Mark Weller: Capturing what time looks like

For artist Mark Weller, the click of a camera isn’t just a sound—it’s music to his ears. Most days, his lens is drawn skyward, where he focuses on clouds and how they collide, twist and reshape in endless transformation.  

Weller’s current exhibition, “The Luminosity of Time: Witnessing Earth’s Breath,” on display in Overture’s Gallery I, invites viewers to see clouds as a living, breathing subject. 

“This is my attempt to capture the fourth dimension: time,” he says.  

Using a technique he calls time-stacking, Weller photographs hundreds of images of a single scene over several minutes, then compresses them into a single frame. The stillness of the earth below contrasts with the swirling chaos above—a visual expression of time itself made visible. 

“The road doesn’t change. The fence line doesn’t change. The farm in the distance doesn’t change,” he explains. “The clouds are moving—banging into one another. They’ll spin and twirl. At 20,000 feet, they’re going one direction, and at 50,000 feet, they’re going another direction. This is my attempt to actually capture what time looks like via these clouds.” 

A native of Wisconsin and former PBS Wisconsin documentary producer, Weller spent decades telling human stories through film before turning his focus fully to lens-based art in 2019. His award-winning work stands as a testament to the intersection of artistic vision, technological innovation and a lifelong commitment to creative exploration. 

His pieces have been exhibited in more than 175 galleries and museums across the U.S. and internationally, earning praise from critics and curators alike. Emily Olek of the Museum of Modern Art calls his work “absolutely incredible.” 

Step inside Weller’s world and experience how he transforms fleeting moments into timeless beauty. 

“The Luminosity of Time: Witnessing Earth’s Breath” is on display through Sunday, Nov. 30. Overture Galleries are free and open to the public during business hours with extended hours for events and performances.   

Overture Galleries are supported by Associated Housewright, Wealthspire, The Arts Access Fund, a component fund of the Madison Community Foundation, and by contributions to Overture Center for the Arts.