I was born in November of 1958 in Irthlingborough, a small town in Northamptonshire, England. Although most young people from the area worked in local industry, I knew from an early age that I wanted to be an artist. Early efforts at drawing and painting led me to a degree in graphic design from the City of Birmingham College of Art & Design. Finding work in the art world proved difficult, but the period of unemployment gave me the freedom and incentive to practice and explore, enabling me to develop my individual style.

Running parallel with my desire to be an artist was my love for hot air balloons. I was captivated by the colours, the sense of freedom and the hint of magic after spending a happy afternoon chasing these magnificent 'ships of the air' across my local countryside. This was at the age of fifteen. Ten years later in 1984, there was a turning point in my life as these two loves finally became one. I introduced balloons into my paintings and soon devoted whole canvases to them. I had found my means of expression.

The opportunity now existed to create other worlds.

Where can i buy Mark Pacan postcards, posters and original prints?

you can buy an assortment of garments, original prints and various other shit from Mark's ebay store, which can be accessed using the link below.

Which medium do you use for your artwork?

I use (Windsor and Newton) gouache, which is a water based paint. Basically, it is water-colour with white pigment added to make it opaque. I like it, because it is versatile (I can use it in an airbrush) and dries quickly, yet you can go back and change something, even after the paint has dried. Like all paints, it has it's own peculiarities and I would not say that it was any easier to use than oils or acrylics.

How large are your original pieces?

It depends on the amount of detail involved in a painting. The maximum size I work to is approx. 20 x 30 inches (52 x 69cm). This is the largest size in which the CS2 art board I use is available. If a painting features lots of balloons then I use this size. Paintings with one or two balloons will be about two thirds smaller.