About
The wind is Mark Nystrom’s muse and the play of light on swiftly moving water fascinates him. The ebbs and flows of natural forces have inspired works of art and design since he attended graduate school in the mid-2000s. After more than a decade of professional practice as a graphic designer, Mark went to graduate school to explore ways of using art and design to foster stronger connections between people and nature. He is now an artist, designer and educator living in the mountains of western North Carolina.
Broadly speaking, his work explores visualizations of complex information and includes generative drawings and objects, installations, projections, and screen-based projects. Mark’s work has been shown in Boston, New York, Philadelphia and other cities across the United States. His real time wind drawings—generated with wind data collected at an exhibition site—have been shown at a variety of locations including Asheville, Brooklyn, Greensboro and Salisbury, Maryland.
Mark received a BS in Psychology from Virginia Tech and an MFA in Graphic Design from the Rhode Island School of Design where he was a two-time recipient of the Award of Excellence for outstanding work by a graduate student. He is currently a Professor of Graphic Design in the Department of Art at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina.
Prior to joining the faculty at Appalachian, Mark was co-owner of a design studio in Virginia and an award winning photographer, designer and art director for several universities. He continues his professional graphic design practice as a freelancer.