Mackenzie Thorpe is a British artist, born in 1956 in the largely working class and industrial town of Middlesbrough, Teeside – home of the famous Transporter Bridge.
The eldest of seven children, Thorpe’s father worked as a labourer and his mother as an auxiliary nurse.
Despite a pretty difficult upbringing and suffering from from (initially undiagnosed) dyslexia, Mackenzie found solace and confidence in his love of painting and drawing.
He eventually mustered the courage to enter the local art college, where his strength and enthusiasm earned him a place at the Middlesbrough College of Art and eventually led him to the Byam Shaw School of Art in London.
After leaving art school, Mackenzie spent several years working with and helping inner-city children in central London before he decided to upsticks and move back to the north east of England where he settled in the sumptuous surroundings of beautiful North Yorkshire to set up a studio, a far cry from the hustle and bustle of inner city London.
Once settled in the region he also opened his own gallery with his wife, Susan, and children, Owen and Chloe.
Since then, he has risen to position himself as one of the world’s most collected and sought-after artists.
His works express the full gamut of of human emotion, from the intimately special bond of love and friendship, to the self referential importance of self-reflection and trumpeting of individual triumphs.
His works are often remarked to be a tribute to the creativity within us all and are a vivid expression of hope and the human spirit.
Mackenzie is credited with helping to change the face of art publishing in the UK and has created one of the most recognisable and acclaimed oeuvres in contemporary art.
His perspective on life is a very clear one – often life is a struggle, but that we should be aware of and nurture our dreams. He also is keen to display that love and honesty will always triumph over adversity in the end.
The famous bronze sculpture called ‘Waiting for me Dad’ was placed next to the Titanic Memorial Garden in Southampton, England and it stands as a poignant reminder of the power of love, hope and faith.
Mackenzie has been exhibited extensively worldwide, namely throughout Europe, the United States and Australia.
His works can be found in a huge number of public and private collections across the world and he continues to be an inspiration and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.
If you aren’t yet familiar with his phenomenal body of work, see what we have to offer from him by clicking here