Mark Ludy's Intro and Biography

Intro:

Mark Ludy, the man with an award-winning hairdo and a genuine smile, is the author and illustrator of six critically-acclaimed children’s books, which are read around the world. He is a gifted artist and a powerful speaker, and he has hosted many seminars covering the creative process. Now, he brings his passion of inspiring people and encouraging them to follow their dreams to our stage. May I introduce Mark Ludy.

Bio:

One of the questions Mark often gets asked is how he got started drawing. He can track his love of art back to how he and his dad passed the time waiting at restaurants.

When Mark was young, his dad would draw something on a paper napkin and would then pass the napkin to Mark, who would add something else to it. The two would pass the napkin back and forth until they had a finished drawing. Mark and his dad always tried to beat the other to make the funniest part of the picture.

His dad was the one who showed him how much fun drawing can be. And, have fun with it he did. Mark even went as far as making his homework look like works of art – drawing people climbing up the side of the page with bears waiting hungrily at the top.

Mark never really considered art as a profession. When he thought of an artist, he imagined someone with sunken-cheeks lying in the fetal position in the corner of a barren apartment – a common image of the starving artist. So, instead of risking becoming one of those famished artists, he went to work for a bakery. But, his life took an interesting twist as the bakery asked him to go home and draw product labels instead of baking anything.

At that point, Mark thought he could find a job doing something with his artwork. And, in 1994, Mark’s mom gave him enough of a push to go do something with his art. He went to a printing and design house to get a quote on how much it would cost to make some greeting cards. Instead, he was offered a job.

After a few years as a graphic designer, he thought he could make a living off of his art on his own. Digging up the courage, he gave it a shot, and so, The Farmer became Mark’s first picture book.

Now, Mark lives in Colorado with his wife and two children. Something that often goes unnoticed in all of the detail of his paintings is Mark’s family and pets often make appearances. If you know what to look for, you can find images of his wife, kids and pets in the background of his pictures.