Mark Andrews
Born in Hobart, Tasmania
Mark studied a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the City Art Institute / College of Fine Art, (UNSW). He completed a Diploma of Art (Painting Prize – Distinction) at Hornsby TAFE in Sydney – studying Painting, Drawing, Art History and Photography under Peter Godwin, Madeline Halliday, Valerie Olsen, Christine Cornish, Simon Laverty and Bela Ivanyi. He studied Sculpture at Meadowbank TAFE in Sydney for 2 years with Michael Buzacott. He also attended “Life Drawing” classes at the Brisbane Institute of Art, in Queensland.
Mark has travelled extensively throughout Asia, Europe, the United States, Canada and Africa, as well as all States & Territories of Australia. He’s a Gallery enthusiast and attends as many Art Galleries and Museums as he can and is also a keen investor of Art, particularly Aboriginal and Modern Art.
An exhibition held over a decade ago, “Four Corners of Art” (Fortitude Valley, Brisbane), virtually sold out, and he’s continued to produce several Commission works ever since. Mark has sold a large number of artworks to Corporate Groups and his drawings have also featured in several Brisbane Grammar School Art Shows, which show-cases 100 visual artists, and includes approximately 600 works each year, making it the largest single collection of art for sale by established Queensland artists.
In 2014, Mark painted a portrait of good friend, Hugh Jackman, for the Archibald prize. In 2018, he painted a portrait of Alice Williams – acknowledging her selection in the Australian Women’s Water Polo Team. 2 years ago, Mark painted a portrait of prominent Queensland Surgeon, Assoc. Professor Dr Richard Williams, for the Archibald Prize. He also painted “Bushfire Landscape” for the Wynne Landscape Prize (this piece will be available for sale at his new exhibition). In 2021, he entered the Archibald again, with an abstract, self-portrait.
After 30+ years in corporate life, Mark returned full-time to his true passion – painting and drawing, creating pieces from his Brisbane and now, Sydney Art Studios.
In 2019, his first solo Exhibition, “Wanderlust” at Percolator Gallery (now Latrobe Art Space/Lethbridge Gallery, in Paddington, Brisbane), was extremely successful, selling 2/3 of the entire show. Mark had collected these artworks over a 9year period, inspired by his passion for travelling and his appreciation of colour, movement and design. Mark was thrilled to have Hugh attend this exhibition, in between his own Australian “The Man, The Music, The Show” events, and he also purchased several pieces for his Manhattan and Hamptons’ properties. A fifth drawing was purchased, as a ‘thank you gift’ for Keala Settle, for her involvement in his World Tour which Mark presented (along with a personal signature work), to Keala, before their final Brisbane Show. These artworks now hang on the walls of her Los Angeles home.
A number of commissioned artworks followed the 2019 exhibition, and further sales from his website www.markandrews.co, continued to encourage more art. ‘Thanks’ partly to the 2 yrs of lockdowns and travel restrictions, Mark was able to concentrate the majority of his time, creating new paintings and drawings. These were selected for his largest exhibition to date – held in May 2021, “Expressive Therapy”, at the Petrie Terrace Gallery (Royal Queensland Art Society), in Brisbane. It’s understood that the 50 artworks sold, is still this Gallery’s most successful solo Art exhibition – to date.
Moving back to Sydney in late 2021, Mark worked on another portfolio of work, and held a solo Exhibition titled “Organised Chaos” at ARO Gallery in Darlinghurst in February 2022, showcasing a variety of styles.
Whilst in New York in July 2022, Mark was fortunate to receive a large commission request from new clients for 3 paintings. These were completed and sent to their new home in London, just 2 weeks ago.
Buoyed by the success of his Sydney show, Mark was excited to be exhibiting in Melbourne, a city he loves and visits regularly. His October 2022 show “Effervescence” took place at Collingwood’s trendy @14 Gallery and included many new works of Melbourne, various travel destinations inspired by recent trips abroad and more. This show clearly resonated with those who attended, based on the number of artworks sold and commissions requested.
Mark’s artworks are represented in corporate and private collections throughout Australia, the UK, USA, Spain, Japan and Indonesia. Mark has now sold 130 artworks from his last 4 solo exhibitions (this number excludes online sales and all commissions). He has also donated his works to various charities, including “Gotcha 4 Life” (an important charity established to increase mental fitness and to help end suicide in Australia).
Australian Exhibitions
Year Details
1987 Group Exhibition Hornsby TAFE, Sydney NSW
1988 Group Exhibition City Art Institute, Sydney NSW
2010 Group Exhibition “Four Corners of Art” The Exhibition Space, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane Qld
2011 Group Exhibition “Momentum” Brisbane Grammar School Art Show, Spring Hill, Brisbane Qld
2012 Group Exhibition “If” Brisbane Grammar School Art Show, Spring Hill, Brisbane Qld
2013 Group Exhibition “Illuminate” Brisbane Grammar School Art Show, Spring Hill, Brisbane Qld
2014 Group Exhibition “Sapphire” Brisbane Grammar School Art Show, Spring Hill, Brisbane Qld
2015 Group Exhibition “Discover” Brisbane Grammar School Art Show, Spring Hill, Brisbane Qld
2019 Solo Exhibition “Wanderlust” Percolator Gallery (Latrobe Art Space), Paddington, Brisbane Qld
2021 Solo Exhibition “Expressive Therapy” Royal Qld Art Society, Petrie Terrace, Brisbane Qld
2021 Group Exhibition “131st Members Annual 2021” Royal Qld Art Society, Petrie Terrace, Brisbane Qld
2022 Solo Exhibition “Organised Chaos” ARO Gallery, Darlinghurst, Sydney NSW
2022 Solo Exhibition “Effervescence” @14 Gallery, Collingwood, Melbourne Vic