Mark Mittlsteadt, Wisconsin
Member Since February 2007
Artist Statement Artist, Mark Mittlesteadt, began his art career by doing simple pet portraits...it was another artist, his mother Faye Mittlesteadt, that encouraged him to create finished works of art and attend art shows with her. His first show was almost a sell-out. Mark received a lot of commissioned work from that first show and he launched his career with art festivals and gallery showings.
With every show came awards and commissions, then in 1988 he moved to St. Louis and began doing commercial illustration. Commercial illustration sharpened his skills with the airbrush and he also continued to paint fine art as well. Growing tired of the "commercial" art world, he moved back to Central Wisconsin and continued his fine art career, but this time focusing on wildlife and gallery shows.
In 1994 Mark came out with his first limited edition prints...a series of three paintings depicting a pair of Bald Eagles called the “NewWood Eagle Series”. Those 3 limited edition prints led to more gallery shows and Mark Mittlesteadt began getting regional and even some national recognition. The first Wisconsin Waterfowl Stamp competition led to being 1st runner-up with a painting of Wood Ducks. His combination of brushwork and airbrush led to more successes with stamp competitions as he was a 5 time Wisconsin Waterfowl, Turkey and Pheasant stamp finalist.
Mark has won many awards through out his 17 year career, including;
Featured Artist for Mt. Rushmore's 50th Anniversary Celebration.
1999 Timber Wolf Preservation Society Artist of the Year.
Duck's Unlimited Cover Artist.
Yukon Territories Conservation Stamp award winner.
1991 Wisconsin Waterfowl Stamp finalist
1992 Wisconsin Waterfowl Stamp finalist
1993 Wisconsin Waterfowl Stamp finalist
1994 Wisconsin Pheasant Stamp finalist
1996 Wisconsin Turkey Stamp finalist
Over 100 "First Place" and "Best of Show" Awards throughout the Midwest.
Mark took a few years off from painting as the years of the art show circuit was wearing on him. Wildlife art was in a state of overproduced, clichéd prints where anyone with a paintbrush and a few dollars were selling out to the “trend of the month”. Mark turned his attention towards portraits and left the wildlife subjects he loved behind for a few years. But his love of wildlife and the outdoors kept calling him back.
Mark has always felt it unfair to pigeonhole him as a “wildlife artist”. He is an artist whose subjects just happen to be mainly, but not limited to wildlife. His main artistic influences are Andrew Wyeth and Ray Harris Ching. He wanted to get back to that which sparked his desire to paint…the allure of wild creatures. In order to gain a new perspective and refresh his desire for art, he took backpacking trips to places like the Rockies and Mt. Rainier. These trips allowed him to forget the business side of the art world and concentrate solely on his painting. With renewed interest, Mark was transformed from merely painting for the sake of commercial appeal, to art for it’s own sake.
The Art of Mark Mittlesteadt is constantly evolving. Be sure to check out his gallery. The gallery is, by no means, a complete catalog of all his work, as he has painted thousands of paintings over the past few decades.
“Art is not a pretty painting. It is not about the colors that match your décor. It is not about the subject. Art, like music, or poetry, is merely a tool to convey a feeling or emotion that one has about the world. If my art connects with even one single person, I am successful. I want people to look past the painting and beyond the subject, and find a part of the world that moves them. The allure of a wild creature is so primal that seeing one in the wild reaches deep down into your soul. It is a connection that transcends society and brings us back to our true nature. I could never improve upon God’s creation, but I can share what He has shown me with the rest of the world.” ~Mark Mittlesteadt
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