Can you tell us a bit about your background?
My name is Marc Renshaw, and I’m currently living and working on the NSW Mid North Coast on Gumbaynggirr country. I am originally from Perth, WA, Wadjuk Nyoongar. I have really been creating all my life. I have always drawn and made things since I was very young, and I have played instruments since I was 6. In primary school, I organised plays and puppet shows, often making the sets and props and did lighting and sound. I come from a creative family, and my dad was a builder, so making, using tools, exploring materials and performing have always been around me.
Image: Artist Marc Renshaw. Photo supplied.
At 17, I moved to London and started selling some drawings, and that’s when I decided to get more serious about being an artist. After a few years of trying out photography, 3D making, graffiti art and drawing, I went to TAFE and then got into the Fine Art course at Curtin University. This 5-year experience at Uni, and also playing in bands and working in the arts, cemented my practice and my passion for putting on events and creating art and culture. I have been full-time in the arts one way or another since then.
What materials, tools, or processes do you typically work with, and what draws you to them?
I consider myself a printmaker that uses any and everything to create and exhibit my work. I like to blend traditional, contemporary and experimental materials, techniques and approaches in my practice. Alongside this is lots of drawing, street art, sculpture and even installation and graphic design if the ideas I’m working on goes that way.
Drawing underscores everything I do, I try to draw every day and use it as a way to explore and record ideas.
Drawing underscores everything I do. I try to draw every day and use it as a way to explore and record ideas. I have an ongoing interest in urban sketching that I feel helps me stick to the ‘rules’ a bit, and also lots of work out in nature that makes me forget that and just enjoy mark-making. Both of these get me out of the studio too. I’ll use any mark-making materials from ink and charcoal to coffee, and let the rain manipulate a work.
I’ve always loved poster and album cover art, subversive political graffiti, pop culture and packaging advertising. Any works on paper, and any paper and card in general. I find the back alleys of cities, where this all blends together and gets weathered and is impermanent, a big influence. I like the discarded and outdated print media too.
I saw some great underground political screen prints from Northern Ireland and Chile when I was 20 and this had a huge impact on me becoming a printmaker.
Finally, nature is a big constant for me, more so as I get older. I regularly work outside in nature with my press, drawing and print gear and try to include this in my practice both as subject and as a source of materials to shape my work.
How does it feel to participate in this program?
I feel very honoured to be asked to mentor in this program. I think the important aspect is the term shared as both Mentors and the artists will have a reciprocal creative connection. Having the opportunity to work with a variety of different artists at different stages of their practice will be exciting and full of interesting potential. The responsibility of mentoring also helps define and focus my own practice which is a great gift at this stage. I’m really looking forward to learning and sharing together and I’m very grateful to be a part of such an important initiative for the local art community.
Having the opportunity to work with a variety of different artists at different stages of their practice will be exciting and full of interesting potential.
What does participating in this program mean to you professionally?
I think being asked to mentor is a milestone that acknowledges a constant dedication and commitment to a practice. I guess at first I asked myself if I was capable of doing this and what I could offer. I think going into this with the mindset of still being a student and wanting to grow and learn too is important. I think by participating I will expand my own practice and make new connections which is vital for artists to keep doing. But also I feel it’s important to share experiences and expertise with others who are at the earlier part of their careers, so that the conversation that is culture has all the voices included to make it inclusive, encouraging and to keep new perspectives possible. I feel for me this part of my career has a nice balance of where I have come from and where I still want to go and I’m hoping that will be of value to the mentees.
How do you hope audiences will respond to your work?
I hope to be part of the growth of local arts and culture through this program.
What’s next for you in your creative journey?
I am currently working on a solo show for my Melbourne gallery in late 2026. As well as this are many smaller projects such as group shows, festival projects like the Bellingen Readers and Writers Festival and the Bellingen Jazz Weekender. I also teach and run Big Fig Arts ARI art programs and workshops, so there is usually quite a full and varied workload happening. I’m aiming to attend a short printmaking residency later in the year too, to learn a new technique that I’ve wanted to try to expand my creative practice which will be very exciting.
Where can people find out more about you and your work?