Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Wise.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Mark. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember. I was also enamored with the comic strips in the newspaper. By the second grade, I had determined that I wanted to be a cartoonist when I grew up. Along the way, I got into comic books and started learning to draw by copying the art out of my favorite comics. In 2004, I created a webcomic called Abducting The Aliens, just to see if I could. Since I have no real plan for it, it fizzled out after a few years, though it is still online. I’ve dabbled in Zines and Minicomics, and I have a couple of ideas for projects simmering in the background right now. I’ve really started to make some inroads in the local Houston art scene through a couple of venues. First, is the Pancakes and Booze Art Show that is held at Werehouse Live twice a year. Though, more often, you can find my work in one of the various themed shows that are put on at The Insomnia Gallery every month. These are great shows where you can come and check out some cool artwork as well as supporting your local artists by buying either their original art or any of the merchandise they were created.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I can’t say it’s always been smooth. I do have to hold down a day job, and I have a family, so sometimes it’s hard to carve out the time I need to create the art or work on the various projects I want to. Usually sleep is what gets sacrificed, much to my wife’s chagrin. Since I also do freelance Illustration and Graphic Design, I have to make sure I can balance those projects with more personal ones as well.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Mark Wise Art story. Tell us more about the business.
I’m a cartoonist, Illustrator, and Graphic Designer who also podcasts. I’m kind of a jack of all trades. I can work in any style especially in my graphic design work. With my cartooning, I really tend to enjoy working in black and white. All my favorite comic books growing up were in black and white and the newspaper strips only ran color on Sundays. I don’t know what separates me from other than my voice. I just try to make sure my voice comes through in all the work I create, even my work for hire. It’s hard to pin that down because I take it for granted. It’s just me and my voice, you know?
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I’m not sure luck has played a significant role for me. I’ve had one political cartoon of mine go viral. But nothing has really come of that. The internet has really leveled the playing field where everyone can get a voice out there, but on the other hand, everyone is out there shouting, so it’s hard to be seen or heard or rise above the crowd. No matter how hard you work, and you do have to work hard to be good enough to get noticed, internet fame is fleeting. If by dumb luck, you have something that goes viral, you have to really work to build on that and maintain any of that audience you gained from that stroke of luck. That said, it’s just as well that nothing really came from that cartoon going viral, I don’t think I can sustain the anger that seems to be required to be a political cartoonist. That would just be exhausting.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.markwiseart.com
- Email: info@markwieart.com
- Instagram: markwiseart
- Facebook: markwiseart
- Twitter: markwiseart
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