Gregory Martin
MFA Claremont Graduate University
born: San Diego, CA
A native of Southern California, Gregory’s work is in many private, institutional and corporate art collections. He studied visual art at CSU Long Beach and Claremont Graduate University where he received his MFA in Painting in 2002. He’s currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Art at Mississippi State University in a state whose name he learned to spell at an early age.
Raised in an idyllic pre-fab California suburb that on the surface looked to be the post-war American dream but in realty included such events as a boy from his scout troop murdering his family with his boy scout hatchet, One of the first famous school shootings which inspired the Boomtown Rats I Don’t Like Mondays, and interesting next door neighbors, a made-man in the mob on one side and an FBI agent on the other. He developed a heightened appreciation for the relationship between Ideal appearances and hidden realities.
His parents were both farm raised with an appreciation for nature and open spaces, always situating the family in houses on the edge of development and nature. Family vacations included farm visits and exploring natural wonders. As an adult he has spent much of his time outdoors exploring the diverse landscapes of the American west. Ever present is the development and commerce shaping the land and the marketing of it as a commodity through presenting it as a utopian dream. The history is both fascinating and tragic.
Gregory Martin’s artwork explores the relationship between human ideals and practice. Utilizing traditions such as the ideal presentations of nature and humans in landscapes, natural history displays and decorative arts he explores these as models of representation to explore our relationship with our environment and ultimately our ideals in paintings, decorative objects and dioramic installations.
MFA Claremont Graduate University
born: San Diego, CA
A native of Southern California, Gregory’s work is in many private, institutional and corporate art collections. He studied visual art at CSU Long Beach and Claremont Graduate University where he received his MFA in Painting in 2002. He’s currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Art at Mississippi State University in a state whose name he learned to spell at an early age.
Raised in an idyllic pre-fab California suburb that on the surface looked to be the post-war American dream but in realty included such events as a boy from his scout troop murdering his family with his boy scout hatchet, One of the first famous school shootings which inspired the Boomtown Rats I Don’t Like Mondays, and interesting next door neighbors, a made-man in the mob on one side and an FBI agent on the other. He developed a heightened appreciation for the relationship between Ideal appearances and hidden realities.
His parents were both farm raised with an appreciation for nature and open spaces, always situating the family in houses on the edge of development and nature. Family vacations included farm visits and exploring natural wonders. As an adult he has spent much of his time outdoors exploring the diverse landscapes of the American west. Ever present is the development and commerce shaping the land and the marketing of it as a commodity through presenting it as a utopian dream. The history is both fascinating and tragic.
Gregory Martin’s artwork explores the relationship between human ideals and practice. Utilizing traditions such as the ideal presentations of nature and humans in landscapes, natural history displays and decorative arts he explores these as models of representation to explore our relationship with our environment and ultimately our ideals in paintings, decorative objects and dioramic installations.