W. Mark Dendy has been creating art since 2nd grade. Sketching came natural to him, and soon, by the age of 10, he was painting with oils. But Dendy also had a passion for photography, and with his eye for composition, quickly found himself in demand in numerous specialized fields from fashion to glamour to architecture.
At age 26, Dendy's creativity was diminished after he was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease that manifested with Parkinson-like tremors. After undergoing extensive therapy to reduce the tremors, Dendy picked up the camera once again., but this time, he built a darkroom where he could work his magic beyond the camera lens. His talent recognized once again, more than two dozen of Dendy's photographs were put on display in a solo exhibit at the Howard County Public Library in Columbia, Maryland.
As Dendy continued to hone his skill at capturing images on film, he returned to painting, experimenting with new mediums and developing new techniques. Dendy also found a place for his camera eye and storytelling and in the years following, he directed more than 15 films, two of which won major international awards.
Until the recent pandemic, Dendy shared his love for visual artistry by teaching acrylic painting to senior citizens a therapeutic means to which loneliness and depression can be staved off.
Dendy is a member of the Elk Grove Fine Arts Center where other works of his are on display.