Adventures in paint – An exhibition of recent work by Mark Wearne

Adventures in paint – An exhibition of recent work by Mark Wearne
4 November – 14 December

In his work Mark Wearne explores the emotive power of abstraction and the expressive potential of mixed media. Born in Cornwall he trained in Interior Design at Trent Polytechnic in Nottingham. In 1979 he moved to Hitchin with his wife Diane and young daughters Joanne and Ruth and began work as a freelance architectural illustrator. Mark’s creative journey has seen him evolve from architectural precision to exploration in paint.

As an architectural illustrator he worked on projects for well-known names like Harrods and Selfridges across the UK and internationally. Mark also put his creative talent to work locally, creating, for example, stage backdrops, posters and promotional graphics for Rhythms of the World, the popular music festival that he played a role in founding. Mark also helped develop the artistic side of local young people in his schools’ Street Art banner-making projects. Most notably this saw the creation of Dream Catcher, a monumental installation involving nine local primary schools, which transformed Windmill Hill into a colourful canvas of collective imagination.

Upon retiring Mark committed fully to exploring his interests in fine art. He attended an intensive course at Newlyn School of Art in Cornwall and several abstract landscape courses. From his studio in Hitchin Mark spends his time creating new works, often inspired by Cornwall, its coast, the windswept wildness of its landscape, extreme weather and abstract expressionism of the St Ives School of artists. Mark’s former life as an architectural illustrator also helps inform his fine art work. He has exhibited locally and in Cornwall and won the 2025 Artist of the Year award at Letchworth’s Wynd Gallery.

You may also like the following events from North Hertfordshire Museum:

• This Sunday, 23rd November, 11:15 am, ‘Christmas Tree’ Kids fabric collage workshop in Hitchin
• Next Thursday, 27th November, 07:30 pm, Transforming Monsters: How the literature of terror still speaks to us today- evening talk in Hitchin
• Next month, 6th December, 10:45 am, Toddler Music and Craft Session - Stickman in Hitchin

Also check out other Arts events in Hitchin, Exhibitions in Hitchin, Trips & Adventurous Activities in Hitchin.