About the Artist
Welcome. I am an experienced exhibiting British artist, photographer, picture framer and DJ currently based in Hautes-Pyrénées, in Southern France.
When you have been in the art space for as long as I have you generate a creative archive. The purpose of this website is to share and showcase the best work from my career as a visual artist; and to communicate the influences and events that have shaped its making.
Inspired by Trees and Time
I am passionate about exploring ideas and finding new ways to create and present art. I like to create art in collaboration with nature, where I take much inspiration. Here I am making a piece of art entitled “Peacetime: An Oak Tree Rubbed” in Rockingham, England. A unique performance drawing / rubbing of an oak tree featuring my ‘yoga clock’ motif. I have used this in my work for over 26 years. This clock without hands or numbers; without any moving parts represents a letting go of time; a still point or place outside of time; which, I believe is a good place to make art from.
That is why I chose to use this motif as the logo for Kenny Martin Art.
Inspired by Wild Camping
I love working with the camera, respecting and capturing nature; sometimes with subtlety, other times creating a contrast of a calm scene coupled with a dynamic motif. Here I am photographing at night whilst wild camping making work on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Skye and the Hebridean islands are one of my most inspiring places. I photographed till past 5.30am in the morning waiting for the light to sit just right. Being patient, persisting and persevering until I was eventually rewarded with “Oak Tree with Candles” – which is one of my most memorable long exposure photographs. The midges were terrible that night – hence the mosquito head net!
My First Art Sales
I first sold original artwork in person back in 1997 at my first solo exhibition entitled “Well Hung” at The Myrioscope Gallery in Brighton. I paid to hire the gallery and hung the show of my “Blue Works” – a body of work concerned with getting the canvas off the wall and extending the language of painting. Before the title bars even went up two pieces were sold to a collector from Kemp Town. One piece entitled “Greedy Bastard” consisted of a cobalt blue painted, custom shaped canvas with a bite taken out of it contrasting with 16 baked homemade Crispie Flakemeal biscuits – an old family recipe of my grandma.
I have sold art online since 2006 and shipped prints all over the world to collectors in Scotland, England, France, Spain, Germany, Finland, Greece, Australia, USA, Japan and Hong Kong.
Inspired by Funk, Soul, Disco, Dance Music
I had to include a picture of myself at the turntables on my about page! Here I am DJ Kenny still going strong at 51. I love playing and sharing my collection of vinyl. When I lived in London for 6 years I would play at art launch events around Old Street at The Bricklayers Arms and one time at the Whitechapel Arts Club. This image was from a rare event at the local bar ‘Au Cochon Joyeux’ in the local village Galan, Hautes-Pyrénées in France. I am delighted to say that everyone loved the music.
Philosophy
Practising art helps to sustain me as a person living life. That’s what art is to me; a sustenance, a nourishing activity.
Available work includes original art, painting, sculpture, photography and printmaking – in a range of sizes and formats to transform collector spaces. Artwork is taken from my personal art projects.
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To stay in the loop sign up to my Art Collector Club. It’s free to join and you will be the first to know when a new print or collection of work is released, thus ensuring you never miss out.
I hope you enjoy the work. Thanks, Kenny.
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