Mark Tougias

Winter Moonlight

At the mention of the term “landscape painting” you might imagine a large canvas with a well rendered scene of natural beauty. Chances are, you’re imagining a daytime scene, illuminated by the light of the sun. However, if those were the only scenes portrayed in our artworks, then we wouldn’t have captured a full representation of the earth that’s available to us.

This time of year in upstate New York is harsh, but it comes with extreme beauty; extreme cold, but a resulting silence and tranquility.  A snow covered landscape, illuminated by the light of the moon, is a rather specific subgenera of all the artistry we have to experience around us. For that reason, the familiarity we have with such a particular occasion, makes these renderings by Mark Tougias immediately appealing, for anyone who has stepped out into a cold winter evening and seen these moments.   

When Mark paints, he is not attached to the exact literal representation of things, rather he is most interested in capturing a mood or feeling. He considers himself more of a poetic painter.  While the “scene” has some importance, he is more interested in the the non-literal qualities of a painting, namely, what color, tone, brushwork composition, and light can convey.  Those are his true subjects and the landscape is his vehicle for expression.

In his Winter Moonlight series, once again, nature is the inspiration, but the mysterious light, and the subtlety and subdued color are really his subjects. Mark takes great joy in the smallest almost imperceptible shift in values and tones which he says are paramount in creating a living, breathing painting; consequently exploring moonlight is a natural progression. 

Mark has had 43 one person shows, has been invited in to countless group shows and has exhibited in many fine art galleries over the years. He has been a member of Boston’s Copley society, Gloucester’s North Shore Arts Association and Manchester’s Southern Vermont Art Center.  He is the author of Sicily Solo,  a young man’s three-month solo journey through Sicily.

Exhibition Checklist:

Evening Reflection, oil on canvas, 6 x 8 in. 
The Back Road, oil on canvas, 6 x 8 in.
Working Late, oil on canvas, 6 x 8 in.
Moonrise Over the Hills, oil on canvas, 6 x 8 in.
Silent Night, oil on canvas, 9 x 12 in.
Going Home, oil on canvas, 9 x 12 in.
Still  Up, oil on canvas, 9 x 12 in.
Evening’s Glow, oil on canvas, 9 x 12 in.
Smoke Rising, oil on canvas, 9 x 12 in.
Time to come Home, oil on canvas, 9 x 12 in.
Midnight Reflections, oil on canvas, 12 x 16 in.
Moon Shadows, oil on canvas, 12 x 16 in.
Out For a Walk, oil on canvas, 16 x 20 in.
Orion Rising, oil on canvas, 16 x 20 in.