Mark Richard Myers was born in San Mateo, California in 1945. His early education was in San Mateo and Hong Kong. He received a BA with honors in Maritime History at Pomona College in 1967. Myers is basically a self-taught artist who received technical and research assistance from the staff of the San Francisco Maritime Museum.

His extraordinary ability to paint sea, sky and ships stems from his seafaring experience. Myers sailed under Captain Alan Villiers in the brig GRETHE and the bark WANDIA in 1965. He sailed the California and Mexican coast in the schooner TE VEGA. In 1968, Myers joined the replica ketch NONSUCH built in Appledore, Devon, first working as rigger, later as boatswain and acting mate f...