America Martin (born 7 July 1980) is an American painter, sculptor, and self-proclaimed painting
anthropologist
An anthropologist is a scientist engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropologists study aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms, values ...
. Martin's primary subject is the human form. Her style mixes abstract and
indigenous
Indigenous may refer to:
*Indigenous peoples
*Indigenous (ecology)
In biogeography, a native species is indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only local natural evolution (though often populari ...
motifs and has been compared to mid-century artists. She credits her
Colombian roots for her aesthetic and tastes.
Family and early life
America was born in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
in 1980 to a family of artists. Her uncle is painter
Knox Martin
Knox Martin (February 12, 1923 – May 15, 2022) was an American painter, sculptor, and muralist.
Born in Barranquilla, Colombia, he studied at the Art Students League of New York from 1946 until 1950. He was one of the leading members of the N ...
; her father is an artist, matador, and author Ernest J. T. Martin; her mother is an academic, and her siblings went on to pursue careers in the arts. She began drawing at age nine after discovering the work of
Vincent Van Gogh
Vincent Willem van Gogh (; 30 March 185329 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art. In just over a decade, he created approximately 2,100 artworks ...
. Shortly thereafter, she began an eight-year apprenticeship with Vernon Wilson, a professor at the
ArtCenter College of Design
The ArtCenter College of Design is a private art college in Pasadena, California.
It was incorporated in 1930 as a degree-granting institution of higher learning in the US created specifically for students of both the visual arts and design. ...
in
Pasadena
Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial d ...
. Martin also worked briefly as an actress, notably as Patsy in
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
's ''
The Rocketeer'', while attending
Crossroads School for the Arts and Sciences in
Santa Monica
Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...
,
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
.
Fine art
Martin has worked in a variety of visual artistic media including painting, drawing, and sculpting in steel and aluminum. She is best known for her large oil and acrylic nude paintings. In addition to her female nudes, Martin's subjects include jazz musicians, boxers, Native Americans, street scenes, landscapes, and still lives.
Artistic style
In terms of process, Martin uses her whole body when painting, using the length of her arms to control the strokes. She has also being complimented for her command of line and color Her move to a new studio in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, in 2009 allowed her to experiment with a variety of new media. It has and continues to act as a venue to host a variety of cultural events that support the artistic community. She also works in collections, painting and drawing a unique body of work distinct from the exhibition location.
Career
Martin has been shown and collected internationally. In 2002, she had her first solo show in
Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. A notable and historic suburb of Los Angeles, it is located just southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Beverly Hil ...
and has since been exhibited in solo and group shows. In 2009, she received a residency at the
Walter Anderson Museum of At, with a grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission. She has been represented in
Austin
Austin refers to:
Common meanings
* Austin, Texas, United States, a city
* Austin (given name), a list of people and fictional characters
* Austin (surname), a list of people and fictional characters
* Austin Motor Company, a British car manufac ...
,
Laguna Beach
Laguna Beach (; ''Laguna'', Spanish for "Lagoon") is a city in Orange County, California, United States. Located in Southern California along the Pacific Ocean, this seaside resort city has a mild year-round climate, scenic coves, and environ ...
, Los Angeles,
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
,
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
,
Ontario
Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
, Santa Barbara,
Taos
Taos or TAOS may refer to:
Places
* Taos County, New Mexico, United States
** Taos, New Mexico, a city, the county seat of Taos County, New Mexico
*** Taos art colony, an art colony founded in Taos, New Mexico
** Taos Pueblo, a Native American ...
and
Maine
Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...
. Since 2017, her work has been displayed in American embassies as a part of the
US State Department's Art in Embassies (AIE) program.
Bibliography
*
*
References
External links
America Martin WebsiteAmerica Martin at the Joanne Artman Gallery America Martin at Carver Hill GalleryAmerica Martin at Mark GalleryAmerica Martin TumblrSnail Press Publications
Selected press
Los Angeles I'm Yours - A Life In Painting: An Interview With America Martin - Oct 2013Camden Herald - “America’s take on Maine” Aug 2013Maine Today - “Work, Dignity, and Beauty: Q&A with America Martin” Aug 2013TheCultCollective.com - “Cult Obsessed: America Martin” July 2013Racked LA - “Dan Deutsch Optical Taps Top LA Artisans for New Campaign” May 2013Los Angeles Confidential - “Real LA Beauties” May 2013The Sche Report - “Studio Visit with Artist America Martin” Aug 2012Culture Map Austin - “Artist America Martin returns to Austin..." May 2012OC Weekly - “America Martin Accepts No Substitutes” March 2012
{{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, America
1980 births
Living people
American women sculptors
21st-century American women painters
21st-century American painters