Mark Eldred
Mark Eldred was born in Hong Kong in 1964. His childhood was spent in rural Norfolk, England. After leaving school he went to Goldsmiths Art College in London and in 1985 received his Batchelor of Arts Honours degree in fine art for landscape & portrait painting. He then left England and travelled for four years through Asia, Australia and New Zealand, gaining much inspiration from living in the rainforests and wilderness areas of these countries. On returning to England, using a motor caravan as his base, Mark travelled throughout Norfolk painting and sketching the tranquil landscapes of this area, working towards a solo exhibition in Norwich and a group show in London.
Mark then came to Ireland for a holiday in 1992, he was so inspired by the unspoilt natural beauty of the landscape that he decided to make it his home. He now lives in Glenflesk near Killarney, Co Kerry with his wife Jean and their two children.
He has spent the last eight years passionately painting the Kerry Landscape and is continually inspired by the richness and diversity of his environs. His paintings reflect this diversity ranging from boulder streams, waterfalls, forests, cloud scapes, bogs, seascapes, mountain ranges and lakes.
Artist Statement
“There are still areas of wilderness in Ireland and I feel very fortunate to be able to live here. My recent paintings are inspired by the seasons as they are happening in the landscape. This change between Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn with all the differences in colours, textures, smells and moods is a constant source of inspiration for my work”