Mark Gibbons was born in Lyme Regis, Dorset into an RAF family. In 1972 he graduated from Hull University with a BA (Hons) in Philosophy and Psychology. Following university he travelled extensively but returned to live in Devon to pursue painting full-time. During the 1990s he tutored painting courses in Tuscany and Alderney.

He has had work commissioned for President Mitterand, and in 1994 Devon County commissioned one of his paintings to be given to the French on the anniversary of the D-Day landings.

 In 2003 Gibbons moved to Trewen near Launceston, where he continues to paint and keep bees.