McCroskey Interiors proudly presents the very first archival print series offered by the renowned artist Mark English, in collaboration with his gracious estate and Eva Reynolds Fine Art Gallery.
Mark English (1933-2019) was an artist of exceptional gifts. He was an American illustrator and painter who was considered the most successful illustrator in history. The recipient of over a hundred awards nationwide, the Society of Illustrators honored him with the Hamilton King Award in 1967, and in 1983 elected him to their prestigious Illustrators Hall of Fame.
English was born in Hubbard, Texas, in 1933. His first job was picking cotton, but he worked his way out of the fields when he learned how to paint signs for visiting rodeos. He attended the University of Texas and graduated from The Art Center College in Los Angeles in 1960. He moved to Connecticut in 1964 and began his meteoric rise as one of America's top magazine illustrators. His first cover assignment from "The Saturday Evening Post" led to nonstop work from most major publications - "Sports Illustrated", "Time Magazine", "Good Housekeeping", "Ladies Home Journal", "Redbook", and "McCall's". He designed movie posters and album
covers for John Denver, Julian Lennon and The Who. His works have been shown in Canada, Japan, and throughout the United States, including the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.
English was committed to innovation and growth. His career as an illustrator set new standards within the field, and the paintings late in his career were proof of his determination, drive and desire to further challenge himself. In 1977, an offer from Hallmark Cards to serve as artist-in-residence prompted a move to Kansas City, Missouri. His interest in Kansas City and its surrounding countryside began to dominate his paintings. And by 1995 he had taken a new path to express his amazing talent. He challenged his classical training by experimenting with innovative techniques to create layered effects using abstracted shapes, figures, and colors.
As Mark continued to develop his expressive abstract style, he focused on gallery paintings almost exclusively and soon found great success in this new venture. Beloved by many, Mark's works remain favored by art lovers and private collectors around the world. We are so grateful to have the privilege of sharing his work with you.
