ARTIST Mark Hearld’s work may look oddly familiar to anyone who has seen the film Nanny McPhee And The Big Bang. There’s a very good reason for that. Some of the most striking artwork on the set was painted by Mark.

“I painted a cockerel and a hen on a Victorian bed board, a mural on the children’s nursery wall, and parts of the kitchen,” he says. “The farm themes they wanted are very typical of the work I do.”

It was 36-year-old Mark’s flat in Portland Street, off Gillygate, York, that got him the job. It is an artistic masterpiece in itself, a riot of colour, with paintings and artworks jumbled into every possible space.

The flat was pictured in World of Interiors magazine, which is where it was spotted by the designers of the Nanny McPhee film. It was just the kind of effect they wanted for the farmhouse in the film.

“The film’s designer wanted to make it look as if the mother was artistic and had decorated the interior of her farmhouse herself,” says Mark.

The York-based artist began his career after studying illustration at Glasgow School of Art and graduating with a Masters degree from the Royal College of Art in 1999. He broke into the artistic world following exhibitions at Godfrey & Watt in Harrogate, St Judes in Norfolk, and in London’s arty Lower Sloane Street.

He specialises in bright collages and prints, often involving animals. “I’ve always had an interest in natural history,” he says.

He has also been strongly influenced by mid-twentieth century art and design, “with the idea of the artist working as a designer rather than making images to stick in a frame”.

With the release of Nanny McPhee, his career appears to have hit the stratosphere – although he modestly insists he’s just “having a moment”.

On the horizon is a design project for Tate Britain – producing cups, jugs, plates and scarves specific to each artefact, featuring creatures, patterns and textiles; his first solo exhibitions at St Judes in June and at the Scottish Gallery in December; and a book project – he’s illustrating a 54-page children’s book with the working title, My First Book of Nature.

“Actually, telling you what I’ve got lined up, I’m starting to scare myself at the sheer volume there is to do,” he says.

Before any of these, however, he has an even more important date in his diary.

His flat-cum-studio in Portland Street will be open to the public as part of this year’s York Open Studios event.

Mark will be on hand to chat to visitors, while continuing to work. It will be one not to miss. The chance to see a fine artist at work – and to see inside the flat that inspired the magical Nanny McPhee.

York Open Studios

THERE will be 54 studios open across York during this year’s open studios event from April 16 to April 18. They include Ben Arnup’s Ceramic Art Pottery at The Cottage, The Mount; Sally Arnup’s ‘Animalier’ Sculpture in Holtby; and Richard Barnes Painting and Digital Print at Bootham School.

Jane Blackman, the York Open Studios secretary, said the event provided a unique opportunity to see artists at work – and also to catch a glimpse of parts of the city they may not have seen before.

“Visitors can see parts of York they never usually see, all the places that are hidden away. It’s part of the beauty of the event,” she said.

To find out more about York Open Studios, download a map and artist details at yorkopenstudios.co.uk or phone 01904 706123.