‘It’s an absolute love for me to do’: Nova Scotia artist sketches meaningful memories

Mark Gothreau only needs paper and a pencil to create his remarkable portraits.

Halifax’s Mark Gothreau started doing pencil art when he was eight years old. He says he loves turning memories into art that people will keep forever.

“I do a lot of scenes around Nova Scotia and a lot of commission pieces for clients,” Gothreau said. “It’s an absolute love for me to do.”

Gothreau decided to concentrate on his art fully in 1987 but the roots of his work can be traced to before he was born. He says he comes by his talent through his mother who did water colours and taught him some of what she learned and his grandfather who did everything from pencil work to ink. His artistic heritage inspired a family show at the old Dartmouth Museum.

“My mother and myself and some paintings from my grandfather,” Gothreau says. “We did a three generation show, which was fairly unique.”

Gothreau’s works from his home in Lower Sackville. He says his method begins with sketching his subject, getting line proportions right before filling in details.

“I do a lot of pet portraits,” he said, sometimes for pets who have passed on. “It’s a memento that my clients cherish forever.”

Gothreau says he works from his own photographs when he sketches Nova Scotia scenes that he collects in a calendar.

“Tourists love that because it’s something that’s very unique, and represents the province,” he says. “People tell me they send the calendars all over the world which is just a thrill for me.”

Gothreau’s says he invests 30 to 40 hours in pet portraits and up to 100 hours into local landscapes because the work is very meaningful to him.

“I feel honoured when anybody asks me to do something for them.”

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