Martin has been painting for many years, specializing in
watercolour techniques and using the male figure as a motif.
"I paint figures because each one is different and in
water they seem to defy gravity. I first came across Henry
Scott Tuke in an old second hand book, which lead me to Eakins
and then to the prints and pools series by David Hockney for
their connection with painting the figure in or around water".
Martin graduated in printmaking at Camberwell School of Art
in 1989 after a degree in Fine Art at Canterbury College of
Art. He has experienced all sorts of activities to support
himself whilst pursuing a career as an artist including cycle
courier, artist’s model, decorator and supporting actor
in film and television. He currently teaches and demonstrates
drawing and painting techniques for art groups and colleges
in the UK.
"Water both reflects and absorbs light. The colours
below and on the surface fascinate me and the challenge of
painting is selecting how this changes as a figure passes
through it. Light, colour and figures are all competing with
each other at the same time. The possibilities are endless,
the variations of colour and the break up of recognizable
objects defies anatomical common sense and provokes us to
look again. The distortions that occur with movement can be
quite amusing. Swimmers in water contain movement that provides
me with compositions that challenge and inspire. My art invites
to take the plunge!"
Martin has exhibited to an admiring audience as far-reaching
as Singapore and has been a regular at Open House events in
London for several years. He finds that showing in domestic
settings helps potential buyers relate to paintings in a 'lived
in' environment. His works are ‘permanently on display’
in Battersea/London.
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