In 1975, armed with a bachelor’s degree in architecture from NC State, North Carolina native John Mark Hall (1952 - 2019) moved to New York City, where he found success both before and behind the camera. “I was lucky,” said Hall. “I fell into a great crowd that included Andy Warhol and his circle. We traveled to see the world, and I always sought to visit the architectural sites.” To earn money for his travels, Hall was a print model in both Paris and Milan. He settled back in New York in 1981 to concentrate on building a career in freelance photography. 

From those formative beginnings, Hall’s photographic work of architecture, interiors and gardens found its home in such magazines as House and Garden, Architectural Digest, Elle Decor and Veranda. He was also the photographer for numerous books, including Greek Revival America, Adventures with Old Houses, Designing Women and Private Gardens of Connecticut. His photography also appeared in The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. 

Throughout it all, Hall also pursued a keen interest in fine art photography, which commanded as much of his time as his commercial work. Many museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Yale University Art Gallery and the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, have exhibited Hall's art photographs. 

The Art of John Mark Hall exhibition is a sampling of a number of Hall’s bodies of work that were among his favorites hung in his personal studio and apartment in New York. Unlike his commercial art, he had complete control over the creation of these works. He oversaw the entire process: selecting the image, cropping and manipulating to achieve the effect he desired, choosing the paper and inspecting the proofs.

The Art of John Mark Hall was developed by the College of Design and curated by Jennifer Peavey. The exhibition will be at the Gregg Museum of Art & Design, which is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The museum is closed on Sundays and Mondays.