This week on People Profile: Mark Renaissance Cameron, (Modern day Renaissance Man)
The term Renaissance man or polymath is used for a very clever person who is good at many different things. The idea comes from a time of history called the Renaissance which lasted from about 1400 to about 1600. One of the most famous people alive during this time was Leonardo da Vinci. He was most famous as a painter, but he was also a scientist, engineer and mathematician. Leonardo is called a “Renaissance man”. Another “Renaissance man” was Michelangelo, who was a sculptor, painter, architect and poet.
When the term “Renaissance man” is used, it does not mean that the man really lived in the Renaissance era. It can be used for anyone who is very clever at many different things, no matter when that person lived.
This week on People Profile we have Mark Cameron: (a modern day “Renaissance man”).
Dr.C
Welcome to People Profile Mark. The term “Renaissance man encompasses several different fields. What are you special skills?
Mark Renaissance Cameron
Yea man, nice to be on People Profile Doc. My first skill would be a fine artist, then a chef, however as you know, being an artist opens many doors relating to innovation and business ideas.
Dr.C
Please share with us Mark your achievements as it relates to your culinary skills?
Mark Renaissance Cameron
As it relates to achievements,..its hard to say, having a successful restaurant for twelve years could be an achievement, as well as wining the Dave Winfield foundation first prize chef award with a field of forty restaurants. from a personal standpoint, I am happy about the recognition from my customers who continued to support my restaurant over the years I operated in Oceanside California.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1197866340127&set=vb.1032553395&type=2&theater
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1197858019919&set=vb.1032553395&type=2&theater
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1197871020244&set=vb.1032553395&type=2&theater
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1197849419704&set=vb.1032553395&type=2&theater
Dr.C
Absolutely Mark, i have included several clips in the body of this interview. I understand that you are “king of the jerk sauce”, in fact you have made your own brand of sauces is this true?
Mark Renaissance Cameron
Yes Sir, at one point I had my sauce in over eight hundred stores on the west coast. It was part of a line of seasonings which also included a blackening seasoning with a Cajun flair, that was very successful as well.
Dr.C
Wow! eight hundred stores? What is your favorite Jamaica/Caribbean dish?
Mark Renaissance Cameron
The favorite among my patrons were the jerk, and the smoked baby back ribs that i did in my smoker. I also did a curry chick pea, with smoked egg plant that was just awesome, and when you eat that, you wont miss meat.
Dr.C
lawdofhismercy!!!!! Mark please go easy with the description, i am already hungry. I was told that your recent jerk chicken at the Calabar party in Florida was on fleek. I can understand your passion for food and hence your inspiration as a chef. What type of artist are you? What was your inspiration for being an artist?
Mark Renaissance Cameron
I’m a fine Artist, who works with oil on canvas. Most of the work I did was inspired by nature, and images I saw as a young child in Jamaica.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10205945008957653&set=a.3785176021252.2157095.1032553395&type=3&theater (art)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10205902575216836&set=a.3785176021252.2157095.1032553395&type=3&theater (art)
Dr.C
I see, what role do you see an artist having in society? How do they contribute to the community?
Mark Renaissance Cameron
I think that Artist could contribute in areas of product development, and many other areas that require innovation, and as you know,all products start with an idea.
Dr.C
I agree mark, the artist’s contribution to society should never be discounted. Is there a particular theme that you find most interesting to work with?
Mark Renaissance Cameron
I started out painting nature scenes, and imaginative compositions, however I see myself doing art with a purpose especially in the area of politics. I find many things to paint about, from injustices to triumph through adversities.
Dr.C
Describe a real-life situation that inspired your artistic appetite?
Mark Renaissance Cameron
I had a situation in Mandeville, where the bauxite company ignored the hazard to the community, by allowing the toxic residue from the mud lake to be carried by the wind, into the home of the residents,..and I started a campaign on behalf of the people in Mandeville, which prompted a meeting in Parliament with all the heads of the bauxite companies to address our concerns. May i add that this has never been done before. And in the end, they were forced to put adequate sprinklers on the lake.
I believed that that was the best approach to get the required attention to a very serious problem.
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/RED-MUD–PROOFED-feb-14-2010?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=socialnetwork (mudlake observer)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJa2ftQwfNY&feature=share (mud lake)
Dr.C
Environmental and social consciousness at its highest! Name two artists you’d like to be compared to.
Mark Renaissance Cameron
Leonardo de Vinci, I suppose, since he was more than just a painter, but did work on the science of flying as well and I respect him for that. As it relates to my skills as an artist, painter, my style is my own, and i am constantly changing, which keeps me interested in the other dimensions of Art.
Dr.C
Brilliantly said Mark! I realized that you are a man of the “soil”. Could you gives us an insight in Mark Cameron the Real Estate Developer/Builder/Cabinet maker ?
Mark Renaissance Cameron
I got into building when I renovated my first investment property in California.When I moved back to Jamaica, I could not find anyone to design the home that best fits my needs, so I decided to design, and build my own home. A very exciting project too. I partnered with my uncle to design and build an apartment complex out of stone I found on the property during excavation,..and as far as I’m concerned, its another kind of art,..just a little more functional I guess.
