Chris Martin

"Paintings...

Since I became a full time artist in Nov 2011, my paintings and drawings have been finalists in;

The Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing 2012

The Xstrata Percival Portrait Award 2012

The Shirley Hannan National Portrait Awards 2012

The Black Swan Prize for Portraiture 2012

The Redland Art Awards 2012"

Chris Martin

A little background info...

I am British, but my wife and kids are Aussie, and we've lived in Brisbane since Sept 07.  In Dec 08 we moved to Logan - where we bought an acre of land whilst we were still in the UK.

I’ve spent 20 years in the UK Special Effects industry doing all sorts of things, that whilst they were creative, were not really ‘what I want to do when I grow up’.  This year at 51, I realised that I don’t want to grow up.  

I did an MBA before we left the UK in the mistaken belief that I had something to offer the world of management.  The problem is that the world of management doesn’t’ understand that.  

Last year my daughter Molly came over to get her folio together for art college and I got into painting with her.  

This year, after a brush with cancer, I’ve realised that actually, I just want to paint, and after all this time… I’ve made that leap of faith.  

So I"m painting and drawing, some commissioned work, some not.  I'm working towards an exhibition called 'THINKERS' at Logan Art Gallery in May next year.  It's a collection of significant thinkers in the Brisbane locale...who've made a difference to the rest of us, by being different one way or another.  It will be about 10 or 12 paintings.  I also teach at Logan Art School 3 times a week, and run a life drawing group.  

Chris