Born in Townsville, Queensland, Mark Cowie – formerly a criminologist specialising in law enforcement and prisoner profiling – resides in central Victoria on the edge of the Wombat State Forest.  For some time Mark has been fascinated and irregularly involved as a hobbyist in wood-turning, carving and witling, but in recent years he has ventured into welding, metal work and the fabrication of steel as a means of expressing his creativity.  This creative expression has coincided with a growing curiosity in human nature and the influence of the unconscious state on/over the creative process.

Mark has been fortunate enough to receive tutelage from local artisans who have guided him through his initiation into metal work and welded steel sculpture.  This educational process has been further supplemented by additional studies in sculpture and metal fabrication, and through professional membership of the Association of Sculptors of Victoria, and the Contemporary Sculptors' Association.  He is now a full-time sculptor and metal worker.

Working with mild and re-cycled steel, Mark has found that this outwardly rigid material can be manipulated, re-defined and transformed into both decorative and abstract pieces that essentially represent the organic intuitive structures and elemental patterns of the human psyche.  As is the case with paradoxes, steel can indeed be treated in such a fashion so as to coerce a softer, more emotional representation.  How the creative energy manifests itself remains the most fascinating and stimulating aspects of this conversion process.  And through this conversion the individual human spirit is united with that of the unconscious, which generates emotion and, ultimately, produces work of creative substance.

Mark’s decorative and abstract pieces are generally recognisable for their commanding physical presence.  With the passing of decades, it is intended that many of these individual pieces will naturally progress towards the state from whence they originated.  In this sense, the pieces are 'living' entities, changing almost daily, even if just microscopically, until their final destination is reached. This parallels the human condition and underlines the extraordinary cycle of nature.

Previously his work has been exhibited in solo, joint and group exhibitions and in art galleries throughout Victoria.  Mark has been a finalist in a number of prestigious shows.

Apart from being a supporter of community arts events he has also been a prize winner.  Mark has completed a number of commissions and his work can be found in several private collections.