Mark Sloniker is a self-taught artist who grew up in rural Wisconsin. He spent a majority of his childhood exploring the nearby woods. Learning the names of trees, observing colonies of ants, and running from the occasional hawk both inspired and terrified him. As an adult, Sloniker continues to unearth the terror and wonder of growing up while applying his discoveries to the details of his creations.

In high school, Sloniker focused his studies on music while dabbling in art courses on the side. He went on to receive an associate arts degree from Cornerstone College and a Bachelor of Music from Millikin University. In 1997, he moved to Nashville and worked at for a non-profit organization. In his spare time, he freelanced as a commercial artist. He eventually quit the non-profit job and delved into working fulltime in everything from decorative arts to graphic design. In 2004, he was approached by the electronic-pop trio, Venus Hum, to create artwork and other design elements for their album, “The Colors in the Wheel.”  Currently, Sloniker is employed by Animax Designs as the Senior Creative Artist building puppets and characters for major theme parks all over the world.

Bio written by Emily Harper Beard