W. Mark Dendy has been creating art since 2nd grade. Sketching came natural to him, and soon by the age of 10, he was painting with oils. But Dendy also had a passion for photography, and with his eye for composition, quickly found himself in demand in numerous specialized fields from fashion and glamour to architecture.
At age 26, Dendy’s creativity was diminished after he was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease with Parkinson-like tremors. After undergoing extensive therapy to reduce the tremors, Dendy picked up a camera once again, but this time, he built a darkroom where he could work his magic beyond the camera lens. His talent was once again recognized, and a year later in a solo exhibit, more than two dozen of Dendy’s photographs were put on display at the Howard County Public Library in Columbia, Maryland.
As Dendy continued to hone his skill at capturing images on film, he returned to painting, experimenting with new mediums and developing new techniques. Over the past five years, Dendy has taught acrylic painting to senior citizens; he is a firm believer in art as a great stress reducer and therapeutic means to happiness.
Currently, in addition to his ongoing photography, Dendy works primarily with soft pastels and acrylics. And he never leaves home without one, or two, or sometimes three cameras, especially when traveling the world!
