Into the wild with a backpack studio

Over the past 30 years, Mark has travelled all over the globe, studying hundreds of creatures in their natural habitats. In doing so, he has documented some extraordinary projects.

2004

The Galápagos Islands

Mark was asked to contribute some work to a fundraising event in aid of the Galapagos Conservation Trust. This spurred him on to fulfilling a personal dream of visiting those remarkable islands.

There’s nowhere on Earth where human intervention, until recently, has been so limited. This allows us to study the evolutionary processes that shape the world around us. No wonder it has been an inspiration to so many people, especially to Charles Darwin, 170 odd years ago.

A man in safari attire kneels on a sandy beach, sketching in a notebook while three sea lions rest on the sand nearby. The ocean with gentle waves and rocky islands under a partly cloudy sky are in the background.
Sculpture of five greenish-bronze leaves arranged in a spiral on a black base.
Crab on a rocky beach with the ocean in the background.
A person in a striped shirt, tan shorts, and a wide-brimmed hat kneeling outdoors near a large turtle on the ground with branches and greenery around.
A silhouette of a pelican flying at sunset, with dark clouds in the sky.
Clay sculpture of a bird, specifically a pelican, perched on a base, with a long beak and textured body details.
Bronze sculpture of a mythical creature with a bird body and a human face with a long, pointed nose and a beard, on a flat base.
A colorful lizard with a red and blue pattern on rocky terrain with ocean in the background.
A sculpture of a sitting cat made from a pinkish material, with detailed folds and textures, positioned on a wooden surface.
A blue-footed booby bird perched on a rock, showcasing its long slender beak, distinctive blue feet, and grey and white plumage against a dark background.
A beach scene with a park ranger in uniform holding a notebook and pen, standing barefoot on the sand surrounded by resting sea lions, with the ocean, a cruise ship, and islands in the background.
A man wearing a tan hat working on sculpting a clay model of an elephant outdoors against a cloudy sky and open landscape.

2004

Kenya

Throughout his career, Mark has returned to Africa time and time again, drawing on the abundance of wildlife and habitats that provide him with endless inspiration. One particular animal that features often is the African elephant.

“The African elephant is in my DNA, as it was my father’s. It’s an animal so full of emotion and tenderness yet equally full of power, strength and majesty.

I have on numerous occasions followed and studied these remarkable beasts in Kenya’s Meru National Park as well as Tsavo, Borana, Lewa, Samburu and in the Chiulu hills, to mention just a few places. Sometimes I followed an individual like One Ton or at other times simply a herd as it drifts by. I think that if the good Lord told me to sculpt just one more piece, I would choose an elephant!”

- Mark

A person dressed as a wildlife artist sitting in front of a tree, painting an elephant miniature sculpture on a small table, with a faux elephant figurine on the ground.
A person squatting on the ground with a hat and vest, taking notes, observing elephants in a savannah landscape under a partly cloudy sky.
A man sculpting a clay model of a lion in a savannah landscape during sunset.
A man dressed in safari attire standing in a dry, grassy landscape with trees, with a herd of elephants visible in the background.
A man in outdoor attire, including a wide-brim hat, squatting outdoors and sculpting a small clay model of a animal head, possibly a lion or big cat, on a portable table with trees in the background.

2005

Ladakh, Northern Himalayas

With a small team of experts and his backpack studio, Coreth travels to Ladakh in the hope of spotting the notoriously elusive snow leopard.

Film by Rupert Merton

Capturing his recent encounter with a snow leopard
Film maker, Rupert Merton
Scanning the high Himalayas
Looking for snow leopards, living precariously
Teaching young Ladakhi children the art of sculpture
With Rodney Jackson, director of the Snow Leopard Conservancy. Could not resist a "Snow" leopard.
Bronze sculpture of a lion's head mounted on a pedestal.
Bronze sculpture of a sitting dog on a flat base, against a dark background.
Abstract bronze sculpture of a seated, hunched figure with a dark brown finish, casting a shadow on a beige background.

2005

North America

Mark travelled to various locations around the United States, studying everything from bison to bear to condor.

A person in a yellow jacket and green hat photographing bison by a river in a snowy landscape with trees and hills in the background.
Person wearing a brown hat and brown coat walking through snow-covered landscape with sparse bushes, while a dog runs in the distance near a tree and rolling snow-covered hills.
A bird flying over the ocean near rocky shoreline.
A bald eagle flying with its wings extended, against a blurred background of green trees and a cloudy sky.
A bison standing on grass, with steam rising from its body, in a grassy field.
A brown bear standing on rocks near a mountain stream, surrounded by green plants and large rocks.
A bird of prey with dark feathers, powerful wings spread wide, and a curved beak, flying against a blue sky with a faint grid pattern.

