by Deanna Byck
architectural photos by Marc Estabrook (estabrookphotography.com)
& painting photos by Mark Bates (markdesigninc.com)
I stood quietly in the middle of
Mark Bates’
fifteen acre property trying to take in my surroundings.
“See that breeze?” Mark asked me. “Think about the wind – look at it on the grass. That is seeing the breeze,” Mark explained. “Feeling it on your face that’s the caress.” We stood for a while taking it in—the view of golden alfalfa contrasting tall granite-grey mountains and the sound of the creek bubbling around. “Are we lucky here? Can you believe we are in this spot, in this moment? What is that? How can we be that fortunate? That’s how I feel all the time,” Mark said. His property has a heartbeat in the creek that sustains life in trees and vegetation. It’s this land and his connection to the earth that inspires his work.
When Mark determines the site of a home, it is important to be aware of light, wind, views, setting, and the inherent wildlife. “This land is sacred—it’s the earth, and I am mindful of that.” Even on properties as large as 100 acres, Mark will walk the entire acreage although the building site may only affect five acres in order that he understands and feels that piece of the earth.
Clients are connected to the property for a variety of reasons and Mark’s intention is to connect the land with an emotional response to their home. He does this in a variety of ways using an array of materials. To integrate the exterior with the interior Mark allows for an abundant amount of natural light through the use of glass. In Mark’s view, you must factor in all these things, “A house is for your heart and soul and how you perceive the space around you and your place in it. The integration of all those things—that’s where your heartbeat is.”
Other than being a keeper for the land, Mark and I discussed what he does daily to realize his creative expression. “I go outside. I like to be in the beauty that surrounds me. Because I live by a mountain resort that has an extensive trail system, I mountain bike and trail run as often as possible. The area is still wild enough to allow for moose encounters and spotting mountain lion tracks in the snow. I may return physically tired, but I am always mentally stimulated and filled with a sense of well-being. In my three-sided glass home office my favorite time to design is in the late evening when the sky gets into those deep colors. It is the time that I’m in tune, and I have complete focus on what I’m doing. I am fully engaged for those hours.”
I asked Mark when he knew he wanted to be an architect? “Yesterday,” he told me. I knew he was half joking, but it surprised me. I wanted to know if his decision to design was influenced by his passionate devotion to the earth—was it conscious or subconscious? I want to believe that it is his desire to be a “part of the land” and to approach it with deference and awe. For many people, the “Art of Architecture” is placing things on the earth in a specific and sensitive way that is in line and in tune with nature. He explained, “My clients want a certain thing and we work together to ensure that the house be a part of the land, the ground it sits on, the angles, the views and how it honors the land.”
There is another side to Mark the artist. He is a painter on a scale significantly smaller than the homes he creates. When we talked about creating the true expression of oneself, Mark’s ability to go deep within his subconscious expands the boundaries of creativity. There is a dichotomy between the precise lines of his architecture filled with light and big open spaces and the fluidity of his small-scale paintings filled with rivers of molten colors that are deep, intense and opaque. People can easily see though structures, glass and even fireplaces into other spaces and rooms in the houses that he designs.
It lends a notion of transparency that is absent from the paintings. The paintings are comprised of fierce imagery and layers of colors and shades that force the viewer to dig deep into their own subconscious to reveal the spirituality and dream-like scenes on the clay board. But once they are exposed, it’s difficult to ignore the intention and symbolism. Spirits of Mother Earth and the Paternal Sky, elements of water, fire, wind and even dragons and other mythical beings come alive on his boards. And here is the full circle of Mark Bates—his “big art” architecture exposes us to the earth and his “small art” paintings are a portal to his inner creativity.
“I am unable to repeat the same color palettes and images that flow out of my brush onto the clay board. The more time you spend with them the more you will find pieces to the puzzle,” Mark told me. It’s true. The more time I spent looking at them, the pieces revealed stories, visions and spirituality. I also found that through his art/architecture Mark creates space that is the fullest expression of who he is. Luckily for us, he does so with freedom of the mind, passion of the soul, and deep respect for the land.
Wind
The wind
Can be touched
The wind
Can be tasted
The wind
Can be aroma
The wind
Can be felt
The wind
Can be heard
The wind
Can be seen
Pretty easy
Try all of them at the same time
And then there is
A gentle breeze
That caress can be
As sensual
As the most tender
Human touch
And
As elusive
Mark Bates
Visit Mark’s website
markdesigninc.com