I then started building furniture out of guango wood, which is now a part of my furniture at home,…it took a life of its own and i must admit that i totally enjoyed doing that.
https://www.facebook.com/MarkCameronFineArtandDesigns/photos/t.1032553395/130153467051640/?type=3&theater
https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpt1/v/t35.0-12/12227317_10207239610121873_1142505622_o.jpg?oh=e965a030f76129fb0ae4657f63ca2cd5&oe=564637A1
Dr.C
I think that was truly amazing my brother! So you are also a cabinet maker as well? Was this a one time thing or you have made several pieces of furniture?
Mark Renaissance Cameron
Absolutely not a one time thing. These are pictures of houses being built:
https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/v/t35.0-12/12227297_10207239610281877_550060545_o.jpg?oh=a23d2dd385f083f5510673595b64e62b&oe=56471658
https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpl1/v/t35.0-12/12218986_10207239610241876_1192520620_o.jpg?oh=f4f3c2cf1a3c02d6672b2e075613c694&oe=5645D4B6
https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtp1/v/t34.0-12/12226728_10207239608921843_1805958011_n.jpg?oh=292e042e025af160c0c17bf247c59305&oe=5645EFB1
https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t34.0-12/12233344_10207239558360579_311398711_n.jpg?oh=c9ca5ac9fc6369b048facef37da79c4f&oe=564615D9
I also built motorcycles and sold them to Japan,…the gentleman shown below was the head of Kawasaki racing, Bob Hanson who heard about what I was doing, and paid me a visit to confirm what he heard.
https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xla1/v/t34.0-12/12242110_10207239559120598_6327061_n.jpg?oh=abd773bd698778823bb218924048ad3e&oe=56463AE9
https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t35.0-12/12227274_10207239559080597_1015558033_o.jpg?oh=e20b1fcd859a2a9e1f65ebeb468578eb&oe=56471ADF
I design, and make furniture based on my inspiration,..I never duplicate what I see, just what I imagine. The sign on my restaurant was one that i did, when I owned my sign company. When i had the sign company, i designed most of the logos for Reggae Sunsplash, and did t shirts for a variety of companies, including Virgin Atlantic and for several departments at airports. Yes Dr. C, i did T shirts for my Alma mater Calabar, I did dresses through the Mark Cameron’s Fine Art & Designs.
https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t34.0-12/12242235_10207250282148667_1386964117_n.jpg?oh=07ec2e6f82abb48484ae6cd1c59953e4&oe=5646AB6D
https://www.facebook.com/MarkCameronFineArtandDesigns/photos/a.118499314883722.18131.118488714884782/118499381550382/?type=3
https://www.facebook.com/MarkCameronFineArtandDesigns/photos/a.130348943698759.25515.118488714884782/142794689120851/?type=3
https://www.facebook.com/MarkCameronFineArtandDesigns/photos/a.153377834729203.39594.118488714884782/153381384728848/?type=3
Dr. C
What high school did you attend while in jamaica Mark?
Mark Renaissance Cameron
I went to Jamaica college for 1973, until 1978, and did a variety of sports. I played cricket, junior colts, and was vice captain. I also participated in football, and swimming. I went to Calabar for 1978 to 1979, where i became a fan of track and field, under the leadership of Herb Mckenley, and did hurdles for Calabar, and then I migrated to New York, and attended School of visual arts, where I did Graphic arts.
I also did photography, and interviews on my page on facebook called Jamaica solutions forum, where i post videos of my interviews with jamaicans seeking change.
https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t34.0-12/12232972_10207250274628479_1487659459_n.jpg?oh=8d82f1883d86493eb7c53035ab41e8c4&oe=5646D516
https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpl1/v/t34.0-12/12231631_10207250274748482_298312372_n.jpg?oh=a8e792aeaa1dac28aa20674ba6283680&oe=56479F08
Mark Cameron
My Interviews:
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10206247721245271&set=vb.1032553395&type=2&theater
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10204448478905337&set=vb.1032553395&type=2&theater
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10206258484994358&set=vb.1032553395&type=2&theater
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10206432492944448&set=vb.1032553395&type=2&theater
Dr.C
Wow! Wow! and more Wow! Truly a Renaissance man. Building motor cycle, Furniture, renown chef, paintings, photography, interviews athletics, and designing logos. How do you balance work, family, and your mind Mark? Lol
Mark Renaissance Cameron
Everything has its place,..I make time to do my art, and take the necessary time to spend with my family.
Dr.C
Sardines or tin mackerel?
Mark Renaissance Cameron
tin mackrel
Dr.C
Buju or beenie man?
Mark Renaissance Cameron
Beenie man because i think Buju is a foolish person.
Dr.C
lol i hear you my brother. Mark Renaissance Cameron, our modern day Renaissance man, a product of the great Jamaican high school Calabar, thanks for being our guest on People Profile. Looking forward to seeing you at the 2016 People Profile Awards in Beautiful Fort Lauderdale Florida..
Mark Renaissance Cameron
yeh man…most def.
Please join the group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/487535274754835/
