKS OUT ON MACKENZIE THORPE
"Despite leaving school without any qualifications (he was later diagnosed with dyslexia) and struggling to enter art school as a result of his learning difficulties, Mackenzie Thorpe has beaten all the odds to become one of England's best-loved artists"
Society Magazine London
"The British artist's indomitable spirit has helped him become a worldwide phenomenon in the art world, despite a severe learning disability, a hardscrabble childhood and almost no encouragement of his talent- "Chicago Tribune
"His life would make an arresting screenplay" Picture Business London
"His art is a tool that he uses to encourage awareness in all children of their ability to fulfil their dreams" The Japan Times
"Today Mackenzie Thorpe is an internationally acclaimed artist whose works are in demand by collectors throughout the world" - The Indianapolis Star
"His highly popular works convey the pathos, tenderness, passion, and humour that lie at the heart of the human condition" United Airlines Hemisphere
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