Greetings Earthling,
My name is Mark Rogers and I am a self-taught artist from Portland, Oregon and presently living in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
I love creepy mysteries, telling stories, and painting...about aliens that eat gold and steal human nightmares.
#1 “Paranormal Investigator”
18x24 oil on panel 2021 The Summerland Incident 3 of 9 by Mark Rogers.
This is Hattie Hibbs, the greatest paranormal investigator in the Southwestern Bellows. At the age of six, she fell off a covered wagon, hit her head on an enchanted rock, and gained psychic powers as well as the ability to channel Aliens. Also at age six, she took up pipe smoking. This little scene shows Hattie and her trusty spirit camera alongside some of the paranormal entities she made contact with over the years, like: *The ghost of Carla Dukes, who died of boredom. *Hairy Lenny the Sasquatch who loved peanut butter and hated jigsaw puzzles. *A Mantiod Extraterrestrial who wrote star poems and traveled across the galaxy to be with a human astronomer whom he adored. They are still together and very happy! *Hattie once taught a Zeta Reticulin sarcasm. The Zeta Reticulan then taught Hattie how to grow a human eyeball inside of a Tourmaline gemstone which gives you the ability to see colors in the dark. *Also, Mothman, who was not a man at all but a hideous and bloodthirsty teenage girl. Hattie and Mothman did not get along. *And a fairy named Robocop.
23points
My current artist statement:
WELCOME TO THE SOUTHWESTERN BELLOWS
The Southwestern Bellows is the magical land that lives in my imagination, and the land where all of my paintings and drawings take place. At first glance, one might think that my paintings have an 1800s Western boho vibe, and they would be half right, but at its core, “The Southwestern Bellows” is a fantasy world with magic, monsters, adventure, tragedy, royalty, and...nightmare-harvesting aliens that worship cactuses and eat gold. I have a pretty clear picture of this place in my mind, but every time I make up a new story for a painting or a series of paintings, I learn a little more about this place, and the sense of discovery powers my drive to continue returning to this world.
#2 “Have A Cookie”
16x20 Oil on panel 2023. The Mentorship Program 1/9 by Mark Rogers.
Ballard Diffenback, an enterprising sales representative for the Telegraph Cookie Company hoped to land a cookie contract with the alien peoples that inhabited Temple Island. They were called, the Pleiadians, and Ballard thought that these aliens, like humans, would enjoy eating cookies.
Ballard had just landed on the shores of Temple Island when he was greeted by one of the Plaedians’ genetically engineered coastal patrol officers; a telepathic hybrid entity named, Peter.
Well… Peter the dolphin-hybrid enjoyed cookies, but the same can’t be said of the Plaedians…
21points
#3 "The Cottage"
18x24 Oil on Panel 2020 Alanzo and the Cactus Witch 1/9 By Mark Rogers.
Just South of Deadchappel, in a little cottage, lived a Cactus Witch named, Lady Meadhbh. She wasn’t the most famous Witch or Wizardress in the Southwestern Bellows, but in the region, she was renowned for her cactus-based potions, poisons, and mystical drugs.
It was said that Lady Meadhbh had the feet of a bird. It was also said that she was on good terms with the Aliens.
It was said that Lady Meadhbh had the feet of a bird. It was also said that she was on good terms with the Aliens.
20points
The Southwestern Bellow is a breakaway human civilization started on another terraformed world by the Zeta Reticulan Grays. In the 1850’s human pioneers and other people from planet Earth were brought to this new planet to repopulate its lands. The purpose of this off-world colony remains a mystery, but local scholars, paranormal investigators, and warlocks believe that the Southwestern Bellows was created as part of an experiment by the Zeta Reticulans…an experiment that involves dreaming and nightmares.
I love reading fantasy novels, and typically, the traditional fantasy world is set in a land similar to Medieval Europe with magical elements inspired by folklore. The Southwestern Bellows is similar but set in a place like Early America with magical elements inspired by UFOlogy, cryptozoology, the occult, and the paranormal, which I feel is the modern folklore of our time.
It’s like this: traditional fantasy = knights and elves. The Southwestern Bellows = pioneers and aliens that eat gold and collect both decorative cactuses and human nightmares.
...Yeah, and if you have read all of this then you definitely have alien DNA. Thanks for looking!
#4 "A Witch's Funeral"
18x24 Oil on Panel 2021 by Mark Rogers.
Here we see sad Alanzo holding a little funeral for his mentor, poison making instructor, and only true friend, Lady Meadhbh, the Cactus Witch.
Earlier that morning while preparing their coffee, Alanzo accidentally murdered the Cactus Witch with an exotic poison called “Tears of the Black Rainbow”. The poison causes a torrent of dazzling multicolored tears while simultaneously transforming a healthy human head into a gross skull.
Alanzo was one of the dumber people in the Southwestern Bellows, so an accident like this might not come as much of a surprise, but what he lacked in brains he made up for in singing ability. Alanzo had perfect pitch and the voice of a country-western angel.
