About Mark
Mark's Biography
Mark Affum is a self-taught painter who currently lives in Alliston, Ontario with his family. Mark started sketching at about 6 years old and was top of his class in drawing throughout elementary and high school. He fostered this passion for drawing through his childhood and teenage years, creating his own cartoon sketches and comic series. Shortly after moving to Canada, Mark completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and political science at York University, followed by a Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) at the University of Guelph. Along the way, Mark picked up painting as a hobby and explored different ways to improve himself as an artist. He experimented with various mediums and finally settled on acrylics and pastels.
"Art is not just my passion – it is my thrill. My studio is my 'happy place' and making art gives me a great sense of inner peace and joy."
A Word from the Artist
I don’t have a particular artistic style but I will describe my art, especially my acrylic paintings, as playful impressionism. Although I enjoy painting with acrylics and occasionally oil, I prefer working with pastel because of its color purity and vibrancy. I love color and it is reflected in almost all my paintings. When it comes to my work, I just follow my instincts. I generally paint whatever excites me or captures my imagination at that moment. I paint for the joy of the process and the pleasant surprise of the end product. I hope that my paintings transmit to viewers the same positive vibes that I get in the process of doing them. I am also available for custom commissioned paintings.