Pair of Mark Radiske Pastels – “Selene” & “Prosperity” (Auction 2026-06-05, Lot 7C)

$385.50

Mark Rediske (American, b. 1965). “Selene” and “Prosperity” oil pastel on paper, n.d. Each signed lower right, titled lower left. A quiet, celestial hush settles over these two abstract pastels by Mark Rediske, whose work distills memory, light, and elemental presence into layered surfaces of shadow and suggestion. In “Selene”, named for the Greek moon goddess, a cool palette of smoky whites, charcoal greys, and muted reds envelops the silhouetted form of a vessel or column, its contours softened by atmospheric veils of pigment. In “Prosperity”, the mood shifts toward warmth and depth, with earthy browns and ochres radiating from a central figure, vessel-like and rooted, surrounded by architectural echoes rendered in pale, almost ghostly tones. Each composition is grounded in Rediske’s lifelong fascination with light and natural cycles. Size of pastel (both the same): 17″ W x 20.5″ H (43.2 cm x 52.1 cm); of frame: 28″ W x 32″ H (71.1 cm x 81.3 cm)

Raised in Minnesota, the artist attributes his sensitivity to color and atmosphere to the vivid seasonal transformations of his childhood – particularly the luminous play of light on water, sky, and earth. These works reflect that sensibility, combining architectural symmetry with gestural texture, and evoking imagined places suspended between memory and myth.

Rediske’s technique is one of excavation and transformation. Using layered pigment, scraping, and semi-transparent overlays, he creates tactile surfaces that reveal traces of their own making. The forms, though abstract, possess an archaeological resonance – like unearthed relics or sacred markers – hinting at the synthesis of the natural and the constructed that lies at the heart of his practice. In his own words, he seeks to conjure “a luminous atmosphere that can be interpreted as a time of day, a memory of place, or an imagined possibility.”

Both “Selene” and “Prosperity” stand as quiet meditations – on abundance, on reverence, on the cyclical nature of time and experience. They invite not just viewing but immersion, offering the viewer a portal into stillness, balance, and contemplation.

Provenance: private Denver, Colorado, USA collection

Condition: Excellent. Both signed and titled beneath image. Both are mounted behind glass in custom matte and frame with gallery paper and suspension wire on verso for display. Some tearing to gallery paper and scuffs to frames; neither of which affect images. Have not been examined outside of frames but both appear to be in excellent overall condition.