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Mark graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Art Degree as a Printmaker, (while minoring in Drawing and Photography with enough hours of study that either could have been a major area of study) from the University of South Dakota. Printmaking like Photography is both artistic and technical.  Failing either will fail the Print and that was attractive to him.  Mark studied with Native American Artist, Oscar Howe one-on-one for a semester while he was in art school.  So it was no coincidence a few years later when he was named the first Artist-in-Residence at the Oscar Howe Art Center.  The Residency ended with a One-Man show and opportunity to be the Creative Director at an advertising agency.

As a Creative Director, for the next 25 years he was responsible for thousands of images – drawings, illustrations & photographs (still and video).  Commercial Art introduced a third challenge to go with Artistic and Technical – Budget.   Somehow, as Mark says, “I stumbled into the communications business – next thing I know I’m CEO of a phone, internet and cable TV company in Michigan”. During this time he continued to make pictures – drawings & photographs.  As he retires from Bloomingdale Communications this year, he now begins Tom Tony Fine Art Portraits.