Artist and Educator Mark Butts on the Significance of GROWTH
Dozens of local artists, educators, and former students of Mark Butts attended Creative Mornings for the first time this month in support of the beloved artist, educator, coach, and mentor. The setting was especially inspiring, thanks to the more than 80 “mini” works of art that lined the walls of The Garage Gallery for the fourth Mighty Minis group art exhibition, held the next day.
“Life is a puzzle,” Mark began, alluding to the connections, experiences and challenges that fuel our growth. “And a lot of those puzzle pieces are in this room today.”
For more than three decades, Mark was a devoted art teacher and coach within Virginia Beach City Public Schools, serving Hermitage Elementary, Salem Junior High School, Green Run High School and First Colonial High School. Today, he’s a recognizable face in the local art community and a regular at the city’s acclaimed Boardwalk Art Show, presented by Virginia MOCA. So, how did that evolution come about?
A Virginia Beach native, Mark had a modest upbringing with his eight siblings but found richness and community in art and sports. His father, who worked multiple jobs to provide for his family, wasn’t one to show emotion, save for when Mark, leveraging discarded styrofoam meat containers as paint palettes, gifted him paintings of animals. “When I showed him those, I could see the emotion in his eyes. That was my first encounter with the power of art,” Mark reminisced.
From a young age, his love of art and basketball became intertwined. By the time he entered high school, he was both a member of the basketball team and an avid participant in art classes. Despite his passion for competing and creating, Mark did not have any college aspirations; in fact, he was determined to become a plumber. “Plumber Butts had a good ring to it,” Mark joked.
In an unexpected but fortuitous turn of events, in 1974, Mark was recruited by a New Jersey community college to play basketball at 17 years old. The experience, which Mark describes as one of the most challenging and growth-fueling opportunities of his life, not only sharpened his basketball skills but cemented his decision to pursue a college degree. He enrolled at Tidewater Community College before continuing on to Virginia Wesleyan University, where he set multiple records and was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
“You can’t have growth without inspiration.”
Inspired by Kellam High School’s Coach Willie Braye (the first Black high school basketball coach Mark had seen), Barclay Sheaks (his college art professor who reminded him of Andy Griffiths’s character in Mayberry), and several artists, including LeRoy Neiman and Peter Max, Mark embarked on a fulfilling and meaningful career as both an art educator and basketball coach, for which he was honored as Teacher of the Year (1986), Beach District Coach of the Year (2007, 2020), Eastern Region Coach of the Year (2020) and Sports Person of the Year by the Virginia Beach Sports Club (2007).
In 2020, Mark retired after 38 years in the public school system, shifting his focus to creating and showing his works at various art shows. Over the past five years, Mark has amassed a strong following, all while evolving his style, which is deeply influenced by pop art and architectural forms. Some of his earliest works depict Vegas architecture, as he completed them during time off from basketball conferences.
Mark’s characteristic building portraits” feature geometric and organic shapes, emphasizing letters, numbers and colors found in societal structures. Rather than realistic depictions, his work invites viewers to fill in the visual gaps, creating a personal and reflective experience. Some of his most cherished pieces include Virginia Beach iconography.
“A lot of art will take you to places you’ve never been. I want my art to bring you back to those you’ve been.”
Fueled by connection – those important puzzle pieces – Mark continues to lend his time and talent through volunteer and mentorship roles, including as an assistant basketball coach at Virginia Beach Middle School. He also enjoys golfing and spending time with his wife and their two children and three grandchildren.
His puzzle continues to be built one meaningful pursuit at a time.
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Written by CMVB volunteer blogger Valeria L. Palmertree
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