Bandhavgarh, Kanha and Ranthambore, India

Mark has made several trips to India to study the subcontinent’s extraordinary array of wildlife. Having been brought up in Africa, he was very keen to expand his horizons and experience different ecosystems.

His focus might well have been on India’s big cats and the Asian elephant, but how soon he realised the huge diversity of wildlife in all its forms. So often the first sign of a tiger would be the screech of a peacock, languor monkey or samba deer. For an Animalia sculptor, India is a rich source of inspiration.

2006

Two adult elephants with tusks standing in a dry, grassy area with a man in a wide-brimmed hat between them, holding a camera.
A man holding a small elephant figurine in front of a real elephant in an outdoor setting with trees and blue sky.
Tourists riding an elephant in a jungle, taking photos of a tiger resting on the ground nearby.
A man sculpting a clay sculpture outdoors in a garden, sitting on a wooden chair next to a small round table with clay tools and sculpture materials.
A man wearing a cowboy hat and safety vest examining a model of a brain on a wooden circular stand outdoors, with dense green foliage in the background.
A person dressed in outdoor safari or adventure clothing, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, sitting in an open vehicle outdoors, writing or drawing in a notebook.
A person working outdoors on a wire sculpture of a bird, with clay shaping and metal tools on a wooden circular platform.
A man standing indoors, holding a wooden board with clay models of various animals, including a lion, a deer, and other creatures.
A man carving a clay sculpture on a circular board while sitting on a mobile cot in a forest. Two other men are nearby, one sitting with his back to the camera and the other lying down in the background.
A man wearing a brown hat and a beige and navy jacket is carefully adjusting a small model of a pink bird on a wooden base with thin metal supports by the water.

2006

The Falkland Islands

“As a veteran of the Falklands War in 1982, I was asked to revisit the islands 24 years later in order to create a sculpture for the memorial chapel at Pangbourne. The visit helped to put many a wartime spook to bed.”

- Mark

The Falkland Islands are home to 70% of the world’s albatross population, so it seemed only fitting for Mark to study and sculpt this majestic bird.

A man kneeling at a memorial with a cross on a grassy landscape under cloudy sky.
A man outdoors in a desert-like area with penguins in the background, working on an art sculpture of penguins on a small table.
A person sculpting a clay sculpture of a running animal, possibly an antelope, outdoors with a mountain and blue sky in the background.
A person sitting on a portable stool at the beach, carving a piece of wood, with sea lions resting and lying on rocks near the shoreline in the background.
A man sitting on grass watching a group of penguins resting on a hillside.
Clay sculptures of birds and rocks on a wooden base with a blurred outdoor background, likely near a coast.
Two penguins and a man on a grassy hillside near the beach, with ocean waves in the background.
Metal sculpture of a flying bird mounted on a pole against a blue sky with some clouds.
Queen Elizabeth II in military uniform standing with guests at an outdoor event, with a large eagle sculpture nearby.

2007

Baffin Island, Canada

Mark sets off across the Baffin Island sea-ice in search of polar bears. Local guides took him and filmmaker, Oliver Parker, across a breathtaking environment of frozen sea.

Here they encountered an array of Arctic birdlife and Inuit hunters on the trail of seal and polar bears. They also discovered a land of ancient blue icebergs, crumpled ice ridges and desert terrain. In this search for the elusive polar bear, Mark soon found himself merging with the bears ice-locked kingdom; a kingdom showing the premature signs of Arctic spring.

The more Mark immersed himself in this landscape, the more he felt his mission must be to capture its essence in a very public sculpture. He realised that he must craft a life-size polar bear made from this landscape; from ice, with a skeleton that would be revealed as this iconic animal melts.

“The Icebear Project” travelled from Trafalgar Square, London to Banff, Canada and to COP15 in Copenhagen.

To see more videos on The Ice Bear Project, click here

A man dressed in cold weather gear examining a small polar bear sculpture outdoors in a snowy environment.
Person dressed in winter clothing, including a hooded coat with fur trim, sitting on a snow-covered ground in a snowy landscape, holding an object in their hands, with trekking poles nearby.
A man squatting in front of a large dinosaur fossil skeleton in a museum. The dinosaur appears to be a theropod, with a long tail and small arms.
Sculpture of three prehistoric animals, including one large quadruped and two smaller animals, likely mammoths or similar creatures, on a rectangular base.
People working on a large ice sculpture in an urban plaza, with a statue and historic buildings in the background, on a cloudy day.
Sculpture resembling the head of an alligator or crocodile on a black pedestal against a black background.
Ice sculpture of a polar bear and a penguin on a city street, with buildings and pedestrians in the background.
Nighttime scene with a large dinosaur skeleton sculpture covered in snow, and a woman dressed in black leaning against it.
A man squatting in tall grass outdoors, observing wildlife with a camera on a tripod, with a herd of wildebeests grazing in the background on a grassy plain.

