The next time I hear an artist friend lament the fact that he/she cannot paint or draw their crowning piece because they don’t have the right materials, these are the words that will come from my mouth: Your excuse is no longer valid.
Using only a Bic Biro pen—you know, those clear plastic pens ubiquitous on a global scale—and recycled, postmarked envelopes, Londoner Mark Powell draws incredible portraits of old folks, detailing the years and troubles that have left their permanent epidermal marks. The face of an elderly person contains a history of a life lived, tragedies and triumphs survived. Powell’s renderings, while at times unforgiving, are an honest tribute to the members of the older generation. More on his Flickr account.
