Biography
Mark Poteat has been a practicing artist for over 30 years, exhibiting his work both regionally and nationally and receiving numerous awards for his achievements. His artistic practice has evolved over time, encompassing industrial subjects, musical instruments, landscapes, and, most recently, the human figure. Deeply influenced by art history, his work draws from the innovations of the Cubists, the early Modernists, and the dramatic compositions of 17th-century Baroque painting.
In addition to his studio practice, Mark has served as the Art Coordinator and an Art Instructor at Western Piedmont Community College in Morganton, NC, since 2002. He holds a BFA in Painting from East Carolina University and an MFA in Painting and Drawing from East Tennessee State University.
Artist Statement
My work is driven by a deep engagement with personal experiences, history, art history, current events, social issues, and contemporary culture. At its core, my practice is also an exploration of the formal concerns of painting—composition, pictorial space, and the physicality of paint itself. Through the synthesis of these elements, I strive to create work that is both authentic and conceptually layered, resonating with the historical continuum of art while remaining relevant to
the present moment. Painting, for me, is a process of discovery—an evolving dialogue between intention and intuition. I seek to produce images that possess a strong visual and emotional presence, inviting viewers to reflect on the world they inhabit. My goal is to create work that elicits thought, stirs emotion, and fosters a sense of connection through the act of viewing.
Artist CV
Solo Exhibitions
- Tiffany West Interiors, Morganton, NC (August–September 2024)
- COMMA, Morganton, NC (October 2018)
- Mesh Gallery, Morganton, NC (October 2010)
- Mitchell Community College, Statesville, NC (December 2005–January 2006)
- Gifford Gallery, Hickory Museum of Art, Hickory, NC (October–December 2002)
- Adelphia Centre, Johnson City, TN (May–June 2001)
- Signature Gallery, Johnson City, TN (April–May 1999)
Group and Juried Exhibitions
- Turner and Poteat: Two-Person Show
Burke Arts Council, Morganton, NC (February–March 2024) - East Carolina University School of Art and Design Alumni Exhibition
Wellington B. Gray Gallery (August 2021) - Artfields
Lake City, SC (April 2018, 2017, 2016) - North Carolina Artists Exhibition
Raleigh, NC
– Jurors: Bradley Sumrall (2016), Larry Denker (2014), Bill Dunlap (2013), John
Beerman (2010) - Carolina’s Got Art, Salon Show – Second Place
Juror: Larry Elder, Elder Gallery, Charlotte, NC (June–July 2015) - Three Views
Burke Arts Council, Morganton, NC (May–June 2016) - Positive/Negative Juried Art Exhibition – Honorable Mention
Slocomb Gallery, East Tennessee State University (February 2007) - MFA Exhibition
Slocumb Galleries, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN (April 1998) - First Tennessee Bank Show – Best of Show
B. Carroll Reese Museum, Johnson City, TN (April 1998) - All State Tennessee Art Exhibition
Parthenon, Nashville, TN (1997) - First Tennessee Bank Show – Best in Show
B. Carroll Reese Museum, Johnson City, TN (June 1997) - Water Works, Juried Show – Artist Aspects Award
Salisbury, NC, Juror: Jeff Fleming, Curator SECCA (1998)
Awards and Honors
- Best of Show – Spectrum 2001, Full Circle Arts, Hickory, NC
- Best of Show – First Tennessee Bank Show, B. Carroll Reese Museum, Johnson City, TN (2000)
- Artist Aspects Award – Water Works Juried Show, Salisbury, NC (1998)
- First Tennessee Bank Show – Best of Show B. Carroll Reese Museum, Johnson City, TN (1998, 1997)