2007

The Serengeti, Tanzania

Home to one of the most astonishing and magnificent natural phenomenons, the Great Migration, Mark had the Serengeti high on his bucket list.

Partnering with Natural High and Nomad Tanzania alongside one of the world’s greatest experts on the Great Migration, Mkombe Mniko Bugingo, Mark was able to witness this extraordinary event unfold.

Over the course of two years, Mark revisited the Serengeti in order to capture as many aspects of the migration as possible, which culminated in his 2008 solo exhibition, “Serengeti”. One of his largest commissions to date also followed on from these travels: his life-size African bull elephant.

A man stands near a riverbank with a small grill and chair, wearing outdoor clothing and a hat, in a natural landscape with green grass, fallen branches, and a wide muddy river.
Dark storm clouds over a field with two sparse trees, one in foreground and one in background, during overcast weather.
A person sitting by a river holding a camera, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, gazing across the water with a landscape of trees, rocks, and grassy land in the background.
A man sitting on a grassy riverbank crafting a small model of a sheepdog with pink wool, with driftwood and a chair nearby, overlooking a river.
Bronze sculpture of a big cat, possibly a panther, leaping or diving, mounted on a black rectangular base against a plain white background.
A savannah landscape with tall grass, scattered acacia trees, and some animals grazing, under a dark, cloudy sky with rain visible in the distance.
A man sitting on a large rock in a grassy landscape with two large boulders, one resembling a giant rolling stone and the other smaller, with mountains and cloudy sky in the background.
Bronze sculpture of a group of horses running together on a rectangular base.
A herd of wildebeests crossing a flooded, rainy landscape with trees in the background during a storm.
A large statue of a mammoth outside a building with a rounded castle-like architecture, surrounded by a manicured lawn and bushes.
Bronze sculpture of two crocodiles, one larger and one smaller, positioned swim close to each other with the larger crocodile above and to the right of the smaller one. The sculpture has a textured, detailed surface representing scales and muscular f
A large bronze elephant statue decorated with a yellow flower garland, surrounded by a small group of people, some with cameras, in a park with green trees and a banner in the background.
A man stands with his arm resting on a large white elephant sculpture outside a dark wooden house, with two dogs lying on gravel ground nearby.

2017

Russian Far East

Having seen tigers in the Indian subcontinent, Mark couldn’t help but be fascinated about trying to find the Amur tiger in the Russian Far East.

He flew into Khabarovsk and travelled deep into the taiga forests to work with some tiger researchers, Alexander Batalov and his team.

Even under the -30 degree conditions, with the team’s expertise and luck, Mark did see the cat but what he found just as exciting was witnessing the story of the tiger’s movement captured in the snow.

He also attempted to see the very rare Amur leopard, but the cat evaded him this time.

A man in winter clothing holding a carved snow sculpture of two polar bears outdoors in a snowy forest.
White clay sculpture of a reclining lion resting on a wooden surface, held in place by a person's gloved hand.
Man snowshoeing in a snow-covered forested area with bare trees.
A snow sculpture of a sitting dog in a snowy outdoor area with trees in the background.
Snow-covered ground with animal tracks and small holes in the snow.
Black and white photo of four animal sculptures made of clay or plaster, depicting a lion, a tiger, a dog, and a lion cub, arranged on a wooden surface.
A tiger walking through snow in a winter landscape with bare trees.
Snow sculpture of three dogs in a snowy forest with bare trees in the background.

2019

Holy Land

“Flight To Hope” really began in 2016, when the St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital commissioned Mark to create a sculpture for their garden in Muristan, in the heart of the old city of Jerusalem. It had to tell the history of Jerusalem, the movement of its people and project a message of hope.

After extensive travels through the Holy Land, Mark created a '“tree of hope”; a four metre high olive tree with a canopy of twisting, turning swifts. The olive tree denotes the walls of Jerusalem and the swifts, the movement of people throughout history.

However, whilst travelling across the Holy Land and watching the extraordinary migrations of birds, Mark saw a way of adding to the message of the sculpture. He decided to migrate with the swifts to Jerusalem, leading a flight of aeroplanes, his aim being to fly an equal mix of the Abrahamic faiths, thereby carving a message of hope and mutual respect in the air above the Holy Land. This is the story.

Film by Susie Coreth

Two small airplanes flying over a city with historic buildings and a golden-domed structure in the background.
A group of birds flying in the sky near a flagpole with a blue and white flag. The background includes a brick wall and trees, with a partly cloudy sky.
A man in a white t-shirt and cap standing beside a red single-engine aircraft, giving a thumbs-up gesture with both hands, with the aircraft's engine cowling open.
A large, leafless tree with twisted branches, resembling art or sculpture, set against a clear blue sky in an outdoor urban setting.
A red and white propeller airplane flying over a sandy, hilly landscape with a highway below.
HRH The Prince of Wales, with members of St John of Jerusalem
Casting of the tree