Mark Poole
Artist & Illustrator
Mark Poole graduated with a bachelor's degree in fine arts and design from the University of South Carolina. He has worked full-time in the commercial illustration field doing album covers, catalogs, automotive renderings, and too many other normal things to list here, but he now focuses on the science fiction and fantasy realm. So now it's high fantasy that usually emerges from the tip of his brush. He likes to paint scenes of idyllic landscapes that concentrate on mood, though it's not unusual to see castles or wildlife in his work as well.After five years in the industry, Mark has illustrated over 300 cards for various game companies, including more than 100 pieces for Wizard of the Coast's Magic: The Gathering® and Vampire: The Eternal Struggle(TM) games, as well as various illustrations for The Duelist(TM). He has worked for a wide variety of other companies as well: TSR, Daedelus Games, Companion Games, Realism Entertainment, QQP, Mayfair Games, Thunder Castle Games, Alderac Entertainment, ICE, New Millennium, Cactus Games, Computer Gaming World, Black Dragon Press, Quintessential Mercy Studio, Last Unicorn Games, and the magazines Shadis and Conjure.
When he's not painting, Mark pursues a number of other interests. He has a green thumb, so he can often be found out working in his big garden; he enjoys having friends over for cookouts; and he's a professional bass player--and has been playing for over fifteen years. He has toured, recorded three albums, and still records in his spare time with the progressive band Albion. He resides in Lexington, South Carolina, with his wife, Kippie, and their daughter, Kyrian.
"If I could do it over again," Mark says, "I wouldn't change a thing...except maybe purchasing more Wizards of the Coast stock."