Figurative

Animals

In their ancient association with humans, animals have often been used in art and literature as religious symbols and to personify virtues, vices and other human attributes. Their symbolic resonance has always played a role in Martinez's work. But Martinez also likes to take a long, detailed and, at times, whimsical look at the personality of each creature he depicts on canvas. Whether he is painting the velvety coat of a huge Brahman bull, or the curious intensity of a barnyard cat, his animals have the same depth and character that appear in his best portraits of humans.

Portraits

In his memorable book Rembrandt's Eyes, Simon Schama gives an excellent definition of what is involved in the art of portraiture: "Portraits are three way negotiations among the sitters' sense of identity, the painter's perception of that identity (which may be mischievously or creatively imaginative) and finally the social conventions that the portrait is expected to satisfy". A very good portrait painter does more than fit a reasonable likeness into the current style - he shows the humanity present in the faces of his subjects. We cannot personally judge whether portrait painters like Rembrandt, Velasquez, and Titian caught the exact likeness of their sitters, but we know that these painters could portray a whole person in the painted image on canvas. Martinez also has this ability and we see in the faces of each of his subjects his profoundly optimistic point of view about human nature. Each of his subjects exists in a permanent state of grace. Each one has beauty, intelligence and, most importantly, a personal dignity that is the ultimate sign of respect from the artist.

These portraits are part of a series that the artist has named "Weighty Friends." Because there is no single, designated leader in un-programmed Quaker Meetings, the members themselves must take care of the business of the meeting. This includes everything from the maintenance of the building and grounds to committees of oversight, finance, marriage and membership and worship and ministry. Perhaps one of the reasons that Quakers often prove to be so durable is that they may retire from their profession but they do not retire from their responsibilities in the meeting. In fact, their responsibilities as mentors and advisors may increase after retirement. Although no Quaker, regardless of how distinguished, would refer to himself or herself as "weighty" the meeting knows who they are and relies on them in times of need. Most of the subjects in these paintings were born in the first quarter of the last century. Regardless of their professions-educators, doctors, bankers, administrators etc. - they have served and in some cases continue to serve the Religious Society of Friends faithfully for most of their long and productive lives.

Figures

To analyze how a particular artist imagines the human body is to discover how that artist views the human condition and his relationship to it. Think of the 20th century Swiss/Italian sculptor Alberto Giacometti and his pared down, attenuated, hungry human forms; or the voluptuous, overripe, sometimes decadent figures of 17th century Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens. Martinez's figures are neither attenuated nor overripe - they have in common a strength and integrity that denotes the painter's belief in the power of humanity. He isn't just interested in the physical power that humans possess (although that has a great attraction for him as well), but also in the ability human beings have to shape or define their environment. This leads him to depict dancers and actors, who, like him, create their own metaphors of the world. Their fully costumed, or partially clad, forms are experienced as a kind of kinetic sculpture that Martinez studies and depicts on canvas in order to celebrate the mystery and the joy of being human.

The artist has worked on the following series of three paintings off and on for close to 15 years. Martinez is struggling with “operatic” paintings in which complex and passionate ideas are depicted symbolically and/or metaphorically. It is the type of storytelling that demands the viewer’s attention and an immediate visceral response, but also encourages some intellectual effort in deciphering the symbols and pulling the story together.