BIOGRAPHY
Mariano Pérez Clemente, “MAREN” is born and lives in Barcelona (Spain).
His natural capacity for drawing and painting is revealed from an early age when he is very young. At the age of 14, Maren paints a replica of “The Creation of Adam” by Michelangelo. Between his 14 and 17 and fascinated by the United States of America he dedicates himself to copying Frederic Remington’s paintings. He enrolls at the prestigious Escuela de Bellas Artes de Sant Jordi (School of Fine Arts) absorbing all there is about art history and its techniques.
Then, a new love comes into his life: music, which he is almost entirety devoted to until 1979. From then onwards, and encouraged by his brother SanJulian, a prestigious illustrator well recognized in the USA, Maren paints several portrait samples in order to get himself into the Illustration world. From that, Maren begins working as a professional illustrator.
He develops different themes (romantic, fantasy, terror, western...) for European and American publishers. Among them it is worth pointing out the request orders he receives from the American publisher Dell for the “Candlelight” series, and the fantasy tales series of the Italian publisher Mondadori for which Maren is awarded, at he beginning of the 90’s, the prize for the best Fantasy & Science Fiction illustrator.
Maren exhibits his illustrations during the first glorious years (during the 80’s decade) of the Comic & Illustration Fair when this is held at Montjuïc (Barcelona). At the time, very well renowned draughts men and illustrators exhibit in that Fair.
Maren becomes a versatile and multi-faceted illustrator due to his skills with all the painting techniques: oils, water-colors, pastel, color pencils, sanguine, charcoal, etc. and paints all types of illustrations. He also paints children illustrations, for encyclopedia, and several thematic (bibles, history, crusades...).
He is also in charge of carrying out the publicity of an amusement park (Tibidabo) assigned to promote the so called “Terror Passage” attraction.
Moreover, he acquires renown as a portrait painter receiving numerous request orders from private individuals.
Since 1998, he paints religious portraits for Quadriga Publishers of NY, which makes him feel himself easy and comfortable because of the great artistic scope this issue offers.
During 2001, SQP Inc of NY selects a number of sketches and publishes “Masquerade-The Art of Maren”.
In the summer of 2002, he travels throughout the American West, which encourages him to paint the issue he is most passionate about, the Western.
From that time on, Maren makes his own pictures which cover different themes and that are exhibited in Europe and, North America.
He combines his painting work with his musical side. He is considered one of the best lead guitars of country music, rhythm & blues and rock in Spain.
Maren works without a break but his natural uneasiness makes him go far beyond, so he begins carrying out his own choice themes. Always influenced by the American issue, Maren paints a Clint Eastwood portrait in sepia (thus emulating an old photograph) taken from the film “Jossie Walls Outlaw”. This piece of artwork is sent to NY and it is seen by Louis Lamour who gets impressed and orders Maren the cover painting for his next novel, PASSIN’ TROUGH, by applying the same painting technique.
This means the beginning of a long and close relationship with the best NY publishers (Bantam, Dell, Harper, Harlequin, Berkley, Tor, Leisure Books...) and several European ones such as Fontana and Futura, which are continuously requesting Maren’s pieces of artwork.
Specifically, the relationship with Fontana publisher begins when for a long time they have been looking for an illustrator who may use a specific technique difficult to find at that time, and which is based in a mixture of color pencils with pastels as it is the “Amsel style”. When Maren is proposed this challenge he does not hesitate in preparing some samples, which are received with great enthusiasm since they are what Fontana is precisely looking for. After that, Maren gets the request order for all the book series collection.
He designs publicity logos for companies and brands and takes part in the American tobacco well-known brands advertising being based on famous actors. In role-playing games Maren designs and carries out the illustrations of “Dungeons & Dragons” saga. He also works designing and painting cinema advertising for movies like “Iron Eagle”, “Lance Hool”, “First Blood”, “Wagner”, “Total Recall”, “Hot Shot”, ”Great Gasby”, ...
During the year 96 Maren is requested to paint the main cast portraits for the “Star Wars” movie remake.
Maren also designs and paints musical CD covers (soundtracks, rock, country music...). For the country music, in particular, he paints the compiling collections of Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson, Chris Kristoferson, Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline…