That day at the funeral, Alanzo sang the saddest song ever sung by a human. (I'm getting misty-eyed just thinking about it) The rocks teared up, the snakes sighed, the sun wept, and the cactuses cried. He sang to the old goddess who dwelt in the oasis, the forgotten ones who ruled over wind and land, and he sang to immortal beings who dwelt in the mountains.
And they all answered his song.
This is the fifth painting in the “Alanzo and the Cactus Witch” series. This piece comes in a simple black frame.
17points
#5 “Dissimulation Reversal”
14x11 oil on panel, 2017 by Mark Rogers.
16points
#6 "Becoming A Human"
18x24 Oil on Panel 2022 by Mark Rogers.
When Applebear Stonetree, Sasquatch of the Northern Wood, put on the Amulet given to him by the Zeta Reticulan Chaos Mage, he felt the dark energy take hold and the transmogrification begin. With unendurable slowness and yucky, bone-crunching noises, he shrank in size... his muscles vanished...his thick body hair fell out...he was suddenly wearing pants… And when the abominable metamorphosis ended the Bigfoot had transformed into a new and frightening creature of nearly indescribable horror.
Through the power of extraterrestrial technology and forbidden arts, Applebear Stonetree Sasquatch of the Northern Wood had become a handsome man-human.
15points
#7 ”exposing The Shrouded Depths"
20x16 oil on panel 2017 by Mark Rogers.
15points
#8 "The Mesmerizer"
20x30 Oil on Panel 2016 by Mark Rogers.
15points
#9 "The Astral Body"
16x20 Oil on Panel 2019 By Mark Rogers.
10 TIPS FOR ASTRAL PROJECTION:
1. Meditate every daydream; 2. Get plenty of exorcism; 3. Eat a healthy diet of precious metals...especially gold; 4. Buy a cactus and don't sit on it; 5. Cultivate a positive magnetic attitude; 6. Sleep with a meteorite under your pillow; 7. Keep a time travel journal; 8. Improve your anti-social skills; 9. Pierce the Shadow Strider in the neck with the crystal blade of 1000 sorrows and drink its blood and roar as you feel yourself acquire its unearthly power and grim knowledge; 10. And remember, people care about YOU, not about your psychic success.
1. Meditate every daydream; 2. Get plenty of exorcism; 3. Eat a healthy diet of precious metals...especially gold; 4. Buy a cactus and don't sit on it; 5. Cultivate a positive magnetic attitude; 6. Sleep with a meteorite under your pillow; 7. Keep a time travel journal; 8. Improve your anti-social skills; 9. Pierce the Shadow Strider in the neck with the crystal blade of 1000 sorrows and drink its blood and roar as you feel yourself acquire its unearthly power and grim knowledge; 10. And remember, people care about YOU, not about your psychic success.
14points
#10 “Ritual Cactus Offering”
18x24 Oil on Panel 2020 Alanzo and the Cactus Witch 4/9 By Mark Rogers.
Despite the many people in the Southwestern Bellows who have physically encountered the gray-skinned entities, known as the Zeta Reticulans, there are very few who truly know the Aliens.
Not even the Cactus Witch knew much about the Aliens, but she did know enough to offer them tribute in the form of decorative cactuses in cute pots. It was thought that they worshiped cactuses and the holy desert plants were at the center of their mysterious religious practices. Each equinox and solstice, the Cactus Witch would perform a ritual cactus offering to the Zeta Reticulans as did her mother and her mother’s mother. In exchange for decorative cactuses, they agreed not to harvest her dreams or genetically modify her blood and organs.
Perhaps it was a mistake that she had invited her apprentice to join her ritual. The Cactus Witch noticed that they took a very strong interest in Alanzo.
14points
#11 "Satellite Sisters"
11x14 Oil on Panel 2018 by Mark Rogers.
This small painting is a portrait of the Moonstone sisters, Alma and Della, who appeared in the town of Talonwood in the Southwestern Bellows. It was thought that they resided in an abandoned bootmaker's store on the edge of town.
The sisters were always seen together, they were only seen at night, and according to witnesses, they were not human.
Despite their alien appearance, it is said that they were regarded with kindness and hospitality. However, one legend appears in the archives about a local drunk who threatened the Moonstone sisters. Boozed-up and belligerent, he began to yell and taunt the sisters. Then, as the drunk was about to toss his beer bottle at them, a witness reported seeing the drunk's skin melt and sizzle like bacon.
14points
#12 “Routine Equine Enchantment"
18 X 24 oil on panel 2017 by Mark Rogers.
This is a standard depiction of a living horse's head being dissected by a Zeta Reticulican Death Surgeon.
Often in these situations, the animal's brain and eyeballs are teleported onto a space lab for dream harvest, DNA manipulation, and entertainment. Then, in the blink of an eyeball, the horse's head is neatly reassembled and the animal notices very little if nothing...except now it is completely enthralled to the alien Death Surgeon.
NOTE: this type of enchantment is performed a lot on horses and ducks, but is most commonly performed on humans.
14points
#13 “The Awkward Ruse”
18x24 Oil on Panel 2023 The Primordial Conjunction 4/9 by Mark Rogers.
