Mark Casey Milestone

Mark Casey Milestone (born 1958) is an American folk artist.^{[1][better source needed]}

Early career

Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Milestone had an early calling to be an artist.^[2] “My artwork represents what I have done since I was a small child — making things.",^[1] At an early age, Milestone found an old moldy paint set and a large piece of plywood and from that he painted his first life-sized farmer, barefoot with green grass growing over his feet.^[1] His family did not support his ambition to become an artist^[3] and he dropped out of school in the 10th grade to support himself and learn his craft on his own.^[2] A self taught artist, Milestone was known early for whirligigs and robot sculptures he made since the age of 12.^[2] His art was described by the New York Times as childlike, "Mark Casey Milestone, a 35-year-old who makes life-size robots out of sheet metal and automotive accessories."^[4] The Carolina Arts referred to Milestone as a "highly imaginative painter and assemblage sculptor."^[5]

Later career

Milestone now works primarily with oils on wood or canvas. Known as a symbolist influenced by Redon and Rousseau,.^[2] Milestone now focuses on naturalistic themes with subjects including powerful women and circus performers often set in mystic backgrounds inspired by dreams, emotions and imagination.^[2] According to the Winston-Salem Journal, Milestone has spent the last two decades refining his painting with more ambitious, poetic subjects^[6] The paintings are a story that viewer gets to finish on their own,^[1] never completed until the painting goes out into the world and finds a new home.^[2] Milestone has had twenty four exhibitions locally, regionally, nationally and internationally including several museums and a feature in The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture: Folk Art.^{[7][better source needed]}

Milestone currently works in a private studio in Winston-Salem, NC.

References

1. "Mark Casey Milestone". www.markcaseymilestone.com. Retrieved 2019-12-28.
2. Rivers, Cheryl (2013). The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture : Volume 23: Folk Art. The University of North Carolina Press. p. 356. ISBN 978-0807871744.
3. "The Secret Life of Earth Media Kit" (PDF). American Visionary Art Museum. 2019.
4. Raynor, Vivien (1994-01-02). "ART; The Talents of Southern 'Outsiders'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-12-29.
5. "Green Hill Center For NC Art - September 2001". www.carolinaarts.com. Retrieved 2019-12-29.
6. Correspondent, Tom Patterson Special. "Salem College's 3 solo exhibitions approach figure in different ways". Winston-Salem Journal. Retrieved 2019-12-29. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
7. "Mark Casey Milestone". Saatchi Art. Retrieved 2019-12-28.