Martin Platt

Martin is a Dunedin artist who currently works in oils, mostly with a palette knife. His subject matter is varied, a landscape, the weather or seasons, houses, portraits, harbour scenes and though finding an inspiring subject is most important for getting started, it quickly becomes a secondary consideration for the most part.

Martin was inspired in his early 20s to try oil painting, after meeting a lady who was painting copies of Rembrandt’s works. This led him on a journey of self-teaching using books in the local library to explore the work and techniques of artists from the past. Early interests were (Henry) Rousseau and Van Gogh, and on to the impressionists, Picasso and Braque, the expressionists, the abstract artists, and many more. He came to love Australian art, and in particular Dobell and Herman, whose painting style and intent he greatly admired.

Important to Martin is form: "I believe painting is about striving for unity or completeness, by getting a balance - between colours, light and shade, masses, lines and texture. Texture is also essential and helps make the elements of the paintings equally tangible: the sky and atmosphere as much as the grass or the trees or the wall of a house."

Awards:
2014 Special Mention - Otago Art Society Spring Exhibition
2012 Third Place - Dunedin International Airport Art Award