Few things stir the nostalgic soul like a picture of how things were. The ability to capture better days on canvas is nothing less than a gift to those of us who treasure yesterday. For years, Mark Millet has scoured the countryside, cataloguing landmarks, capturing moments in time, and bringing to life the memories that don’t need to be lived without. The places taken for granted growing up find their place once again in the homes and garages of the grateful. Watercolor is the medium, and anything that mattered (and still does) is the subject of his craft.
Influenced by artist parents, Mark was on his way as an illustrator of comic book heroes and WWII planes by the age of 12. At about this time, while on his paper route, he happened upon a 283 Chevrolet short block sitting by the curb. Intrigued by the stagger of the pistons in the bores, Mark became a car guy.
He began to draw the cars in his neighborhood. Chrome wheels and all of the accoutrements gave way to what became an Ed Roth-esque rendition of his surroundings. Later in high school, more of a realist style emerged, and the nuances of shading and chrome became more prevalent in his work. In college, mark was introduced to watercolor and the approach of painting on location. City street scenes became his favorite, where in his words, “drawing down a line of parked cars was no problem.”
Mark’s early paintings led to a show in the lobby of one of his area’s larger banks. The ensuing sales pointed him to the notion of pursuing his interests as a vocation. Twenty-years later he has come to enjoy the surroundings of a studio of his own with a connecting four-car garage. When not painting, he can walk a few steps through glass doors and commence work on any of four cars on various journeys toward restoration.
His commission work includes all automotive themes including diners, drive-ins, old garages and dealerships. Through his membership and associations with car clubs, Mark is able to engage the needed vehicles for inclusion in his work, adding realism and effect to each effort. Each assignment is an adventure, not only for the artist, but the client. Recently an older gentleman commissioned Mark to reproduce his father’s repair shop on canvas. The original 1940 Ford truck in the photograph was located on the internet, purchased and used in the final piece. Parked in the same spot fifty-years prior, new photos were taken and the new work evolved.
Mark’s wife, Jacki, is a car person too. She was driving a 1968 Camaro when they met in college 28-years ago and since then, has been his best companion and biggest fan. His boys, Scott and Kevin, have always enjoyed the car hobby, along with art and sports. Diverse like their father, the boys enjoy his renderings of NFL heroes, golf pros and the drivers of NASCAR.
Countless individuals have preserved memories and recreated historie with the help and talents of Mark Millet. It’s quite a privilege to run across an individual who has the ability to hear your story, see your past and show it to you in (water) color.
