Mark Ben Harris

I use art as a means to transform emotions into colorful and carefully crafted pop art portraits. My series, “Gone 2 Soon,” features iconic figures who passed away too soon, as I deal with my own personal loss. I transform grief and sadness into a positive force to heal and I hope others find healing through my art.

The subjects I choose are portraits of significant people who have passed away before their time. I have a profound connection with this subject because of the sudden passing of my older sister at the age of 35. Through her struggles dealing with chronic illness, she showed me how to persevere and thrive in life. I’ve dedicated my life and livelihood to my passion of art. I have dedicated the series, entitled “Gone Too Soon,” to my sister as a way for people to connect to their own inspirational figures in their life who may have left our lives too soon.

I choose to work in a Pop Art aesthetic, using bright colors and solid black lines. The colors breathe life into each subject and reminds the viewer about how we immortalize the deceased through art and pop culture.

All of my original paintings are made with acrylic paints and stretched canvas.