October Issue 1999
Bernie Horton Originals Gallery Presents Works By Mark Horton
By Linda Annas Ferguson
In 1966, at the age of 6, Mark Horton stood in the doorway of his childhood home near Albemarle, NC. His older brother, Bernie, was leaving for the Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, FL. The two brothers, separated by 17 years in age and from that point, by miles, have not only stayed in touch, but continue to inspire each other in the pursuit of art.
When Bernie opened his gallery in Charleston, SC, almost two years ago, he invited his brother to show his art along with his own. The works complement each other and are often described as "paintings that reflect the color, light and life of the lowcountry." Mark and Bernie both enjoy painting everything from marshscapes to colorful local residents casting their shrimp nets on a warm afternoon at the water's edge.
Still separated by miles, the two brothers talk by phone at least twice a week. Mark now lives in an 1890's brownstone in New York City and Bernie on the marsh in Pawleys Island, SC. Their conversations invariably include art. As they share their growth experiences, they are made aware of how they continue to evolve in their own style, yet relate to much of the same subject matter. They are often amazed at how their interests parallel. One such incident occurred a few weeks ago when Bernie called Mark to tell him of his excitement over finding a book of Corot's work (a 19th century artist) only to find that Mark had just purchased a copy the same week.
Mark's interest in art was kindled between the years of six
and nine when Bernie came home from school on breaks. He introduced
Mark to charcoals and different pens and pencils, often critiquing
his work and encouraging him. Art was not a regular subject offered
in the local rural grade school, so most of his early art skills
were gained from experimentation. At this young age, because of
the distance to any art supply store, he drew on anything usable,
including shirt cardboard. It was not until the third grade that
Mark thought he might become an artist when his teacher took his
father aside to praise his drawing of a cardinal in a tree.
When Mark finished grade school, he attended Wingate College near
Monroe, NC, to take every course he could to satisfy his artistic
hunger and to further validate himself as an artist. Then he was
accepted at East Carolina School of Design in NC where he won
a national competition in advertising design awarded by McCaffrey
& McCall. This earned him an internship after graduation with
their firm in New York City. Mark continues to work in New York
today as a freelance artist, specializing in motion picture poster
design. He has earned numerous awards for his work which has been
exhibited in New York and across the country, but he still makes
time to travel to the Lowcountry to gather inspiration for his
original paintings that he continues to provide for Bernie's gallery
in Charleston.
In the meantime, Bernie also followed the direction of commercial
art. For nearly 30 years he enjoyed a successful career in advertising
and design in the Carolinas. During that time he has won over
300 local, regional and national advertising awards. In 1989,
he put his advertising career behind him and opened his first
gallery, Bernie Horton Studio, in Pawleys Island, with a few originals
and two prints featuring antique golf balls and clubs. Because
of the success of those prints and numerous other images, he is
under exclusive contract with the largest print and poster publishing
company in the world, Bruce McGaw Graphics. Bernie's prints are
marketed world-wide to McGaw's 40,000-plus accounts. Eight years
later he opened his second location, Bernie Horton Originals Gallery,
in Charleston.
On Nov. 5, 1999, 33 years after Mark watched his older brother
drive away to art school, the gallery will celebrate its second
anniversary on historic Church Street. Their work has been so
well received in Charleston, Bernie consolidated both galleries
into that location. Their combined works hang in private and corporate
collections in over 100 US cities in more than 30 of the 50 states
as well as numerous foreign countries. To Mark and Bernie, art
has become more than their work and passion, it is the medium
that maintains their bond as brothers and as artists.
For more info check our SC Commercial Gallery listings or call
843/958-0014.
Linda Annas Ferguson is a freelance writer and poet living
in Charleston.
Mailing Address: Carolina Arts, P.O. Drawer 427, Bonneau, SC
29431
Telephone, Answering Machine and FAX: 843/825-3408
E-Mail: carolinart@aol.com
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Copyright© 1999 by PSMG, Inc., which published Charleston
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