Mark Lore Headshot

Mark Lore is an accomplished artist and retired educator whose career in the classroom spans decades, leaving a deep and lasting impact on countless students, myself included. As an art teacher, Mark was known for his innovative approach to teaching, guiding students through creative exploration while fostering an appreciation for both technique and imagination. His influence extended through elementary, middle, and high school, where he became a familiar and encouraging figure in many students’ lives. Upon retiring from teaching, Mark redirected his focus toward his own artistic endeavors, dedicating time to his painting and creative work. His recent pieces reflect a deep commitment to the craft, blending years of experience with a renewed passion for personal expression. Mark’s ability to inspire—whether in a classroom or through his artwork—remains a central part of his identity.

Beyond his career in education and the arts, Mark is deeply committed to personal growth and lifelong learning. In retirement, he has embraced the opportunity to evolve as an artist, finding joy in experimenting with new techniques and mediums. His journey from educator to full-time artist is a testament to his belief in the creative process and its power to transform lives. Those fortunate enough to have been his students, myself included, continue to be inspired by his passion, wisdom, and dedication to his craft. Mark Lore exemplifies the artist’s spirit, both as a teacher and as a creator, and his contributions to the arts and education continue to resonate with all who know him.

Chris (Host):
Welcome to Coffee on the Couch, the podcast where we brew fresh conversations with the most inspiring minds from all walks of life. I’m your host, and today we’re going to embark on a journey into the world of art and education. We’re diving into the colors, the strokes, the landscapes, and the classrooms of a man who has painted not just canvases, but also the minds of countless students. A man whose love for art is as deep as the roots of the trees he paints. A man who, through his teachings, has sketched a roadmap for many to follow their artistic dreams. Ladies and gentlemen, grab your coffee mugs as we sit down with the one and only, my beloved art school teacher, the retired educator, and the master artist himself, Mr. Mark Lore. So, let’s dive in. Welcome, Mr. Lore!

Mark (Guest):
Hi, Chris. How are you?

Chris (Host):
Doing great, doing great.

Mark (Guest):
Oh, well, that was quite a production. Very poetic.

Chris (Host):
Well, you’re welcome!

Mark (Guest):
It was good!

Chris (Host):
So… if it wasn’t already clear from the introduction, I thought we’d start with how we know each other. You, for many years, were an art school teacher through the grades as I was going through school.

Mark (Guest):
Right, right.

Mark (Guest):
Isn’t it something how we got back in touch with each other? All those memories of being a teacher at the Murdock and Winchendon public school system…

Mark (Guest):
Yeah. I taught all the grades. I was… so many years at the elementary level, K through four or five. Then I got switched up to the middle school, did high school for a year or two, and ended my career as a middle school teacher. So yeah, we crossed paths a number of different times as student and teacher.
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Chris (Host):
Jumping right into the questions. First question: Your work is deeply connected to the landscapes of New England. Can you share a specific moment or place in Massachusetts that has profoundly influenced your art?

Mark (Guest):
Well, let’s see… moment or place? I would have to say it’s when I moved to Boston. You know, I did two years at Mount Wachusett College, got my associate degree in painting there. And we would go outside quite a bit and do plein air work, which is, you know, painting outdoors. But it’s actually when I went to Boston. I went to the Mass College of Art.

Chris (Host):
Oh, yeah?

Mark (Guest):
Yeah, and it used to be on Longwood Ave, the old building there. So you could walk between Mass Art, the Fens, and the Museum of Fine Arts. I would stop in the Fenway, which is a beautiful park area in the Fens, over by the Gardner Museum, places like that. And I would sit there for hours and sketch. It was nice. It was safe back then, you know? You could walk through the park, relax. That was a great place. And that’s what helped start me with wanting to paint natural scenes of nature.

Chris (Host):
Wow, that sounds amazing.

Mark (Guest):
Of course, it’s also particular artists, too. When I went to college, I was following particular artists. It’s funny— the artists I would follow were abstract expressionists. I mean, because that was the thing of the day. That was the top-of-mind influence for most students at the time— the abstract expressionists from the ‘40s, ‘50s, and early ‘60s. Alan Frankenthaler, John Marin, people like that were abstracting nature and looking at color, shape, their composition, their application, how they would apply the paint. Because that was big back then, trying to be as different as possible.