The Black Couch Core

Mission

At Black Couch Gallery, our mission is to cultivate a vibrant and inclusive creative community where individuals from all walks of life feel empowered to express themselves freely and without judgment. We provide a welcoming space where artists, regardless of their background or level of experience, can come together to inspire, support, and elevate one another's creative journeys. Our commitment to fostering a non-pretentious environment allows for meaningful interactions and collaborations, where both seasoned artists and newcomers alike can thrive. Through our dedication to inclusivity and openness, we aim to ignite passion, spark creativity, and cultivate a supportive atmosphere where everyone feels valued and inspired to explore their artistic potential.

Present Gallery

The Black Couch Beginnings

The Black Couch started in 2014 as a working studio and art gallery in Chicago curating monthly group shows, weekly workshops, and daily lessons for visual artists of all ages. Founders Mark Narens and Suzann Norris have since gone mobile and conducted art shows, public murals, and pop-up galleries in California, Arizona and nationwide. They have recently opened an Art Gallery in Venice, California (right off the Venice Beach Boardwalk) where Mark is showing his full inventory of artwork.

Venice, CA Beginnings

From humble beginnings selling art on the Venice Beach boardwalk in 2018, I embarked on a transformative journey that led me to establish my own gallery in the heart of this iconic Californian destination by 2024

Mark Narens on the grind