Artist Spotlight: Ryan Martin

After recovering from the hallucinatory explosion of color, the complex narrative of Martin's images keeps us engaged.

BY Christopher Harrity

March 16 2013 6:22 AM ET

2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted, 2008, 80 x 84 inches

Ryan Martin was raised in Orange County, Calif. and attended conservative private schools throughout his youth before moving to the San Francisco Bay Area, to study fine art.

A mecca for the LGBT community, the Bay Area influenced Martin’s artwork through celebratory color and explosive brushstrokes. All the while, tightly rendered figures seem conflicted within their fanciful environments. The paintings resemble an archeological dig of the exotic, mythical landscapes but on the verge of destruction. The figures encompass not only insecurities of being an unequal youth, but also the feelings of entitlement and power.

Martin’s paintings have been exhibited in art shows and fairs in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York City. He is currently creating works for his next solo exhibition in San Francisco.

For more information:

ryanstevenmartin.com
facebook.com/Ryanmartinart
etsy.com/shop/martinprints