Excerpted from the article In Praise of Attainable Beauty by Wolfgang Mabry

In a studio he designed and built in the mountains of northern New Mexico, Mark Gould produces paintings of uncommon beauty and originality.  His sophisticated compositions, enticing color designs, and virtuoso surfaces astonish, beguile, and thoroughly delight the senses of even the most jaded eye.

Often painting in series, Gould manipulates paint with an astonishing variety of techniques and always with amazing skill.  In every conceivable way his work and philosophies exemplify the highest ideals of abstract realism.  “I don’t believe my painting has to be an especially believable representation, or tell any particular story, or for that matter be inspiring or beautiful in order to succeed,” notes Gould.

On the subject of perfect art versus imperfect, Gould reflects wisely, “I’ve never had perfect teeth, hair, body, certainly never led the perfect life.  Why would I try to make a perfect work of art?  Perfection can be among our worst words and the striving for it cruel and degrading.  I wreak subtle havoc on the honest effort to be a good human being or a good artist.  Imperfection offers the attainable beauty and therefore the greater significance for humanity.  I’ll choose to be the imperfect artist, making imperfect art, if that allows me to be human.”