Mark Maggiori facts for kids

Mark Maggiori (born June 16, 1977) is a talented French-American artist. He is known for many things, including being a painter, a graphic designer, and a musician. He was also the lead singer of the nu metal band Pleymo. Mark Maggiori is especially famous for his paintings of American cowboys, Native Americans, and the beautiful landscapes of the American Southwest.

Early Life and Art Education

Mark Maggiori was born in Fontainebleau, France, in 1977. His father, Robert Maggiori, is a French philosopher and journalist. When Mark was 15, he took his first trip to the United States. He went on a month-long road trip from New York City to San Francisco. During this trip, he visited many National Parks and other places in the Southwestern United States. This journey sparked his deep interest in the American Southwest. It also inspired him to create the Western art he is known for today.

Mark studied at the Académie Julian in Paris. There, he learned how to draw in a formal, academic style.

Music Career

From 1997 to 2007, Mark Maggiori was the lead singer for his band, Pleymo. He also worked as the band's graphic designer and directed their music videos. The band signed with Epic Records and released four studio albums. They even toured all over the world!

Pleymo took a break after 2007. But in 2018, they got back together, with Mark as the lead singer again. When they announced their reunion concert in Paris, tickets for Le Trianon sold out in less than a day!

Pleymo Music Videos

• 2002 : « New Wave » (Episode 2 : Medecine Cake)
• 2002 : « United Nowhere » (Episode 2 : Medecine Cake)
• 2003 : « Divine Excuse » (Rock)
• 2004 : « Modaddiction » (Rock)
• 2004 : « On ne changera rien » (Rock [réédition])
• 2005 : « Rock » (Rock)
• 2006 : « Adrenaline » (Alphabet Prison)
• 2007 : « L'instinct et l'Envie » (Alphabet Prison)

Other Music Videos Directed by Mark Maggiori

• 2008 : Like A Hobo by Charlie Winston
• 2009 : Apprends-Moi by Superbus
• 2010 : Laisse Aller by Vadel
• 2010 : I Love Your Smile by Charlie Winston
• 2010 : Help Myself (Nous ne faisons que passer) by Gaetan Roussel
• 2010 : Mes défauts by Superbus
• 2010 : La Vengeance d'une Louve by Brigitte
• 2010 : Ma Benz by Brigitte (Cover of NTM)
• 2010 : Battez-vous by Brigitte
• 2011 : I love you, mais encore by Starliners
• 2011 : This is a love song by Lilly Wood & The Prick
• 2012 : Drama Queen by Vadel
• 2012 : Des mots invincibles by Leslie
• 2013 : Paranoïak by Seth Gueko
• 2014 : Comment faire by Plastiscines

Fine Art Paintings

Mark Maggiori started painting Western scenes in 2014. Since then, his artwork has been shown in many popular magazines. These include Forbes, Flaunt, Art of the West, and Southwest Art. People especially admire how he paints clouds in his landscapes. One writer, Christopher Barker, said his clouds look like "layered, textural monuments." They make the main subject of the painting seem both tiny and huge at the same time.

Maggiori's paintings have been displayed in several museums. These include the Briscoe Western Art Museum in San Antonio and the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art in Indianapolis. His art has also been shown at the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles. In 2021, he showed paintings at the Couse-Sharp Historic Site in Taos, New Mexico.

Starting in 2017, Mark began painting en plein air. This means he paints outdoors, directly from nature. He has done this in New Mexico, Arizona, and Wyoming. His painting style reminds some people of famous Western artists like Frederic Remington and Frank Tenney Johnson.

A gallery owner named Beau Alexander noted something special about Maggiori's paintings. Mark didn't grow up in the American West. This gives him a fresh, outside view of the culture. He works hard to make sure the cowboys in his art look very accurate. He also uses colors and techniques from his past work in photography and film. This helps him create very dramatic scenes in his paintings.

In 2019, Mark Maggiori moved to Taos, New Mexico. In 2021, he started the Taos Pueblo Art Education Fund. This fund helps raise money for art programs at the Taos Day School.

Personal Life

Mark Maggiori is married to American artist and designer Petecia Le Fawnhawk. They have a daughter together.