Artist Marcus McKinley was born in upstate New York and raised in Portland, Oregon, Marcus developedhis skills and passion for art from an early age. With dual degrees from Oregon State University in FineArts and Sociology, Marcus began exhibiting his early paintings at the Fairbanks Museum of Art locatedon the Oregon State campus. His last exhibition April 2023 was at Mason Fine Art Gallery. The Atlanta exhibition featured a selectionof Marcus' most recent works. The theme of the exhibit was “ENVISION”. This aptly describes thevibrant paintings that explore themes such as identity and culture through bold colors and strikingimagery. According to Marcus himself: “My artwork is an expression of my journey through life; it’s areflection of who I am and what I have experienced”. Marcus’ work has been featured in numerous Gallery Exhibitions across the United States and Canada.Some of the galleries include: the High Museum of Art, Woodruff Arts Center, the Vault Gallery, Cherrylion Fine Arts Gallery, Morehouse MLK Chapel International Art Museum, Mason Fine Arts Gallery –Awarded Best Artist of the Year 2018 by The African Arts & Culture Festival.