Throughout his artistic career, George Marks’s work was always guided by the legacy of the West. As a boy, he listened to the stories told to him by his grandfather, who was a rancher. He himself was fascinated by the realistic paintings of Charles Russell. These early influences motivated Marks to study art, to explore museum collections, and to persist in the dream of creating art that realistically portrayed contemporary Western ranch life.
Marks was born in Iowa in 1923. He earned his fine arts degree from the University of Iowa and then worked as a commercial illustrator for fourteen years. Before seriously beginning to sculpt in 1970, Marks worked primarily in oils. Bill Moyers, a fellow member of the Cowboy Artists of America, assisted him with his first armature. Marks soon discovered that his proficiency in sculpture was enhanced by the hundreds of hours he had already spent drawing and sketching. He experienced firsthand how the two mediums reinforced one another.
Marks was among the first artists to be accepted into the CAA in 1966. During the 1970-1971 term, he served as secretary-treasurer and was honored by his peers with election to the vice presidency the following year. In his continual search for excellence and his devotion to this craft, Marks created paintings, drawings, and bronzes of indisputable grace and quality. His work garnered CAA awards in both drawing and sculpture.
Collections: National Center for American Western Art; Sangre de Cristo Arts Center; Rockwell Museum of Western Art
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