Laughing matters...

Mark Williams is your average Alaskan man, with the small exception that he sometimes wears silks and satin and makeup, but only when he's on the job. At these times average Alaskan man Mark Williams transforms himself into Marky d Clown. Marky was born out of the Anchorage comedy scene in the late 80's and early 90's. Mark performed with Improv groups like William's Troupe of Comedie Players, Red Ram dinner theater, Way Off Broadway Players and Synergy Scene Machine. Mark was a featured player on the Mr. Mike Mystery Hour on KTUU, performing in over 30 Theater plays and 40 TV commercials in the 80'& 90's.

Marky started clowning in 1991 and soon had a large following and was in demand at parties all around Anchorage and the Matsu Valley. Marky and Friends started in 1992 and put Marky's clowning and balloon art together with the most talented face painters in the state, a perfect party pairing! Marky expanded his new troupe, centered around the talents of his wife, a former Miss Alaska, PJ Williams, and her skills with a paint brush. PJ created transitory works of art on living canvases, plying the craft of face painting, and they soon had a lucrative booth at the Alaska State Fair and were finding themselves booked at both private and corporate events around the state. Marky and PJ were constantly on the lookout for additional talented artists to supplement their events, and soon had a small core group of some of the most skilled face and body painters in the state, receiving their basic training from PJ, and later attending workshops in face and body painting around the world to further perfect their craft. Marky and Friends, as they have come to be known, are based in Wasilla, but serve Alaska and the world. Marky and Friends venue credits are too numerous to mention in this limited article, with Marky being Alaska's premier clown for many years with a talent for making over 200 balloon animals and art. His favorites are rainbows, fishing poles, laser guns, bows 'n' arrows and two hearts on a magic wand. Many of Marky's balloon creations are former top place constructions in balloon twisting competitions. Marky has done seven contracts for the Japanese theme park Huis Ten Bosch, spending a total of two years in Japan. He has been on national Television in Japan five times, and local Alaskan television many times as well as featured in many Japanese commercials.

Marky's face painters are constantly perfecting their craft by attending conventions, teaching classes and staying up to date on the latest products and techniques. Of utmost importance are the materials that they select, paying the premium prices for the finest professional face and body paints available, an expense that is reflected in the unsurpassed quality of their work. Marky and Friends have had their awesome face painting booth at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer for 20 years, with featured painters coming up from as far away as Florida. The Alaska State Fair booth is by Pioneer Plaza next to Colonel Mac's Popcorn! Over the years Marky and Friends have not only moved up the trail to the current preferred position they now hold but have improved their booth from the classic blue tarps to the current professionally constructed booth which optimizes space allotment while assuring a smooth traffic flow, as Marky and Friends often find themselves with lines rivaling those of the famous Turkey Legs and Sling Shot.

And in March 2012 Marky got a new website by Webmusher Design of Wasilla. The new site features hundreds of images from Marky's many years of entertaining around Alaska, Japan and England. You can also keep in constant contact with Marky and Friends through the Facebook Group linked off the website. Visit http://www.markyandfriends.com and remember to bring your smile.