Edward Martinez

Edward Martinez is a Portrait Artist working primarily in oil on canvas, who is drawn to the powerful experience of capturing the essence of each personality of his sitters. He started his career in Art as a Freelance Illustrator, working for publishers and advertising agencies, most notably his work graces many classic books like, Little Women and Gone with the Wind, as well advertisements for Ralph Lauren, Lord & Taylor, and Heineken. The success of his children’s book Too Many Tamales, a perennial holiday favorite, was celebrated at Washington’s Kennedy Center and the National Book Fair. He was chosen to paint at The Forbes Trinchera Ranch in Colorado, which culminated in a show at the Forbes Museum in Manhattan. His figurative and landscape paintings have been displayed in numerous gallery exhibitions in New York, Santa Fe, and Connecticut, and featured in numerous articles on Fine Art. Edward now focuses fulltime on his greatest passion: portrait painting. His portraits are included in numerous private collections across the country including the homes of dignitaries and heads of state.

 

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the arts were integral to Edward’s upbringing, as his Father was a graphic designer and his Grandfather an accomplished musician. When Edward was a young boy, his family moved to the United States. He studied Art at Parson’s School of Design in New York, where he met his wife, watercolor artist, Deborah Chabrian. Since his early days in art school, portraiture always held a special fascination for Martinez. In his portrait work, he does not prescribe to a preset style of painting, rather he creatively evokes the unique qualities of each sitter. This process is accomplished through careful observation, lighting selection, color usage, and expressive paint application. Edward’s, advanced studies with noted realist painter, Burton Silverman, solidified this expression of ‘truth through intense observation and mindful editing,’ which makes Martinez’s portraits vibrant with the spirit, as well as the physical attributes, of the subject.

 

Keeping his observational skills sharpened, Edward can be found painting ‘en plein air’ in the New England landscape, and on vacations to his native Argentina. He makes his home in rural Connecticut in an old farmhouse he has restored, and shares with his artist wife, and their two children, Oliver and Gabriella.

 

* This statement has been provided directly by the artist in association to their 15^th International ARC Salon entries. This content has not been edited for typos or grammatical errors and has not been vetted for accuracy.