In 1982, Mark Howson was one of the founding members of Roar Studios. Together with about twenty young artists, among whom included David Larwill, Mark Schaller, Wayne Eager and Mike Nicholls, Howson started an artist-run gallery in Fitzroy, Melbourne – the purpose of which was to challenge the art establishment. Characterised by strong, expressionistic figurative works, ironically, the Roar artists quickly became noticed by the mainstream art world. Howson’s work is represented in the Australian National Gallery, Canberra; National Gallery of Victoria; New Parliament House, Canberra; Artbank; numerous Regional and University collections and private collections in Australia, Europe and the USA.