Mark Peterman

My work involves a multi-tiered creative process that includes a crafted narrative, built environments and photographs that serve as the final document of the work.

I work to find storytelling moments that I can build a scene from. It's a similar process to creating the elements of a short story or screenplay. While these story elements don't always make their way into the finished work in text form, they always impact the final sequence of the narrative.

The pieces are all considered miniature, built at 1/18 scale size. I began building scale models a few years ago as an experiment to see if I could create small scenes that I couldn't create at full scale. Most of the works I make are constructed from paper material such as cardboard or balsa wood. Once the basic structure is completed, I add texturing elements and some printed visuals. The finished models contain very intricate details.

The scene is then assembled and photographed. I utilize continuous lighting (as in filmmaking) and often use elements such as fog or mist to accentuate the atmosphere.

Mark Peterman is a visual artist who explores narrative storytelling through photographs and multi-media. He constructs fictional narratives inspired from cinematic and literary influences that challenge the perception of reality and utilize the mystery of the unknown. His work examines how change, memory, and the passage of time effect the human experience.

His personal projects in book and print form have been exhibited in group shows at museums and galleries including: BBA Gallery (Berlin), Griffin Museum of Photography (Winchester, Ma), The Foley Gallery, New York, NY, Phoenix Art Museum (Phoenix, Arizona). His work is in the permanent collection at the Center for Creative Photography in Tucson, Az.

His work has been awarded by the American Photography Annual (AP), the International Photo Awards (Lucie + IPA), Prix De La Photographie Paris (PX3), Photo District News Photo Annual (PDN), and Photolucida's Critical Mass.

He grew up in a family of amateur photographers in the midwestern United States where his first encounter with photography was a darkroom built his father in his families basement.

His first published work was in the local newspaper at age 16. He attended the Kansas City Art Institute to further his education in the arts, graduating with a BFA in graphic and industrial design. In 2004 he relocated to Arizona where he has maintained a mix of commissioned work for a range of clients and the his daily practice of personal projects.

He refines his artistic vision by drawing on influences from music, art, and literature. A desire to be creative on a daily basis involves documenting experiences in sketchbooks as a way of remembering his life.