Art helps to steer Mark away from life of crime

Art helps to steer Mark away from life of crime

3 October 2012

MARK Knox is a very talented artist.

The path which has led to the Downpatrick man’s first exhibition at Down Arts Centre, however, is far from usual.

Looking around the collection of paintings he plans to put on public display this weekend, Mark finds it all a bit hard to believe himself. It wouldn’t be the sort of building he would normally be in, he says, never mind having an exhibition there.

Mark has a criminal past and the self-doubt that remains over his obvious talent is being tackled by NIACRO — a voluntary organisation which aims to reduce crime and its impact on people and communities.

Geraldine Kelly from the organisation is working with Mark, and hopes art will help open a new chapter in her client’s difficult life — a life too often marred by tragedy and offending.

The 10 acrylic paintings are on a variety of topics that interest the 29 year-old — motorcycles, rappers, his children, and portrait paintings commissioned by friends.

“I’m a big fan of 2Pac and 50 Cent,” he said. “I drew them and then people asked me to do paintings for them. It was a hobby of mine. It got me out of the house.”

A clearly proud dad, Mark’s five children, Jamie, Rebecca, Marshall, Rayanna and Alanna, also make frequent appearances in his art work.

“I didn’t make them try to sit still,” he explained. “I drew them from photographs.”

So what do they think of their dad’s talent? “They seem happy enough,” he shrugged, always keen to point out he’s “not a professional”.

Mark’s achievements are remarkable, however, considering the fact he had a disruptive childhood and little consistent schooling from the age of 13, never mind any formal art training.

“I remember trying to draw comics in school during art,” he said. “The teacher said ‘that’s very good, but you’re meant to be drawing an apple’.”

Mark and education would continue to fail to gel and he became estranged from his family.

“I was a wee rascal,” he admitted. “I just wanted to go out and I just did not want to come home.

“I was meant to be going to tech. in Lisburn but when I was 15 I was staying with friends instead. Life was quite difficult.”

Mark’s troubled teenage years became a nomadic existence, as he continued to move from house to house and sofa to sofa, leading a life few would envy.

“I did not have a good life,” he said simply of the time that followed. “I was drinking. I had to drink to block everything out.”

Some of what Mark experienced in his youth he finds too difficult to talk about, but at no stage does he try to blame anyone for his subsequent disorder related offending.

“I have been through everything,” he said. “I feel I could write a book and it would be a best seller.

“Basically I was getting into fights a lot and I was getting jumped all the time. I regret what happened. I want this to be a new phase in my life.”

After meeting at a recent funeral, Mark is now back in touch with his family, which he hopes is also a positive sign of things to come.

“The lovely thing is my family is coming to the opening,” he said. “I had not seen them for six or seven years.

“Things were not looking good for me in the past. They are coming to the exhibition, though, and I want to keep it that way. This has opened a lot of doors for me. I think they will be surprised.

“I have a few friends coming to the opening too and a few Christian friends.”

When asked about any personal faith he has, Mark added: “I believe in God alright. I’ve read the Bible.”

Having already attracted developer Gary McCausland as a benefactor, Mark’s plans for the future include trying landscape painting, building on his motorbike interests and even interior art work.

“I would like to project images on to kitchen walls maybe and bedroom walls and use templates,” he said.

Raising a comical eyebrow at Geraldine’s suggestion of college and university to follow, and “getting round to drawing that apple”, Mark has clearly developed a good working relationship with his proud mentor.

“I felt worried about it,” he said of her initial suggestions to make better use of his talent. “I did not feel used to it.

“It might work in a way, though. I am wasting my life away if not. And I’m being given space to paint here at the arts centre.”

So when asked about the secret of Geraldine’s apparent success, Mark’s response is a simple one — “I have not had anyone being that nice to me before.”

Mark Knox’s exhibition opens at 6pm on Friday in Down Arts Centre and runs until the end of November. Some items are expected to be on sale.

Mark is accepting commissions, and can be contacted through Down Arts Centre on 4461 0747.