Meet Mark Ludy | Creator of Art, Books & Games

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mark Ludy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mark, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
To become an artist didn’t fit with my early ideals I had for my life. The only picture I had in my mind was a starving artist and this I embellished by imagination, seeing a man with sunken cheeks, rocking with crazed eyes in the fetal position on a barren room floor… then later maybe lopping off his ear! – Clearly this was not something encouraged nor had anyone in my family set forth in that direction.. was it even a career?

If it were not for the fact that I loved to doodle and that on everything. Homework assignments were chalk full of interesting little creations… never mind completing the instructed task given. The terrible grades given me you’d think would have corrected these ‘errant behaviors’… but they didn’t.

I discovered something wonderful. I could make people laugh with my drawings. They wanted to see what I would come up with next or enjoy the fun details I hid in my drawings. Or how I would draw them! I seemed to have an ability, a talent, that others admired. It was in contemplating this in my last year of high school that let me to consider and think with new possibilities.

How I framed it then, was that I was a ‘communicator’ – that was what I was ‘meant to do’ with my life. And the pen… just a tool. My tongue… words… actions… just tools toward that end. I must of steered clear of thinking of my path as that of an ‘artist’ as that had negative overtones to it to me. But being a ‘communicator’ seemed noble and worthy.

I started to take seriously my time spent drawing. I actually felt inspired to capture ideas and work them out. I saw my drawings and ways to connect with people and share my own thoughts, humor and ideas. And clearly there as a payoff in that I was satisfied with what I was creating and others encouraged me, liking what I was doing and how I was doing it. There was reward internally and loved mining ideas and trying to capture visually those things.

My confidence grew and grew and when people started hiring me – actually PAYING me to do what I enjoyed doing for free??… I new I had hit upon something beautiful! I saw a path before me start to open up and I can only see it now for what it was… an artistic creative career.

I found joy in doing and creating what I was creating and that is what fueled me.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My father made drawing fun. He’d somehow draw worms squirming out of nostrils and make his hilarious looking people have hairy armpits… he caused me to laugh and see things cockeyed. Its been my joy to put attention into the details and to have fun with what I’m creating. If I’m laughing or enjoying aspects of the work… that translates into others enjoying it as well – just as I did as a little kid..

When I crawl up with a piece I take the time getting to know the characters and think of the story behind them. What causes me to feel, or think and why do I like it or why don’t I like it? My art is personal and its first for my own enjoyment and consequentially its for others – which I delight in.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There are so many possibilities but one of my favorite outings, that has always impressed, is to head north of Denver to Longmont. There, close to downtown is this place called Cheese Importers. Its an experience. You step into this place and you are taken to France. They actually have a huge walk-in refrigerated room that is chalk full of cheeses from all over the world. Often samples are out to enjoy. In there is an Olive Bar as well. Two levels of shopping of imported goods you’ll discover with tasty treats to indulge in. …that is my secret place to take people that is both unexpected and fun.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My shoutout is to my father who recently passed. Never was there a better supporter, encourager and inspiration then he in my life.

Website: www.MarkLudy.com

Instagram: markludyart

Facebook: markludystudio

Image Credits
all created by Mark Ludy