- Mark
Frierson was born in Gainesville, Florida in 1964. His family relocated
to Tampa, Florida in the late sixties, where he spent most of his
childhood and early adult life. His early influences in art came from
his regular attendance to the Florida State Fair, which is held annually
in Tampa. There he was exposed to his first real sideshows and the
amazing and alluring banners which graced their facades. For the first
time Frierson saw the works of the early banner masters such as Fred
Johnson, Snapp Wyatt, Jack Sigler, and Jack Cripe, who would all later
become great inspirations to his own paintings in the years to come.
Living in Tampa put Frierson very close to Gibsonton, Florida - a
small winter town founded by show people. Most of the sideshow owners
and performers that Frierson would meet at the fairs lived in this
nearby community, and eventually opened the doors to him painting
the sideshow banners, starting in 1980. He has been at it ever since.
The artist is currently the youngest of about three remaining sideshow
banner painters lift in the United States today.
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