Craig Martinez
born: Sacramento CA, 1961
education: University of California at Davis
The human condition is where my paintings usually lead. Each piece will contain opposing emotions or world views, not specific events but redundant themes that appear throughout human history and religions. These works are an attempt to convey a universal need or trap. My goal is to create paintings that are well developed concepts which remain simple without becoming simple minded or preachy.
I like to say that my work is in reality layers and layers of mistakes laid down one on top of the other eventually creating a single unique image. This is exactly how I view my life.
Spiritual influences are always present due to my twelve years of Catholic school education and another ten years spent in protestant churches, but even after years of separation from any organized religion, it is in large part the underlying influence of all that I paint.
Insanity in individuals is something rare - but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. — Friedrich Nietzsche