Approach

Mark Butler is a painter whose primary interest lies in the creative process itself.

He develops his paintings using visual ideas that emerge from improvised drawings or doodles—whatever "pops out"—rather than from a predetermined set of visual references.

Primarily working with charcoal and layers of acrylic paint on paper or canvas, he aims to let these intuitive beginnings evolve into fully realized paintings. His practice is thus grounded in an ethos of discovery-through-making.

Biography

After growing up in Leixlip, Co. Kildare, Mark Butler studied Electronic Engineering at University College Dublin. In 2006, he left Ireland and over the next 14 years spent time living and working in China, the United Kingdom and Canada.

While living in Canada, Mark earned a degree in Visual Arts with a focus on Painting from Emily Carr University of Art & Design in Vancouver in 2013. Since then, he has maintained an active studio practice and held a solo exhibition at Dynamo Arts Association in Vancouver in 2018. During this time, he also got married, started a family, and lived on Vancouver Island for three years while working in the public health system.

In 2020, Mark returned to Ireland with his family, and currently resides and works in Leixlip, Co. Kildare.

Supported by Kildare County Council

  • 2024 Art Acts Award