Mark Allen Natale is a South Jersey artist who specializes in realism-style paintings. He is currently working on old signage and architecture, as he is fond of the nostalgic aura of things from the past.
Mark grew up in Egg Harbor City, so he’s a South Jersey native at heart. He went to the University of the Arts for art school and found that Philadelphia sparked his passion for creativity.
However, Mark’s art journey started much earlier than college.
When Mark was in high school, he was part of a monthly art club. The teacher of this club was also teaching art at a college level at an art school in Philly. They noticed that Mark had somewhat of a natural talent for drawing and painting and brought it to his attention, advising that he consider pursuing it further. As Mark furthered his involvement with the club, he became a better artist, and was able to create enough pieces to build a portfolio.
After high school, Mark’s art career evolved at the University of the Arts. He notes that the “rich” environment of Philadelphia, along with its appreciation for art, allowed him to explore his artistic style. He had access to galleries and high-level museums all throughout the city, which deepened his interest in different art.
Mark realized that a lot of the art he was creating was of a realist style that stemmed from practice in illustration. He does more traditional-style work, and, as mentioned earlier, is interested in signage and architecture from the past, such as road signs and farm stands.
Once he graduated college, Mark started to sell his art. He was always producing paintings available for sale in the area, but once he moved to Savannah, GA, he was able to sell some pieces down there. He’s also had paintings on view in Saint Louis, MO, Redbank, NJ and a local show in Hammonton, NJ.
Since moving back from Savannah to South Jersey in 2006, a majority of Mark’s clientele stems from the area. But, his art reaches clients all throughout the east coast--primarily in the tri-state area. Mark also does commission-based work, so some of his art could reach other parts of the country (he is currently working on a piece for someone in Alabama).
Once the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Mark has found ways to balance his family life and his artwork. While it has been difficult for in-person shows to be held, he’s still been able to create pieces for people through commission-based requests. To learn more about Mark’s art visit his site: https://marknatale.weebly.com/
If you’re interested in seeing his work on display, his next local show will be a Realism Exhibition at Noyes Museum of Art’s Kramer Hall in Hammonton, NJ from May 17 to September 3, 2021.
Here are samples of Mark's art:
From left to right: "Square Deal Farm" oil on panel 30" x 30", "ACME Markets" oil on panel 16" x 8", "Ideal Sign, red" oil on panel 4" x 5"