Artist Mark Mulholland in his Sag Harbor studio. (Carl Peterson)

Sag Harbor - Continuing with our artist profiles of artists both living and working in the Hamptons, our next artist is Mark Mulholland who lives in Sag Harbor.

Mulholland was born in rural Connecticut and grew up surrounded by farmland. He received a BFA from the University of Connecticut in Storrs, CT and then went on to earn an MA in Fine Art from the University of California in Berkeley, CA. After graduation Mark moved to Williamsburg, Brooklyn to pursue his art career. He currently teaches art at IS 131 The Albert Einstein School in the Bronx and splits his time between the Bronx and Sag Harbor. He has exhibited throughout the Northeast including the Sideshow Gallery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, The Lee Mussellman Gallery in Provincetown MA, and his most recent solo show at Christy's Art Center in Sag Harbor.

Commenting on his recent work Mulholland states "These works represent an enactment of the painting process. My paintings are constructed with layers of gestured routine, so the viewer can inhabit the position of making them. This activity reminds me of the pattern of handwriting in blue-lined notebooks. Floating on layers of habit and purpose the images appear as unconscious mental shapes. My goal is to recreate for the viewer the hypnotic activity of learned pattern making and its unintended effects."

"Purple and Black Garden," watercolor on paper, 12" x 16"

When did you start making art and what medium(s) do you consider to be your roots in art?

Mark Mulholland: I started to make art in earnest during high school. My school had a very supportive art department and I was able to experiment with many different types of mediums: printing, drawing, painting, sculpture, and my passion at the time - ceramics. I built a ceramic studio with a friend and experimented with unusual clay formulas and firing techniques. We collected clay by the river and carried it back to the studio in burlap sacks on the back of horses. I was sure my life would be lived as a potter. I continued my studies in ceramics into college until as an undergraduate I saw the work of the abstract expressionists and my artistic life changed. After years of studying ceramics I found painting to be my expression. The fluid quality of the paint and the manipulation of the two dimensional surface became my new passion.

"California Garden," watercolor on paper, 12" x 16"

What is it about the Hamptons that brought you here and enticed you to stay, work, and pursue your art here as opposed to some place else?

MM: Sag Harbor has all the qualities of a New England fishing village. After spending many summers in Provincetown, MA it had something very familiar about it. I spend a great amount of time in New York but I feel most at home in my studio in Sag Harbor.

"Midnight Garden," acrylic on canvas, 60" x 40"

How do you support yourself as an artist?

MM: I have supported myself in many different ways working in restaurants and a variety of odd jobs. For the past 10 years I've been a sixth grade art teacher, which I really enjoy. My classroom is set up like a working studio and I feel like I'm going to my own workspace everyday. The students are challenging, entertaining, and are very excited about their artwork. Teaching has become an important element of my artistic life.

Why live and work in the Hamptons as opposed to elsewhere?

MM: My studio in Sag Harbor is what keeps me working in the Hamptons. A former two-car garage surrounded by lush gardens that change with the seasons, it's an infinite source of inspiration throughout the year. My paintings are a direct reflection of the garden's color, energy and intricacies.

What local environmental or historical aspects of the Hamptons do you relate to that may be reflected in your medium?

MM: The light reflecting off the winter ocean with its gray-greens and blues has extended my color palette. I am using this muted palette in my new series of paintings.

What artists do you feel have influenced you and your work?

MM: Miraim Schapiro, Joan Brown, Jackson Pollack, Robert Motherwell, Terry Winters and Frank Stella.

"Nocturnal Hollyhocks," acrylic on canvas, 40" x 60"

What advice would you give an emerging artist?

MM: Keep working! Be true to yourself but be willing to listen to the advice of seasoned professionals.

What gives you an edge (if any)?

MM: My consistent work habits give me an edge. I work every day which gives me the opportunity to grow and allows my work to evolve organically.

"Secret Garden," acrylic on canvas, 36" x 42"

What are you working on now, and are you involved in any upcoming shows or exhibitions?

MM: Unprimed Belgian linen is my new surface. Instead of building layers of paint, I'll be using a technique that allows the paint to melt into the surface. The texture and hue of the linen, combined with a more muted palette inspired by East End winters, will create a quieter series of patterns.

For more information go to www.markmulhollandart.com, or email at markmul2@mac.com.

"Summer Garden Series #3," acrylic on canvas, 60" x 84"