Artist Mark Risius begins by painting one or multiple abstract pieces, and then he cuts the artwork into strips. To form the final geometric composition, he weaves the canvas pieces together. Mark showed an interest in the arts from a young age and played drums in a garage band in high school. During his senior year, he picked up his first paintbrush, creating an image of a red rose for his girlfriend at the time. Mark continued with music into his early twenties before starting a series of oil paintings on sandstone, which blossomed into an art career. Today, Mark still plays a lot of music - mainly acoustic guitar - and also writes poetry and performs improv comedy. "Creativity has been a beacon of hope for me that helped get me through my earlier years of depression," he confides. To spur his creativity, Mark's home includes two art studios, a music studio and a photography studio. When he's not working, he enjoys hiking and cycling around his home in Boulder, Colorado.