‘Stain of the art’: The self-taught artist creating wonders with wood stains

04 May 2023

Mark Hopley has always loved timber, and when he discovered Resene’s range of wood stains, his art began to come to life. Once destined for the dump, Mark is saving pieces of timber and giving them a new life through turning them into works of art.

It all began with an unusual piece of wood destined for the fire. Ending up in Mark’s car, a week later it was an inset ‘parrot’ gift for a bird loving friend of his. From dragons to elephants, it’s clear that Mark’s pieces are inspired, and made, by the beauty of nature.

Mark’s ‘Elephant’ carving is stained with Resene Waterborne Woodsman tinted to Resene Limed Ash, Resene Riverstone, Resene Bluewood, Resene Woodsman Whitewash and Resene Dark Oak for the eyes.

“I am a self-taught novice with a passion for wood,” Mark says. “Once you have a passion for working with any medium, inspiration sort of presents itself”.

“Where others see scrap timber, I see carvings.”

Mark feels fortunate to be in Australia where there are so many beautiful and under-rated timbers offering a range of unique colours and grain pattens to suit his work. As for his design process, he tells he is doing it on a wing, or a wish, and a prayer. 

The artist’s favourite piece, his ‘Turtle Reef’ carving, is inspired by his time on the Barrier Reef. This piece features the full Resene Colorwood range, showing just how many beautiful shades there are. 

“I was fortunate to live on and snorkel the Barrier Reef before crown of thorns and bleaching occurred,” Mark says. “I remember the vibrant colours so vividly and none of my work, especially this piece, was possible until discovering Resene's wood stain range.

Mark’s ‘Koala’ carving features Resene Colorwood tinted to Resene Red Pepper, Resene Satin Orange and Resene Desert Yellow.

“I started searching for coloured stains weeks before I found Resene, but once I discovered the Resene range and tried them out, my carvings took on a life of their own, each more complicated than the last.” 

Mark has two favourite shades from the Resene Colorwood range, Resene Colorwood Whitewash and Resene Pitch Black. He uses Resene Colorwood Whitewash the most to blend with other colours to create beautiful shading and effect on the timber.

The majestic ‘Dragon’ carving is stained in Resene Colorwood tinted to Resene Apollo Blue and Resene Colorwood Whitewash, with a hint of paint in Resene Gold from the Resene FX Metallics range.  

For now, Mark’s art is a hobby, but we are sure to see some incredible pieces coming from this novice artist in the future. With the full Resene Colorwood and Resene Waterborne Woodsman ranges in tow, Mark uses both regularly and is always experimenting with new and exciting ideas.

The artistic piece, ‘Black Blush Rose’, is stained with Resene Colorwood tinted to Resene Red Pepper, Resene Pitch Black and Resene Emerald Green.

See more designs from Mark Hopley www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092432174645&mibextid=ZbWKwL

Published: 04 May 2023