Eliot Markell was born in Boston, Massachusetts and studied fine arts at Empire State College, SUNY and Mark Hopkins College. After studying with his mentor, Gandy Brodie at Gandy Brodie School of Fine Arts in Newfane, Vermont, he then moved to Brooklyn where he has lived and made art for over 40 years, at studios in Downtown Brooklyn, Gowanus, Greenpoint, and Bushwick.

He has also been a presence in the arts community of Northeast Harbor, Maine. His plein-air work was shown for many years at Wingspread Gallery, and other Maine coast galleries. Eliot has also written art criticism and articles for his blog, White Elephant on Wheels, many appearing in Painter’s Table, a noted online daily art magazine. He has co-curated numerous group shows of emerging and well known visual artists.

His artworks have appeared in numerous exhibitions in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Jersey City and other US cities. He shares his current live/work studio in Flatbush with his wife and fellow artist, Jeanne Tremel.