When Mark Hoffmann is not delivering mail for the U.S. Post Office, he’s busy creating art. Though the Morgan Hill resident calls himself a local artist, he has thousands of followers across the country. He is whimsical and fun-loving by nature – and it shows in his creations.
Hoffmann traces his love of art back to his boyhood years growing up in Missouri.
“I was always sketching,” he said. “Fortunately, my mother encouraged me because she saw how much I enjoyed art.”
Hoffmann and his family moved to California in the 1970s, and he spent 18 years in manufacturing with Lockheed, all the while developing his skills as an illustrator and painter. He has illustrated a dozen children’s books, created a series of Christmas cards and painted murals on bedroom walls.
One of the most unusual aspects of Hoffmann’s art is his choice of media. His designs can be found on everything from limited edition collectible pins commissioned by the Hard Rock Café, to organic objects such as gourds and textiles.
When his goddaughter, Danielle McMahon, announced her plans to get married, she asked if Hoffmann would hand-paint her bridal shoes to add something unique to her wedding day wardrobe. Using fabric paint, Hoffmann decorated the shoes with the betrothed couple’s names, along with details of the wedding location, date and theme song. He said it was a sweet moment as wedding guests watched the bride walk down the aisle and saw the words “I Do” delicately painted on the back of her shoes.
“My shoes are one of my most cherished pieces from the wedding,” McMahon said. “They were made with love and are a beautiful piece of art – a constant reminder of a wonderful day.”
A turning point in Hoffmann’s artistic journey came in 2008 when he discovered Vinylmations – vinyl models created by Disney to provide a kind of three-dimensional canvas on which artists can paint popular characters and attractions. The Vinylmation models are cast in the shape of that world famous Disney character: Mickey Mouse.
The rest, as they say, is history. Hoffmann’s first custom-painted vinyl was of Ariel, from “The Little Mermaid.”
“When I saw the character come to life on the vinyl, I knew I was hooked,” he said. In 2011, Hoffmann posted images of his Ariel Vinylmation on Facebook and was surprised by the requests that started pouring in from Vinylmation fans and collectors.
Early on, Hoffmann depicted classic Disney characters such as Rapunzel, Cinderella, Aurora and Pocahontas. Among his first customers were Jean and David Lau of Pennsylvania, who commissioned him to create a series of Vinylmations.
“Mark Hoffmann is one of, if not the best, custom Vinylmation artists there is,” Jean said. “David and I first saw Mark’s work online and fell in love with his depiction of Rapunzel. We commissioned him to do all of the Disney princesses, and many other pieces since then.”
More recently, Hoffman began painting contemporary characters.
“My fan base really took off when I created Captain Jack Sparrow from ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ in 2012,” Hoffmann said. “I study the storylines and observe the characters on the big screen. Some are heroes, some are villains, and I interpret the essence of those characters in my art. Because I’m not working on flat paper or canvas, I have to use the curved surface of the vinyl model creatively, front and back.”
Each of Hoffmann’s Vinylmations is a one-of-a-kind creation: he never depicts the same character in the same way twice. When inspiration strikes, he visits the Disney store online and orders 3- or 9-inch blank models, which cost anywhere from $13 to $20. To develop the characters on vinyl, he first draws the image in ink and then gradually applies many thin layers of paint, allowing drying time for each layer.
Hoffmann’s custom Vinylmations are made to order, with prices starting at $85. He showcases his designs on Facebook and Instagram as well as through special collectors’ events.
In 2013, Hoffmann won an annual contest hosted by Destination Vinylmation, an online site popular with fans and collectors. That same year, another online site known as Vinylmation Kingdom featured his custom series entitled, “A Day in the Park.” Included in the 12-piece series were Mickey Mouse, Donald and Daisy Duck, Goofy, Winnie the Pooh, Pluto, the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland, and even Walt Disney himself. That series sold to a Vinylmation collector in a matter of minutes.
When Hoffmann learned of Disney’s plans to release the animated movie “Frozen” in late 2013, he studied the promotional movie trailer online and created Vinylmations of the main characters in time for the movie’s release.
Looking to the future, Hoffmann has a new goal.
“My dream is that Disney will showcase my custom Vinylmations in its WonderGround Gallery at Disneyland,” he said. WonderGround is part of the Downtown Disney District in Anaheim. In 2012, Disney began its Artist in Residence program. Each month, a selected artist is invited by Disney to spend a month at WonderGround to pursue a work in progress, meet visitors at the WonderGround Gallery and display his or her work.
Hoffmann’s artistry will be on exhibit at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center May 1-29. His work can be viewed at www.markHoffmann.com or on Instagram at instagram.com/mjrhoffmann.
Interested buyers can contact Mark at [email protected].
