The neighborhood Mark grew up in is colorful, old, and built around the livestock processing industry. Mark was also raised Roman Catholic, a religious practice he describes as, "not shy of emphasizing and depicting visceral human suffering." These two early but major influences have driven his sensibilities to the tastefully macabre. He has pointed this experience into capturing the beautifully brutal essence of nature, people, and himself."My studio practice is chaos and squalor tip-toeing the brink of destruction. I have found this is the only way I can surrender control and allow my work and my subjects to drive. I use surrealist techniques, along with the rituals and writings of many different religious practices, to help me tap into memory, dreams, and empathy."