Mark Bell

Mark Bell (b. 1964, Toronto) is an Honours AOCA from the Ontario College of Art and Design (1984-1989) and received his Masters of Art from The Chelsea College of Art and Design in London, UK in 2009. He has exhibited his paintings across Canada in various artist-run centres and public galleries - including solo exhibitions at Cambridge Galleries (2023), The Art Gallery of Ontario (2003), and Mercer Union (1999) – as well as commercial galleries, with General Hardware Contemporary (2023, 2017, 2013, 2011, 2010), Paul Petro Contemporary Art (2010, 2009, 2008, 2007) and Jessica Bradley Art + Projects (2007). In 2004 he received the Artist Grant Award from the Toronto Friends of the Visual Arts.

Since 2006 Bell has taught painting in Art and Art History, a joint program between Sheridan College and the University of Toronto at Mississauga. Bell lives in Toronto and is represented by Paul Petro Contemporary Art.

Solo Exhibitions
2026
2023
2017
  • History Painting, General Hardware Contemporary, Toronto
2013
  • Magical Contagion, General Hardware Contemporary, Toronto
2011
2007
  • (Detail), Harbourfront Gallery, Toronto
2006
  • The Truth About Falling, YYZ Artists’ Outlet, Toronto
2003
  • History Painting, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
  • Carte de Visite, Forest City Gallery, London, ON
2002
  • Eastern Edge Gallery, St. John’s, NL
  • Stride Gallery, Calgary, AB
2001
  • Information, Passagegallerie/Kunstler Haus, Vienna, Austria
1999
  • Mercer Union Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
Selected Group Exhibitions
2025
  • Out of Order, Beauty Supply, Toronto
  • Winter Group Show, General Hardware Contemporary, Toronto
2023
  • Light, General Hardware Contemporary, Toronto
2021
  • Facing It, Tom Thompson Art Gallery, Owen Sound, ON
2019
  • Forecast, General Hardware Contemporary, Toronto
  • Trees, Colborne Street Gallery, Fenlon Falls, ON
2018
  • In The City, Stephen Lawrence Gallery, Greenwich, UK
  • In The City, East Gallery, Norwich University of the Arts, Norwich, UK
2017
2016
  • Measured Time, Harbourfront Gallery, Toronto
2015
  • Inside, Blackwood Gallery, Mississauga
2014
  • In The City, Lion and Lamb Gallery, London, UK
2012
2010
  • Taking Shape, General Hardware Contemporary, Toronto
  • Artschool: Dismissed, Shaw School, Toronto
  • Hotspot, Paul Petro Contemporary Art, Toronto
2009
  • Gift, 10 Vyner Street, London, UK
  • Magic Carpet, The Crypt, London, UK
  • Taxi!, Paul Petro Contemporary Art, Toronto
2008
  • Summer Group Show, Paul Petro Contemporary Art, Toronto
2007
  • Things We Know, Jessica Bradley Art + Projects, Toronto
  • If you go out in the woods, Paul Petro Contemporary Art, Toronto
2006
  • International Biennial of Contemporary Art, Shumen, Bulgaria
2003
  • Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje, Macedonia
1999
  • Copycat, Kenderdine Art Gallery, Saskatoon, SK
1996
  • Fast, 520 King St. West, Toronto
1995
  • Surface Matters, 425 Adelaide St. West, Toronto
  • Invitational, Cold City Gallery, Toronto
1994
  • Painting Disorders, 425 Adelaide St. West, Toronto
Education
2008-09
  • Chelsea College of Art and Design, London, UK. Masters of Art
1984-89
  • Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto, Ontario. Honours A.O.C.A.
Bibliography
  • Eligh, Blake. Inside: Familiar Spaces… UTM News, 2015
  • Harbison, Robert. In The City. Catalogue essay, Lion and Lamb Gallery, 2014
  • White, Heather. Magical Contagion. Gallery Essay, General Hardware, Nov. 2013
  • Bethune-Leamen, Katie. More Sad Presentiments… Catalogue essay, Open Studio, 2012
  • Anderson, Shannon. Black Suns and Yellow Seas, Catalogue essay, GHC, 2011
  • Flack, Derek. Where Pretty and Ominous Meet… BlogTO, September 28, 2011
  • Sandals, Leah. A Plethora of Painting, National Post, September 23, 2011
  • Dault, Gary Michael. Mark Bell… Globe and Mail, June 30, 2007
  • Tomic, Milena. The Truth About Falling, YYZine, 2007
  • Harrington, Kristine. Rewind, Canadian Art, Winter 2003
  • Osborne, Catherine. History Painting, National Post, September 6, 2003
  • Dault, Gary Michael. A Photo a Day… Globe and Mail, August 30, 2003
  • Goddard, Peter. Capturing All the News That’s Fit to Paint, Toronto Star, July 12, 2003
  • Portis, Ben. 2002, Catalogue essay, Art Gallery of Ontario, July 2003
  • Eden, Xandra. Catalogue essay, Forest City Gallery. 2003
  • Eden, Xandra. Flatlanders, Border Crossings Winter 2001
  • Glabush, Sky. Through a Glass Repetitively, Border Crossings Winter 2000
  • Penaloza, Si Si. Bell’s eye transforms historic day into night, Now May 13 1999
  • Weaver, David. Escape From Photography, Catalogue essay, Mercer Union, May 1999
  • Jordan, Betty Ann. Crosseyed, Globe and Mail, May 16 1998
  • Armstrong, John. Disorderly Conduit, Border Crossings, Spring 1997
  • Bentley Mays, John. Young Painters Prove... , Globe and Mail, November 4 1995
Awards/Grants
  • Ontario Arts Council, Artists Grant, 2018
  • Canada Council for the Arts, Visual Arts Grant, 2013
  • Toronto Arts Council, Visual Artists Grant, 2011
  • Canada Council for the Arts, Visual Arts Grant, 2010
  • Artists’ & Collectors’ Exchange Bursary, University of the Arts London, UK 2008
  • Stanley Picker Foundation Award, Chelsea College of art and Design, 2008
  • Toronto Arts Council, Visual Artists’ Grant, 2006
  • Ontario Arts Council, Visual Artists’ Grant, 2004
  • Toronto Friends of the Visual Arts, Artist Grant Award, 2004
Residencies
2011
  • Open Studio, Toronto, Ontario
2006
  • Ballinglen Arts Foundation, Co. Mayo, Republic of Ireland
2002
  • Pouch Cove, Newfoundland, Canada Ireland
  • Galichnick Art Colony, Galichnick, Macedonia
2001
  • Atelierhaus des Bundes, Vienna, Austria