Born in Pasadena, California, Mark Grotjahn pursued his formal art education at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture before completing an MFA at the California College of the Arts. He gained early critical attention in the late 1990s and early 2000s for his systematic approach to painting and drawing.

His practice is defined by a deep engagement with perspective and color, most notably seen in his Butterfly paintings, which utilize multi-point perspective to create radiating, kaleidoscopic patterns. Working across painting, drawing, and sculpture, Grotjahn often employs a labor-intensive process that emphasizes the physical texture of his materials.

Grotjahn continues to be a prominent figure in contemporary art, with his work held in major institutional collections worldwide. Recent developments include the acquisition of his sculptural work by the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden for its revitalized grounds in Washington, D.C.