Inspiritus – Mark Dierker Black & White Photography Exhibition in Royal Blue Visual Arts Gallery

 

Inspiritus, Mark Dierker

Portrait and nude b&w photography exhibition

Mark Dierker is an American photographer based in Dubuque, Iowa. He has won over 30 awards and had his work shown in over 250 exhibitions worldwide. The INSPIRITUS exhibition will present his 25 works from the portraits and nudes series. This individual exhibition is part of the Grand Prix won in Open Call Black & White Photography 2023 at the Royal Blue Visual Arts Gallery, where his 3 works were presented during the Finalist’s exhibition.

Inspiritus means “to breath in and be filled with Spirit.” This exhibition is dedicated to the people who have inspired me on my artistic journey. In 1987, I met a 72 year old man who built barbed wire fences for a living. I was writing a feature story on him for a newspaper and watching his leathery hands grip the hammer and the wire inspired me to capture a great portrait to go with my story. Since then I’ve tried to capture the essential elements that help define a persons life and the enjoyment of what they choose to do for a living. Inspiritus has a double meaning for me. Six of the people depicted in this exhibition have recently passed away. Each of them contributed in some way to my idea of what makes good art. I hope you also find enjoyment and inspiration from this collection of portraits. – Mark Dierker

About Mark A. S. Dierker (1965)

Mark loves exploring light and how it is interpreted by a camera. He began taking photos in the mid-1970’s with a fixed lens Yashica camera his father gave him. In college he developed a love for black and white photography and the sweeping landscapes of the American Southwest. Working for newspapers after college helped hone his skills in portraiture and documentary photography. He gets much of his inspiration from his frequent travels. His favorite genres are landscape, portraiture, night skies and Americana. He is an award winning photographer having shown in over 250 galleries around the world. In 2005 he founded Bear Dancer Studios in Rushville, Illinois and in 2022 he opened Widdershins Artisan Gallery in Dubuque, Iowa.

He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism with a minor in photography from Adams State College in Alamosa, CO and is working toward a Master of Arts in Communication.

One of two sons in a military family, Mark was born in Carthage, Illinois but grew up all over the United States. He spent over 25 years in the publishing industry. He is now a freelance photographer and graphic designer and splits his time between his gallery, Widdershins, in Dubuque, Iowa, and a family farm near Rushville, IL. 

Mark’s photography is aimed toward showing his audience the wonder that he sees when looking through the viewfinder. Combining over 40 years of experience in film and digital, darkroom work and computer editing, gives his images a very painterly style which he favors over a documentary approach.

Mark Dierker web & Instagram 

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Exhibition Patrons:

Alex Colard Gallery, Art Exhibitions in Stockholm, BearDancerStudios, Charity Art Expo, DESIGNER Magazine Stockholm, Smultronik