Still life paintings have always been an important part of
Martinez
's work. His primary influences are the 17th century Dutch and Spanish still
life painters like Pieter Claesz and Juan Sanchez Cotan, but Martinez has
developed a unique blend of emotionalism and technical mastery that mark a style
all his own. There is no item in these paintings that is not being scrutinized
by the artist. From the disparate objects themselves (grapes, ancient glass,
turban squash and skulls the latter in the same painting) to the surfaces on
which they reside, Martinez is interested in the minute details of their
texture, color and shape. But most importantly, he is interested in the drama
inherent in the relationship these objects have to each other. Often, a sense of
melancholy pervades the painting; e.g., a flower in its glorious, delicately
beautiful prime is standing before a crumbling wall - a reminder of the
transient nature of life.