Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicolas Martin.
Hi Nicolas, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born in Paris in 1980. After graduating from the Auguste Renoir art school in Paris, I decided to deepen my artistic knowledge by studying at Laval University in Quebec, Canada. I then worked as a designer and art director for several companies in France and Canada. Painting has always been my main goal. I learned a lot from my past experiences, which helps me today in my artistic process.
I started my career as a professional painter in 2013 with a Solo Exhibition at L’Oeil du Prince Gallery in Paris. A first major success that will allow me to launch my career in the best way possible. I subsequently exhibited several times in a row in Paris, in New York at the Salmagundi Club, in Copenhagen at Oxholm Gallery, in Berlin at Pfundt Gallery, in Laguna Beach at Vanessa Rothe fine art Gallery, in Denver at Abend Gallery as well as in Charleston at Principle Gallery which has represented me since 2019.
I have been published several times in Fine Art Connoisseur, American Art Collector, and Southwest Art Magazine, and I made the cover of Artists Magazine in 2018. During the last 10 years, I participated in more than 35 group exhibitions, and I did 9 Solo exhibitions in Europe and the United States. I still am at the beginning of my career with so much to do in the future. Exhibiting in the United States has always been important to me because I have lived in Canada since I was 19.
Artistically, I feel hybrid. I have a French and North American double culture, and it’s a great chance. I had the chance to travel a lot to discover magnificent cities; however, my first visit to Charleston felt different. At the Principle Gallery, I had my first Solo Exhibition in Charleston in 2022. It was my first experience in South Carolina. I fell utterly in love with this city and its people.
The welcome I received played a big part in my appreciation, and I am very grateful. I love cities with history, and Charleston is one of them. The people who live there love their city and take care of it. They love to talk about it, and I love to listen to them. These extraordinary houses are still in my memory. I liked getting lost in this city and discovering many subjects to paint by myself. I am inspired by everything around me. I am like a sponge. I am fascinated by light, and it is generally the light that guides my choice of subjects. Charleston has a very distinctive light combined with some extraordinary architecture. I could paint every inch of Charleston, which would always be interesting. My upcoming Solo Exhibition in Charleston will take place in November at Principle Gallery. I will present many paintings inspired by my first visit to Charleston. I look forward to sharing my experience with people and listening to their stories. I like to share and learn; my story with Charleston is just beginning.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
My main goal has always been related to painting. I had to make many risky and radical decisions to become a painter. I had to make a choice and give myself a chance to succeed as a painter. Painting full-time was my only option, so I left everything behind with only one goal in mind. It was easy because there was a purpose, and all my actions were done to achieve my goal. I changed everything in my life, so everything pointed in the same direction. I painted 14 hours a day during the first 3 years. I had many obstacles, but nothing was impossible, nothing that surprised me. It was a world I was not part of, but I was infused with art all my life; I was confident. I worked so hard that I couldn’t see myself failing. The biggest obstacles have always been related to my painting on how to evolve, progress, and improve. The rest was secondary. Today I have a family with two children. I have this responsibility and can do even less fail. They are my strength and my daily source of inspiration.
Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us a bit more about your work.
I am using oil paints on canvas or wood panels. I paint a lot of different subjects. I think that what guides my artistic choices is light. I am mostly known for my interior paintings, but I always seek something different that allows me to evolve. Interiors give me a feeling of peace that is hard to describe. I love lonely interiors that invite the viewer to be part of it. Most of my paintings are invitations; this is why I also love to paint houses. I start my paintings very freely. I don’t want to be too precise from the beginning. I want to feel free in the process and keep an intuitive aspect. I don’t correct myself too much; I am not looking for an ideal of beauty based on rules such as the golden ratio. I add more lines in my painting now. I stopped to draw when I began to paint, but I miss it and want to evolve with this in mind.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Many people have helped me in my career. The painters of the past and present who have inspired me. The collectors and art lovers who have allowed me to continue my journey as an artist by purchasing my paintings. The galleries support me, highlight my work and bring credibility to what I do. Only one person sowed a seed in my brain by showing me art and taking me to visit the Orsay Museum or the Louvres in Paris when I was a child. Everything starts from there, and everything starts from my mother. Art has always been present in my house, and I naturally developed a high interest at a very young age. I was lucky. Art is about sharing. I paint to share my feelings, my ideas, and my vision. My art is created alone in my studio, but it only makes sense when the paintings leave and meet the art lovers. We can discuss it. It is an exciting and necessary process.
Pricing:
- 700$ to 8000$
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theartofnicolasmartin.com/
- Instagram: theartofnicolasmartin
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theartofnicolasmartin/?ref=hl
