Mark Travis
 
Arrived March 18, 1952
Departed December 14, 2007
 
 
Mark Travis — absolutely awesome painter, sweet, ornery, funny, intense — has Left The Building.  He died at home in his studio space, on December 14, of natural causes, apparently a heart attack.  Travis was 55.  Damn it.
 
A Memorial and Exhibit was held
Friday, December 21, 2007, 6 - 10 pm
Pirate Gallery
3659 Navajo Street, Denver
 
Thanks to all who participated, here in Denver and elsewhere in spirit.
 
The number of people we heard from by e-mail, from throughout the country — including a woman who dated Mark when they were both teens,
people who knew him from school, or from buying art DECADES ago,
or from living in the neighborhood years back — was staggering and so moving.
Mark made a lasting impression and clearly will be vividly remembered by MANY.  
 
 
Check back to this page or click here to request an email notification
of website updates or news about a retrospective.  
There are also photos* of Mark and samples of his work: view by clicking HERE.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Below, Mark’s own words and distinctive voice, from his 2003 PowerPoint presentation, sent by Jordan Hoggard (and yes, the gun-wielding kid was with the text). It displays the sense of subtle marketing finesse (ahem...) that helped establish Mark as the bane of slow-to-pay galleries and - yes - a folk hero to many other artists:
 
_____________________
 
 
2003
 
“Some like it hot, you bring your own eyes.
Some like it calm, you bring your own mind.
Art is like breath.  We don’t need to get all hot and bothered about it.
But, we do sometimes.
 
 
 
 
Buy it now or pay for it later.
No, really
If you don’t buy it now...
Somebody else will.
 
And you’ll be sorry.
Mark V. Travis Studios
does not offer therapy
services for non-buyer’s
remorse syndrome.
 
 
Get out your wallet.
I need the money
You’ve got it
If you don’t buy something I’ll know for
sure you are a cheap bastard.”
 
 
 
_____________________
 
In closing, some words of wisdom:
 
“Death is that state in which one exists only in the
memory of others, which is why it is not an end.
No goodbyes, just good memories.”
    
Tasha Yar,
Star Trek: The Next Generation
 
 
A freakin’ Star Trek quote?  Sure!  
Heard the story — too crazy for fiction — of Travis and Jonathan Frakes —
“First Officer William Riker” — in the Cruise Room?  Apparently they crossed paths in the Oxford Hotel’s historic bar, instantly recognized eachother
as twin sons of different mothers, and proceeded to tip many glasses
and talk ‘til the wee hours.
 
Know a different tale?  Does anyone NOT have a Travis story?
 
My personal favorite:
A gallery in mid-1980s Denver
had made sales but failed to pay Mark,
well beyond the 30 days mandated by Colorado law regarding consigned work.
 
When Mark went by the gallery yet again to try to collect his over-due $$$,
one of the owners told him,
“If you need money so bad, get a job.”
 
Oh, yeah, right!
Mark went to the home of the collector who’d purchased one of the pieces,
said he needed to check something, the hanging wire or whatever,
got the painting off the wall
and carried it out the door.
Told the startled collector something like,
“If you want this back, tell those b#%*&@s to pay me.”
Mark got his money and the collector got the painting back.
 
 
Thanks,
Renna Shesso
 
Images:
Top: Mark Travis, photo sent by © Michelle Fox
Small inset: Mark Travis, Space Gallery, 10/19/06 © Charles Beach
Background: Detail of large painting, circa 1992, Mark Travis, collection of Cindy McKeever-Olguin
 
* If you send photos of Mark and/or his artwork, please make a note of any credit line we should display.
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