Mark Brereton Art

About Artist.

Mark Brereton (born in November 1976) is an English-born artist living in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

Early Years

After leaving high school Mark embarked on his Art education at Newcastle-Under-Under College where he studied Art & Design across multiple courses gaining two BTEC qualifications in Art & Design, and Design Crafts. He then decided to explore the UK further and was accepted to study HND Three Dimensional Design at Northbrook College Sussex. Wanting to progress his study further Mark came to study BA Hons Creative Imaging at the University of Huddersfield, although after a year he didn’t like the course and so transferred to complete his degree in Graphic Design at Staffordshire University. Mark then explored a more Fine Art direction and undertook his MA Digital Arts course at Camberwell College, London.

Career

  • 2016 – Ongoing. Freelance Visual Artist working for commission, exhibition, clients.
  • 2012 – 2016. Photography Art Gallery & Studio Partner.
  • 2004 – 2010. Art & Design University Lecturer.
  • 2004 – 2010. Freelance Graphic Designer.
  • 2000 – 2004. Artworker & Junior Designer.
  • 1997 – 2000. Design Assistant working in Advertising & Information Design.

Exhibitions

  • Abstraction, Gallery Omnibus, Dresden, Online / Germany 2024 Group Show.
  • Sculptural, Fox Yard Studio, Stowmarket, UK 2023 – 2024 Group Show.
  • Colour Exhibition, The Glasgow Gallery of Photography, Scotland, UK 2023 Group Show.
  • The Flux Review Winter Exhibition, Online / Printed, UK 2022 – 2023 Group Show.
  • Lovely Things, Brouhaha Art Gallery, Online / Hong Kong 2022 Group Show.
  • A Moment in Time, Cista Arts London / Online, UK 2022 Group Show.
  • Magistrates Court Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, UK 2014 Group Show.
  • Ten Years of Art, Gallery 116, Stoke-on-Trent, UK 2013 Solo Show.
  • GPS Artworks, GPS Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent, UK 2008 Solo Show.
  • New Wave, London Institute of Arts, London & South Korea 2007 Group Show.
  • Resfest Art Exhibition, California, USA 2006 Group Show.
  • Untitled Gallery, London, UK 2005 Group Show.
  • University Degree Show -D&AD, Commonwealth Institute, London, UK 2003.

Funded Projects

Street Walks – Creator of Community Street Photography workshops, offering support and development for anyone wanting to begin of further their street photography interests. Arts Council Funded Creative Mentorship Programme – Offering professional mentorship to artistic professionals and creative startups. Co-Creator of 116 Photography Open Exhibition – A local photography open exhibition and competition. Open to all abilities and backgrounds, making photography accessible to a wide audience and building a photographic community. Co-Founder of We Want Your Selfies – Arts Council Funded Community Project engaging with communities through photography and participatory workshops. Story Boarding Workshops – for Light Your Fires Film Festival. For Ages 16-18. Film Making Workshops in Schools – Creative workshops to explore identity and culture across a diverse student population in West Midlands schools.

Residencies

The slightest movement was a week-long residency tasked with daily challenging exercises – a process-based project to create a temporary community of strangers (including 13 core participants) who debated questions around tolerance and ‘otherness’. The slightest movement raised difficult and fascinating questions – about art and its relation to place; about artists and their relation to people who aren’t artists; about who gets paid for ‘participating’; about the problems with parachuting in somewhere where you have no existing relationships; about the ephemeral nature of many participatory art projects. The process confronted head-on the problems of working like this in a location like the West Midlands, Wednesbury, which is economically deprived and has limited cultural provision. It was described by a participant as “one of the most thought-provoking, poetic and intimate events that will shake our rooted moral certainties”.

Interrogation: West Bromwich. Exploring the question – What does West Bromwich mean to you? The outcome was the making of an artists book and photography to compliment the book.

Goonvean / Earth & Bone. 24 Hours exploring the open clay mines in Cornwall. This short project documented bone clay through its journey, from the earth to the many products that bone china is used for today. The final outcome was a series of photographic images and the making of an artists book.

Dust & Dirt. A two year residency at a once international ceramic factory – Spode. This residency investigated the memories of the factory from the found artefacts left behind after the business closed. The aim was to envisage a new space and use for the site. Artist Exhibitions, studios, and temporary events were held and organised by myself and other creators.