And so, Applebear Stonetree, Sasquatch of the Northern Wood had transformed himself into a handsome human hunk to court the attractive female human he had witnessed traveling with the Bigfoot hunters several days prior.
Applebear wanted to make a good first impression so he bounded wildly through the underbrush, waving his arms, trying to catch them by surprise. But it was Applebear who was surprised, for when he leaped out from behind some rocks, the attractive female human raised her hand, scratched her armpit (a Sasquatch greeting gesture), and addressed Applebear in the ancient language of his people.
And there was definitely a connection!
Meanwhile, Leota Hellencamp had never before witnessed such a spectacle and her partner, Roll Scroggins was speechless. She seriously considered shooting the unsettling man, for he seemed part beast. But then, he and the strange woman, who had recently joined their expedition, began grunting and gesticulating like a pair of cave people. Leota wasn’t sure what was going on here, but she definitely felt their connection.
They almost seemed to be…flirting???
13points
#14 “In The Captain's Lair"
18x24 oil on panel 2021 by Mark Rogers.
Here we see our party in the secret subterranean lair of the interdimensional entity known as Captian L.D. Gladweather, who was accidentally brought into this world during a failed Ceremonial Ritual of High Magick. The occultist and dentist Rosco Summerland performed the ritual hoping to get a girlfriend, but instead he got an alien.
Grainville and Zola watch in awe as Captain L.D. Gladweather builds a decorative terrarium (that’s his hobby) while Rosco attempts to banish the entity back to its dimension. Meanwhile, Celebrity Paranormal Investigator Hattie Hibbs engages in psychic communication but experiences interference due to the Captian's extraterrestrial asthma helmet.
This was painting 8 of 9 in the Summerland Incident Series, and it was a super fun adventure to paint.
13points
#15 “Into The Dream House”
20x16 Oil on panel 2018 by Mark Rogers.
A lot of my dreams involve creepy houses or dwellings. Sometimes these dwellings are my childhood home and sometimes they are places I have never been before. At least once a month for as long as I can remember I have had a chilling haunted house dream. The haunting are of the unhuman variety and the activity is usually most prevalent in upper stories or in the attic.
In my waking life, I have only witnessed two ghosts. One was human, and I am not sure what the other one was.
12points
#16 “Equinox Ritual"
18x24 Oil on Panel 2019 by Mark Rogers.
11points
#17 "Void Walkers"
20x16 Oil on Panel 2018 by Mark Rogers.
This is a standard depiction of one of the various portals the Visitors use to gain access to the Earth. This space bridge connects directly to a haunted pyramidal mothership orbiting a black hole in the Zeta Reticuli star system, called the Quartz Embassy.
Here we see both a Draconian and a Gray returning to the Quartz Embassy with Earth specimens. Cactuses are collected and worshiped for their telepathic properties and human skulls are harvested for science, for ritual magic, and for fun.
11points
#18 “Dream Harvest”
18x24 oil on panel 2021 by Mark Rogers.
The nocturnal visitations from Aliens began shortly after Alanzo witnessed the mysterious crafts in the sky that day. Unbeknownst to Alanzo, the frequency of their occurrences increased as the Cactus Witch taught him the lore of the Zeta Reticulans, how to make the ritual cactus offerings, and how to use their own Runes in minor magickal operations.
11points
#19 “Energy Cycle"
16x20 Oil on Panel 2020 by Mark Rogers.
While exploring a mysterious cave Floy Mawson stumbled upon a secret subterranean outpost and was captured by the Zeta Reticulan Grays. Floy, who unknowingly possessed a compatible blood-type variant, was enlisted in a mandatory training program by her captors. Her training included but was not limited to: Ghost Catching, Astral Combat, Blackhole Astrology, Body Switching, Cactus Theology, Guitar Lessons (super fun), Laser and Blade Dancing, Death Surgery, Screen Memory Screening, a tiny bit of math, and Casual Necromancy.
Here we see Floy harnessing Earth Power and Tree Energy to resurrect one of her Alien teachers in her final trial toward becoming a mystic warrior embedded within the human population to protect the world from Reptilians, Demons, Vampires, and jerks.
11points
#20 “The Blackened Pan”
18x24 Oil on Panel 2022 The Grand Recital Series 6/9 By Mark Rogers.
And just when things were looking dire, Mora Fess, a young desert sorceress, came to the rescue brandishing the Blackened Pan, an ancient and enchanted cast iron skillet made from a weird meteorite. She scattered the dread draconians with forked lightning and creative swear words.
It was no mere coincidence that the desert sorceress had stumbled upon Orren in his hour of need. Mora had seen the young man in the streets of Sun Fort earlier that day sharing the strange tale of his sister's extraterrestrial abduction, and while she was sympathetic to his plight, she was on a quest of her own.
Mora Fess had been searching for her biological father. And this man was none other than Orren's companion, the famous wizard, Haxm Forehand...who, even after the magickal lightning attack and fleeing lizard people, continued snoring loudly.
10points