Eugene J. Martin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eugene J. Martin
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Martin, self-portrait, 1990
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| Born | July 24, 1938 |
| Died | January 1, 2005 (aged 66) |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Corcoran School of Art |
| Known for | Visual art |
Eugene James Martin (born July 24, 1938 – died January 1, 2005) was an important African-American artist. He created unique and interesting artworks.
Eugene J. Martin's Art
Eugene J. Martin was known for his very creative and detailed artworks. He often used mixed media, which means he combined different materials like paint, paper, and other items in his collages. These were usually made on paper.
He also made drawings that were often funny. He used pencil and pen and ink for these. His paintings, done on paper and canvas, sometimes included playful hints of animals, machines, or buildings. Other times, his paintings were more about abstract shapes and colors.
Martin called many of his works "satirical abstracts." This means they mixed abstract ideas with a bit of humor or a clever message. He did not create sculptures, focusing only on two-dimensional art.
Eugene J. Martin's Life Story
Eugene James Martin was born in Washington, D.C. His mother passed away when he was very young. He and his brother were then placed in foster care. As a child, Eugene faced challenges and spent some time in a special school. Later, he grew up on a farm in Clarksburg, Maryland.
On the farm, Eugene loved to draw realistic portraits and nature scenes. He was also a talented musician, playing the upright bass, thunder bass, and slide trombone in a local rhythm & blues band called The Nu-tones.
After finishing high school, Eugene had to choose between becoming a full-time musician or a visual artist. He briefly joined the United States Navy hoping to get an art education, but he was honorably discharged.
From 1960 to 1963, Eugene attended the Corcoran School of Art. After this, he became a professional fine arts painter. He believed in staying true to his own artistic vision. He didn't follow just one art movement or style. Instead, he remained an individualist, meaning his art was unique and hard to put into a single category.
Eugene lived most of his life in Washington D.C. He also spent some time in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and later moved to Lafayette, Louisiana in 1996 with his wife, Suzanne Fredericq. In 2001, he faced a serious health challenge while in Belgium. After receiving physical therapy, he bravely returned to painting and continued creating art until he passed away in Lafayette.
Gallery
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I Am Not a Mockingbird, 1978
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Dancing Stringbean, 1987
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Joyful Abstraction, 1991
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Untitled, 2003
Where to See His Art
Eugene Martin's artworks are held in many private art collections around the world. You can also find his art in the permanent collections of several museums, including:
- The High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia
- The Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans
- The Alexandria Museum of Art in Louisiana
- The Stowitts Museum & Library in Pacific Grove, California
- The Munich Museum of Modern Art
- The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York
- The Mobile Museum of Art in Alabama
- The Walter O. Evans Collection of African American Art in Savannah, Georgia
- The Paul R. Jones Collection of African American Art at the University of Delaware
- The Walter Anderson Museum of Art in Ocean Springs, Mississippi
- The Louisiana State University Museum of Art in the Shaw Center for the Arts in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- The Masur Museum of Art in Monroe, Louisiana
- The Sheldon Museum of Art in Lincoln, Nebraska
- The Ohr-O'Keefe Museum Of Art in Biloxi, Mississippi
The Artists Rights Society helps protect the copyright for Eugene James Martin's works in the U.S. His art estate is managed by Guido Maus at Maus Contemporary in Birmingham, Alabama, and by Galerie Zlotowski in Paris, France.
See also
In Spanish: Eugene J. Martin para niños
